Am I going to be able to do the same things with an ADN that a 4 year RN does?

I am a brand new nursing student. I have tried to do some research on what exactly I can do with and ADN but the descriptions are pretty vague. My main question is am I going to be able to do the same things that a 4 year RN does? Is there any job differences? Just curious to know so I don't get blindsided later...

*** If you graduate, and if you find a job, you will find RNs with associates, bachelors, and masters degrees all working side by side doing exactly the same job for exactly the same pay. You will also very likely find nurse managers or other leadership positions filled by RNs with associates degrees or even diplomas in nursing.

Or more than likely you won't know any of that cause you won't be able to tell what degree any of the nuses you work with have.

It is becomeing more common for hospitals to prefer to hire new grads with a BSN. This is highly regional, but seems to be a trend. It is also true that most managment jobs will want you to have at least a BSN (AND real world, hands on bedside care expereince), though having said that I have been offered two managment jobs in the last 2 years without a BSN.

My current nurse manager is a diploma nurse, as is our VP of patient care services.

After thinking about this I just thought of something that may help you understand. The health system I work for is fairly large. We have an extensive ground and air ambulance service. I just realized that the vast majoriety of our flight and transport nurses have associates degrees. I think this is cause our transport nurses are hired from our SICU and our SICU only hires new grads with associates degrees. Contrast this to the rehab unit wich is very heave on direct entry masters (MSN) and BSN prepared nurses.

Diploma-RNs too. All three paths = RN. Same test, same role, same scope of practice. Don't want to leave out those Diploma-RNs.

The only real difference is that you have a lesser degree than a BSN - meaning simply that you have the associates instead of the bachelors. As others have mentioned, you take the same exam and will have the same scope of practice in the working world. Those nurses with a limited scope of practice compared to the RN are titled "LPN" and they took the NCLEX-PN rather than the NCLEX-RN after graduation. Education wise, you will likely not take research or management courses, and your psych and public health clinicals will probably be limited in number.

I just recently graduated with my BSN and became a RN, and I've been looking at jobs for about 6 months now. The vast majority of the listings I have seen at hospitals are "BSN-preferred". Hospitals seeking/retaining magnet status especially are more likely to hire BSN-prepared nurses. This certainly does not mean you will not find a job, but it will make it much harder. My advice? Get into a hospital as a CNA/Tech as soon as you can and network, network, network. It's seriously about who you know, not what you know, these days.

Thank you all!!! This information has set my mind at ease that I am on the right track. :w00t: