career advice WOCN or RN to BSN

Hello,

I am a new ADN grad who has worked the last year at a great metro hospital as a Med/Surg nurse. This is a second career to me. I had previously worked in insurance claims and have a bachelor's and master's degree in business administration.

I've been told that despite my MBA, I will never leave the "bedside" without a BSN---so, I'm considering going back to school for it. Actually, I've already signed up to start this Fall, but I'm not excited about it. I love being a bedside nurse but would like to keep my future career options open.

Anyway, today I attended a WOCN conference and found it very interesting and useful. I spoke with our hospital's WOCN and did some research on WOCN.org and realized I could get my certification in WOCN using my work experience and unrelated bachelor's degree in less time and for less money then a BSN. I think I could be really good as a WOCN (I don't mind the gross stuff and smells. I'm compassionate, patient, good at critical thinking and like results.)

My gut is telling me to go for the WOCN because it interests me more than pursuing an RN to BSN program, but my brain is telling me that WOCN certification may not get me anywhere in my career. I'm told the RN to BSN program is mostly theory classes and community nursing. I appreciate that there may be some useful info in these classes, but I think I can benefit more on a day-to-day basis with what I could learn from obtaining my WOCN certification.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Do I do what appeals to me, or what I think I should do?

Tamara