What do you get from BSN?

PatMac10,RN, RN · Dec 30, 2010

I believe that most of the posters have good points, especially lsk40. It seems like the experience with ADN and BSN students can vary according to area, program and the student themselves. I just graduated from highs school and I decided to go to an ADN program because I didn't want to wait four years to become a nurse. I had got accepted into a nursing program at a private university and you take your clinical courses throughout the course of your 4 years, but I couldn't afford, even with all my scholarships and Financial Aid, the $28,0000 a year just for tuition (again this was a private school) not including books and uniforms.

Around here some people debate that the ADN students make better nurses and the BSN students seem to be the ones who have forgotten how to make a bed by the time they graduate. Personal opinions vary. A study in our area (which is very similar to another study I saw on this site) revealed that new hire ADN students are hired they are able to work and take on a full load of patients by themselves and stay in orientation a lot shorter.

I honestly believe it is up to the individual. After this summer I will have all of the pre-reqs for both an ADN program and a BSN program (except statistics which I can take this summer if I wanted, but I hate math!!!) because I came into college with almost 20 credit hours because of taking college classes throughout high school, as many of my fellow nursing applicants did. I've had the chemistry classes, biology classes, english classes, critical thinking class (HUM 115), sociology, psychology classes, history classes, Leadership and Management classes etc... I MAY be overly prepared to enter a ADN program ,in a general education sense at least. A lot, but honestly not all, of the things I've seen mentioned here in BSN programs are features of most of the nursing schools I'm applying to. All of the schools I am applying to require most of the same things except for the statistics, and some other sciences. Of course, I'm sure they go to itno more depth in a BSN program but they teach leadership roles in the ADN programs around here. Students do exchanges in the role of the charge nurse and staff nurses while at clinical where one student is "the student charge nurse" over the other students to get management experience. Anyway I believe that BSN, should stay an open option for all RN and maybe all should work toward that degree since they one day wish that to be the minimum entrance for RN practice. Despite the many debates there is good that can come from both and bad. A BSN, in the end, is a not a bad thing but an improvement, it is a very good thing.

justashooter · Dec 31, 2010

let's look at it from another angle. what is the difference between a typical BSN student and a typical ADN student, and how does this predispose them to turn out?

the typical BSN student is straight out of high school, a middle to high acheiver, has parental suppport, begins school, may live at home or away from home, and may have a part time job, or not. they take out large loans after squeezing mom and dad for as much as they can, mom does their laundry, and dad makes sure they have a car. throughout the experience typical BSN students are highly empowered by their family resources.

they also do tend to be taller, and better looking, as this kind of genetic is found in economically successful families that can afford to coddle children thru college. as for the sexiness quotient mentioned by an earlier poster, well, i have always found pasty, vacuous, and entitled blondes unattractive, preferring sultry, ill tempered mediterranean and asian types. but that's just my personal preference.

the typical ADN student is one of several flavors. some are kids from humbler families coming straight out of high school who may or may not do well in a competitive placement program, but the majority are people in their 20's-30's working at CNA or LPN level who want to advance. some are also career changers in their 30's-40's. in these cases people are not empowered by family resources, rather, they are generally self supporting. because of this they go for the "most bang for the buck", and look to solve an economic problem within their chosen career, rather than to "change the world".

the differences between the two types of students would naturally make the ADN less "entitled" than the BSN. the ADN would be more humble, but made of stronger fabric. the ADN would understand survival needs at a level well beyond the BSN's understanding. the ADN would be less likely to take personal injury from random circumstance, and less likely to complain about negligeable insult. the ADN would be too busy doing the work to stake out territory and create social network like the BSN.

but, the system being what it is, advancement is only had thru a BSN, so BSN it must be, hell or high water.

we all sit around and judge people on a daily basis. this process is a necessary survival skill. it is natural, and normal, and it is better developed in some than others. in the best process a judgement is not based on face, or appearance, rather on basis, or how the appearance was obtained.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2010

one thing i picked up from my rn to bsn program was evidence based practice and how to then incorporate that into my day to day practice....

