Associate's VS. BSN? Does it matter?

Published

~Hello All ~

I have a BA and a Master of Arts in Management and now I'm doing a career change from Human Resources into Nursing. I'm so excited to start this new phase in my life!

My question is this. Does it matter if I get an Associate's Degree or BSN? How will this impact pay :twocents:?? What will the job prospects be?

Please let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your replies.

:D

Thank you,

:p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

CONGRATS! Great decision.

As for degree choice - I know that this is a perpetual controversy. I have an MSN & EdD, so you know that I am all for 'uber education' . . but . . .

I have empirical data that reveals no real differences between AD & BS (GN - 2yrs exp) as far as bedside skills are concerned. However, that being said - most healthcare organizations (mine included) are tying career advancement to educational levels. BS is minimal requirement for entry into management & MSN for higher levels of management. These days, even chief nursing officers with Master's degrees in other disciplines are pressured to go back for their MSN in order to meet Magnet & other requirements. PhDs are becoming much more commonly 'preferred' for Chief Nurse roles.

So, that being said - it depends upon your goal horizon. Texas programs are very competetive right now so if your goal is just to get your foot in the door - go with whatever program accepts you rather than waiting for the 'perfect' one. It sounds like you are coming from a management background, so I doubt whether you are going to be satisfied in a staff nurse role for very long. When that time comes, you can go to "plan B" for that BSN.

Good Luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×
CONGRATS! Great decision.

I have empirical data that reveals no real differences between AD & BS (GN - 2yrs exp) as far as bedside skills are concerned. However, that being said - most healthcare organizations (mine included) are tying career advancement to educational levels. BS is minimal requirement for entry into management & MSN for higher levels of management. These days, even chief nursing officers with Master's degrees in other disciplines are pressured to go back for their MSN in order to meet Magnet & other requirements. PhDs are becoming much more commonly 'preferred' for Chief Nurse roles.

Good Luck

So in other words, a BA and a MA won't even be considered for career advancement? I would have to go get the BSN? :eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
So in other words, a BA and a MA won't even be considered for career advancement? I would have to go get the BSN? :eek:

Yes but since you already have a bachelors you can get your BSN in one year. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I strongly agree with what the other responders have said. An ADN will get you an entry level position -- and maybe -- a few other possibilities. But the historical trend in health care (nursing included) is to require an increasing amount of formal education in the discipline of nursing for any advance nursing roles.

Nursing has struggled for power over the many decades of its existance as an organized profession. One of the main was to get power and prestige for the profession of nursing within the health care industry is to advance the science of nursing -- to base practice on knowledge that is developed within the discipline of nursing as opposed to just borrowing knowledge from other fields and being subserviant to those other disciplines. Thus, the leaders of the nursing profession work to promote nursing scholarship and the use of nursing research results in practice. That means having nurses who are educated within the field of nursing ... who have studied the nursing literature ... familiar with the nursing research results ... etc. You only get that kind of knowledge by taking advanced nursing classes. The ADN level classes are just the introductory courses. They do a great job of preparing nurses to provide patient care in a staff nurse role, but they do not include the advanced academic content that is taught in BSN, MSN, and doctoral level nursing classes.

As I always say ... "Just because I have a PhD in nursing, that doesn't make me an expert in other fields such as physics or sociology. Similarly, an advanced degree in another field does not qualify someone as an expert nurse."

Different pathways are best for different people. But regardless of the path that's right for you, it must include both formal education in nursing and also concrete experience in the practice of nursing to become an expert nurse and qualify for significant advancement in the field of nursing. I hope you can understand that and not take it personally ... or as an insult to your particular educational background.

The same is true of all fields. It's just that not everyone realizes it.

Good luck to you. I hope you find a pathway that suits you well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
~Hello All ~

I have a BA and a Master of Arts in Management and now I'm doing a career change from Human Resources into Nursing. I'm so excited to start this new phase in my life!

My question is this. Does it matter if I get an Associate's Degree or BSN? How will this impact pay :twocents:?? What will the job prospects be?

Please let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your replies.

:D

Thank you,

:p

Congrats on making this wise decision, and good luck to you.

When you graduate, there is initially little difference; maybe a slightly higher pay for a BSN; and depending where you live, some hospitals might hire BSNs only.

Once you search for future jobs (e.g., mgmt.), you might be considered because of your other degrees (but this is definitely not true in all cases).

So consider this...you probably have many if not all of your pre-reqs done for an ADN or BSN. ADN will most likely be cheaper, but if you have access to an accel. BSN program and have the $$$, you'll be a nurse in little over a year. ADN or generic BSN will be about 2 yrs (again, assuming all pre-reqs are completed).

If money is an issue, the ADN should work because you can become a nurse, get a job, then have your job help finance your future education (e. g., RN-BSN; unless you work at a place that doesn't do such a thing).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

As I always say ... "Just because I have a PhD in nursing, that doesn't make me an expert in other fields such as physics or sociology. Similarly, an advanced degree in another field does not qualify someone as an expert nurse."

llg is right on! I have an MPH and believe me it is A LOT different then if I had a master's in nursing. Having the master's degree doesn't even make me a more competitive candidate for an entry level nursing job. It is sad- and sometimes feels like a wasted my time in grad school- but I'd like to think it makes me a better nurse in the end (different perspectives and all).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In total agreement with the above posters!! I have a PhD in an unrelated field and just got my BSN. I really think that my PhD may have hurt me with certain hospitals/managers. There were some places that wouldn't even grant me an interview. No one told me it was specifically because of the degree...but I will say that every single interview I went on, the hiring manager wanted an explanation about how I wound up becoming a nurse. :)

As for ADN vs BSN, it doesn't really matter in the short term. The internship I accepted is for BSNs only, but I think that stipulation is pretty rare. I would encourage you, though, to pursue a BSN if you can. Since you have all that prior education, it will take you about the same time to get either degree. Also, there are accelerated BSN's that could get you out in 15 months, if you have the time to dedicate to them.

Good luck!

Kristin

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion