ADN vs BSN

redwinggirlie · Aug 9, 2003

I don't believe ADN or BSN means better TLC in nursing. There are some positions out there that require BSN degrees, so you need to figure out what you want to do when you finish school. I actually don't know which nurses I work with have BSN's, so it appears it doesn't matter. I am in the Burn and Wound Unit and have friends who went to NICU, PACU and L&D, tele... just about everywhere. We all have ADN's.

The big difference in the BSN and ADN programs where I live is that we started clinicals in the first semester and had more clinical hours in general compared to the BSN students who didn't start clinicals seriously until their third semester. They did have some hours in the second, but not many....

Go for the ADN, then, if you want more, you can go for it!

OC_An Khe · Aug 9, 2003

Which degree you have doesn't make you a better/worse RN. The question you're asking essentially resolves around money. The AD degree is usually less costly and quicker to obtain, it also gets you earning money faster. The BSN degree will take longer but will give you more flexibility in the shape of yoour Nursing career over your working life.

Which to do? If you need money fast or college expense just too much now, stay and finish at the CC. But to have the most options be aware that you will eventually neeed the BSN (especially if you are the "traditional" student.

SteelTownRN · Aug 9, 2003

When I am asked this question by a nursing student, I usually ask them to define their career goals. If they plan to remain at the bedside giving 1:1 care, a two year ADN will work for them and make them happy. If they have any aspiration of moving up the career ladder in nursing (and sometimes you just don't know that when you enter nursing school), then I would suggest doing a BSN. Later, if you decide to pursue a master's degree as a CNS, NP, CRNA, Admin, etc..., you don't have to do an RN-BSN program before applying to a master's program.

This debate has been around the nursing profession. Obviously, everyone who has a certain degree strongly believes in their degree or they wouldn't have invested time and money to obtain it. I don't believe that ADN's do more clinical hours than BSN students, as the state boards mandate how many clinical hours that an entry level nursing program must have in order to stay accredited with the board. If you want to dissect the clinical hours more, take a close look at exactly how many hours are being done, not how many days. I've seen clinical "days" last as little as 4 hours and as long a 12-16 hours. Some programs start doing clinicals early, and some do later. Also,on-campus labs can and do count as clinical times.