justashooter · Dec 31, 2010

Anyway I believe that BSN, should stay an open option for all RN and maybe all should work toward that degree since they one day wish that to be the minimum entrance for RN practice.

be careful what you wish for. the flood of foreign nurses that began in the early 90's has been empowered by the fraudulent actions of nursing recruiters to create the illusion that nursing is an eligeable field for H1-b visas. in truth, only a limited number of nursing positions actually require BSN, so immigrant nurses should only be admitted to fill those few positions. H1-c, a program specifically for ADN requirements, has expired.

the truth is that immigrant nurses have long taken LPN and ADN positions after having been imported to work at BSN level, and the USCIS is just beginning to crack down on this in response to our economic slowdown. if BSN ever does become an across the board requirement for RN certification you will see an increasing flood of phillipinas contracting to hospitals at bargain basement prices, diminishing your salary value and stealing your job.

CuriousMe · Dec 31, 2010

Where did/do you go to school?

I'm in a BSN program and I'd say that less then 10% of our class are traditional college age students. I'd say 20% of the class already has a Bachelors degree in another field and the majority of the class are over 30.

I was also accepted the CC program where I did my pre-reqs. I kept in touch with a number of friends who also got accepted and attended there. Their class was much younger, the majority of them getting their first degree.

I have no illusions that my experience is the national norm.....but I add it as evidence that yours may not be either.

let's look at it from another angle. what is the difference between a typical BSN student and a typical ADN student, and how does this predispose them to turn out?
the typical BSN student is straight out of high school, a middle to high acheiver, has parental suppport, begins school, may live at home or away from home, and may have a part time job, or not. they take out large loans after squeezing mom and dad for as much as they can, mom does their laundry, and dad makes sure they have a car. throughout the experience typical BSN students are highly empowered by their family resources.
they also do tend to be taller, and better looking, as this kind of genetic is found in economically successful families that can afford to coddle children thru college. as for the sexiness quotient mentioned by an earlier poster, well, i have always found pasty, vacuous, and entitled blondes unattractive, preferring sultry, ill tempered mediterranean and asian types. but that's just my personal preference.
the typical ADN student is one of several flavors. some are kids from humbler families coming straight out of high school who may or may not do well in a competitive placement program, but the majority are people in their 20's-30's working at CNA or LPN level who want to advance. some are also career changers in their 30's-40's. in these cases people are not empowered by family resources, rather, they are generally self supporting. because of this they go for the "most bang for the buck", and look to solve an economic problem within their chosen career, rather than to "change the world".
the differences between the two types of students would naturally make the ADN less "entitled" than the BSN. the ADN would be more humble, but made of stronger fabric. the ADN would understand survival needs at a level well beyond the BSN's understanding. the ADN would be less likely to take personal injury from random circumstance, and less likely to complain about negligeable insult. the ADN would be too busy doing the work to stake out territory and create social network like the BSN.
but, the system being what it is, advancement is only had thru a BSN, so BSN it must be, hell or high water.
we all sit around and judge people on a daily basis. this process is a necessary survival skill. it is natural, and normal, and it is better developed in some than others. in the best process a judgement is not based on face, or appearance, rather on basis, or how the appearance was obtained.

roser13, ASN, RN · Dec 31, 2010

Is this the point at which I relate my (true) story, in which a BSN new grad says to me (an equally new ADN grad): "how many cc's of insulin should I give my patient?" (while holding up a 3cc syringe)??

Making gross generalizations about ADN/BSN prepared nurses will get you nowhere.

Belle Epoque · Dec 31, 2010

I worked with a BSN new grad who didn't know how to change a brief on a bedridden patient. No joke. I guess she must have missed that lecture.

In answer to the question: What do you get from BSN? More opportunities. That's it.

