ADN or BSN

Simplistic · May 24, 2017

You should see if the hospitals in your area are hiring associate degree or bachelor degree nurses. That should make your decision a lot easier.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · May 25, 2017

I looked into the job market demands in the area. Most hospitals here will hire ADN's, but prefer BSN's. So I'm getting my BSN.

Rionoir, ADN, RN · May 25, 2017

Definitely depends on your location - ADN is not a problem where I am.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · May 25, 2017

Usually going for BSN will make you more generally marketable. There is a bit of a qualifier there though... some places may NOT want to hire a BSN into certain areas (ICU for instance) because the new hire BSN may just stay 1-2 years and bounce out to enter a more specialized field like CRNA or NP / ACNP. In those instances you might see the ADN being hired because they'll be retained longer before earning a BSN and then to Graduate Study of some sort and moving on.

Biggest thing for the OP to do is look at the local market and any place where you might eventually want to work and see what the hospitals are preferentially hiring. Most of the time I would say that you should also look at your finances and see what you can afford. Since you're starting out, the ADN will be cheaper and usually a little faster but BSN may not be all at far behind when you take into account finishing prerequisites and such. Figure about 2 years for prerequisites and another 2 years for the program itself. Where the ADN program gets to be a little faster is that you might be able to blast through the prerequisite coursework faster than the 2 years I quoted.

Because all the programs in my area were all impacted, and I couldn't do a BSN right away (University admissions rules precluded me from attending due to having a Bachelors) it took me from 2006 to 2014 to complete my ADN. This includes applying 8 consecutive filing periods (4 years) before getting accepted. Had I gotten in early on, I would have been done around 2010 and I'd now be a nurse with 6-7 years experience instead of 2-3 years.

I put this in just so you don't think things will automatically go smoothly for you because sometimes they just don't. Be prepared for it and if a "delay" happens to you, don't sweat it... just keep applying. If you can afford either program, then BSN would usually be better but if your market analysis shows ADN would be better, go for that and do a BSN later. Just make sure you do the BSN at some point!

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · May 25, 2017

I went BSN for a couple of reasons. First, the only ASN program in my area is cheap, small, and extremely competitive. They also gave extra points for taking prereqs at that school and I didn't. Next, I finished a lot quicker than if I did ASN to BSN. Lastly, 3/4 of the big hospitals in the area are magnet so they give a strong preference to BSNs over ASNs. The hospital I'm at has the best pay and a great reputation for their treatment of nurses, but because of their desirability, they get lots of applicants per opening and very rarely hire someone without a BSN.

DarkKnightNurse · May 25, 2017

Just go straight to BSN. Its a waste of time to just get an ADN these days because more than likely, youll have to go back to school anyways with most hospitals wanting magnet status these days. The BSN makes you a lot more marketable.

DarkKnightNurse · May 25, 2017

I have never heard of any ICU preferring to hire an ADN over a BSN prepared nurse because of fear they may leave. Every hospital unit prefers the BSN over ADN.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · May 26, 2017

Some things to consider...

1) how's the market in your area for ADNs? Keep in mind that if residencies (new grad training programs) require a BSN, you likely would not qualify after completing the RN->BSN bridge. This is because you would no longer be a new grad.

2) any significant difference in cost? Is the ADN program out of a for-profit school, or the BSN through a private college? (I began a music degree at a Lutheran college -- roughly 25K per semester Debt isn't fun!

3) your season of life: are you still in high school and planning to go after graduation? Are you a single parent who needs to get to work asap?

4) what are their NCLEX (licensure exam) pass rates? In the city where I attended nursing school, there was one BSN program at the state university and one ADN program at the tech school. The ADN program had a higher pass rate than the BSN, and local hospitals preferred the new ADN grads.

LiveUrDreams · May 27, 2017

Thanks guys for all the input. Ive been really teater tottering between both options. Cost was never really an issue for me because I'm using the Post 911 from the military so that made it harder believe it or not. Its not like my options are so open. But I decided to just go for the BSN and get it over with. I was really just trying to get working faster by getting the ADN but whats 2 more years lol.

HermioneG, BSN, RN · May 28, 2017

I just finished my BSN, but my brother (who has a previous BS degree) is taking his NCLEX soon and will graduate with an ADN. What is cool with his situation is that he can get hired by a hospital that can do tuition reimbursement for his BSN. I know several people that did it this way.

But, if you're not worried about the financial aspect, I agree that it might be nice just go to straight through and do the BSN. Like you said, in the big scheme of things, what is two more years if you have the time lol.

Nurse Grandpa · May 29, 2017

Your employability and geographic mobility to work in an acute care hospital will be greater with a BSN in most parts of the country although in the midwest and the south an ADN may fine at least for a few years if you only want to work at the bedside.. More and more hospitals are seeking "magnet" status where a BSN is the minimal credential to be hired. Where I work in the San Francisco bay area a BSN is the minimum and it is not uncommon to find Masters prepared Nurses practicing at the bedside particularly in NICU and other critical care specialties and they earn six figure salaries. If one can make the stretch to do the BSN out of the box it is the best. One way to to keep your costs down is to do all your sciences and pre reqs at your local community college and transfer. Also if you have an ADN avoid for profit colleges to do your bachelors or Masters. They are expensive, receive little respect as a credential and often have alternative certification ie not the NLN. Wishing you a great career! Nurse Grandpa RN MPH