ADN vs BSN

[Lynell81]

Hello. I have a BS in Wellness, Health Promotion, and Injury Prevention and work as a Lead CPhT (+5 years of pharmaceutical experience). But I want to be a nurse. I've already gone to college for over 10 years just to recieve 1 Bachelors (took some breaks, had to retake alot of classes, family issues etc). I want to become an RN. I don't plan on getting my Masters and I don't consider the 2nd accelerated Bachelor's to be an option (waaay too much pressure). Should I go for an ADN or a BSN to become an RN?

[LeLeeFNP]

sometimes cheaper and quicker aren't always the best choice. if you are going to spend time, and money investing in school once again, make it count and get the BSN. You are not going to want to be excluded from any jobs when you are done, and when the job market is tight for new grads, the only way hospitals can wean the candidates is to show preference to BSNs.

[edogs334]

the only way hospitals can wean the candidates is to show preference to BSNs.

That and- more commonly- many hospitals now only want to take nurses who have >1-2 years of clinical experience in particular specialties.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Hello. I have a BS in Wellness, Health Promotion, and Injury Prevention and work as a Lead CPhT (+5 years of pharmaceutical experience). But I want to be a nurse. I've already gone to college for over 10 years just to recieve 1 Bachelors (took some breaks, had to retake alot of classes, family issues etc). I want to become an RN. I don't plan on getting my Masters and I don't consider the 2nd accelerated Bachelor's to be an option (waaay too much pressure). Should I go for an ADN or a BSN to become an RN?

I was in the same position as you. I have a bachelor's degree, and I had to make a choice between ADN and BSN. I decided BSN for the following reasons:

--we could afford it, although it costs MUCH more.

--BSN program allowed me to start earlier because they had a spring start...a conflagration of application deadlines and requirements plus fall start only and waiting lists for an ADN would have put me a year behind

--accelerated BSN was ok for me because I don't work (I probably would NOT have tried it if I had to work)

Just a thought...you have a healthcare related BS and work in the industry. Have you considered that some of the classes in an accelerated program would be MUCH easier for you? Maybe that could take some of your apprehensions about an accelerated program off the table. Some of the best grades in my class are from people with experience or education in healthcare; the theory comes much easier to them.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

Unless you want to get away from bedside nursing or work at a Magnet hospital...no one gives a hoot if you have your ASN or your BSN. I have my BSN and I don't get paid anymore than an ASN nurse and just about as many ASN nurses were hired as BSN in my part of Northern California. There are some benifits of a BSN in California such as Public Health Nursing, Psych Nursing, ect; but bed side, not really.