Asn/bsn?

(sigh)

There are many, many threads here that address this very issue.

You might want to search some of these old threads for insight into this.

-Russell

there are alot of threads that already discuss this subject, but here's my $0.02

If you are only interested in being a staff RN there is no difference in pay (at least not at 99% of hospitals)

The benefits of a BSN: more opportunities (management etc), you need this for your MSN obviously so if you are interested in being an NP, teacher etc you need this, and its also good just to further your knowledge base in nursing.

I have my ADN and I will be getting my BSN only b/c I want the MSN

Basically, if you are not interested in management or other positions, and you don't want to further your education by being in school for 3-4 years (is it REALLY that long?!?! I will only have 1.5 additional years to get my BSN) and if you are perfectly happy with a staff RN position, then an ADN is perfectly fine.

In the end, it is all up to you. You can always have that option to go back to school when the time is right, which is nice. :)

Good luck!

Hi Dillinger: My suggestion is that you look into getting your BSN ASAP. I think having the extra education makes you more marketable. Not only will it open the doors for management positions, but in many other areas such as public health nursing, research, or case management. I've been a nurse for 7 plus years and I just recently went back to school for my BSN. Yes, its going to take me a while, but I kind of look at it like this:

the next 3 years of my life are going to happen and pass me by whether I go to school or not, so why not take advantage of the time, and better my education so I can then in turn help my patients that much more.

Also, I just interviewed for a position in case manag. that told me that once i get my BSN, I would get a raise. Good luck to you! :)

Hey, In about a month, I'm going to start attending college to earn my ASN (RN); and I haven't decided whether or not it's worth it to go to school for another 4-5 years after that to earn a BSN.

Are there any benefits to having a BSN? Is it just for people who want manager positions? & Do you earn more money if you have a BSN (if so, how much?)

Any information on ASN/BSN would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck in school! I'm going for my BSN after 15 years of being an ADN RN. It's a decision only you can make. I'm doing it for greater job prospects as I age. Since you're already in school now for the ASN, there's no need to rush right into a BSN if you don't see the advantage right now.

It's only going to take me three more years, going part time. Why would it take you 4 or 5 more years? That's a lot of schooling added on to your 2 or 3 you'll already have, for what is a 4 year degree.

whoever told you that the BSN was 4-5 more years post-ASN SERIOUSLY misinformed you, or you are looking at the WRONG PROGRAM. lt shouldn't be more than 2 years even if you go part-time!

This is definitely a subject that has made the rounds quite frequently, but since dillinger is relatively new, I can see why she is asking.

A lot of times there is no choice due to locality. With the huge loads that many of us carry during nursing school, (home life, etc), we may have to chose the ASN program that is within 30 minutes to the BSN which is maybe 2 hours away. A lot of times it depends on your own circumstances as well...such as finances. An ADN at a community college is significantly less money than a BSN at a four-year college. Even state universities, while partially subsidized by the state can still be more expensive than a community college program. I feel fortunate enough that the ADN school that I hope to be attending in the fall has also instituted an ASN to BSN program...this is a relatively new development due to the coming of our new Dean of Nursing. This means that after completing, I can be a part of this program and receive my BSN within 18 months while I work.

There is one thing to consider, it takes four years to become a BSN, and it may take three years to become an ADN due to many nursing schools requiring that the prereqs be completed prior to starting (and sometimes just applying for nursing school). As I would like to get into Management and go for my MSN, I will definitely be going on for my BSN.

It really doesn't matter what entry level education you have chosen to start your nursing career at. However to have the most opportunities and the ability to take advantage of those opportunities over your working career it should be every new Nurses goal to have a four year college degree.

I had planned on getting my BSN after my ADN but was so burned out from nursing school that I put it off. I'm 58 years old now and I'm still wondering if I should go for it. The BSN does offer more options and opportunities, I say go for it!!!

whoever told you that the BSN was 4-5 more years post-ASN SERIOUSLY misinformed you, or you are looking at the WRONG PROGRAM. lt shouldn't be more than 2 years even if you go part-time!

There are RN>BSN programs that are 18 months long even with going to school part time. The University of Phoenix has such a program

Here is what I am doing, even though it was a bit difficult. I took all the extra BSN required prereqs at the same time I was taking ADN prereqs (two extra writing classes, three extra chem classes, two or three additional humanities electives, college algebra, and statistics.)

Because I planned my education well in advance, I only had to take two of these extra classes during the ADN program last year. I will graduate with my ADN in June 2005 and start the RN/BSN program in the Fall of 2005. Then becasue of my early work on the BSN classes, I will finish the program in Spring of 2006 (one year full time). This may not have been the most direct route, but I really wanted to attend the ADN program that I did (over a straight BSN program, plus cost is a huge factor). I hope to go into Advanced Practice Nursing, and this is just the beginning. :).

Both of the RN/BSN programs that I looked at in my state could be finished in two years part time (IF you have all the prereqs done).

Hope this helps!!

Thanks a lot for all the info, guys.

I'm only 17 and I just graduated HS 3 weeks ago, so I have more than enough time for higher education and whatnot; I'm just trying to look at my options and see which one would be the best.

I'll most likely go on after jr. college for my BSN.

(ASN program I'll be starting after I finish all my pre-reqs: http://www.msjc.edu/catalog/ay0405/programs/rn.htm)

Decide your goals overall as a nurse. Want to be a manager, administrator or nursing instructor/professor or school/community health nurse? If so, it's obvious you will need a BSN/MSN to do many of these things, so it may make sense to pursue BSN right away. If your goal is bedside care and NONE of these, then an associate's will be a good choice. Know, also, you may choose to advance your education later on, and many online or correspondence classes are there for RN-BSN/MSN students. Just keep your mind and options open.

Consider who has waiting lists and determine how long you are willing to wait to get into a given program......

Investigate all the options near you. Interview university/college counselors and nursing school department personnel to see what may or may not be "a good fit" for you. If there is a long waiting list at the school of your choice, then go ahead and begin work at your pre-requisite courses while you wait. You will have to do this, anyhow.

Decide how much you can invest in school and look into scholarships/loans/grants. It is often cheapter to get your "prerequisite" courses done at community college, at least. Be aware any classes you take may or may not transfer to a university. Know which ones will and take only those, if you plan on pursuing a BSN.

Also, understand, it will almost always cost less to pursue an Associates' degree, as a rule. This may be important for you if you cannot get scholarships or grants easily and choose not to go into debt for school. Finances are a big issue for us all, some more than others---especially if we have to work to support families of our own, in addition to attend school.

Good luck. I don't believe for a minute a BSN-nurse is '"better" than an Associates-prepared nurse. I don't believe associate's degree nurses always have more clinical experience, either. Generalizations abound regarding both. Ignore them. Choose what best works for you.

You have to decide for yourself what programs best work for your lifestyle and finances. No one here can decide that for you------if you are an adult returning to school, especially if you have to work, care for a family, and go to school, (like many of us), you will really need to know which programs are most flexible and have the most "non traditional" students. These are likely the ones you will most want to pursue.Most nursing programs are very, very hard...nursing is not easy, no matter if you pursue an associate's or bachelors' degree. Expect to work harder and face more frustration than you ever have in school before. It's more than academics that get you in nursing....it's a tough program that will change your life, likely. Yes, they are all tough, some brutal.

Best wishes and good luck to whatever you do decide to do.