Are online degrees 'legit'? Such as RN-BSN online? Is BSN really necessary? CONFUSED.

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm doing Practical Nursing at my local community college and then bridging into ADN. The reasons that I'm not doing BSN are: There's only one community college near me and it doesn't offer anything past ADN, I don't want to owe too much student loan money, and I want to start working faster and I really have no aspirations for management positions. I only want to be a travel nurse that works in the hospital arena [icu, er, med surg, picu...]

I'm thinking that if I choose to get my BSN I'll get it online through one of those online degree colleges....are those bad? Is an online nursing degree not good even if you got your ASN through community college?

Or should I go to college for my BSN at a different college after I get my ADN?

Various schools are different in their requirements. And I can only go by what I know here in New Orleans. I went to an ASN (ADN) program to obtain my RN. It is my understanding that to complete the BSN through LSU (Louisiana State University) and Southeastern requires only classes that can be completed online.

An ADN-RN does the same job and has the same scope of practice as a BSN-RN. However, going with the mindset that education is a good thing, most places want a BSN, and a few hospitals require it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that every so often, there is a push by the NLN to require RN's to have a BSN and that ADN RN's be grandfathered in, with a requirement to complete a BSN within X years or revert back to an LPN. So far, it has always been shot down. I wouldn't be surprised, with the emphesis on education in nursing, to see it pass.

I personally know people that have an ADN-RN and been nurses for 20 years and are as good, or better as some MSN nurses.

I've been much already decided that I am surely getting my BSN as soon as possible after getting my ADN and RN license....but with such an emphesis on education and 'degree holding', do you think that one should get their MSN? I have no interest in nurse practitioning, research related careers, or management, but do you think that the MSN might be needed for me to excel and get better RN opportunities? Or is that just a waste of time for someone who just wants to do bedside nursing?

Thanks for all the helpful answers everyone! I'm pretty much set on getting my BSN....after I get my ADN of course since right now I can only attend college in the area.

Specializes in MED SURG/GERIATRIC ADMIN/ CORRECTIONS.

sky....ever thought of MSN/ Nurse Educator?....that tract is completely online through Ole Miss :).....2 years ADN to MSN :).....even for FNP

sky....ever thought of MSN/ Nurse Educator?....that tract is completely online through Ole Miss :).....2 years ADN to MSN :).....even for FNP

ADN-MSN? In 2 years? That sounds great! But I have no interest in being an educator, just an RN and maybe getting the extra degree to make me more 'marketable'... If I did get that degree or went straight for my MSN it wouldn't limit me would it? I mean I could still work as a plain old RN travel nurse right?

I've seen no evidence that getting a master's degree offers better opportunities as a beside nurse, so I personally wouldn't spend time and money (master's credits are far more expensive than undergrad credits) on an MSN if you want to be a bedside nurse only.

I've seen no evidence that getting a master's degree offers better opportunities as a beside nurse, so I personally wouldn't spend time and money (master's credits are far more expensive than undergrad credits) on an MSN if you want to be a bedside nurse only.

I agree on that note completely, but you don't suppose it would make me more 'marketable' for getting jobs? I mean maybe I'm just being paranoid but everywhere I go while researching nursing everything seems to contradict it's self. I mean there's a nursing shortage that is growing, yet students are competing to get into nursing schools and then competing for jobs and there's so many other nurses that your up against when trying to get a job....maybe I'm just paranoid. I don't want to have to waste money on an extra degree I won't 'need' though....

Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

Skylar i agree w/you about nsg contradicting itself. From what i've seen, hiring mgrs are more interested in experience than your education. Alot of nursing 'skills' come from practice - not what u learn in the classroom. For example - starting IV's. Not that it should be that way and maybe it is different other places but jobs that i have interviewed with recently seem to be more interested in your 'skills' and previous work history. I was asked very little about education. However, some areas are inundated with new grad applicants and so 'preferring BSN' is just something they can do. Politically incorrect, i know.

I submitted a job app online and before you could 'submit' it it required u to promise that you had 1 yr ACUTE CARE experience. You could have your BSN, MSN but you still couldnt apply for that job as a new graduate

Specializes in MED SURG/GERIATRIC ADMIN/ CORRECTIONS.

if you are just wanting to work the floor hun...dont waste your time or money on the MSN or BSN id say...there are PLENTY of places that will hire you in as a new grad (in mississippi and tennessee anyway)...they even recruit new grads down here...they view new grads as fresh meat with no bad habits!!!

i would advise that you not specialize in your first year...try the med surg floor...most travel companies require a year of med surg experience before hiring you anyway...med surg isnt all that great...then again, it isnt all that bad either...there are new things on a daily basis, excellent opportunities for perfecting skills, and gaining new ones :)

and if you do decide to go back and get your masters (and you are sincere)....try correctional nursing....its easier than squeeze cheese and provides a plethora of study time!!! :)

Don't waste money on an MSN; it won't help you get a job as a floor nurse, and it may even hurt you, depending on the salary structure. If there is a set base pay for an MSN that is higher than a BSN, no one is going to hire a relatively inexperienced MSN over any sort of BSN. Just food for though.

if you are just wanting to work the floor hun...dont waste your time or money on the MSN or BSN id say...there are PLENTY of places that will hire you in as a new grad (in mississippi and tennessee anyway)...they even recruit new grads down here...they view new grads as fresh meat with no bad habits!!!

While I agree with the sentiment, the reality is that except in certain parts of the county (apparently MS & TN to which we may be able to add the Dakotas and Utah), the number of institutions willing to hire ASN/ADN new grads appears to be declining.

Here in the Phila area, more and more health care institutions are stipulating "BSN required" for their new hires. This requirement used to be limited to magnet hospitals (there are 2 large chains representing about a dozen hospitals here in the Phila who are in the process of attaining magnet status and I hear this is happening in a number of ) but the trend seems to be growing and I've even seen a few postings for LTCs requiring a BSN. While this is a tough job market for all new nurses, the BSN requirement is making the situation even tougher: Roughly 50% of the 2009 graduating class from my local CC (a well-respected nursing program with excellent NCLEX pass rates) are without jobs and the number for my 2010 graduating class is closer to 90%.

The point is that while the BSN may not be an advantage in some areas, in many others it certainly is. Moreover, as a couple of other posters have pointed out, it is the stated goal of the NLN to require the BSN as the minimum credential for RN's. My own feeling - and I freely admit that there is no empirical evidence to back this up - is the NLN is encouraging hospitals to take advantage of the present economic conditions to drive the BSN requirement. I also believe that it's simply a matter of "when", not "whether" all hospitals will require BSNs. With that in mind, my advice would be to go directly for the BSN if at all possible. If you have to start with an ASN/ADN, that's OK - you may get lucky and line up a nursing job when you graduate. Whether you're working or not, at that point you can enter an on-line RN-BSN program which as others have already pointed out, is a "legit" way to get your degree - assuming that it is via an accredited program.

This is in fact what I'm doing (I'm in that 90% mentioned above) even though as a second-degree RN, I could do an RN-MSN program. One reason is cost: RN-MSN programs have a "bridge" component for non-BSNs, usually 3 or 4 courses for which you often pay graduate tuition. Another issue is time: I can complete an RN-BSN program in roughly the same time it will take for the just the bridge RN-MSN classes - and for significantly less money to boot. This should allow me to find a nursing job at that point, assuming the economy continues to improve. I don't know for sure but have to think that entry-level positions for new grad MSN-RNs with essentially no job experience are somewhat limited.

While I agree with the sentiment, the reality is that except in certain parts of the county (apparently MS & TN to which we may be able to add the Dakotas and Utah), the number of institutions willing to hire ASN/ADN new grads appears to be declining.

Here in the Phila area, more and more health care institutions are stipulating "BSN required" for their new hires. This requirement used to be limited to magnet hospitals (there are 2 large chains representing about a dozen hospitals here in the Phila who are in the process of attaining magnet status and I hear this is happening in a number of ) but the trend seems to be growing and I've even seen a few postings for LTCs requiring a BSN. While this is a tough job market for all new nurses, the BSN requirement is making the situation even tougher: Roughly 50% of the 2009 graduating class from my local CC (a well-respected nursing program with excellent NCLEX pass rates) are without jobs and the number for my 2010 graduating class is closer to 90%.

The point is that while the BSN may not be an advantage in some areas, in many others it certainly is. Moreover, as a couple of other posters have pointed out, it is the stated goal of the NLN to require the BSN as the minimum credential for RN's. My own feeling - and I freely admit that there is no empirical evidence to back this up - is the NLN is encouraging hospitals to take advantage of the present economic conditions to drive the BSN requirement. I also believe that it's simply a matter of "when", not "whether" all hospitals will require BSNs. With that in mind, my advice would be to go directly for the BSN if at all possible. If you have to start with an ASN/ADN, that's OK - you may get lucky and line up a nursing job when you graduate. Whether you're working or not, at that point you can enter an on-line RN-BSN program which as others have already pointed out, is a "legit" way to get your degree - assuming that it is via an accredited program.

This is in fact what I'm doing (I'm in that 90% mentioned above) even though as a second-degree RN, I could do an RN-MSN program. One reason is cost: RN-MSN programs have a "bridge" component for non-BSNs, usually 3 or 4 courses for which you often pay graduate tuition. Another issue is time: I can complete an RN-BSN program in roughly the same time it will take for the just the bridge RN-MSN classes - and for significantly less money to boot. This should allow me to find a nursing job at that point, assuming the economy continues to improve. I don't know for sure but have to think that entry-level positions for new grad MSN-RNs with essentially no job experience are somewhat limited.

I'm truly surprised that no poster (like old me) has not said that hospitals have been trying to make the BSN the only one at the bedside for YEARS!!!!! Please read the ANA position paper of 1965. They have been talking about it for MANY, MANY years. In my RN-BSN program in the 1980's, an instructor told me that eventually only the MSN RN will be at the bedside! (Ha, ha, ha!) :jester:

In my area, they won't even look at your resume if you aren't a BSN.

They don't want ya.

I believe that this may turn around again, but it is just one more reason that I am starting classes next month.

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