Associates RN-BSN or straight BSN?? Which route to take???

smessaly · Jun 6, 2010

Hello,

It's been a few years since you posted but i am curious which route you ended up taking and what you thought of the experience. I am 32, and in the same predicament.

Thanks!

CuriousMe · Jun 6, 2010

In our area the hospitals/recruiters actually prefer the ADN nurses because they know that they have had more clinical experience. This is only in regards to the 2 nursing programs in our areas. I actually spoke to another nurse and she said that she wished she had done the ADN program. When she started at her job her clinical skills sucked but she "sure could write a great paper." Seh was very disappointed.
Also, around here the pay is no different if you're going to stay in a clinical setting.
ETA: Sorry... I didn't know this might get heated. I'm not saying one is better than the other. Personally I would do the ADN to BSN only because you could work while pursuing the other.

Need to be careful with generalizations....in my area, the BS programs have more clinical time.

To the OP: generalizations about types of programs aren't an effective way to make decisions. Look at the programs you're choosing from, figure out the strengths and weaknesses of them, consider what your priorities are, then make your decisions :-)

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2010

I was going to say the same thing but it appears the poster addressed this by saying it regards the two programs in his/her area.

I had more clinical hours in my accelerated BSN than the local ADN programs.

sugarmagnoliaRN · Feb 24, 2011

mom23RN, I am in the Dallas area as well and having the same dilemma! Do you know if accelerated BSN programs have the same amount of clinical time as regular BSN programs? I have another degree so I was considering one of those, but time and money are both an issue for me. Thanks!

sugarmagnoliaRN · Feb 24, 2011

I live in the Dallas, TX area and I'm looking for some recommendations on what would be a great nursing school to attend. My ultimate goal is to get my BSN, but I didn't know if it would be better to do an entire 4 yr program somewhere like UTA or to get my Associates from a community college like El Centro or Brookhaven and then after I pass the NCLEX go to a RN-BSN bridge program somewhere like TWU or UTA. Any thoughts??? I'm 33 so I don't want to start on one program and then discover it would've been easier/faster/cheaper another way. It almost looks like getting an Associates then going through a bridge program would be faster (and cheaper) than going the straight BSN. Also, I've heard somewhere that you will get more clinical time while getting an Associates vs. the straight BSN - IMO that's one big pro for going that route. Is this true or just myth? I would appreciate ANY pointers that anyone might like to give regarding school and nursing in general. Feel free to PM me if you're in the Dallas area - maybe we could discuss it over coffee!
Thanks!
Julie

Hey Julie, I know it was a while ago that you posted this but I'm in the Dallas area and am having the same dilemma! I have a Bachelor's though so I was considering the accelerated BSN @ Baylor, but the program at Brookhaven looks good too and that way I wouldn't have to spend so much time doing prerequisites (I'm missing a lot of the classes for BSN like Statistics, Government courses, Religion, etc) and I could get some tuition reimbursement if I eventually just did an RN-BSN program like the one at TWU or UTA (all online!) Plus, DCCCD is obviously way cheaper than any of the universities that offer a BSN. What did you end up doing and what was your experience like?

Thanks,

Elizabeth