Associate Degree or BSN?

all517 · Jan 8, 2013

BSN if it is feasible for you. It may be tough now, but you will be much more competitive during your job search. Many hospitals require a BSN, or for magnet accreditation, gear the majority of their nursing staff to BSN requirements. It'll end up costing you money later anyway.

akanini, MSN, RN · Jan 8, 2013

BSN. It's getting tough out there for the Associate RNs.

Medgurl32 · Jan 15, 2013

BSN. It's getting tough out there for the Associate RNs.

I was wondering if i should go for an associates but Im really not sure

MegslB · Jan 15, 2013

I'd just go straight for your BSN. I know here in Washington, a lot of clinics and hospitals are requiring BSN's now. A lot of the colleges are encouraging students to work straight towards a BSN.

zoe92 · Jan 18, 2013

BSN. Just do it all at once so you don't have to bridge later.

kanling · Jan 20, 2013

GBMC hospital recently started only hiring nurses with BSN degrees.

db2xs · Jan 22, 2013

I would say do the accelerated BSN. The ADN route may be cheaper, but ultimately I believe you will see you could have spent your time more wisely.

scutari212 · Jan 30, 2013

Go for the BSN. Whatever anyone posts here about ADN's having better clinical preparation, or that the associates degree is a less

expensive alternative, you are going to have a much tougher time finding a job with an associates degree. I have a BA from a prestigious college, which counts for zip in the deluded world of nursing, and an associates degree from a well respected program in NYC.

Nurse managers in the hospital where we did our clinicals told me that people in our program were better prepared from the students coming from an Ivy League accelerated BSN program. Our school is theoretically attached to a major health care system here, however priority is given to nurses with a BSN. Our nursing school is named after one of the hospitals in this group. Back in the middle ages that meant you got hired directly out of school and went to work. Not anymore. All the hospitals want Magnet status, and they need BSN nurses to fill the quota to qualify.

The job market is hideous now. It has been a terrible shock after all that I went through in nursing school to find out that I cannot find a job with the degree I have. All around the country associates programs are pumping out new grads, who have limited opportunity of finding work.

smallwonders07 · Jan 31, 2013

I am trying to decide between an Associates degree Nursing program and a accelerated second degree BSN program. My first Bachelors degree will be in social work (graduating in May).
What do you all think? Are there jobs for Associate degree nurses? The Associate degree program is so much cheaper than the accelerated BSN program and I would be able to take 2-3 classes as semester as opposed to 5 a semester if I go for the BSN...

Thanks for posting this and to everyone else for their advice. I am also trying to figure this out for myself and am leaning towards the accelerated BSN.

scutari212 · Jan 31, 2013

I was originally in an accelerated BSN program at Pace University in New York. It was a horrible program and there are a number of posts on this website regarding the experience that I and a number of my classmates went through in 2010. Nearly 50 % of the people in my program were dropped after the first semester. That is extremely unusual, and I don't want to revisit that story. In an accelerated BSN program you need to be prepared to work like you never did in your previous undergraduate program. Nursing school is tough, and taking 5 courses a semester requires super human concentration and focus. You will have no life for a year and a half. Be prepared to live, breathe, cry, nursing school. It can be done but its not for the faint of heart. I was obliged to transfer to

an associates program after the fiasco at Pace. The courses were rigorous. Our instructors were supportive and accessible. We received substantially more clinical time than students in some of the BSN programs in NY. Nurse managers at the hospital where we

did our clinicals often said they preferred the students from our associates program over the BSN students because of our clinical experience. That was great to hear, but isn't much help in this horrendous job market. You will read postings from associates degree holders that felt no discrimination when they were looking for work. That maybe the case in some areas of this country, but when you have read as ma

scutari212 · Jan 31, 2013

I was originally in an accelerated BSN program at Pace University in New York. It was a horrible program and there are a number of posts on this website regarding the experience that I and a number of my classmates went through in 2010. Nearly 50 % of the people in my program were dropped after the first semester. That is extremely unusual, and I don't want to revisit that story here In an accelerated BSN program you need to be prepared to work like you never did in your previous undergraduate program. Nursing school is tough, and taking 5 courses a semester requires super human concentration and focus. You will have no life for a year and a half. Be prepared to live, breathe, cry, nursing school. It can be done but its not for the faint of heart. I was obliged to transfer an associates program after the fiasco at Pace. The courses were rigorous. Our instructors were supportive and accessible. We received substantially more clinical time than students in some of the BSN programs in NY. Nurse managers at the hospital where we did our clinicals often said they preferred the students from our associates program over the BSN students due of our clinical experience. That was great to hear. After the fact it isn't much help in this horrendous job market. You will read postings from associates degree holders that felt no discrimination when they were looking for work. That maybe the case in some areas of this country, but when you have read as many job posting that read "BSN required" you will wonder why you went through all the headache to get a degree that the majority of healthcare facilities do not want. With your previous bachelor's degree you can do a bridge RN-MSN program. Most of your credits will transfer, I've found that many of the schools try to stick you with additional prerequisites. Personally I do not want to do anymore course work. I have had enough with school. My advice is if you can handle the work load of an accelerated BSN, and can manage the tuition, go for it. The BSN is by no means a guarantee to finding a job after school. New BSN graduates are having a hard time finding work. With a BSN at least you will have one less obstacle to finding work. I would also do more research into the reality of nursing today. If it is your passion to become a nurse and work in healthcare then I will not dissuade you. However idealism will only get you so far. Research, talk to some real nurses, (not academics who may have no experience with the work place today) find out what they have to say about nursing. Best of luck to you which ever program or career path you choose.