Why is it called "RN to BSN" - not "ADN to BSN"?

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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A friend of mine just told me he assumed no RNs had Bachelor's degrees - because he sees so many advertisements for "RN to BSN" programs. I had to explain to him that those "bridge" programs are for people with Associate Degrees in Nursing, who passed NCLEX and work as RNs but want to pursue a Bachelor's. This seems to confuse anyone who is not in nursing or health care, and frankly, as a BSN, I find it annoying. Semantics are everything - and these programs should be referred to as "ADN to BSN." The phrasing "RN to BSN program" DOES give the impression that those with RN licenses do NOT have a BSN. I NO LIKE!

Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
What I find interesting is that people, even the PhD in Pharmacology who lives across the street from me, don't know that all RN's, regardless of what other kind of alphabet soup they have behind their names, take the same licensing exam.

I've had to explain to this people who want to know when I'm getting my bachelor's because they don't understand that my job won't change a bit. I will not get a raise. I won't get different responsibilities. I won't have to take another licensing exam.

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Specializes in LTAC, ICU, ER, Informatics.

Also, not all 2-year RN programs confer A.D.N. My program confers an A.A.S. I have also seen A.N. and A.S.N.

Just to add to the soup. :D

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Ignore this

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theantichick, I don't think any institution confers an "ADN" -- it's just a generic term for associate degree in nursing. Generally it would be an A.S. in nursing, or sometimes, an A.A.S. in nursing.

Would the OP be happier if the program were called "RN to RN/BSN bridge"?

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Specializes in Emergency, Med-Surg, Progressive Care.
I've had to explain to this people who want to know when I'm getting my bachelor's because they don't understand that my job won't change a bit. I will not get a raise. I won't get different responsibilities. I won't have to take another licensing exam.

I've had friends bewildered by this, too. Once it sunk in for me that having a BSN wouldn't advance my career much, if at all, I decided not to pursue it even though I'd invested a good deal of time into taking every non-nursing class that was required for it (general ed, some psychology courses, nutrition, etc...all but 24 credits of nursing courses). Thankfully, I am able to apply all of these toward a B.S. in Health Science which opens far more doors for graduate/professional school than the BSN would.

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theantichick, I don't think any institution confers an "ADN" -- it's just a generic term for associate degree in nursing. Generally it would be an A.S. in nursing, or sometimes, an A.A.S. in nursing.

Would the OP be happier if the program were called "RN to RN/BSN bridge"?

We've been down this path before.

Yes, there is a difference between an "Associate Degree in Nursing" (ADN) and an "Associate in Applied Science) degree in nursing (AAS). Two year programs award one or the other and is usually stated on the diploma.

The College of Staten Island awards an AAS degree in nursing, whilst Queensbrough Community College awards an ADN. The latter recently formed a dual/joint agreement with Hunter-Bellevue (a CUNY BSN program) to allow it's students to obtain their four year BSN degree . CofSI OTHO has a RN to BSN program but does not award a four year undergrade nursing degree even though the college itself has been mainly four year.

The difference between the two lies in that associate degree programs provide a strong foundation in general education and other areas in view of students being prepared to move onto a four year degree. There are several ways of doing this from designing the program so credits will easily transfer, and or forming compact agreements with another college/university.

Associate in Applied Science is considered a "techinical degree" in most states. In order to focus more on the major such programs are allowed to provide less in terms of general education distribution credits. This often means graduates face a more difficult time should they decide to move onto a four year degree as they not only lack many of the required gen ed credits, but their core/major classes do not easily transfer either as they have no equal at a four year school.

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Yeah, I know you have to have an RN license to practice - regardless of if you earned a diploma, ADN or BSN. I get that.

That's not what I'm getting at. It's that much of the general public might get the impression that "RN to BSN!" advertisements convey the message, or infer, that ALL people with RN licenses DO NOT HAVE BSNs, therefore they need one. I just wish the terminology was presented a little more clearly; "Diploma/ADN to BSN" would be more accurate and appropriate. Again, I believe semantics are very important. Of course the public finds all of this confusing, but I'm saying; maybe they wouldn't if things like this were worded more accurately!

To be truly accurate along the lines of what you are proposing programs would have to be "ADN/AAS/diploma and the several other flavours of two and three year degrees" to BSN.

None of it matters because do not think there is a single RN to BSN program in the United States that does not require one to have a vaild license as part of the entry requirements.

There are however BofS to MSN/clinical specialist programs where holders of a non-nursing four year degree can to onto their masters and end up with a BSN and MSN.

As others have stated the general public is *not* the target market for these programs as they aren't eligible for entry anyway.

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Specializes in Emergency, Med-Surg, Progressive Care.
We've been down this path before.

Yes, there is a difference between an "Associate Degree in Nursing" (ADN) and an "Associate in Applied Science) degree in nursing (AAS). Two year programs award one or the other and is usually stated on the diploma.

