ADN or accelerated BSN program?

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i need some advice. i graduated from college in 2011 with a bachelors degree of arts. initially as a freshman i was a biology major. i wanted to switch my major to nursing but at that time i had a year waiting list & did not feel like waiting. eventually in the spur of the moment i changed my major to criminology & got my bachelors degree.

fast forward to now, i want to go back to school for nursing. what is the better option to do- go for my ADN or an accelerated BSN program? i know if i went the ADN route i would only get a certificate and would have to complete an rn-bsn program to get my Bsn degree.

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If you get the ADN you get a diploma. Not a cert... The accel program may get you to where you want to be faster.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.
If you get the ADN you get a diploma. Not a cert... The accel program may get you to where you want to be faster.

With an ADN and/or an ASN, you graduate with a DEGREE, not a diploma.

ADN stands for Associate Degree in Nursing. ASN stands for Associate of Science in Nursing. Both are the same education-wise. It just depends on on where you live and the school.

Being technical; the piece of paper that you get when you graduate (with any major), is called a diploma.

But in nursing, there used to be many "diploma" programs. It was a different course of study, from what they have now and I don't think there are many of them around anymore. The one thing I know from those nurses who graduated from these programs, is that they came out of school much more prepared for working at the bedside. They were hospital sponsored programs and students had a lot more clinical time than those going for ADN's or even BSN's.

I wish I had gotten more clinical time during school. I know that I would have been much more prepared for real nursing.

Regardless, many hospitals are requiring new hires to have an BSN or at least be enrolled in a BSN program. So I would tell you to go for the BSN to make yourself more marketable.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

So, I was in the same situation you were in and I choose the ABSN.

I figured that I would rather do a 13-month program vs. a 24 month program PLUS have to go back for my BSN. I literally just finished and it was hard as hell, but I would still do it the same way.

Plus, many hospitals are requiring their ADN nurses to go and get their BSN, so you may as well get your BSN and be done with it.

Just my two cents.

Good luck either way

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i need some advice. i graduated from college in 2011 with a bachelors degree of arts. initially as a freshman i was a biology major. i wanted to switch my major to nursing but at that time i had a year waiting list & did not feel like waiting. eventually in the spur of the moment i changed my major to criminology & got my bachelors degree.

fast forward to now, i want to go back to school for nursing. what is the better option to do- go for my ADN or an accelerated BSN program? i know if i went the ADN route i would only get a certificate and would have to complete an rn-bsn program to get my Bsn degree.

Either way you are going to be in a nursing program for at about two years so might as well get things over with and go for the ABSN.

Whatever you decide don't let things go too long. Many programs both ADN and ABSN are setting limits on how recent previous coursework should have been taken. Usually this mainly applies to sciences but when you look at local programs dig into which if any such requirements will apply to. The last thing you'd want was to have aced organic chem only to be told it won't be accepted and you'll have to repeat. *LOL*

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