ADN Or BSN?

mge9450 · May 17, 2014

There is only one university within driving distance from my home that offers a BSN, and it is almost an hour away. I'm applying to that program and several ADN programs. The healthcare system in our area prefers BSN grads, but they will hire ADN graduates if they agree to complete the BSN by 2020. There is another hospital in a nearby town that will hire ADN new grads without the BSN commitments.

I'd love to go ahead and knock out my BSN, but if I don't get in, I don't

get in. I would make your decision based on the preferences of health systems where you live and also the school options that are available to you. My backup plan is completing the RN-BSN bridge program online if I end up going to a community college, it's a year long with full time study.

RubySlippers06 · May 21, 2014

I know you have gotten a lot of comments, but I will let you know what I am doing/did and what I wish would have happened. Now, a lot of this will be particular to my own situation; but you may find it helpful if you have the possibility of things getting in the way.

My ultimate goal is an MSN or DNP. Also, I was worried about getting a job and I had great scholarships to a four year school. Therefore, I chose the direct BSN route. The only program near me was a really expensive, private school. With the scholarships, it made it doable and, at the time, I thought it was worth it. I was a 4.0 student and had absolutely no worry as to getting in. Well, I got accepted and then had to drop bc my husband is military and the Army told us we had to move. After dropping and setting up to transfer, the Army decides he will deploy instead. So, I enrolled in the community college to finish out my last couple "prereq" classes for the new program. Fast forward 2.5 years after deciding I could be a nurse that was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I am just now about to start a program in the fall (knocking on wood, if I was accepted).

If I could go back in time, I would have gone the ADN bridge route. I may not be able to get my dream job in a hospital, but I could have found work and then bridged. Also, I wouldn't be looking at 60K in debt and 148 credit hours upon graduation.

Again, this was just my own experience and maybe something to think about. Hopefully you can prevent yourself from making the mistakes I made. Good luck either way!!

runsalot · May 21, 2014

Know your area. Just graduated with a an adn. Have a job lined up before I graduated. As does about half my class. Will be going back for my bsn soon. For me it was about money. I had a grant that paid for school at a two year college. So I got NS paid for.

FutureRNMel · May 21, 2014

Save A LOT of money and go for the ADN then you can get your ADN-BSN.

Lightning Lewis · May 24, 2014

ADN is a dead end now. You have to have a BSN to get a job in the better hospitals with higher pay scales and better working conditions.

runsalot · May 24, 2014

Wow. It's not dead yet. Just know your area. I got a job before graduation. As did half my class. A family member half the country away got a job a month after nclex last year and just got a new job in a world class hospital. All with our adn. And I have no debt.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · May 24, 2014

It is vital for a self assessment on what you have for goals. 1. Check with the hospitals where you live and find out if they hire ADN nurses. If you live in Wyoming, Nebraska, North Dakota they need RNs and "will" hire ADN. 2. What are your long term goals? Do you want to get a masters? Do you plan on bed side nursing long term? How are you physically? I have my BSN and it does open up more management positions which long term is important. As your body ages you may want to move into a less physical career which may require a BSN. Realistically look at everything (financial, career, family) and make a decision. Either way better to do SOMETHING then just sit around thinking about it.

datalore · May 24, 2014

I second runsalot, it depends on your area. I know ADN is pointless in a lot of areas, but where I am, it's going strong. My AASN program has a 100% job placement rate into nursing within two months of graduation, and has for the last five years. The other local ASN program is about 88% in the same time frame. That is not typical of the country as a whole, I know.

So, I recommend checking the schools' stats for job placement, BSN vs ASN, while recognizing that "job placement" does not mean "into nursing" or that they counted all their students unless they expressly report, "among all graduates" and "into a clinical setting". (They can be very creative with how they count!) Ask, ask, ask! If the admissions rep won't tell you straight answers, go elsewhere and be wary. Questions like that will help you choose not only between associates and bachelors, but also between programs for the best job outlook and NCLEX pass rates. Good luck!!

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · May 24, 2014

Right Data...One thing I notice on this sight is people stating there is "no" nursing shortage. It is not that simple. It has so many variables. What part of the country you live is HUGE. Also what type of nursing you are willing to do makes a difference. If a person will only work in the ER of the hospital down the street from their house on a day shift..then yes..they MAY not get that specific job. However if they are willing to work in a LTC facility on weekends and nights then..that is how you get your experience and prove you are wiling to do what it takes to get the job done.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · May 24, 2014

Well, you've gotten alot of feedback, so I'll just offer these observations:

1 - When people say "you have to know your area", you might want to consider that you may not STAY in that area for the rest of your life. Being able to get a job NOW in the area you live may be all you're interested in (now), but you might wish you had greater flexibility if you decide to leave the relatively small bubble of wherever you are at this moment. And that means having a higher degree.

2 - Regardless of whether there is or is not a shortage at the moment wherever you live now, the large flood of new ADN and BSN graduates who are looking for employment WILL mean greater competition everywhere. Simply put, there are MANY more new nurses being graduated from schools than there are nurses retiring or dying off. MANY more....and they are willing to move to wherever the perceived shortage is.

3 - When people say you can work as an LPN "halfway through", that varies GREATLY depending on the State you live in, and the program you are in. It is not very common to have this as an option, although it is in some places. Don't assume you can do this without verifying.

4- Getting a higher degree right off the bat is always easier than doing the ADN program, working and then completing the BSN level. Lots of things get in the way later (I can personally attest!!) and if I had had your choice today, I'd have absolutely NO confusion on the subject: I'd do the BSN program and be done with it. At least, "done" as in being able to find work anywhere "BSN only" is slapped on job postings!

mp86 · May 24, 2014

I think the take home message is, it doesn't matter what you choose ADN to BSN or going straight into a BSN. In the end, everybody agrees that you should get your BSN at some point to be more competitive and to have better chances of getting "better" job positions.

So choose whatever fits you best given your current circumstances.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · May 24, 2014

RNs r we...you say there are more nurses coming in than leaving. Do you have actual evidence of this or is it your gut feeling? Also there is also an overall increasing population and more baby boomers meaning a huge elderly population which requires much more medical care than a young population. There are so many factors to health care. One is if you have a million people and 30% are over say age 60 or if 70% are over 60 then the amount of care and the type of care provided varies. When I was military nurse certain posts would have a high population of young soldiers so we needed much more OB nurses because they were all having babys. Others places many retirees so we needed a different number and need of staff.