Will it matter that I have a non-nursing B.S.?

83studentnurse · Jun 10, 2009

MSLoriRN, I just wanted to thank you for your beautiful response! The whole degree debate can be so nasty, and I nearly drove myself crazy last year trying to decide whether to get a diploma or acc. BSN last year. It's wonderful to hear you point out that the "best" path depends entirely on each individual's situation and that what makes good nurses and even good managers is often not someone you can learn in a classroom. I love that there's a place in nursing -- be it bedside, administration, employee health, etc. -- for nearly any personality!

belliot2 · Jun 10, 2009

Maggie,

I have a non-nursing Bachelors degree- and went into Masters- ENTRY level Nursing degree (30 years after the BSW I had): CLINICAL NURSE LEADER- these are offered at over 150 colleges and are for people who want to get into nursing. I will finish in 2 years. With your undergrad of Health Care Management- you should be ideally placed for management. ( IF this is what you want).

5 years is fine- our only requirements were: A& P 1 +2.

It is a VERY INTENSE program- that is your LIFE year round, but we have a high NCLEX pass rate, and a great reputation at area hospitals for the preparation we have. CNLs are in demand in many areas (VA loves them) because they are older, demonstrate that they can be leaders, are seeing the big picture, and save a hospital money (always the bottom line). Only down side I see is that you are paying for a masters degree, so it costs more... but will open more doors in variety of areas: i.e. minimum BSN for work in schools...

AZ_LPN_8_26_13 · Jun 10, 2009

Any bachelor's degree is an asset. When you do become a RN and decide to pursue your MSN, you will need to take bridge courses (usually 3 courses) to bridge your way in to the MSN program. Once you have taken those 3 classes and started your MSN degree, you will be the same as the BSN graduate in the MSN program.
As a RN, your bachelor's degree will only help - not hurt.
Good luck!

This is the route I'm taking..... I am going after my ADN to become an RN. I already have a bachelor's degree - in a management field actually. I'm not really that interested in healthcare management though - more interested in actual patient care, but I plan on taking bridge classes and going straight to MSN myself, while I work as an RN. I agree - having a BS degree, even if it's not in nursing, will still help.

greenbaby · Jun 10, 2009

I just graduated an ADN program in NJ at a college that is very well respected for its nursing program and my anatomy courses were I think 20 years old. I was in the healthcare field prior to switching career to nursing so maybe that had something to do with them accepting the credits. I can't see why if you had anatomy 5 years ago that would be a problem. And why couldn't you just take a challenge test instead of taking the courses over.

MaritesaRN · Jun 10, 2009

I will be graduating with my B.S. in Health Care Admin., and planning to go into an ADN program afterwards. Will it matter that my B.S. is not in nursing?
I would have preferred to get my B.S.N or even go to an entry-level Master's, but my my Anatomy will be 5 yrs old by the time I graduate, so I will have to take it over to even qualify for these programs. I chose to stop pursuing the B.S.N route b/c of how impacted it is, and I am on wait lists (2-3 yrs) for 2 ADN programs, so I am finishing my degree while I wait. I will be graduating spring 2010; N.S. fall 2010.
I am just wondering what impact my B.S. degree will have once I graduate N.S.?
Do employers look at non-nursing degrees in addition to an R.N., or is it ignored b/c it is not a B.S. in Nursing?
Would it be better to use my B.S. as a stepping-stone into an entry-level M.S.N.?
p.s. I have also contemplated re-taking my Anat. so that I can apply to entry-level MSN, but I am fearful of the impaction of these programs b/c of my experience with B.S.N programs. I am leaning towards taking the "safe" route and going to the ADN program so that I don't have to keep waiting and potentially get again.
Oh, and I just really want to be a nurse!:heartbeat
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I too have a BS , but not in nursing. Some employer and other faclilities will require a BSN. this is really more if you want a managerial work ( of which I am not interested) . Considering the requirements of higher education, you will be better off if you go straight to masters, since you already have a bachelor degree......why waste money for a BSN when you can get the masters? they have different tracks on this.....of which makes sense , since why would you want to have 2 bachelors? Sometimes I feel the BSN is over rated....the curriculum differences are more of some management courses , and public health curriculum. But if higher education is what employers want , then go for you MSN, not BSN. good luck. Nursing is so diversed nowadays , and there ares so many areas that you can go.

ElphabaRN · Jun 10, 2009

From what I know, and my experience:

1) I had a BA in zoology that I received in 1998. It helped me greatly in getting into my BSN program.

2) My physiology course/learning, was older than dirt, by the time I started applying to nursing schools, so while I was waiting it out, I retook it (although, had to foot all the bill), raised my grade incredibly, and I think that it was this dramatic improvement that also helped my case for getting into nursing school.

