BSN vs. RN Salary

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing.
Bloop23 said:
do and under emphasize theory.

In terms of management, BSN and MSN nurses just sound better on paper. Management is about leadership and your ability to make sound decisions, not necessarily related to level of education. However, graduate degrees demonstrate your ability in higher level thinking which is valuable as you strategize to make your unit or hospital (if your an executive) run as efficiently as possible.

I agree with you wholeheartedly in the fact that management and leadership skills either inborn or acquired. Great managers have been found on the ADN level with appropriate instruction in management and leadership. Great managers have been found on the MSN/PhD level with the appropriate education. But not everyone makes a great manager. Alphabet soup doesn't make you a leader; the point I was trying to make earlier is that there is a bigger picture to be seen here. It is not solely about management, and who get to be "the leader". There is so much more to professional nursing...it is not an attitude, nor is it a title. Which leads me to my next point, which I will address in the next post. (sorry, I can't multi-quote just yet)..

Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing.
denit1am said:
this forum is ridiculous, rn vs bsn. i am going into an accelerated program at an community college in michigan that happens to hold to highest board pass rate in the state of michigan, and that is competing with msu and uofm. i also know from holding a bachelors degree in cardiac rehab, most of the classes you take to obtain your degree are a joke. i will eventually get my bsn just because i know its something to put on a resume when another position opens with higher pay. i know of bridge programs offered only have a couple nursing courses, but i also know of associate nursing programs that don't require pathophisiology as a prerequisite. i guess choosing a school and the way you spend your time learning to material and being successful at taking the boards is more important than arguing over rn vs bsn, becuase at the end you all hold the same title rn.

denit1am, i respectfully disagree with you for a few reasons. high pass rate, much like holding a bsn, has nothing to do with the caliber of nurse the school produces. in my humble opinion, in the same light, i know nurses who have taken several tries to pass the nclex and made phenomenal nurses, yet i also know nurses who took the nclex and passed it on the first try who i wouldn't let care for my dog. my schools pass rate was not the highest in the state, but it was high, and i got out of my education what i was willing to put in. that being said, it doesn't sound like you will be putting a lot into your program of bsn study, as you see it as a "resume booster". i sincerely hope, for the love of nursing, that you do not consider your hard earned nursing education on the baccalaureate level a "joke" or a "resume pearl".

i don't consider this discussion an argument. this is an enlightening conversation for those intelligent enough to see it as such. calling other people's comments idiotic :no: as one poster did earlier in the thread makes us look like the feminine hormonal pot of gossipmongers and malicious young-eating heiffers the media plays us out to be at times. instead of helping each other to understand things, we disagree disagreeably. and the world is watching. those who take offense to discussions like these have room for growth. people who see their bsn's as a way to get paid more kinda worry me. actually, i will take it one step further...i pray for them, because it is this attitude that has placed us in a position of professional stagnancy. i used to have the same attitude you had...so i can also only pray that you find a bsn program that has dedicated, professional professors who have a passion for the profession, instead of the attitude that they just need to "pass folks along that just want some more pay".

i am going back to school for my msn not because i want to get more pay...i have done the bedside thing for 11 years, and shift work is hard on my body. i look forward to the challenge, and i want to motivate bsns to keep going. there is no harm in that. but no one...and i mean no one...should do something without reason. when you return for your bsn, then, please come up with a better reason than "it looks good on my resume." just saying. no disrespect intended. :redbeathe

Specializes in ICU.

For most professions you are paid by the amount of education it took to get that job. That is why engineers, lawyers, doctors, CPA's and such make more money, for the most part, than someone with an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. The majority of the population considers a Community College as just an extension of high school, or a prep school to get you ready to go to college.

When you can take a new high school graduate and have them working as an RN in 5 semesters it is hard to convince the public that we are professionals. I am starting my 5th, and last, semester of my ADN in Jan. and I have a couple of people in my class that are still 19 years old. Mentally and emotionally they are still kids. They show it in their actions and conversations.

I am applying to a BSN program as soon as I pass the N-CLEX. I am doing this for a couple of reasons; I believe it will help me in the long run, and I will need it to make more money. Some hospitals will not hire an ADN, and some that do restrict your pay. Did I get into nursing for the money? I will admit that played a very large part in it. Anyone that says they didn't get into nursing for the money is not being honest. I know of no one that would go through nursing school and take on the responsibilties nurses have for $10 an hour. So money does play a part.

Specializes in ER.

