RN - BSN, ADN????

I just had my meeting with the nursing administration at ETSU where I will be going to school next fall. And what I was told id that to get your MSN you need the BSN. and if you go for the ADN you would still need the BSN first. I also am concidering going for my MSN after a few years in the field.

Myron

b.s. In biology...bsn accelerated...msn (would be more expensive short term perspective but factor in the adn & the bsn)

i envy you. i hate microbio so much... im taking it right now in a 4 weeks summer program... first test i got back i got a 58... =\ but theres a high chance for me to still pull off a B so im still taking it
good luck with your plan

I'd go the ADN route, then apply to a RN-MSN program while working...take the GRE, then let your employer pay for you continuing ed (tuition reimbursement)

There's only an 8 month difference between the ADN program and ABSN program. Consider how much money you'd be saving...which is more important right now...time or money?

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

PS...This is coming from an ADN student with a previous BS in another field

I'm not sure you'll be able to get into an accredited MSN program with an ADN and an BS in another field. So you might want to check out the MSN program you're interested in, or call around to MSN programs if you're not sure where you're going because "BSN does not necessarily equal "ADN plus a degree in another field" in some educators eyes.

While it might be good advice to go the cheaper route now and then go RN to MSN, that's a huge investment in time - 24 months, plus another 18 to 24 for the BSN, plus another 2 years for the MSN. Of course you're going to want to get some experience before you teach anyway.

Also note that there's usually a cap on tuition reimbursement that employers offer and many people find it's a disappointing myth that empoyers pay for someone's BSN. My employer pays $2200.00 a year max for tuition reimbursement which was great, but didn't pay for the entire RN to BSN program that I did.

Do some research, but you mind find it more in line with your goal of an MSN to bite the bullet and go the accellerated BSN route and knock out the BSN quickly if you find you're going to need it anyway.

In this economy new grads are scrambling for jobs. Things might be better 2 years from now, but having a BSN might give you a marketable edge.

Best of luck to you.

Depending on where you are/your willingness to move, there are some Master's-entry programs out there, that kick you out with a generalist MSN, as well as some programs that admit those with non-nursing Bachelors and kick you out with an MSN and APN certification. All of these programs help where loans are concerned, because as a grad student you're elligible for the Federal GradPLUS loan, which maxes out at $100k.

My first question would be do you need an MSN to teach nursing courses or can you hold an MS in your current field and an ADN and still teach them? That may depend on where you are going to teach.

My NA Instructor was an Associates degree nurse.

When completing an RN-MSN program you're actually bypassing the bachelor's degree but taking the courses you'd need if you were getting a bachelor's degree. Most MSN programs that I've come across require you to have at least a year of clinical experience anyway. So even if you decided to get your BSN instead, you still won't be able to start a MSN program right after graduating and getting your license.

I do agree with the cap on tuition reimbursement. But at the same time, every little bit helps. Hopefully after graduating you'd be able to find a job and can pay what's left yourself rather than taking out loans before you find a job and having that to deal with later. There are tuition repayment programs out there as well.

I honestly can't tell you in which direction you should go. The decision is ultimately yours. I myself kept going back and forth with the ADN or BSN route and opted for the ADN route after not being accepted in the ABSN program I had applied to.

I've maxed out my federal loans and can't get them anymore which is another reason I chose to get my ADN...it's cheaper for me to pay out of pocket ($50 a credit hour).

Here are some links with all of the RN-BSN and RN-MSN programs as well as a list of ABSN and Alternate Entry MSN progams in the US. Oh and accelerated BSN to Doctorate in Nursing Programs

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/pdf/APLIST.PDF
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/BACDOC.pdf
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/RNMSN.pdf
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/RNBSN.pdf


I wish you the best in whatever decision it is you make!

As the pp mentioned, you may not need a BSN to teach. If that is the case, then it would be a huge waste of money to get a BSN. If you just need 'a Masters' shortest route seems like it would be in the field you already hold your BS in. If you teach at a two year college I don't even think an MS is neccesary. Therefore, sounds like ADN is the way to go for now.