I'm not going to lie...

[StudentOfHealing]

Some people genuinely annoy me on here, I'm ALL for furthering education but dreading those of us who choose to start with our ADN is complete disrespect.

Had my mother been healthier (she has RA and her pain is becoming unbearable.... she's a massage therapist ... her hands are her money makers) I would have gone the BSN route.

There's nothing more that I want than to retire my poor old mom.

Going the BSN route would have meant

a) A further drive... lets just say our vehicles SUCK! My community college is even walking distance .. need be!!!

b) I would have had to pay 25K for the BSN... my ADN costs 5K.

c) Graduating later...I need to retire my mom... NOW ... she's 57 ... has HTN ... she's already had 2 hypertensive crises. Her RA puts her in awful pain

I appreciate higher education. I know I will bridge for my BSN and I plan to obtain my MSN by age 24.

I'm currently 20 and in my second semester.

side note: I hope that after I obtain my BSN THEN I will be qualified worthy of obtaining a job in the ICU. I will apply everywhere either way....

what do I have to lose? My friend graduated with her ADN and received a position as a NICU nurse... as a new grad!

I'm glad to say that everywhere I go the nurses truly enjoy us... and tell as graduates from our college make some good nurses.

For a community college we've done pretty well. Recently spent millions on a simulation lab... new lecture rooms... ect. I personally am learning a lot here and he best part is that if I graduate with a 3.0 I AUTOMATICALLY am accepted into UTMB upon applying because my college has a deal with them.

[ixchel]

Real world nursing doesn't involve critical thinking?

lol no fair taking it that way!

[ixchel]

ADNs take the same test as BSNs. Do your research.

I'm going to assume you didn't read the whole thread and respond by saying that this poster said in an earlier post that where they are from there are no ADNs. They only have 4-year programs.

[soxgirl2008]

I couldn't agree more. I'd also like to point out that an ADN is not "just a 2 year degree" anymore. I still had to take English, math, 2 psych classes, sociology, chemistry, A&P 1-2, micro and a communication course before I could start clinicals. I am all for higher education and I believe everyone should eventually get their BSN, but there is nothing wrong with having an ADN. Most of the ICU nurses at the hospital I work at are ADNs. Yes, it was always better to have more education but ADNs are more than capable of being great bedside nurses. I don't get offended at the idea of higher education. I embrace it. I get offended when people basically say that ALL BSN nurses are going to be better than their ADN co workers and that an ADN makes nursing look bad. I'm working hard for my degree. Just as hard as my bf is working for his BSN. I started at a 4 year university, did all the pre reqs for my BSN but wasn't accepted into the program. The only other BSN schools around would have made me take another 1.5 years of their pre reqs and I would have easily been 60,000 in debt. After I finish my ADN I will have my BSN within a year because I only need 6-7 classes for my BSN through my previous university. I will have my BSN at the same time I would've had it had I gone straight for it, and for a lot less money. So it made sense for me personally. Sure I would've loved to go straight for the BSN, however not everyone can shell out the money

[soxgirl2008]

Oh, and in my area ADNs are still regularly hired in hospitals.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

I know it's not a popular thought but....I am a firm believer that new entry to practice should be a Bachelor's. I have absolutely no problem with current ADNs; just change the entry of practice for future nurses.

[Beautiful Mind RN]

I too started off with an Associate's (in Science not Nursing) when I decided to go back to school and pursue a BSN. I was a pharmacy tech before I went back to school, so I had the opportunity to save a good chunk of money and I have a good family support system as well. I do not see anything wrong with the way you are thinking, I think it is actually a good way to go and I plan on doing the same route when I decide to get a MSN, as in, I'll wait a bit, work as a BSN for some time, then get it later.

As for people who think they are better because they have more education under their belt, well they should think about this aspect, becoming a nurse in and of itself, whether ADN or BSN is a hard road and a grand accomplishment, plus, no matter what route you take, there is always an opportunity to get a higher education.

Good luck to you.

[soxgirl2008]

I know it's not a popular thought but....I am a firm believer that new entry to practice should be a Bachelor's. I have absolutely no problem with current ADNs; just change the entry of practice for future nurses.

And honestly, I'm not opposed to making RNs go back for their BSN within 10 years or eventually making the entry level a BSN. Not because I think ADNs aren't prepared enough or anything, they certainly are. However, I think it would help the nursing profession to be taken more seriously considering all other medical professions require a bachelors. The thing that gets me is the attitude some people have that being an ADN nurse automatically makes you a lesser nurse than a BSN. It's really disheartening sometimes to see posts that infer that ADN programs are much easier than BSNs and that you are not as smart coming out of an ADN program as a BSN.

[Jill2Shay]

Many hospitals are going to be requiring it soon anyway. One local hospital told all their LPNs they had to go get their RNs within X amount of time or be demoted to some kind of administrative role. The same will hold true with the BSN. If you're an ADN they'll give you X amount of years to either get into a program or complete a program, or be demoted to a CNA status.

Licensing may or may not follow suit. Who knows.

[Ackeem, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

i apologize if i offended any ADN RN i didn't mean to, i was just ignorant of the fact that one could go to college for 2 years and qualify to sit the same exam that BSN students take. And then be granted the same scope of practice with similar compensation. that doesn't happen in my country, an RN equates to someone who went to a university for 4 years period, 2 years of education equates to a "nursing assistant" who went to a community college. This is simply maintaining a high standard of a profession.

[runsalot]

Why does this thread need to come up every couple weeks? There is enough strife and disagreement without bringing up this topic. We all sit for the same nclex. In my state 2 adn programs have the highest nclex pass rates in the state. And thanks. I have a 4 year degree. So I can critically think too. As can most of my classmates.

Proud to be going to going for my associates. As I will be debt free when I graduate.

[thelittledoe]

I hope none of my posts are ones that you are referring to! The only reason I usually point people in the way of a BSN is because in my area hospitals are requiring BSNs for new hires. In fact the hospital that is our biggest competition is forcing all of their nursing staff to obtain their BSNs, even ADNs who have been there for 30 or so years.

I cannot see the different between an ADN and a BSN. It is ridiculous really that BSNs hold so much higher of a reputation from certain people considering they take the SAME NCLEX! If ADNs can pass the same exam, shouldn't they be considered the same level? To me the only difference is BS classes that you aren't going to need unless you plan to go into management (Trends? Community Health? Gen Ed Courses?)

I appreciate every nurse I come into contact with as long as they work hard and are kind to their co-workers and patients, regardless of their education.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

I think everyone has their own methods and reasons for goign whichever way they choose. I do, however, find that from my experience from being on AN that I usually find a lot of posts from ADN nurses kind of "attacking" (probably not the best word choice) BSN nurses. Sometimes I feel like their are a lot of posts about ADN nurses are better prepared or have more clinical hours. I know teh latter isn't true in the least for my area but anyhow I see a lot of that and not so much the opposite. I may be wrong. I just don't get the fight. I would never put down an ADN nurse or student but when people talk about someone being proud of their degree well hell yes I am proud of my degree. It's a huge accomplishment. I would be equally proud if I graduated from an ADN program and I would not ever expect someone not to be proud of it. Nursing school is hard eitehr route-be proud! I am!