ADN vs BSN Battle

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 8, 2015

Sidenote : I call bsn the more difficult degree from a more general sense. Lets face it, 4 yrs of student loans and debt and schooling and not working is a hard thing to want to commit to. It puts a strain on you as well as your family in some cases. Especially when you read all around the net so many "is it worth it" articles, it doesnt surprise me why theres so much dissension on the matter.

I wouldve gone straight for my bsn but my college forces you to apply for the adn program first THEN apply for the bsn rather than do it all in one swift motion...kinda odd but whatever. I plan on getting my bsn, but thats more of a personal satisfaction and goal of mine. Plus It leaves me with the option of pursuing a graduate degree at a sooner pace, rather than deciding down the line id like to be an NP and have to get my brain back in "school mode" for the next 4 years having already been spoiled with such sweet sweet rn pay

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

once the "new nurse" title is gone it really doesn't matter where you went to school so long as you have a valid RN license.

You're entitled to hold this opinion if you like, but the data are against you, both in hiring and in outcomes. But you already know that.

Educational Levels of Hospital Nurses and Surgical Patient Mortality

Good luck to you!

futureRNhope · Jun 8, 2015

Well I will be going for my BSN so I may be slightly biased lol. On this site I actually see more of BSN bashing than ADN. It seems as if it's okay for ppl to say things such as "BSN's are a waste of money", "We're all nurses in the end", "The ADN programs in my area are better anyway", etc., but if I were to say that "BSN programs are better because in the end you end up with a higher degree" then I'm bashing. While I do agree that it is wrong to bash anyone based on a degree, let's not ignore the obvious benefits that come along with getting a BSN, such as salary increases. With that being said, if you can pass the NCLEX you get a big thumbs up from me! :up:

AlphaM · Jun 8, 2015

AlphaM · Jun 8, 2015

dcwang · Jun 8, 2015

i chose to go the BSN route as my second degree because hospitals in my area require BSN or preferred. My area is saturated with new grads. If you choose to go ADN route, great, we all make our choices. ADN is still possible to find a job in other regions.

also, i plan to pursue a graduate degree;therefore, I chose to attend a BSN program. A lot of ppl in my class want to become NP/CRNA, but seeing that's what so many ppl want to do, I am considering staying in bedside nursing until I'm not physically able to tolerate the work and that's when my graduate degree will come to use.

fivefeetNP · Jun 8, 2015

I was fortunate, lucky really to land a position in leadership at a large academic center as an ADN, but I quickly realized that without an advanced degree I was very limited as far as upward mobility is concerned. So I decided to complete my BSN and later my MSN online. Now I have a six figure salary away from bedside (prefer this) that includes education and leadership. I'm now shopping for A good DNP program. Bottom line, you like bedside nursing and hospitals will hire you? Then that's great! If you have aspirations that include leaving bedside then go for BSN and beyond. One is not better than the other, the two are just different.

I agree. I chose to get a BSN because I knew that I wanted to get an advanced degree and that would be the most direct route for me. Also, I went to a state university and went back to that same university for my Master's. Both programs tuition was paid in full by the university. So it just goes to what works best for you.

jena5111, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

You're entitled to hold this opinion if you like, but the data are against you, both in hiring and in outcomes. But you already know that.
Educational Levels of Hospital Nurses and Surgical Patient Mortality
Good luck to you!

This is why I plan to complete an RN-MSN program ASAP after graduating with my ADN.

I have a non-nursing bachelor's and don't want to obtain a second bachelor's...but I know that ADN simply isn't sufficient in the long run. At least it was sufficient to obtain the RN (well, hopefully, assuming I pass NCLEX in Dec/Jan).

We shall see. I graduate in December as well. I wish OP the best of luck going forward. ADN vs. BSN isn't so much of a "battle" as a reality. Each person needs to decide what's best for him/herself, though.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

i chose to go the BSN route as my second degree because hospitals in my area require BSN or preferred. My area is saturated with new grads. If you choose to go ADN route, great, we all make our choices. ADN is still possible to find a job in other regions.
also, i plan to pursue a graduate degree;therefore, I chose to attend a BSN program. A lot of ppl in my class want to become NP/CRNA, but seeing that's what so many ppl want to do, I am considering staying in bedside nursing until I'm not physically able to tolerate the work and that's when my graduate degree will come to use.

THIS. 100%.

turtlesRcool · Jun 9, 2015

I am currently about to graduate from an ADN program in December. I have worked super hard to get into my program, worked hard throughout my program learning all the same stuff as BSN nursing programs, and just recently took the same Hurst review for the same NCLEX program as BSN students. With that being said, I see so much "title throwing" on this site. By that I mean there are so many posts almost belittling ADN nurses and they are a bit discouraging.

