BSN completion or drop and go onto MSN?

[bluetiger]

I have found myself in a rock and a hard place. I have a bachelor's degree in another field, an associate degree in nursing, and now I am starting the midwife program at frontier for my masters. However, in the meantime of waiting to get in I had to complete stats and I started my bsn at chamberlain. I'm not one to sit around. Well, now that I just got back from Frontier Bound I am totally excited about the new program and don't have much interest in finishing the bsn. I only have 3 classes left to complete the bsn and if I continue I will have overlapping classes at both schools which is concerning financially! I can only take financial aid at one school. So, my overall question is, what will I ever need the bsn for if I complete the msn?? I have EVERY intention of completing the msn!! :redpinkhe I have been waiting for this for a long time. Please advise!

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

I'd drop the BSN like a hot rock. It'll save time and money.

[Moogie]

Talk to the advisors at Frontier. Most programs that offer an ADN-MSN bridge require some baccalaureate-level nursing courses. Looking at the Frontier website, it appears that ADN-MSN students need to take four terms (one calendar year) of bridge classes (7 courses, 20 credits) to make up for not having the BSN.

Here's the school's website: http://www.frontierschool.edu/academics/adn-msn-bridge

It looks to me like you would save an entire year by going in with a BSN rather than an ADN. How long would it take you to finish your BSN at Chamberlain? Could you do it in one semester, maybe over the summer? If it would take you less than a year to finish Chamberlain, you might want to see if you can do that and defer your admission to Frontier.

In terms of employability, bypassing the BSN is not going to hurt you unless you decide you don't like midwifery. At Frontier, you complete one year of baccalaureate level nursing courses but you do not get a BSN. If you dropped out permanently or temporarily, you would be back to square one---an ADN with a bachelor's in another field.

But again, talk to the advisors at Frontier. They can give you much better advice than any of us can.

[happyinillinois]

Life happens. Finish the BSN. You never know something could stop you from finishing the MSN and at least you would have the BSN>

[talvarez15271]

I just finished my BSN - yipee! What the instructors told us in class is that in 10 years ADN nurses will be required to transfer to the BSN and it will be required for entry level into nursing school - I am so glad I finished the BSN it was all worth it!

[*shefre*]

finish the BSN because you are incredibly close!!! BUT I agree the MSN is a must now a days..

[bluetiger]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your insight. I'm going to drop the bsn for now because i start Frontier in July and i'd have too much on my plate to do both. I talked to Chamberlain and they say I can pick it back up with no curriculum changes as long as i do so within a year but after that i am subject to whatever changes have been made. Since I already have a bachelor's in another field, i do not even have to do the bridge program at frontier, it's a direct entry to the msn program...not many of those are out there! I talked to my Frontier advisor and she said she could see no reason that i would need it, based on the idea that i will indeed finish the msn. So that's the plan for now...save time and money:). Thanks again for your thoughts!!

[caliotter3]

With only three classes to complete, I would finish the BSN. You don't know what might happen with the degree at Frontier. As previously stated, you might not like that field, at least you would have the BSN. And heaven forbid, you might come up against bad circumstances and not be able to complete the MSN program at all. JMO

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I'm gathering the OP is already an RN as she states that she has an ADN.

Hopefully, she has done her homework and KNOWS this is the career track she wants.

I too advocate dropping the BSN and starting the MSN in July.

[bluetiger]

Thanks for the encouragement TraumaRUs! You are exactly right, I am an RN, I have done my homework and I do KNOW this is the direction I want to go with my education. I appreciate your vote of confidence!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I just finished my BSN - yipee! What the instructors told us in class is that in 10 years ADN nurses will be required to transfer to the BSN and it will be required for entry level into nursing school - I am so glad I finished the BSN it was all worth it!

*** Congratulations!!!

However in regard to what you were told about the ADN nurse by your instructors, my grandmother was told the exact same thing when she graduated from nursing school in 1975. I was told the exact same thing when I graduated from nursing school in 1994. A lot of "ten year" deadline have come and gone.