Associates vs Bachelors

msnurselady · Mar 17, 2011

Unfortunately, it is offensive when a new BSN hits the floor with the misconception that her critical thinking skills and knowledge base are at a higher level than an ADN and 20+ years of nursing experience. One psych class does not represent a full picture of a nursing program. Is classism being taught at the University level these days? ....Pay should be commensurate with experience and job responsibility.

melissa3770 · Mar 17, 2011

As a new nurse I welcome the knowledge of all nurses, degrees do not always matter it is about the experience and knowledge base which new nurses do not have. Degrees do matter in some sense of the word and should be acknowledged somehow. I as with my friends do not care about what degree you have but how we can work together to accomplish the goal of good, quality patient care.

vanillacupcake17 · Mar 18, 2011

Classism? No. No one is dissing ADN's or saying that an ADN with 20+ experience is less than an a new BSN. I completely agree that some one with experience trumps any new person to the field. But let's be real here the classes at a University versus the classes at a community college are different. Not to say all CC classes are easy, but most University classes are twice as hard as CC classes. Does that not count for anything??

Devie06 · Mar 18, 2011

Classism? No. No one is dissing ADN's or saying that an ADN with 20+ experience is less than an a new BSN. I completely agree that some one with experience trumps any new person to the field. But let's be real here the classes at a University versus the classes at a community college are different. Not to say all CC classes are easy, but most University classes are twice as hard as CC classes. Does that not count for anything??

This REALLY depends on the school. I am attending both a Community College and a University and the Community College is not even a smidge easier content wise. It is easier for me to learn and thrive in simply because class size is drastically smaller and in my labs I have an actual professor and not a Graduate student "TA" like at the University. But in my area, many professors from the University also teach the exact same class at the community college. And just because someone has a bachelors degree, it doesnt mean they are suddenly great critical thinkers. Some people can be "book smart" and total duds in real life. A BSN opens up advanced practicr or management opportunities, but an ADN and BSN student take the exact same NCLEX so BSNs dont hold some magic extra power up their sleeve. They too will learn more with experience. Not that I don't support getting a BSN and advancing one's education :)

vanillacupcake17 · Mar 18, 2011

This REALLY depends on the school. I am attending both a Community College and a University and the Community College is not even a smidge easier content wise. It is easier for me to learn and thrive in simply because class size is drastically smaller and in my labs I have an actual professor and not a Graduate student "TA" like at the University. But in my area, many professors from the University also teach the exact same class at the community college. And just because someone has a bachelors degree, it doesnt mean they are suddenly great critical thinkers. Some people can be "book smart" and total duds in real life. A BSN opens up advanced practicr or management opportunities, but an ADN and BSN student take the exact same NCLEX so BSNs dont hold some magic extra power up their sleeve. They too will learn more with experience. Not that I don't support getting a BSN and advancing one's education :)

Hmm thats really interesting. Every class I've taken at CC has been much easier.

soxgirl2008 · Apr 5, 2011

Classism? No. No one is dissing ADN's or saying that an ADN with 20+ experience is less than an a new BSN. I completely agree that some one with experience trumps any new person to the field. But let's be real here the classes at a University versus the classes at a community college are different. Not to say all CC classes are easy, but most University classes are twice as hard as CC classes. Does that not count for anything??

Ummm...I know people in clinicals at both ADN and BSN programs and they are EQUALLY hard once you get into clinicals. You must have an 80% on every test in order to pass, and teachers don't curve the tests. Most of the nurses I work with graduated from the ADN program and they are just as good as the BSN nurses. I agree people should eventually get their BSN, but your posts are coming off as very ignorant. The difference between the ADN and BSN programs around here are some of the pre-reqs (organic chem, physics, art, etc.) and a few theory/research classes. That's great you are going for your BSN right away, good for you. Not everyone is able to do that though for one reason or another. You are going to tick people off by assuming that ALL adn programs are inferior to ALL bsn programs.

Also, having a BSN doesn't automatically make you a great critical thinker. Some BSN nurses are horrible critical thinkers, just as some ADN nurses are horrible critical thinkers. There are bad nurses from both programs. I just feel like your posts are saying ALL adn programs are horrible compared to all bsn programs. This isn't the case.

Lcann · Apr 5, 2011

If you don't plan on going to get your masters degree, then I would just go with ASN. Save some $ on school.

vanillacupcake17 · Apr 5, 2011

I dont think I ever said ALL. I'm speaking in general terms. And I understand that not everyone can for their BSN all at once. People have jobs, families, responsibilities, etc. And I applaude anyone for going through any type of nursing school b/c all nursing schools are hard. And yes, clinicals are equally hard. I'm talking admissions and the pre-req's it takes to get to clinicals. Generally, Universities are harder. I'm not saying that being a BSN makes you any better than being a nurse. The only reason I posted was to say that maybe BSN's should get compensated for extra time/work in school. Bottom line, your assuming that I think BSN's are better than ADN's and I do NOT think that, being a nurse is based on so much more than school. Do I think that BSN's should get compensated for more time/work in school? YES. And I personally do not care who I'm ticking off. I was never trying to diss/hurt anyone. It's an online forum, not the end of the world

NewRNfornow · Mar 9, 2012

At this point the main difference is being able to get hired. Nurses who graduated from ADN programs do staff some of the most critical units, however hospitals are looking to hire "100% BSN prepared nurses because they have their pick from so many applicants". I was looking under this topic because I recently graduated from an ADN program and have not been able to find a job in a hospital setting which led me to pursue a BSN and my first paper is the difference in competencies between and ADN and BSN prepared nurse. From speaking with nurses throughout my clinical rotations, there is no difference and sometimes, due to a higher amount of clinical experience, ADN nurses come to the floor better prepared. The job market is awful for new grads so good luck to my fellow new graduates as well as nursing students. If you are a student, volunteer! Make the time because I wish I had :)

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 9, 2012

Do I think that BSN's should get compensated for more time/work in school? YES.

*** Many hospitals do pay RN with a BSN more. It is usually $0.50-$1 and hour difference. Clinicaly there is no difference between the RN with and ADN or BSN or MSN. It would be one thing if the hospital could bill more for the services of nurses with BSNs, then there would be a reason to pay them more. But they can't.

BTW if all RNs were required to have BSNs then there would no reason at all for the hospitals to pay even that 50 cents of $1 more and hour for BSN RN as some of them do now.