ADN to BSN Question

ladybugsea · Jul 12, 2006

firstyearstudent

How were you able to get financial aid? I was told NO ONE with a previous BA/BS could ever qualify for aid for an ADN. In fact, I have also been reading that we don't even qualify for federal student loans. Hmm, maybe some of us should be looking into applying to your school.

So what will you put on your resume for your RN education? Just 'RN' from said CC, rather than 'ADN'?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2006

All said, you will not be allowed to sit for NCLEX without first graduating from a program and receiving the degree of ADN/BSN/MSN or Diploma. That is a fact for everyone who wants to be an RN ~ in every state.

Siri, I think this is the point of either confusion or contention: While she is in an ADN program, she does not plan to actually graduate with a degree from that program. But, according to her counselor, in California she will be allowed to sit for NCLEX anyway (based on the idea that a previous BA degree "outweighs" the need for an ADN).

I read the excerpt from the licensing application as well, but I really don't see that it allows for NOT having that nursing degree. It just seems to ask what date you received your degree or diploma, and what date you completed your nursing requirements (as well as what date you completed a previous degree, and in what). Looks to me like you still need to have graduated with an actual nursing degree.

I can only speak for New York, as that licensing application was even clearer (as provided in my exerpt in a previous post). A degree from a nursing school or accredited diploma school is required to become licensed in New York, period.

I can't imagine getting a license this way (without degree) and potentially having to go BACK TO SCHOOL (!) to become licensed in another state should I one day choose to move.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 12, 2006

Siri, I think this is the point of either confusion or contention: While she is in an ADN program, she does not plan to actually graduate with a degree from that program. But, according to her counselor, in California she will be allowed to sit for NCLEX anyway (based on the idea that a previous BA degree "outweighs" the need for an ADN).
I read the excerpt from the licensing application as well, but I really don't see that it allows for NOT having that nursing degree. It just seems to ask what date you received your degree or diploma, and what date you completed your nursing requirements (as well as what date you completed a previous degree, and in what). Looks to me like you still need to have graduated with an actual nursing degree.
I can only speak for New York, as that licensing application was even clearer (as provided in my exerpt in a previous post). A degree from a nursing school or accredited diploma school is required to become licensed in New York, period.
I can't imagine getting a license this way (without degree) and potentially having to go BACK TO SCHOOL (!) to become licensed in another state should I one day choose to move.

Here is the step-by-step process from the CA BON to be an RN:

http://www.nurse.ca.gov/steps.html

You will notice there are only three ways: ADN/BSN/MSN and two alternate routes; one of which is the LVN who takes a 30 unit option. Most allowed to practice only in CA, however. No degree, but allowed to sit for NCLEX:

LVN 30 Unit Option
Designed as a career ladder for Licensed Vocational Nurses wishing to become RNs. Takes approximately 18-24 months. No degree is granted upon completion. Most other states do not recognize California's LVN 30 Unit Option and will not issue RN licenses to these LVNs. Some LVNs prefer to complete an ADN program in order to obtain a degree and to have the flexibility to get an RN license in other states. Most ADN programs will give LVNs credit for some of the coursework they completed to become an LVN.

firstyearstudent · Jul 12, 2006

I don't know. But you have all convinced me to email my counselor and get more information and confirm that I will not have a problem sitting for the NCLEX or getting licensed in another state.

Perhaps a degree/diploma in nursing is required, but for all I know, I may be getting a diploma (just not an ADN).

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2006

I don't know. But you have all convinced me to email my counselor and get more information and confirm that I will not have a problem sitting for the NCLEX or getting licensed in another state.
Perhaps a degree/diploma in nursing is required, but for all I know, I may be getting a diploma (just not an ADN).

I hope you don't think we're coming down on you, we're really not, we just don't want to see you make a small mistake that could create disastrous results (as might happen if you didn't take the courses needed for that ADN degree and you really need that before sitting for NCLEX). We want you as a nurse :)

From the link Siri provided, I can see that California doesn't even have a diploma school option (there are so few left in the States, I guess CA doesn't have any).

You wouldn't be getting a diploma from your community college. They can issue degrees, not diplomas. And the diploma we're talking about in earlier posts has to do with accredited "diploma programs" where the curriculum is hospital-based for 3 years (instead of college-based for 2 or 4).

Can't imagine what that counselor is doing.

firstyearstudent · Jul 12, 2006

I've emailed both my school counselor and the board of nursing, so, hopefully, I'll find out what the deal is soon. I can't believe my counselor doesn't know what she's doing -- there have been plenty of second degree students in the program in the last couple of year (about a 1/4 actually) and plenty of those have not been getting the ADN. My suspicion is there is some kind of exemption for ADN equivalency -- but I guess I'll find out soon enough...

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2006

Something curious just popped out at me from that last post....if there are alot of students who would otherwise be eligible to have an ADN from that community college but for the fact they have been counseled to forego those last few classes, I can't imagine that the college board/trustees would be all that happy about it! It's important for them to show how many graduates they get each year, from what programs, how many are matriculated or not, how many start out and how many finish...stats.

So it would be weird to me that someone on staff would be essentially telling students to "not bother" with a degree from that school and NOT have the administration ticked off...if they even knew about it, of course. And likely, they don't.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2006

I've emailed both my school counselor and the board of nursing, so, hopefully, I'll find out what the deal is soon. I can't believe my counselor doesn't know what she's doing -- there have been plenty of second degree students in the program in the last couple of year (about a 1/4 actually) and plenty of those have not been getting the ADN. My suspicion is there is some kind of exemption for ADN equivalency -- but I guess I'll find out soon enough...

I would also ask the Dean of Nursing while you're emailing folks.

Please let us know what you find out. I'm very curious. Things may be changing and California is in the forefront of a lot of things.

Here the key phrase is "2nd Degree", many many people go into nursing with other degrees, but here in Florida from what I've seen they just add a 2nd degree to that degree be it ADN or BSN from an accellerated program.

firstyearstudent · Jul 13, 2006

Something curious just popped out at me from that last post....if there are alot of students who would otherwise be eligible to have an ADN from that community college but for the fact they have been counseled to forego those last few classes, I can't imagine that the college board/trustees would be all that happy about it! It's important for them to show how many graduates they get each year, from what programs, how many are matriculated or not, how many start out and how many finish...stats.
So it would be weird to me that someone on staff would be essentially telling students to "not bother" with a degree from that school and NOT have the administration ticked off...if they even knew about it, of course. And likely, they don't.

That's a good point, but the school is also heavily overburdened, so I could also see the administration wanting to discourage students from taking courses unnecessarly which are in universal demand (remember, all associate degree students must take these courses).

I don't know. I feel pretty confident that the school and my counselor is on top of this stuff. We are actually required by the program to get checked off by the academic counselor every semester to make sure we are on target and she was the one who suggested this route. All the same, I am double checking on this. As far as the dean is concerned, I'll wait until I see if I get satisfaction from the counselor. My suspicion is that the dean wouldn't be aware of these issues anyway and would just tell me to contact the counselor and/or the board of nursing.