Why do Nurses tell students to go BSN??

[besaangel]

I know this has been discussed before but my situation is a bit different. Quick back-story:

• Wanted to do ADN '12 but CC lost paperwork so that was on hold
  
• Applied and got into BSN Spring '13 while waiting on CC
  
• Applied for CC summer '13 and got acceptance on Tuesday :) and clinicals start January
  
• I asked a few RNs which to choose and they all say BSN
  

Our hospital has no preference or pay diff but I get that maybe they want me to get the BSN now vs RN then BSN because life throws curve-balls. Well life threw me one and that's why I applied for the CC...

Im 25, married, mortgage, and mom will have to come live with us until she can work so I have to cover her bills... so I wont be able to afford my BSN.

But why are RNs advising me to get into debt for school despite knowing my acceptance to a good school? (hospital has partnership with them). Im not in a BSN preferred area either and my hospital will pay 100% RN-BSN.

Am I missing something?

[dt70]

My area BSN is not necessary unless you want management position. But if you want that you'll need a few years experience or

prior management experience. By that time, and ADN graduate who worked few years while doing BSN online will be same competitive for same position.

Nice thing about direct bsn program is your already enrolled in bsn program vs graduating adn, enrolling in bsn program.

If the hospital, CC, and 4 year school are all in local area, the bsn program the hospital will require you to enroll in for free classes,

would most likely be the school you would have gone to if you paid for yourself.

Is paying an extra $18K worth it for not having the hassle of graduating with adn, then enrolling again for bsn degree?

For some it may be.

[Elizabeth Renee]

My area BSN is not necessary unless you want management position. But if you want that you'll need a few years experience or

prior management experience. By that time, and ADN graduate who worked few years while doing BSN online will be same competitive for same position.

Nice thing about direct bsn program is your already enrolled in bsn program vs graduating adn, enrolling in bsn program.

If the hospital, CC, and 4 year school are all in local area, the bsn program the hospital will require you to enroll in for free classes,

would most likely be the school you would have gone to if you paid for yourself.

Is paying an extra $18K worth it for not having the hassle of graduating with adn, then enrolling again for bsn degree?

For some it may be.

This is exactly how I feel about it. If I was offered a BSN program acceptance verses an ADN, I would take it without blinking. But alas, those weren't the cards I was dealt.

[MunoRN, RN]

First of all there is no evidence that ADN's have a harder time finding work than BSNs. The only study I'm aware of, done in Arizona, showed no difference despite numerous employers claiming a preference for BSN Nurses.

There is also no evidence that BSN prepared Nurses provide better care or outcomes than ADN nurses in the wake of the changes that occurred following the Aiken studies, which resulted in the majority of ADN programs adopting BSN curriculum.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

When I decided to become a nurse, I already had a BA. I took the ASN route strictly for financial reasons; I had no help from my employer or the government (except loans), and at $7,000 (at a community college) it was half the cost of the cheapest available direct-entry BSN and 1/3 the cost of the cheapest available direct-entry MSN. I figured my employer could pay for my BSN.

I finally found my first nursing job 10 months after graduation, and I had to move 250 miles for it. Five years later, my ASN has gotten me jobs in LTC (which I will NEVER do again), and home health. I started an online RN-BSN program in August. It will cost about $10,000, and I should finish by December 2014.

If you can afford to do a BSN right out of the gate, do it. The field is moving toward the BSN as the entry level. In my area, even the VNA and nursing homes want BSN-prepared nurses.

[besaangel, ASN, BSN, MSN, CNA, RN, APRN, NP]

And that is the concern; financially it would be unwise to stay in my BSN given the recent changes in my life. After doing some adjustments with the grants Ive been offered at my CC, the entire ADN will actually cost less than 3k out of pocket and the RN-BSN portion could be around 10k also (unless I have my employer pay for all of it)... So I guess $600/semester for an ADN is VERY attractive lol

And paying that extra 18k might not be worth it as IMHO Im getting my BSN anyways. Im actually planning on being an NP before Im 34/35 so I can start a family so I dont want to accumulate unnecessart debt before then. I know, I know. Its an investment. I just know too many people who pay for the "better" degree and are still struggling because even though they work as RNs, their loan payments are unmanageable with their mortgage.

Thanks for all your honest opinions and outlooks on the career. I appreciate the time you guys have taken to reply. Although I dont want money to influence my decision, I'd be lying if I said it isnt a major factor.

[green34]

BSN is starting to become prepared in many areas if not all areas. They can get more crap to put on their commercials that way. I think it's better to go to a good program and then cut it down to ADN versus BSN. If the BSN program sucks and has a low pass rate, I would rather go to a higher ADN program and do a bridge program.

I'm doing the RN program with one of the top NCLEX pass rates with a bridge program where I pay cheap tuition because it's a partner school.

[Everline]

I would make the same choice. You will get your BSN either way. Go the least expensive route.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I honestly looked at my options; I live in an area where basically most of the nursing programs are the same; ADN or BSN; however, the BSN program had more opinions in terms of clinicals; there were electives for peri-OP nursing, as well as a public health clinic class separate, allowing for a public health setting and was allowed to be involved with a NIH-approved program and teach family and children about their chronic diseases, and a host of other experiences that were a great fit for me. It was an accelerated program; I went through school straight for 2 years while working to complete the program.