Blackheartednurse · Dec 31, 2010

I was a CNA then become a LPN then RN then last BSN. From lpn to RN was a breeze.RN to BSN is a killer!! Very hard to me. I saw it as a different world. It's very little difference between lpn and RN for as knowledge..I will say the lpn's here in MS are much more prepaired after school.remember. The A in ADN stands for "associate". Which means "introduction" to nursing

I feel totally opposite.I'm doing RN to BSN and I feel my class is a breeze (so far getting an A). I remember taking my first nursing class FUNDAMENTALS of NURSING in my associate program,boy I had to study hard for those critical thinking tests!! Now I just write essays,take occasional quiz,do the projects,not really that hard!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2010

Justashooter, I have to agree with curiousme. I actually read your post twice, and I'm still not certain if you meant humour?

I am 37, with many years of experience, and very well travelled. I've paid my own living expenses and all bills, in fact, since I was 16. I'm certain there are many more individuals like myself. It is amazing to me how quick people can be to stereotype and judge. Furthermore, I know many young people who are mature and responsible. There are all kinds in this world.

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2010

I'm doing BSN coursework right now, and I have to say that for a floor nurse, having a BSN is not going to make you any better. Pretty much the only benefit, IMO, is for advancement in the field or matriculation to a graduate program.

MunoRN, RN · Dec 31, 2010

Maybe it's different in other states, but in my state the ADN and BSN program accreditation requirements are exactly the same; same number of pre-req credits (65) and the same number of core program credits (90). The only addition in the BSN program is 25 credits of electives prior to the program which are usually not nursing related. There is some flexibility in the classes that make up these credits but for the most part they are nearly identical, for instance the local ADN program chose to add an additional level of math (pre-calc) and drop the 5 credit nutrition class by incorporating the nutrition class in both A&P and the Core Nursing program.

The hospital I work has put a freeze on hiring new grad BSN's, because they've found them to be too expensive to train in the current economy. The local BSN program, is associated with a huge medical center which is where most of their graduates end up working. This medical center has a full 12 month residency program, so the BSN program essentially assumes that their graduates will still have another year of training when they are done, which doesn't work out very well when my facility can't afford more than a couple months of non-productive training, and we've found the ADN students tend to finish with more advanced clinical experience and are able to take a full load of patient quicker.

My state looked at requiring a BSN within ten years of graduation from an ADN program based partly on the evidence that supposedly showed better outcomes with BSN prepared nurses. They have since backed off somewhat after looking closer at the evidence, much of which was based on Canadian studies where there is a more significant difference between 2 year and 4 year programs. They also found that the differences in outcomes found in US studies were more likely correlated to better patient ratios found in teaching hospitals, the same hospitals where BSN nurses are the most plentiful.

CuriousMe · Dec 31, 2010

Maybe it's different in other states, but in my state the ADN and BSN program accreditation requirements are exactly the same; same number of pre-req credits (65) and the same number of core program credits (90). The only addition in the BSN program is 25 credits of electives prior to the program which are usually not nursing related. There is some flexibility in the classes that make up these credits but for the most part they are nearly identical, for instance the local ADN program chose to add an additional level of math (pre-calc) and drop the 5 credit nutrition class by incorporating the nutrition class in both A&P and the Core Nursing program.
The hospital I work has put a freeze on hiring new grad BSN's, because they've found them to be too expensive to train in the current economy. The local BSN program, is associated with a huge medical center which is where most of their graduates end up working. This medical center has a full 12 month residency program, so the BSN program essentially assumes that their graduates will still have another year of training when they are done, which doesn't work out very well when my facility can't afford more than a couple months of non-productive training, and we've found the ADN students tend to finish with more advanced clinical experience and are able to take a full load of patient quicker.

These are differences that vary from region to region.

For example, my BSN program has an additional year of clinicals (3 years of clinicals) and it's preceptorship is twice as long when comparing to the local ADN programs.