Associates in Nursing vs Bachelors?

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I currently hold a BS in management and returning back to college after 12 years to become a nurse. I only have 2 more (hard science classes) to complete before I starting applying to nursing schools. I am so tired of my present career that I can hardly wait to get out. How does having an associates in nursing compare to having a bachelors? Could anyone share their experience?

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Specializes in everything and still trying new things.

As far as pay goes, not much of a difference if any. A lot of hospitals prefer nurses with a BSN. I have my BSN and was offered 65 cents extra per hour. In your case it may be worth it to just get the BSN especially since there are programs offering a BSN in 15 months for students with degrees in other fields. With your management experience and a BSN you will probably be offered higher positions in Nurse Management after sometime on the floor.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

In my area (Northern WI), there is no difference in pay for BSN vs ADN. Hospitals here will hire you as a staff nurse with either degree. In Milwaukee and Madison, some hospitals require a BSN. There has been talk for quite some time about having the BSN become the entry level degree.

If you already have a bachelor's degree and are in Management, go for the BSN. Will save you some steps later :)

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Some hospitals apparently prefer BS degrees to AS degrees but most seem to be without preference. Many nurses seem look down on those with higher degrees unless they have significant clinical experience which precedes their education.

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Specializes in Home Health, Hospice and Med/Surg.

Many universities offer a "fast track" BSN for individuals already holding a Bachelors in another field. It's often the same number of terms as the Associates. It might be an option to check out. :)

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Specializes in Developmental and Peds with disabilities.

I think that really depends on the school you go to as well as the "degree preference" in your area. For example, I live in SC where there are two main colleges for nursing, USC (which offers a Baccelorates) and Midlands Tech (which offers an Associates). Every doctor I've ever spoken to has told me they would hire a Midlands Tech student with an Associates before a USC student because the midlands tech student has more clinical experience and they usually tend to be a little more down to earth. Don't get me wrong, USC is a great school, but they focus more on management and theory studies. Do a little research, go to HR in hospitals, nursing homes, and even your doctor's office. Those are the best places to get some great advice. Even if you decide to go with an Associates, you can always go back later on down the line and specialize once you find the field of nursing that's right for you. It would be terrible to get a bachelors specializing in pediatrics only to find you can't stand being around sick kids. Good luck on your journey, and a good piece of advice: this field is not for the weak at heart. School is difficult and you will find yourself studying for the next few years (I'm not exaggerating either). But it is more rewarding than other other job in my opinion, and nurses are probably the most respected people out there! It's worth it, I promise!

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It's better to have a bachelor's degree than an associate's degree if the time and cost are the same, of course. But if you really scour the posts throughout this site, you'll see that having the R.N. is the key thing. The degree is secondary. However, longer term you might find yourself shut out of something down the road if you don't have the BSN. I know I want to get an MSN. I think all MSN programs in my area require a BSN.

Not everybody has the option to get a BSN. I don't. I have to keep my day job. That's a fact of life for many people. The only programs in my area with night and weekend classes are ADN programs. Additionally, I'd have to take a lot more prerequisites to get into a BSN program. If ADN is feasible and BSN is not, don't worry about it. THe ADN will do just fine.

After getting my ADN, I'll enter an online RN to BSN program.

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There are no other professions I know off that have this ridiculous discussion about associate vs bachelors degree. More education is better than less education, period. This doesn't mean nurses with ADN are somehow worse than nurses with BSN degree. It is just that nurses with BSN degree will have much more oportunities for advancing their career. Why do you think we keep on having this same discussion? I'm really curious about this.

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There are no other professions I know off that have this ridiculous discussion about associate vs bachelors degree. More education is better than less education, period. This doesn't mean nurses with ADN are somehow worse than nurses with BSN degree. It is just that nurses with BSN degree will have much more oportunities for advancing their career. Why do you think we keep on having this same discussion? I'm really curious about this.

i agree:yeah:anyway it goes your an RN:lol2: if you have the time to go for your BSN then go, if you dont then go for your ADN:D

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But nursing is the only profession that discounts previous education. A person with a BS in Management, then an ADN in nursing would technically have more college hours AND have a more diverse education and background than a BSN. Oh wait, except for those handful of classes you take in an online RN-BSN program. In my area the RN-BSN program is research, health assesment, and community nursing. In my career, my diverse educational background has always been a huge plus.

I ,like the person above, am in an ADN program b/c of the nights and weekend option as well. I naturally assumed my previous education would count. I would get my RN then go straight for my master's degree. I don't need another bachelor's degree. Well, what no one tells you is that there is this thing called Magnet status and that means no ADN's please!! I can't get into the MSN program unless I am working as an RN.

If I had it to do again, I would have chosen the accelerated BSN program.

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Specializes in Developmental and Peds with disabilities.
There are no other professions I know off that have this ridiculous discussion about associate vs bachelors degree. More education is better than less education, period. This doesn't mean nurses with ADN are somehow worse than nurses with BSN degree. It is just that nurses with BSN degree will have much more oportunities for advancing their career. Why do you think we keep on having this same discussion? I'm really curious about this.

I beg to differ. I think it depends more on the money and the demand. The ADN student will progress and graduate faster, get into the field faster, and earn the money to go back for the BSN. Very few people just stop at an ADN. The ADN program was introduced because of the demand for nurses, and while I do agree that in the long run the BSN will get you farther, especially if you want to do management, some people cannot afford to jump into a BSN, and some just plain shouldn't because they might get done and decide they don't like nursing (not something thats very uncommon unfortunately). As I mentioned before, it would really suck devoting four years of college to something you come to find you don't like versus the 1 1/2 to 2 years that you could go use to go back to school and pursue a BSN in a different field if you wanted. And might I just say this discussion is by no means "ridiculous". The person who started this thread is seeking advice from others with experience, and I give them props for doing so. How would they learn if they didn't ask?

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I think that really depends on the school you go to as well as the "degree preference" in your area. For example, I live in SC where there are two main colleges for nursing, USC (which offers a Baccelorates) and Midlands Tech (which offers an Associates). Every doctor I've ever spoken to has told me they would hire a Midlands Tech student with an Associates before a USC student because the midlands tech student has more clinical experience and they usually tend to be a little more down to earth. Don't get me wrong, USC is a great school, but they focus more on management and theory studies. Do a little research, go to HR in hospitals, nursing homes, and even your doctor's office. Those are the best places to get some great advice. Even if you decide to go with an Associates, you can always go back later on down the line and specialize once you find the field of nursing that's right for you. It would be terrible to get a bachelors specializing in pediatrics only to find you can't stand being around sick kids. Good luck on your journey, and a good piece of advice: this field is not for the weak at heart. School is difficult and you will find yourself studying for the next few years (I'm not exaggerating either). But it is more rewarding than other other job in my opinion, and nurses are probably the most respected people out there! It's worth it, I promise!

You are not convincing in your arguments. Doctors do not hire nurse (at least in a big organization) and also those doctors you spoke to are looking for nurses with less education who will not argue with them. someone who thinks the Doc is a semi god. For your information, allnurses.com is probably the best place to get good advice not "nursing homes" as you stated.

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