Most hospitals I've seen usually pay a small difference- I've never seen more than $.50 an hour difference. It is sad, since they push for BSN nurses, but don't really want to pay for the work we do to get it. You do have better opportunities for more jobs- In my hospital, you have to have a BSN in order to apply for anything other than staff nurse- Clinicians and NMs have to have it, and most NMs have to be pursuing theis MSN.

Specializes in Adult Cardiac..

wether they pay BSN more or less than Associate RN's, it's ok, because currently more hospitals and nursing homes, including other facilities have been pushing for hiring RN, BSN only

Specializes in ICU.

Unless I am mistaken Magnet hospitals only hire BSN. I know in the VA health system they will hire ADN, but you cannot progress past Level 1 nurse. I feel it is only a matter of time before a BSN will be required. If not for employment, but must be obtained within a certain timeframe after being hired.

I am a BSN student, and whilst I agree that an Associates is a degree all be it a lessor one, it would not be true to say that this is how it is done in other countries. I noticed a few posts saying that an Associates degree can get you work in other countries. This is not true most other countries do not recognize and AD RN. For example unless you have a Bachelors degree you can not work as a Nurse in Australia and the UK. So if you think you can go to the UK and Australia with an associates degree guess again.

The standards are also starting to change here in the USA, the only reason they have allowed the Associates degree nurses to get in is because they have a shortage. Now do not get me wrong I know a nurse once they sit the boards is a nurse but there is a lot to be said for the extra course work the standard of class work and the extra clinical work required for a BSN, I know people taking there AD at a local community college and there pre req classes are a lot easier than the ones we had to take. Some class do not even have tests like we do at University. I have asked them basic questions about a topic they should understand and they do not have a clue.

I called a major hospital in St louis discussed employment when I finished my degree and they assure me they prefer BSN degree students.

Now it comes down to this how long do you want to be in school where do you want to work and how far do you thing and Associates degree will get you if you are looking to be more than a floor Nurse. End of the day we should all be in it to help people

I have seen it anywhere from the same pay to about a dollar an hour. I look at BSN's obtained for growth in your education and maybe even going further with it.

I also agree with the above, as some companies will only hire BSN or above for management.

Specializes in ICU.

I would suggest all nurses obtain a BSN sooner than later. I have never seen where more education held someone back. As the national nursing shortage is eleviated employers will place more emphasis on education. Having a BSN can only help you in the long run.

***FROM A 2 YEAR NURSE WHO JUST GOT HIRED INTO A MAGNET HOSPITAL OVER 18 BSNs :)***

As a new graduate nurse from with an associate degree I MUST respond in kind to the above statements. I was selected from an applicant pool of nearly 25 new nurses to work at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. This hospital is the PREMIER teaching hospital associated with Medical College of Wisconsin, and largest magnet institution in WI. I also was a new-hire, meaning I had never worked or had classes there while in nursing school. I WAS SELECTED OVER 18 OTHER NEW RN GRADUATES WITH A BSN DEGREE. Why? I was told I had more desirable characteristics outside my degree aka personality, references, background, etc. This is not to say I am not pursuing my BSN (I currently am enrolled in RN-BSN program after just graduating 2 months ago!) but there is much more than a simple degree that gets your foot in the door. Don't always assume a 4-year nursing degree grad is sharper than a 2-year, as our college has some of the higher NCLEX pass rates over 4 year schools, and we have more clinical time, and this was reflected. Also, I have $0 in school loans or debt and am getting Froedtert pays me to get my BSN! According to Nathan King, some ADNS did not appear as "smart" etc. etc. but who is the smarter one to use their employer to cover their 4 year degree with NO DEBTS?

"In Dream84" I did not imply all schools or all students I stated the people I new. As for debt I already work for the hospital in the emergency room as an ER tech so the hospital will pick up the bill for my program as well so guess what no debt either. As for BSN's why does the data prove that hospitals with more BSN's have lower mortality rates than those staffed with more Associate RN's also why is there a bill being pushed through the senate to require all hospitals to have a minimum of 1 in 10 BSN to RN and some hospitals requiring a 1 in 5 ratio.

I am happy you where successful over the other nurses, I agree it is more than a Lic and a degree that gets you a management job, but in the end statistics show and prove the majority of upper management positions are held by four year degree students over two year degree students. Also statistics prove that more students with four year degrees succeed in greater numbers when seeking advanced degrees over those with associates. It is not about smarter or better when it comes to facts.

At the end of the day people have choices, if you want to be a floor nurse and thats it well RN with associates is it, if you want to have a better shot at management and advancement you are statistically better off getting a BSN. Or people can try without it and they may or may not get the same shot as you did.

If you want to go over seas good luck (that was the original question in the post)

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