3) It seems, at least around here, that all managers already have their masters, or else they are working on it. True, you may find a small rural hospital that has an ADN as a manager, but as someone else stated, the Magnet program will be eliminating this as an option, as of 2013.

4) I am also wondering, how a bachelor's in healthcare admin will help, in terms of getting an admin job. I never knew that there were bachelor's degrees for this actually. As for the specifics about obtaining a management position down the road, I think, a facility will require that you have taken the extra courses/hours to go from the ADN to the BSN, prior to any type of nursing management.

MaritesaRN · Jun 10, 2009

From what I know, and my experience:
1) I had a BA in zoology that I received in 1998. It helped me greatly in getting into my BSN program.
2) My physiology course/learning, was older than dirt, by the time I started applying to nursing schools, so while I was waiting it out, I retook it (although, had to foot all the bill), raised my grade incredibly, and I think that it was this dramatic improvement that also helped my case for getting into nursing school.
3) It seems, at least around here, that all managers already have their masters, or else they are working on it. True, you may find a small rural hospital that has an ADN as a manager, but as someone else stated, the Magnet program will be eliminating this as an option, as of 2013.
4) I am also wondering, how a bachelor's in healthcare admin will help, in terms of getting an admin job. I never knew that there were bachelor's degrees for this actually. As for the specifics about obtaining a management position down the road, I think, a facility will require that you have taken the extra courses/hours to go from the ADN to the BSN, prior to any type of nursing management.

:nurse:

Interesting to know about the magnet program.........so if an experience ADN that worked and have oddles of experience in the hospital ---- will be outbooted by a fresh RN w/ a BSN? Some employers will accept the experience in lieu of the BSN, realistically, experience makes sense in comparison to texbook knowledge--------both is good , but this is not the common scene at this time. Who owns the magnet program ? I can see the purpose of JHACO, but I need to research this magnet program............. :coollook:

83studentnurse · Jun 10, 2009

Magnet hospitals need 1/2 of their nurses to have BSNs. Clearly, this means BSN prepared nurses have some advantage, but half the jobs are still open for anyone. A lot of the hospitals around me either have acquired or are going for Magnet status. I haven't heard of anyone being fired and replaced by a BSN nurse, but I do know some places will say "BSN preferred" for all jobs. I still hear of lots of ADNs being hired for those jobs, though. In most cases, experience and skill still trump the credentials.

elkpark · Jun 10, 2009

Lots of hospitals, Magnet or not, are going (or have already gone) to minimum-BSN for management positions. 17 years ago, I was in a BSN-completion program with a sizeable group of NMs from the local hospital -- administration had told them that they either had to go finish a BSN or give up their management position. I don't know if anyone just opted to step down from their position (obviously, that person would not have been in classes with me :)), but a whole bunch of them schlepped down to the local uni and signed up for the BSN-completion program (against their will, and they let everyone around them know this in no uncertain terms -- they were a v. negative influence in the classes, IMHO).

Supasoldja · Jun 12, 2009

I will be graduating with my B.S. in Health Care Admin., and planning to go into an ADN program afterwards. Will it matter that my B.S. is not in nursing?
I would have preferred to get my B.S.N or even go to an entry-level Master's, but my my Anatomy will be 5 yrs old by the time I graduate, so I will have to take it over to even qualify for these programs. I chose to stop pursuing the B.S.N route b/c of how impacted it is, and I am on wait lists (2-3 yrs) for 2 ADN programs, so I am finishing my degree while I wait. I will be graduating spring 2010; N.S. fall 2010.
I am just wondering what impact my B.S. degree will have once I graduate N.S.?
Do employers look at non-nursing degrees in addition to an R.N., or is it ignored b/c it is not a B.S. in Nursing?
Would it be better to use my B.S. as a stepping-stone into an entry-level M.S.N.?
p.s. I have also contemplated re-taking my Anat. so that I can apply to entry-level MSN, but I am fearful of the impaction of these programs b/c of my experience with B.S.N programs. I am leaning towards taking the "safe" route and going to the ADN program so that I don't have to keep waiting and potentially get again.
Oh, and I just really want to be a nurse!:heartbeat
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

It does not matter. I have a BS in Business Administration, an ADN, and a MBA. The bottom line is that a hospital is a business and they want a person who can read the bottom line (profit and loss statements) your degree in Public Health Administration will be fine. Go for an ADN, then get your MBA. You will go far.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2009

a bsn is required for supervision and management nursing positions......

no, it isn't.

most nurse unit managers i've had have been aas nurses, two have been diploma nurses.

this has been recently.