what do the titles mean? RN, BSN, ADN??

RN stands for registered nurse, the next license after LPN. BSN, bachelor of science nursing, and ADN, associate degree nursing are two of the educational levels that allow one to test for an RN license. Don't mix up the license with the education level required to get the license.

An ADN is typically a two year degree. After graduating, a student is elegible to sit for state boards. If boards are passed the ADN graduate becomes a registered nurse. A diploma school graduate usually graduates from a hospital based program that is 2-3 years in length. He/She can sit for boards after graduating, and after passing that person is a registered nurse. A BSN graduate goes through a bachelors degree from a college or university. After graduating, the student can sit for state boards. If he/she passes boards, the are a registered nurse. All three graduates are allowed to do the same thing (varies state-to-state) In my area, (Pittsburgh) There is little pay difference if you are a diploma nurse or if you have your BSN. I have noticed that a lot of hospitals are putting "BSN preferred" in the job description but not required. In some areas, the BSN nurse is more geared toward management and supervisor positions. ADN, diploma and BSN nurses are everywhere and they all have "RN" after their name.

No, RN is a professional license. BSN and ADN are college degrees. An ADN is an ASN or AAS degree obtained from a community college after two to three years of school (including prerequisites). A BSN is obtained from a four year university after four to six years of school (including prerequisites). You also have the option of an entry level MSN, masters in science nursing, which may grant a BSN along the way or may simply pass up the BSN.

You need to set up an appointment with an Allied Health & Nursing advisor at your institution. We have no way of knowing what prereqs are required for your school since not all schools are the same.

RN: Anyone who has completed at least their ADN, aka Associate Degree Nursing, at a minimum. The ADN is a two-year program excluding the general one year of prereqs (so it's really a three-year program).

BSN is a four-year degree, aka Bachelor of Science Nursing. There is little, if any, difference in pay between a registered nurse with his/her ADN vs. BSN. The difference is management opportunity, which is geared toward the BSN.

Hopefully the pay rates will be raised in the future to reflect educational attainment, especially for those with a master or doctorate degree in nursing. It's this lack of difference in pay that pushes me only up to my Bachelor degree, and I only want to go that far because I know when I am in my fifties I will want to lessen my load by doing less bedside care.