Intensity of adn/absn programs

Fireman767 · Mar 24, 2013

Yeah, i can figure that. I have a friend at Drexel for their ABSN program, and I get to hear from him all the time that he wishes he did a 2+2 program so he could have had a more paced education with lower stress levels.

zoe92 · Mar 24, 2013

There are some BSN programs for people who already have a BA or BS and they are NOT accelerated. One I can name off the top of my head is West Virginia University. It takes two full years & you get your BSN by the end (as long as you have a prior bachelor's).

I know there are more out there and you could probably find them by googling "second degree nursing programs". HTH.

kalevra, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2013

Its easy.

There is a larger focus on clinical rather than theoretical. We spend 18 hours at bedside with 3-4 patients each. That does not mean going to hospital to pick a patient and write a care plan for 9 hours. Then coming in on day one and carrying out the care plan on day two.

The theoretical portion is about disease process, interventions etc. That is your meat and potatoes.

There is also a lot of fluff you have to pretend to care about. Nursing theorists, I could honestly care less about them. Its a dog a pony show, just pay your dues and move on.

I have friends that continue to work as CPTs in hospitals working 40 hours a week. Its not as hard as other would like you to think.BTW, did I mention the single moms in the ADN program, if they can do it so can you.

grpman · Mar 24, 2013

I've noticed that most adn programs have many prereq's that cause a considerable wait. Most require micro, a/p 1 and 2, and a few others before you can apply. The problem is that the a/p 1 and 2 have to be taken one after the other. That can take nearly a year to finish. Once these classes are taken you can expect a 6 month wait to get into the next nursing class. Then you take 2 more years of classes to complete the degree. This tends to make the adn program take 3 to 3 1/2 years to finish.

The plus side is that night classes are usually offered and that the tuition is far less. The drawbacks are that you spend more time than what you originally expect from a "2 year" adn program and that bsn's are growing increasingly more desirable.

Fireman767 · Mar 24, 2013

Actually my adn course only required A&P1 to start the nursing courses. However they recommend completing A&P 1 and 2, and if you choose not to nursing is harder but you can start it. Sadly, most people not prepared fail out, but thats their choice to not do the important pre-reqs

kalevra, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2013

I've noticed that most adn programs have many prereq's that cause a considerable wait. Most require micro, a/p 1 and 2, and a few others before you can apply. The problem is that the a/p 1 and 2 have to be taken one after the other. That can take nearly a year to finish. Once these classes are taken you can expect a 6 month wait to get into the next nursing class. Then you take 2 more years of classes to complete the degree. This tends to make the adn program take 3 to 3 1/2 years to finish.
The plus side is that night classes are usually offered and that the tuition is far less. The drawbacks are that you spend more time than what you originally expect from a "2 year" adn program and that bsn's are growing increasingly more desirable.

In order to get in a BSN program your going to have to take the pre-reqs anyway. Typically you apply for the university and take the pre-reqs. Then apply to the BSN program and based on your grades you are either in or not in the BSN program. So there is still 1-2 years of pre-reqs in a BSN, followed by 2 years actual nursing.

The only big difference is that you get a bachelors degree but have to pay more in tuition.

In the ADN system, once you factor in pre-reqs/selection/nursing classes you are going to be in school for 3-4 years. Almost the same amount of time as a BSN. So even though you spend almost the same amount of time as a BSN in school, you are awarded an ADN. Tuition is also cheaper than a BSN program.

Fireman767 · Mar 25, 2013

The defining factor is that ABSN programs are generally more geared toward people with experience in the medical field. An ADN program gets you into the basic nursing courses where you do clinicals day 1, where as a BSN you wait 2 years before you actually do clinicals (at most schools). So if you know you want to be a nurse and have the experience to know you can do it, do the ABSN. If you don't know that you will be a nurse or have no experience, generally the ADN or 2 year BSN are much better options so you don't wast $40k in pre-reqs to find out that you don't like the field or that you won't be a good nurse. ADN is much cheaper tuition wise, and can be found at community colleges. You will be in school for the same amount of time, just the ADN allows you to start working while you get your BSN (and many BSN programs are online too). I say the BSN programs are for experience people because generally they require you to have an understanding of medical terminology, experience of therapeutic communication and general knowledge of the body.

bug2621, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 25, 2013

The defining factor is that ABSN programs are generally more geared toward people with experience in the medical field. An ADN program gets you into the basic nursing courses where you do clinicals day 1 where as a BSN you wait 2 years before you actually do clinicals (at most schools). So if you know you want to be a nurse and have the experience to know you can do it, do the ABSN. If you don't know that you will be a nurse or have no experience, generally the ADN or 2 year BSN are much better options so you don't wast $40k in pre-reqs to find out that you don't like the field or that you won't be a good nurse. ADN is much cheaper tuition wise, and can be found at community colleges. You will be in school for the same amount of time, just the ADN allows you to start working while you get your BSN (and many BSN programs are online too). I say the BSN programs are for experience people because generally they require you to have an understanding of medical terminology, experience of therapeutic communication and general knowledge of the body.[/quote']
I have to disagree on this point. An ABSN is geared towards people with a previous bachelor's degree with a general minimum GPA of 3.0 (give or take). This is because program administrators feel that the students will be able to handle a faster paced program due to the fact that the study and management skills are in place. It is true that with any nursing program you are required to take pre-reqs consisting of a&p 1&2, microbiology, chemistry, and developmental psych. And honestly once you have taken these pre requisites you should be fairly familiar with many medical terms.
Myself and many others in my class had absolutely no medical experience going in and we excelled in class and clinicals despite of it.
I will definitely agree that money is a significant factor when considering and ADN vs. ABSN. An ADN is definitely less expensive however one should consider the cost of obtaining a BSN later, because many hospitals and employers are requiring BSN prepared nurses or the beginning of a BSN program shortly after employment. While it may be more cost effective because they are also able to work while getting a BSN, are you willing to work and go to school and possibly juggle a family if you have one.
I think that if you have a previous bachelors degree the difference between an ADN and ABSN really boil down to:
1.) Money: Can you afford tuition and to possibly not be able to work or work very little for 13-16 months?
2.) Time: Do you have a family or are you single? Would you rather turn your life upside down for 13-16 months or for two years + another possible two years? What can you or you family handle?
3.) Ability: Can you set a structured schedule to allow for studying, school, clinicals and or family? Can you handle getting large amounts of information and applying them quickly?
Now....for anyone without previous bachelor degrees...that's a whole different ballgame.
For someone with no degrees at all and coming straight out of high school and planning on college : get a BSN, you get to live the college life and you may as well get the BSN with all those grants and stuff for first time students.
For someone with no degrees and switching careers due to downsizing, layoffs, etc. : ADN...it's quick, it gets you working and you can worry about a BSN shortly, but hey you're still gonna do four years of something.
For someone with an associates: get your BSN..you've already done 2 years...may as well do 2-3 years more and be done vs. 4 or so years.

Fireman767 · Mar 25, 2013

I just want to clarify, not all the people that do ABSN are experienced but many are.

My point is more geared towards people who do not have a Bachelors or anything. My program director made a great point for an ADN program versus a BSN program. With a Bachelors program you get 2/4 years into the program before you even touch a patient, where as an ADN program you touch a patient about 3 weeks into the program. This is good in people without experiences benefit because they can decide almost immediately if they enjoy nursing or not. My program lost many students because they werent into the field of nursing or decided it wasnt for them. Those people who decide first semester and switch to say education or business only spent 1 semester perusing it as compared to 4 semesters.

And price wise I think there close, the difference I see being that with an ADN you can work during the second 2 years, meaning less financial aid or loans are needed. The BSN allows you to advance to an MSN at a faster pace than an ADN, however, there are many RN-MSN programs out there, so not too much of a difference.

What i would say it comes down to is comparing the prices, how long you want to spend in school, your pace of learning, and howyour family life plays into your schooling (having kids vs not)