Associates after Bachelors

ohiobobcat · Mar 17, 2015

I have a previous bachelor's degree in sports medicine. I was a certified athletic trainer. I graduated with an ADN in 2006. I don't regret my bachelor's degree one little bit. Here's why:

1. The ortho part of nursing school was REALLY easy for me. :) I am now a school nurse, and my bachelor's in sports medicine helped me get this job, even though I haven't been a certified athletic trainer in years.

2. I am taking classes towards my BSN. All I have to take are my nursing classes because everything else transferred. So I don't have to take English, sociology, psychology etc. Not a waste! Having a previous bachelors makes it WAY easier to get your BSN if you decide to or need to do this down the road.

3. You have a leg up on other nursing students with the knowledge and experience you have from your previous bachelors degree. You know how to study, and chances are you know how to write a college paper. Dependingon what your previous degree is in, you might use that knowledge as a nurse. All good things.

I would say out of my graduating class of 40 or so in nursing school, there were 10-15 of us who had previous bachelor's degrees in a different field. You will not be the only one in nursing school choosing a second career path. I went the ADN route because the school was 5 miles from my house, and had a really good reputation with a high NCLEX pass rate. Hospitals in my area hire ADNs still. I haven't heard any rumblings about needing a BSN, yet. I live in a pretty rural area though. I have been working towards my BSN thinking I might got the APRN route.

Good luck to you!

NanaPoo · Mar 17, 2015

I have a previous BS and couldn't do an accelerated BSN because I had to work too so I did an ASN program. The experience itself was good but know this, in the world of nursing/nurses, no cares about any previous degree.
One could have a PhD in Biology or Human Physiology and a Diploma from a hospital-based nursing program and there are many who would give more props to the Diploma than the PhD. I never experienced that in my other field.

I disagree.

I had a BA in Spanish prior to becoming a nurse and my employers liked that A LOT. A bilingual nurse on the floor? What's not to love?

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 17, 2015

BS to nursing diploma to BSN. When asked what my degree is in, I ask "which one?"

allnurses Guide · Mar 17, 2015

If you have a bachelors degree and then want to go back for an associates in something else (nursing, because an accelerated program isn't feasible right now), is it seen as a waste? and/ or would your bachelors be a waste?
Ive been looking into the ASN at the community college near me but this is holding me back. I am afraid what people will think.
I just didn't happen to realize nursing was a passion of mine at 18 when I first started college and didn't realize it until I was almost done with my bachelors.

Who cares what other people think - this is your life to live and not necessarily up to other people's expectations. I have a BA in arts and letters with a minor in 19th Century European History. ( Not the best choice for gainful employment . I went back to school when I was 36 to get my AS in Nursing and no one ever said a word to me about it. I am now in a ASN to BSN program and at 52 I have had people tell me why now when I am going to retire in 13 years. My response "It's just something I want to do. I am actualyl planning on becoming at NP in holistic and natural healing and do consulting after retirement.

As Dr. Phil says you wouldn't worry so much about what other people thought about you if you realized how rarely they did.

Hppy

PaulBaxter · Mar 17, 2015

I remember having somewhat similar feelings when starting my journey toward nursing (I'm in my second semester of nursing school now). I have a BA in history from quite a while ago. Going back and taking intro level courses again for me pre-reqs certainly FELT like an educational step backwards.

In economics there is a concept that's quite relevant here. It's called sunk costs. It actually applies fairly often in life. It works like this. Let's say you start on some project like a home based business. You decide to spend $1500 to get things started. A little while later you discover that for whatever reason to actually get things moving, you'll now need to spend an additional $2000. Many people will look at this and say, "well, I already spent $1500 and lots of time, I guess I need to keep going." This is incorrect. The money you've already spent is irrelevant to making a rational decision about continuing. The question is simply, is it worth it to spend $2000 to try to start this business.

The same thing applies to educational achievements. What you have already done doesn't count when making the decision about what you need to do in the future. You have to look at what's required to get a nursing degree from where you are now and ask if you think it's worth it. If yes, move ahead. If no, look for some other plan.

I happened to think it was worth it for me, though my program has turned out to be much longer than I thought it would be and it has been quite a challenge. There are plenty of folks here, me included, who would be happy to tell you much more specifically about what sort of investment nursing school requires.

Hope that helps.

Infofreak411 · Mar 17, 2015

My husband got his first degree in his early 20s in forestry. Never used it, then many years later decided to become an RN and got his ASN through a community college. In his case, yes, his bachelor's degree was a waste. No, nobody looks down on him for getting an associate's degree in nursing after getting a bachelor's in something else (this idea is so foreign to me - why would that be looked down upon?).
Whether YOUR bachelor's degree would be wasted in nursing depends entirely on what your bachelor's degree is IN (have you even mentioned that in this thread? Kind of an important point).

His degree was a waste in terms of not beeping good in the job market but was it a waste in germs of personal growth and what he personally took away from it?

And yes my degree is in sociology and education

Infofreak411 · Mar 17, 2015

I remember having somewhat similar feelings when starting my journey toward nursing (I'm in my second semester of nursing school now). I have a BA in history from quite a while ago. Going back and taking intro level courses again for me pre-reqs certainly FELT like an educational step backwards.
In economics there is a concept that's quite relevant here. It's called sunk costs. It actually applies fairly often in life. It works like this. Let's say you start on some project like a home based business. You decide to spend $1500 to get things started. A little while later you discover that for whatever reason to actually get things moving, you'll now need to spend an additional $2000. Many people will look at this and say, "well, I already spent $1500 and lots of time, I guess I need to keep going." This is incorrect. The money you've already spent is irrelevant to making a rational decision about continuing. The question is simply, is it worth it to spend $2000 to try to start this business.
The same thing applies to educational achievements. What you have already done doesn't count when making the decision about what you need to do in the future. You have to look at what's required to get a nursing degree from where you are now and ask if you think it's worth it. If yes, move ahead. If no, look for some other plan.
I happened to think it was worth it for me, though my program has turned out to be much longer than I thought it would be and it has been quite a challenge. There are plenty of folks here, me included, who would be happy to tell you much more specifically about what sort of investment nursing school requires.
Hope that helps.

I would love to no the necessary investments. Is it possible to maintain employment during the program?

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Mar 17, 2015

I went back to school with both a BS and MS in molecular biology. When I was evaluated for the ADN program it was a little disappointing to see that not a single class from the MS was counted towards anything. However, those degrees made me the student (and now nurse) I am today. They didn't help me get a job, they haven't helped me advance in nursing, but I'm glad to have them for the learning I did at that time. (I'm also still employed in that field as well as nursing so I still use them). No education is useless, but it won't necessarily be of benefit to you in the nursing field.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Mar 17, 2015

But my point being is that I feel like my precious bachelors will be a waste

I personally do not think any education is ever wasted.

Ileras · Mar 17, 2015

I wouldn't think it was a waste. I'm 30 years old and I'm just now going into nursing and I don't have a degree from anything else. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, I didn't even think I wanted to do nursing. It wasn't until after having my son and staying with family members when they needed help after surgeries that I realized how much I like helping people. I'd prefer to say I had a bachelors in anything than nothing I've heard of plenty of people that have gotten degrees and worked in a field for so many years and decided they wanted to do something else and went back to school for it. Do what you want and will be happiest doing, don't worry about what other people think. It's not their life.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 17, 2015

I disagree.
I had a BA in Spanish prior to becoming a nurse and my employers liked that A LOT. A bilingual nurse on the floor? What's not to love?

I know nurses who are fluent in Spanish without a degree. In fact, I doubt your nursing employers preferred you because of your degree rather they preferred you because you are bilingual.

CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN · Mar 17, 2015

BA in Humanities, then teaching credential...then LVN certificate. No knowledge wasted. You should hear me during Jeopardy. :yes: