How Did a BSN Help Your Career (Or Not)

Nurses General Nursing

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Please ... this is NOT an ADN vs. BSN thread. I don't want to go there.

I am merely asking BSN nurses if they feel the bachelor's provided more career opportunities, or not. If so, what kind of career opportunities.

Or, did you see more benefit by getting your master's?

Also, for those who are currently working on their BSN, why did you decide to pursue it?

Do you feel that the additional costs, time invested, lost overtime, etc. for the BSN was or will be worth it?

Thanks.

:typing

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
I really think you're generalizing to think that all ADNs see nursing as a 'job'. ...

I agree, that would indeed be a gross generalization and would be a statement that I do not agree with.

I was referring to people who asked, "why bother?" in regards to advancing their degrees, (not to *all* ADNs).

Gen

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
No clinicals the last six months??? That is highly unusual. All the programs around here ADNs and BSNs are doing clinicals/preceptorships up until they walk down the aisle. :lol2:

Sorry. Off topic. I just found that interesting. Carry on with the original topic of how a BSN has helped an individual person, or not helped.

If you want to count a community health clinical as a school nurse where I spent most of the time doing research for my papers (4- 10-20 page for that class) rather than actually attending to the children; and, a geriatric clinical where I interviewed an elder 5 times to write a series of papers (each no less than 25 pages) related to the elder, we can count them as clinical experience (which still was totally useless to my practice as a nurse in the real world). I did here that the school I went to finally started a final semester preceptorship because of the negative feedback given by the local area hospitals concerning the lack of skills they found for the university's graduates.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
If you want to count a community health clinical as a school nurse where I spent most of the time doing research for my papers (4- 10-20 page for that class) rather than actually attending to the children; and, a geriatric clinical where I interviewed an elder 5 times to write a series of papers (each no less than 25 pages) related to the elder, we can count them as clinical experience (which still was totally useless to my practice as a nurse in the real world). I did here that the school I went to finally started a final semester preceptorship because of the negative feedback given by the local area hospitals concerning the lack of skills they found for the university's graduates.

Are you sure those papers were useless? You have the rest of your entire career to "attend to the children." Time in college is a precious time to explore theory and dig deeper, IMHO. I look forward to exploring such areas when I'm in my BSN program. I would think that parsing the issues that affect the elderly and/or children or just patients in general, in the form of writing papers could contribute greatly towards enriching one's knowledge base.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

I am an ADN grad. I chose to go this route because it fit my lifestyle (and budget) to allow me to become a nurse and get into the workforce. I do consider myself a professional and view nursing as a profession, not a job. I have always known that I would continue on to BSN. In fact, I see the BSN as merely a stepping stone to my Master's which is my ultimate goal. If there was a RN-MSN program available in something other than Nursing Educator in my area, I would enroll in that program rather than do a separate program for BSN and MSN.

Having an advanced education opens the doors of opportunity. I don't think anyone is disputing that. It is just very important to remember that there is more than one route to achieve that higher education. Some people do it all at one time, others do it in steps. Either way, the end result is essentially the same. There is no need to debate who is the better beside nurse...and what each individual takes from his/her education and experience is so highly individualized...

I would recommend to anyone that if you have the time, financial resources, and get accepted into a program...to go for the BSN. However, if you cannot, do not let others discourage or belittle you or your education. Also, don't assume that because someone has a lesser degree that they do not value or do not feel a need to obtain a higher degree. The best nurse is the nurse who never stops learning, never stops furthering his/her education, whether formal or informal.

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