ADN or BSN?

1) Pay is not all that different. If at all, it's a small per hour differential - I've heard anywhere from $.25 to $1.00. In most facilities, RN = RN.

2) You do not need your BSN to get an MSN. You can go from ASN to MSN.

3) No, you do not need your ASN to get your BSN.

Both ADNs and BSNs are eligible to become RNs ( in that respect there is no difference). In many institutions there is a slight education differential with the BSN, meaning that a nurse with a BSN gets a slightly higher salary than a nurse with a ADN. I think there are RN-MSN programs so you don't always need to have a BSN in order to start your Master's (The program may just take longer to complete) Another importance difference is that some hospitals require a minimum education level of a BSN. You can become a great nurse either route you take, but the BSN may open up more options. Hope this helps

Getting an MSN straight from an ADN is not necessarily so easy. There are school that offer such programs, but what you essentially do is take the rest of the coursework that you would have needed first to get a BSN, then keep taking classes to get your MSN. It can be expensive. I'm just saying. It's possible, but if you have a BSN, then you can apply to pretty much any MSN program. If you have an ADN, there are far fewer MSN programs you can apply to.

If you are unsure, here is what I would recommend. Start with your ADN. The pay differential once you graduate is minimal (on my floor, it's 30-cents an hour). RN = RN as far as what you are allowed to do clinically. There are some facilities that definitely prefer a BSN, so find out first if you live in one of those types of communities. I have an ADN and I believe I was one of 2 graduate RNs hired out of a total group of over 60. But I live in a part of the country that is saturated with nursing schools, many places are not like this. Getting your ADN will take less time than a BSN and some are offered online. Most are community colleges which means they are much, much less expensive than BSN programs generally are. You can start working as an RN sooner. Start working and then apply for an RN-to-BSN program. These are offered in many nursing schools and many are offered online. The coursework is much lighter than anything you will experience in an ADN or BSN program, and they know these students are usually also working full time, they take that into account. There aren't clinicals required, at least not like you have to do to become an RN. It's more like a community project or something along those lines. They take a year and you're done. Then if you need a BSN for a particular job, or want to go into management, or what to go to grad school, you're ready. And if you get your ADN and get into nursing you, may decide you don't want any of the career paths that a BSN offers, and then you will have saved yourself a year of time and tuition (plus gained a year of nursing experience and income).

Sounds like a great plan!

Nearly all the schools throw in the BSN at the same time the MSN is awarded so you knock both out the same time; mainly so you don't have to repeat stats and stuff. My mom did it and got both awarded the same day but the course was called RN-MSN (she was a diploma grad).

Statistics a while back said Associates were more combat ready and before the shortage they were hired more often having more recent and better (in my area) clinical skills since clinical "management" and paper pusher clinicals count for BSN which means less floor and skills time. Also some BSN programs it's 2 years since you've done the down and dirty so ADN's were more preferable.

Look up pay compression and RN and you'll see none or rarely any difference between pay and even time as a nurse if you're new. That's why nursing is a good job but a poor career.

Having said all that, hospitals are preferring BSN's because in this shortage (job shortage) nurses are staying and if a place has to orient anyway, might as well have higher ed. and take more orientation time if needed since they're not going anywhere. Higher ed is always a good thing.

But don't trust me, call employers and schools!