There is no such degree as an "ADN". Most schools that award associate's degrees with nursing majors award an Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN). I would think that the term "ADN" would be a catch-all that includes AAS degrees...as those are associate-level degrees regardless of the general education courses that are required. My ASN program had very little leeway for electives...52 credits were required for the major, and the total required to earn the degree was 69. That left only 16 credits for general education, which is not a whole lot more than what an AAS provides. I have an AAS from the Community College of the Air Force, and only 15 credits of English, math, social studies, etc. were required...not a whole lot different than my ASN. What makes the issue confusing is that there are practical nursing programs which award AAS degrees.

For the most part, I don't think that most patients give a hoot about what degree anyone has. As long as you're bringing them their meds on time they seem happy.

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There is no such degree as an "ADN". Most schools that award associate's degrees with nursing majors award an Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN). I would think that the term "ADN" would be a catch-all that includes AAS degrees...as those are associate-level degrees regardless of the general education courses that are required. My ASN program had very little leeway for electives...52 credits were required for the major, and the total required to earn the degree was 69. That left only 16 credits for general education, which is not a whole lot more than what an AAS provides. I have an AAS from the Community College of the Air Force, and only 15 credits of English, math, social studies, etc. were required...not a whole lot different than my ASN. What makes the issue confusing is that there are practical nursing programs which award AAS degrees.

For the most part, I don't think that most patients give a hoot about what degree anyone has. As long as you're bringing them their meds on time they seem happy.

Should have been more clear.

It will of course vary by state but there is a difference in between an Associate Degree, Associate in Applied Science, and Associate in Arts (AA) with a major in whatever subject.

In New York State the difference mainly comes down to the liberal arts requirements set down to meet standards set down by the Board of Regents. See: Program Registration Guidelines and Resources:OCUE:NYSED

From the above:

"Undergraduate degrees shall be distinguished, as follows, by the minimum amount of liberal arts content required for each degree. The required liberal arts core shall not be directed toward specific occupational or professional objectives.”

[TABLE]

Minimum Amount of Liberal Arts Content Required for Each Degree[TR]

DegreeMinimum Proportion of ContentMinimum Number of Credits[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Associate in Arts (AA)

[/TD]

[TD]

3/4

[/TD]

[TD]

45

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Associate in Science (AS)

[/TD]

[TD]

1/2

[/TD]

[TD]

30

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Associate in Applied Science (AAS)

[/TD]

[TD]

1/3

[/TD]

[TD]

20

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Bachelor of Arts (BA)

[/TD]

[TD]

3/4

[/TD]

[TD]

90

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Bachelor of Science (BS)

[/TD]

[TD]

1/2

[/TD]

[TD]

60

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]All other undergraduate baccalaureate degrees (BBA, BE, BFA, BPS, BTech, etc.)

[/TD]

[TD]

1/4

[/TD]

[TD]

30

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

'The liberal arts and sciences comprise the disciplines of the humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and social sciences."

There follows an explination of what courses are considered amoung the above and satisfy the requirements, and what are not.

From the table above ADN (Associate Science Degree with a major in nursing) requires 1/2 minimum liberal arts proportion of content with at least 30 credits. In contrast an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree requires 1/3 and 20 credits respectively.

Applied Science degrees are technical in nature and can be awarded for most any major. Long as the program meets the particular state's requirements you can obtain an AAS degree in everything from LPN to massage theraphy. It is only mainly in the USA with it's multiple pathways to entry for the RN profession and for that matter LPN that the question of degrees confuses the general public. Most other parts of the world have made the BSN mandatory for a RN license and either gotten shot of "practical nurses" all together or established one pathway for entry there as well.

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My point, as kabfighter pointed out, is that there is the ADN is not the name of a degree. My school has an ADN program that confers the ASN degree, and a bridge program that confers the BSN degree.

There are different types of non-nursing degrees as well. You can get a B.A. in physics, generally for people who want to continue to an M.B.A. or other area of study; you should get a B.S. in physics if you want to continue to a masters degree in physics. And then there is the B.S. in engineering or B.S.E. that universities confer, versus the B.S.E.T. that many colleges and some universities offer.

An A.S. degree tends to be a terminal degree, as opposed to an A.A. degree, which has more liberal arts content, and thus a more general foundation for further study. As DGTG pointed out, an A.A.S. program has an even lighter liberal arts requirement than an A.S. program does.

As far as continuing to a BSN degree through a bridge program, from what I've seen, a two-year degree in nursing, a license, and a very limited distribution of courses (e.g., psychology, sociology) are required.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Most other parts of the world have made the BSN mandatory for a RN license and either gotten shot of "practical nurses" all together or established one pathway for entry there as well.

*** Most ADN programs take 3 years to complete. Most of them require pre-req's that must be competed before one can apply to the two year ADN program. Most of those countries who mandate a BSN for RNs have a 3 year BSN that would not meet the requirments for a BSN in USA. I have lived, and worked as an RN, in New Zealand. Nurses training there is very compairable to the 3 year ADN programs here, and not to the university BSN programs in the USA.

If we just changed the degree name from associates to bachelors we could achive the same thing.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

The best course of action is to explain to your confused friends on a case-by-case basis. Any sort of widespread rule about what is being advertised to a niche market is likely to make things worse. Your friends should definitely stay away from the ads in the margin of my Facebook page.

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