Really dumb question

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Why do a lot of people refer to an Associates in Nursing as an ADN instead of an ASN?

It's an Associates of Science in Nursing. People call the Bachelors degree a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing). I know it's probably a dumb question but I have always wondering why the Associates is referred to as that (ADN).

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Always wondered the same thing. I'm presuming it's a holdover from an earlier time wherein the school offered only one category of Associate's degree and was primarily to distinguish between the ADN and a diploma.

I wonder if some schools still give an AA in nursing, and for that matter, if some of the BSNs might also be BAs rather than BSs.

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At my college it was referred to as an Associates in Applied Science (Nursing A.A.S.), but the teachers and my employer have always said ADN.

No question is a dumb question. It's the "RN" that really counts ;)

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No question is a dumb question. It's the "RN" that really counts ;)

LOL, true, very true!

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.

When I look up my program on our school's website it says Associate in Applied Science (Professional Nursing), but all of faculty and staff call it an ADN program, I just go with the flow, never asked why.

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My school calls it a ADN. I was told it means "Associate Degree Nursing".

Every college is a little different.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

The terms are used interchangeably.

Some programs award Associates of Science in Nursing (ASN)

Some award Associates of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)

There are even a few colleges that might award an Associates of the Arts in Nursing.

ADN is the general term that encompasses all of those degrees.

Bachelor of Science is far and away the most common degree for bachelor's programs, which is why the BSN is used as the general term, although there are a few Bachelor of Arts in Nursing programs out there as well.

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Thank you everyone for the replies. I never realized there were so many different versions of the Associates degree available.

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