ADN or BSN. Which should i choose? HELP

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Hi everyone. I am a 21 year old male who is striving to become a nurse. I am applying to a adn program here in texas for fall 2011. I currently work in a hospital and I get mixed reviews about what I should do. The hospital I am working for is only hiring nurses with a bsn because they are working on going magnet.This hospital isn't even in the world renowned Texas Medical Center and they are only hiring BSN'S.There are about four bsn program here that I can apply to. They are all super competitive and cost way too much. The programs cost around 30K-50K. Some nurses tell me go straight for your bsn while your young especially since thats all hospitals are hiring. On the other-hand there are some rn's that tell me get your adn and gain some experience then go for your bsn. The adn program im applying to is about 8k for the whole program which sounds a lot more reasonable. I have a opportunity to get my bsn through uta online academic partnership which is about 16k. The only problem there is i think i might get looked down upon because its a online degree. My goals for the future are to become a nurse practitioner so going straight for my bsn sounds like the smarter thing to do.

So should I save money and get my adn? Get my bsn from uta online at a cost of 16k, or apply to one of the bsn programs where i would have to spend a ton of money and might not get accepted due to the high standards they have? Please help fellowing nurses/ inspiring nurses!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry if my spelling is off. It's 2 in the morning and I am dozing off!!

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

As a general rule hospitals do not pay extra because you have a degree. However, there are a lot of hospitals that will hire only BSN prepared nurses. The advantages to the BSN program is that you are more prepared for the management side of the work environment upon graduation. At least that was the way in was for me when I was in college. I trained at Texas Womans University in Houston and rotated through all the hospitals there and at some point in my 32 years I have worked in many of them. That is a SUPERIOR learning environment there. If you can afford to go on and get your BSN, do it.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Apply to all the programs and wait and see which one you get accepted into, if you get into more than one look at the finiancial aid options and scholarships, and look at which program offers you more clinical time.

I have a ADN, but every where in my area wants BSN nurses, so I am doing a RN-BSN program and I finally landed a part time RN job so I am getting some experience while working on the BSN, so hopefully when I am done I can get a hospital job.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I say apply to all and apply for all the financial aid you can. In the end, if you decide the ADN program is more affordable for you right now, then go that route. There are RN-MSN bridge programs out there that will allow you to get your NP later on when you are ready to take that step.

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just go straight for the bsn. there is no expieriance that will signigantly help you since the text book world and clinical world are entirly different. if you wana go practioner dont waste your time aith the adn

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If they are only hiring BSN's afterwords, why take it. If you cannot get a job with ADN, then you are wasting your money. I went through the same thing with LPN vs RN, and I realized there are no jobs out there. So BSN it is.

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If you can afford to get your BSN now, I would do that.

I'm changing careers, and the question between BSN and ADN, for me, has always been 'what do I want to do when I graduate'. If you answer that question and you can do everything you want to do as an ADN, then by all means do that. If not, and say you want to go further eventually, NP, Management, etc, get your BSN now.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Definitely go for your BSN.. UTA is a reputable school so I wouldn't worry too much about the degree be looked down upon if you did the bridge. Most of the ADN-BSN bridge programs here are partly if not entirely online (UTMB, TWU, UTH).. all respected institutions.

The problem with online degrees are almost entirely how the school is viewed (IMHO).. so if it was UoP or Devry, I'd be worried.. but not one of the long standing, not-for-profit state schools.. especially ours (I think we have some pretty awesome schools in Texas).

What area in Texas are you applying?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Apply for both and see what type of financial aid you can get from the BSN program. You might be surprised to find that it is not as expensive as you think, once you consider the aid package.

In the meantime, while you wait for the acceptances, you can further investigate the job possibilities that would be available should you choose the ADN. As someone else said, if you can't get a job in your town with an ADN, then it doesn't make sense to go that route.

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thanks for the help! Im really thinking about applying to uta online bsn program.I live in houston so i would be applying to utmb, uthsc, prarie view.

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thanks everyone for your help suggestions!

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I am in the same position as you are. I get conflicting information everywhere I turn about hospitals hiring BSN's only. You have to do what fits your situation. If it's feasable for you to go to a 4 year school right now, then that is probably the route you should go. Especially with the research you have done as to wether or not you can obtain employment with your ADN. If you have your mind made up to be a nurse prac, then don't even waste your time getting your Associates, just go for your BSN. Good luck on your journey! :D

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