Why do some choose to pursue BSN over ASN first?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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In my own mind, I cannot rationalize it. The ASN program is 18 months. Once you graduate and pass boards, you can nurse. At that point you can immediately begin taking the classes needed for BSN. But from what I understand, if you are enrolled in the BSN program from the start, you cannot nurse until you've graduated the program.

Other than not wanting to take classes while working, I can't see why anyone would choose to take the long route. I'm sure some have their reasons, though, which is why I'm inquiring.

I am also a career changer and I am going for my BSN because I already have a bachelors and it is only going to take me a year to get my BSN through the accelerated program. I was originally going to go for my ASN but decided that I just wanted to get everything done at once.

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For me the ABSN was quicker. Even if I chose a traditional BSN route it would still be the same amount of time as the ADN. ADN programs here are on a point system so you spend at least a year if not more working on pre-reqs.

I figured once I started working I didn't want to deal with going to school at the same time. I have other goals outside of my nursing career that I want to focus on. Most new grads I talked to with ADN weren't able to start their BSN right away. Trying to go through orientation and getting started in a new job was enough as it is.

I've also noticed many RNs complaining about the quality of the RN-BSN programs in this area.

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Four months later, no luck landing a hospital position.

Settle into office work, in which your clinical skills atrophy, or settle into LTC, in which your clinical skills atrophy. But what you lose in clinical skills, you make up for with medpass, right?

Alright, BSN earned!

Wait, you mean none of my job experience matters when I apply for a hospital position? The fresh BSN student is now more qualified than an ADN with two years of non-hospital experience?

This was also something that worried me. I would be scared of being stuck in a non-acute setting

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
I know if I did then I probably wouldn't want to go back, especially since the pay difference is only ~$1 more an hour.
For me, it was never about the .50-$1 more extra in pay between ADN vs. BSN. It was about where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do in the Long term. I knew I would be limited with the ADN. I work with a few ADNs (who weren't forced to go back to school) since my hospital isn't magnet and they are stuck on my unit. They aren't eligible to apply for many other positions because those positions require BSNs, despite their many years of experience on the unit and their loyalty to the company. I wasn't interested in being in such a position, which is why I went the BSN path.
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I'd have liked to go back to get my BSN doing a bridge program for people who already have bachelor's degrees. Unfortunately, that school is 45 minutes away. I couldn't afford the commute. I probably wouldn't have let that stop me except I already know the hospital I want to work at strongly prefers graduates from the 2 year ADN program here in town, and everybody I've talked to has said that the ADN program better prepares its graduates. I won't have any problem getting a job when I graduate, I don't think.

The only issue is that I'm not sure I want to stay in this area past the next 5 years, and the areas I'm looking at moving to all require BSNs and have lots of competition for jobs. So for me, getting that ADN and getting myself some hospital experience while it's very easy for me to find it here makes a lot of sense. I can finish my BSN from any of the online programs while I get my 2-3 years of experience. It's not how I'd have preferred to do it, maybe, but it's how I'm going to end up doing it and that's okay.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

For me, many year ago ... I wanted the whole college experience as a developmental stage of life. I wanted the dorm, sororities, football games, etc. -- and I wasn't 100% sure of my career choice. I chose a BSN program in which the first 2 years were mostly liberal arts so that I could get a solid liberal arts foundation while giving it a little more thought. I explored a variety of courses those 2 years and not just the traditional nursing pre-req's and began taking the serious nursing courses in my junior year.

No regrets about that. Got my BSN at 22 ... worked as a staff nurse for 2 years ... then began my MSN program. Eventually got my PhD.

That might not have been the best route for eveyone, but it was for me. My residential university experience was very valuable to me and to my intellectual/social/and professional develpment.

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Provided that without a BSN you can find employment. Many hospitals are requiring a BSN to apply for positions. No BSN? You get kicked out of the online application as soon as you click no. Keep in mind as well that many areas are seeing an oversaturation of nurses. Long gone are the days of the "nursing shortage" that now only exists in a few areas where no one wants to live/work. With the number of applicants for each open position, hospitals have to cull the numbers somehow- for many, that means applications from ADNs get sent to the round file and only those from BSNs get passed on.

However, it appears you have already made your decision and have no intent to consider the advice of those of us already in the workforce or searching for jobs. Good luck in your first job search.

I believe its all about what city you live in because in Phoenix their is multiple jobs that is available with an associates degree.

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I agree! ^ I didn't even know that certain places were requiring a BSN nowadays. So I'm assuming that nowhere in the surrounding areas of Pensacola are requiring the former either (simply because I feel we'd have heard some chatter).

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No need to take offense, I was just putting my personal experience/plan on the table. I have already been promised a job by the clinical manager in the ED in which I work (don't start the program until May) and I have a BAS already so I will have no issue. I understand, however, that not everyone is in this situation.

I suppose you want to stay at that one hospital in the same job until you retire. No transfers or promotions? Same pay grade?What happens if you friend is no longer the manager when you finish? Even with your friend as the manager HR will have the first say about employment ev en if you are an employee. It is not uncommon for an RN to be under employed today. What happens if the hospital is sold and you must apply again for your job and the BSN is now preferred?

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Well, in my case, the ASN would take longer, cost more, and lock me out of jobs (I live in NYC). No-brainer for me!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I agree! ^ I didn't even know that certain places were requiring a BSN nowadays. So I'm assuming that nowhere in the surrounding areas of Pensacola are requiring the former either (simply because I feel we'd have heard some chatter).

Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean the issue is nonexistent. How often do you hear people outside this website talk about the saturation of the market in Florida, the glut of unemployed new RN grads, the slashing of nights/weekend differentials, etc? It is very possible you, as a non-nurse, don't have an accurate understanding of the new grad situation in Florida.

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Here in Phoenix a lot of the hospitals prefer you to have a BSN OR be an a BSN program when applying. That is just for hospitals though, so their is still plenty of jobs available with an associates degree as long as your working on your BSN.

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