ADN to a BSN???

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Jan 4, 2006

I am in my last semester of nursing school (it is an associate's degree program) and i am thinking about contuining school for a BSN. I'm not really sure what i want to do. I was hoping i could get advice. I work in an ER registering patients. In our Er which is small, there are about 3 RN's with BSN's and the majority of the RN's have an associate's. The Director of our ER only has her Associate's. I was looking at RN job postings online and most said Prefered education: associate's. Do BSN's get paid more? If i did decide to get my BSN will i be to over qualified for some jobs? If i have an Associate's will i be too under qualified for some jobs? Should i work as a nurse for a little while and then go back or should i keep going after graduation? If i do get my BSN should i go part-time to school and work full-time or just the opposite. Keep in my mind that i am 21 years old, not married, no kids, and don't have a whole lot of responsibities right now. iam confused and stressed out about the whole thing. Please help!!!:uhoh21:

Hi. I'm in TN too.

An associate degree nurse can get the same jobs as a BSN and the pay is nearly identical also.

The only reasons to get a BSN would be if you want to get a master's in anesthesia, become an NP,an educator, or get a doctorate.

You can go back to school anyway you think you could handle it. Many NP programs are online, so that would not interfere with your job. Anesthesia would require much more time, so working would be harder.

So, work as a nurse with the AS for now and if you decide you want more education, then go for it.

oh and I think preferred education means that you need at least an associate's degree, not that they would prefer it over BSN. So, no you won't ever be over qualified or under qualified except maybe in a speciality situation. You won't find a BSN getting a job in critical care over an associate degree simply because of the different degrees. Experience is experience.

Good Luck.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jan 4, 2006

I am in my last semester of nursing school (it is an associate's degree program) and i am thinking about contuining school for a BSN. I'm not really sure what i want to do. I was hoping i could get advice. I work in an ER registering patients. In our Er which is small, there are about 3 RN's with BSN's and the majority of the RN's have an associate's. The Director of our ER only has her Associate's. I was looking at RN job postings online and most said Prefered education: associate's. Do BSN's get paid more? If i did decide to get my BSN will i be to over qualified for some jobs? If i have an Associate's will i be too under qualified for some jobs? Should i work as a nurse for a little while and then go back or should i keep going after graduation? If i do get my BSN should i go part-time to school and work full-time or just the opposite. Keep in my mind that i am 21 years old, not married, no kids, and don't have a whole lot of responsibities right now. iam confused and stressed out about the whole thing. Please help!!!:uhoh21:

Hello,

I went straight from ADN to BSN after I graduated with my associates. I do not regret it. You're actually a lot more qualified for more jobs if you want them. However, remember: you have to have experience first. So work while you get the Bachelors degree. You're very young (like me... I graduated my ADN when I was 20, BSN when 21) and you might want to go on and do something else (management, go to graduate school) later on. It gets harder after you get married, start having babies (which you may already be doing... I dunno!) but it is the HARDEST when you've gotten used to the nice nursing salary and begin to feel that you might need to cut back to put in more school.

Look at RN-BSN programs that are online, but are administered by major universities. That will make it easier for you to get used to your new job and go to school at the same time while making scheduling easier!

Good luck!

nadja9 · Jan 4, 2006

Greetings!

My personal and professional advise is to get your BSN sooner than later. A number of reasons why...

First, as stated above (and an excellent point), is that it is much easier to focus on your education when you don't have other responsibilities (children, the laundry of an entire family, husbands, etc). Overwhelmingly, my students say they wish they'd finished their BSN's when they were done with their RN's before the kids came, etc.

Second, the sooner you start , the sooner you finish, and then you are ready whenever you either want a different position, are forced to take a different position because of injury or allergy (trust me, I see enough of this), start having children and want a nursing position either off the floor and/or with hours that do not include weekends/holidays.

Third, positions once secured by experience are now being secured by education. In many areas (geographically, with the area getting bigger all the time), you must now have a minimum of a BSN if you want to go to infection control, wound care, case management, floor director, nursing education, etc. I have a number of students who a) have lost out on positions due to education even though they had more experience, and b) are in management or other positions that their employers are now requiring a BSN in order to stay in those positions.

Many hospitals now seeking magnet status also want nurses with more education at the bedside. They want nurses with a BSN or MSN.

Those are just a few of the things I can think of. The bottom line is that you increase your knowledge and you also increase your career opportunities. You are simply preparing your self for more options if you want or need them, and that is just plain smart. With your RN, you have a great foundation that nothing can replace and an ADN degree is extremely valuable. You would just be expanding what you have already learned, taking things to a deeper level.

I wish you the best with your decision. You are supported with whatever you decide!

Nadja

ads24 · Jan 4, 2006

thanks for all the advice.