I went to school with a mortgage; my house was above 80 grand when I purchased it, and owe 33 grand for the BSN; as well has another loan when I went to PN school; however, If and when I decide to get my graduate degree for my NP; I'm almost there, as opposed to going back for the BSN. I also am heading towards marriage, and If I do start a family, then I'm delayed in going towards graduate school; I still can apply today, next year, five plus years down the road; I'm not faced with going back to get required classes for a bachelors degree

There are great programs in my area that help contribute to decreasing my loan, as well as programs to change the amount one pays a month, even options to pay interest while utilizing a grace period, thereby decreasing why I owe even though the monthly payment do not fit into my budget at this time; as I gain experience and more opportunities, I still can work with budgeting my payments, and can make it work, but that is my experience.

I suggest to anyone to get their BSN, at least in my area, due to he fact that if one is going to eventually want to become an advance practice nurse, or engage in research or policy making.

I've learned about delaying school when I became a LPN...when faced with a health crisis to the point where I may have NEVER would have been able to reach my goal, it made me more focused to reach the goal; and to have more sense about my choices; my goal was as long as schooling was not going to cost me more than 40,000; I was going to go to that program; and I found one, and it fit me and I highly recommend the program for working individuals.

OP, go with the BSN program that you have been accepted in. I think you are in my area from previous posts; The BSN preferred is inning closer to your area as we speak. Also, policies change; I learned this lesson as I completed my LPN program and the hospital that I worked at abruptly stopped hiring LPNs, and planned to go forward with the RN model , and now they are doing this to ADNs, and they can at any time because they want experienced nurses, especially ones with the BSN...the area is saturated, and will be for a time.

The option has been presented to you, go forth learn to be a BSN nurse; the world will be your oyster if you need an option to go back and become a NP sooner rather than later.

[LoveNeverDies]

OP, first let me say that I live in a rural area , 4 hospitals within a 20 minute drive and only one has a BSN preference. Im in an ADN program because I do not want to take out loans for school and drown in debt at 20 years old. The only BSN program around here is 25k a semester. No thanks, I do not qualify for any money (oh wait, i was offered a 1000 unsubsodized loan from the government ) Anyway, I am in my third semester and have worked very very hard. I have excellent references and job offers from two different floors when I graduate. (Things change so they might not be there when I graduate, but they very likely will be) The points I am trying to make is that, it depends on your area. Some places you have to have your BSN, no exceptions. Regardless of what you choose make a great impression on the staff of that floor. (A hospital where I am asks the workers about the students performance in clinical and if they would like that person on the floor or not as a preliminary). Lastly, what is best is based on your decisions, if you think the ADN is best then go for it, but be prepared to accept the consequences. The way I look at it is, if I do get a job after graduation I will start my BSN directly after which will take 10-12 months. So I will be a BSN with a year of experience when the BSN students around here graduate. In some areas getting a job as a new grad with any degree is hard right now.

[zoe92]

I say go for the BSN & get it over with now. You can be done sooner! And if I remember correctly, you were at University of Delaware? Phenomenal school.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Personally I don't understand everyone's fear of student loan debt. It's debt that is an investment in your future, and after working you can pay it back..

Maybe twenty years ago, but that's really not the case anymore.

I personally would do whatever you can to avoid student loan debt as much as possible in this current job market. Student loan debt is NO LONGER a good investment!! I have read MYRIAD stories here of nurses who have accrued tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, and haven't been able to find work for a year or longer. There is no guarantee one can find work as a nurse after graduation.

Unless you live in a community that only has a community college around to feed new grads to the local hospital, then you are going to be competing with BSN new grads for jobs, and guess who will get preference (especially if it's a Magnet facility)? The BSN prepared grads. For every job available to new grads, there are three or four new grads vying for it. You need to do whatever you can to make yourself as marketable as possible.

Unless you absolutely KNOW that local hospitals are hiring lots of new grad ADNs, then I would go for the BSN. Otherwise, I do think an ADN and then going right into an ADN-BSN program is a viable (and cost-effective) option. It certainly was 6-8 years ago. The problem is, there is just no guarantee anymore that a new grad is going to get a job right away anymore, and that's the problem.

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

No I did an AA in Liberal Arts 2008 that covered pre reqs as I couldnt do nursing as an International student. I started the BSN this past January but the program is not formulated for outside transfer students; its a standard 4 yr but I got in so it would still be 4 yrs but I will be a part-time student until next Fall if I stay there and graduate 2016. The ADN is 1 1/2 years for clinicals.

The ADN is a better program and has a better rep with the hospital for hiring their grads vs the BSN school

I know you answered this but I'm a bit lost why was your AA not accepted and transferred as credits to your BSN? I also did my Associate of Arts and went from that to BSN. Were you here on a F-1 student visa at the time? was your AA from your country of origin?

Also there are schools that accept transfers of AA degrees and you can start the BSN program as a junior which would take only 1.5 to 2 years not 4 years. If your BSN where you applied will take for years that mean in essence you will be redoing some of the prerequisites that you already took under your AA is that correct? I'd find another that will accept the transfer of the AA. with me doing this my BSN is taking only 18months to complete. Have you checked other universities? Is your AA from a public school is the BSN where you applied also a public school?

The BSN program I'm in places stronger emphasis on leadership and critical thinking skills than what an ADN program offers.

Edit: Oh and I'm married, got a family and 2 kids, mortgage and all that and practically living on loans, neither me nor my wife works. your situation is completely doable for BSN. But if the loans gonna make you feel depressed and affect your school then do what you think is best. I first applied to both ADN and BSN programs cause the ADN does have some advantages depending on the situation, but I got turned down by the ADN school and accepted to the BSN school...go figure.