Associates to bachelors degree

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 23, 2015

There is no reason you should have to delay ... but you might want to wait a little. Here are some things to consider:

1. The BSN is an entry-level degree. So you should not need RN experience to succeed in a BSN program. However, some RN-BSN programs assume that their students have RN experience and tailor their assignments to such students. Without experience, you might be at a disadvantage if you go to that type of program. (But not all programs are like that: so you need to check out the particular program you decide to enter.)

2. I teach in a program in which a lot of the students are "concurrently enrolled" in both programs. In other words, they have all of their pre-reqs done for the BSN program, but are taking their basic nursing courses at an ADN program. Simultaneously, they are taking some of the nursing classes in a local university BSN program. When they graduate in 2 years with their ADN, they will have only 1 more semester to go to complete all requirements for their BSN. I know of at least one student who is finishing both degrees the same semester.

So ... there should be no need to get lots of experience before entering the BSN program. However, as I said above, that depends on the specific nature of the BSN program you plan to enter. You need to ask them what their expectations if the students are.

3. From my many years of experience coordinating hospital orientation programs ... I strongly discourage anyone from beginning 2 new big things simultaneously. That adds extra challenge that a lot of people just can't handle well. They may survive, but they rarely do their best work under that much strain. So don't start a new academic program during the same time that you are in orientation for your first job as an RN. Either start school first and get comfortable with that before starting work ... or start work and get comfortable there before starting school. But don't start both at the same time.

Good luck to you!

Susie2310 · Sep 23, 2015

I bridged into a BSN program at a State university directly after completing my ADN program at a community college and receiving my RN license. I attended an informational meeting for the BSN completion program towards the end of my fourth semester of the ADN program, and was encouraged by the director of the program to apply. I applied as soon as I had taken the NCLEX and received my license. There was a space of one semester in between finishing my ADN program and starting the BSN completion program.

I can only think of one assignment that would have been easier to complete if one already had nursing work experience, as the majority of the students who bridged along with me did, but in this situation it was a small hindrance that was certainly not insurmountable.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2015

You are posting in the HIPAA section. I think you would get a lot more traffic if you asked the mods to move your post to the general nursing forum.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2015

Moved to new forum