adn first then bsn? fastest route to nursing degree?

U.S.A. California

Published

Hi fellow nurse-to-be's....

I have a dilemma. I am trying to finish up my bachelors (in non nursing field) and hopefully i will be end of this year.

I want to be a nurse---as soon as possible.

Should I finish up my bachelors first, then apply for accel BSN?

I heard this can be very competitive and hard to get in.

Plus, after I finish my BA I still have about 7 more pre-req classes to take and complete before I can even apply for the accel BSN program. This could take another 1 year after end of this year.

And if I dont get accepted to accel BSN program..I might have to wait longer.

I am in Sacramento, CA by the way.

Should I opt for the ADN instead?

If I decide to go the ADN route, can I start applying for for any nursing school now?

Also, in the ADN route, they may not require me to take all those prereqs, right?

I know eventually I want to shoot for the MSN so I can teach. But I cannot imagine taking another 2 to 3 years to get into a nursing program.

Also, someone told me that while waiting to get into accel BSN program, I can start taking upper division classes while I wait. Is this good to do? If I take those classes now, then when I am actually accepted and enrolled in the BSN program, will I have to repeat those classes?

Should I even finish up my BA? Or just abandon it for nursing school instead?

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Hey Hapi, I'm in Stockton. The only two schools I know of in the immediate area offering BSNs are Sac State and CSU Stanislaus in Stockton. I finished my BA and I'm starting an ADN program right now. I still had to take all of the prereqs, but there are accelerated programs for associate degree nurses with bachelors in other fields. There are also quite a few associate programs in the area and they're a lot cheaper than a bachelor's program.

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hi indiophil,

"...but there are accelerated programs for associate degree nurses with bachelors in other fields."

can you explain further what you mean by this? i really want to be a nurse quick...and i can't fathom the idea of waiting until another year to start...if i were to go for my accel bsn i will have to much longer. i am quited interested in the accel program for associate degrees...what are those? i am planning to finish up my degree this year at sac state in liberal studies.

thanks so much.

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I mean accelerated ways of getting a bachelors or masters in nursing if you have a bachelors in another field and an associates in nursing. All of the programs for nursing I've seen in the area are a minimum of two years, like the associates program. I finished the prereqs for this program in about a year and the program itself lasts two.

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Specializes in ICU/trauma/med-surg.

Hi Hapiyogi

I have been in nursing 32 years..did my ADN first and now realized I should have done my BSN instead. I was young and didn't realize how long I would be in this field. If you are young, I would definately recommend doing your BSN. Nursing is a high burn-out profession, and you may find that you don't want to do "bedside nursing" (or whatever) for long. Try if you can to get your BSN (esp is you want to get your MS)..you may be able to use some of your prereqs, . The BSN will open more doors for you later on. I would recommend applying now for a program and finishing your BA while you are waiting. If nursing is really what you want, then maybe you'll never finish your BA. As for the upper div classes, yes, definately take them ASAP while you wait. It took me 4 years to do my ADN because I had to take the prereq's before getting in the program, so if you do your BSN, you won't waste that time. Good luck!

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Get the BSN. The market is tough at the moment for new grads but I think having the BSN will at least give you a bit of leverage. Many positions say "BSN preferred". Just do it now. I thought I'd take the "quick way out" and get the ADN but I should have done the accelerated program. (I already have a Bachelor's in Business). I believe Sac will allow you into their Master's program if you have a Bachelor's in something else. Check out the Sac State nursing website to check it out. They sometimes have informational sessions on their program too...

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Thanks to all those who replied. I found your suggestions very helpful and I am going to pursue the BSN path. I will try to apply to the MSN program too.

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