I have no doubt that you worked really hard in your program. (Are there RNs who do well in ANY type of nursing program who don't work hard?) However, chances are you didn't learn "all" the same stuff as people in BSN nursing programs. Yes, you learned what you need to know to be a safe, effective new nurse, the same as the BSN students did. You and the BSN students are both ready to transition to bedside nurses.

But the BSN students did other course work as well. Now, I have heard a lot of people saying the extra stuff is mostly theory, and that may be true, depending on the program. There may also be other topics. For example, I know in my state, BSNs must do community health as a course and ADN programs do not have to. Depending on your view point, extra course work in research, theory, etc. may or may not be valuable, but it is material BSNs must learn, and ADNs don't have to.

Don't get me wrong I 100% understand it will be more difficult to find a job however here in the DFW where I am at, 2 major hospital groups have partnerships with ADN programs meaning they are still hiring ADN nurses. If anything, and again I mean no disrespect but I hear better things from floor nurses during clinical rotations about our program than some of the major BSN programs in our area.

It's great that your area has a good market for ADN nurses. That's not universally true. In my state, we have an excellent and very competitive community college ADN program. But although the CCs turn out excellent nurses, many of them are having difficulty finding jobs, at least in acute care, because hospitals want BSNs. It says nothing about the competency of the nurses themselves, and everything about the job market. I have no doubt that many of our ADN CC grads are better bedside nurses than some of the BSN grads, especially at the less competitive BSN programs, but that doesn't necessarily translate in to job opportunities.

I guess my frustration comes into play when it seems as though at the point I am in now in terms of getting close to application time there is no support for others. Rather if you read this site and you are an ADN nurse you may feel as though you wasted your time getting a degree. I definetely need a job ASAP but I am not going to belittle those who I feel over paid for their education at which once the "new nurse" title is gone it really doesn't matter where you went to school so long as you have a valid RN license.

Again, people encouraging BSN over ADN often has nothing to do with thinking the ADN is a "wasted" degree, but that in a particular area, an ADN may not get you where you want to go. There's a difference between saying a particular degree is better for a particular purpose, and stating that a particular degree makes a better overall nurse.

Also, you may not have even noticed you did it, but although you claim not to want to belittle anyone, the phrase, "those who I feel over paid for their education" is, actually, a jab at those who went the BSN route. Your whole post comes across as written by someone who thinks she made the better choice getting an ADN, but doesn't like it when others think the BSN is better. Just something to think about regarding your own (possibly unconscious) bias.

For me, the BSN was the better choice because of my local job market. For others, an ADN is a better choice, and I'm okay with them thinking so. I would honestly hope that when they get to the end of the program, those who chose ADN still think the ADN is the better degree for them, and the BSN grads think the BSN is the better degree for them. We all become RNs, but the degrees ARE different, and the relative merits of each depend on you, your goals, your local job market, your area's individual schools, etc.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2015

It is great you are getting your ADN. The thing to think about is many positions REQUIRE a BSN. That is just a basic fact. It opens more doors in the hospital world. People on here confuse being a "good nurse" and having the credentials to apply for specific jobs. I am a BSN nurse and do not claim to be "better" or "worse" than an ADN nurse. However I do have more opportunites for positions BASED on my BSN vs. ADN. Do not view it through a "better" or "worse" lens and see it for what it is. Opportunity.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Jun 9, 2015

There are valid reasons for obtaining either degree. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area that regularly hires ADN prepared nurses and you have no aspirations towards career advancement that will require a higher degree an ADN is without a doubt the quicker and less expensive way to go.

But one downfall to this is the possible negative impact later in your career. I can't even count how many threads there are on AN from posters that are older ADN nurses that are being placed in a position of needing their BSN due to changes in hospital policy or just needing a change in employment for whatever reason and not being able to find a new job easily because they don't have that BSN under their belt. There does come a point in life when the money put forth to obtain that BSN just isn't going to pay for itself, too much money to pay for the degree compared with the income potential for said degree.

Full disclaimer here: I have an ADN and have never felt the need to continue my formal education. I have no desire to work in a position that requires a higher [bachelors or beyond] degree. I do occasionally worry what will happen if I am ever in a position where I am told my ADN isn't good enough as I am in that position of being the older nurse that would have to pay for a higher degree that I just don't see as being financially worth for me at this point.

Guess my point is, even if you don't think you'll ever need it if you can do it go on for your BSN while you are still young enough to have it in your pocket if needed.