BSN or ADN --> RN to BSN

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Hey guys, I'm new to these forums and nursing altogether, really. I have a couple of questions, but first a little background information: I'm 19, male, and transferring to nursing school from my second year in a chem engineering program. I was doing well in school but just didn't see myself working in a factory/cubicle for the next 40+ years. I chose to switch to nursing after volunteering with the nursing staff at a hospital for a couple of months

My question: I have the option of doing either a BSN or ADN program. I would start a RN to BSN program directly after the ADN if I were to go that route. I would finish either one in the same amount of time (three years from fall). The advantage of the ADN would be having the RN a year earlier, but I just feel like the BSN route would be more solid. I'm just looking for some general advice concerning this decision.

Post Script: I was also wondering which area of nursing most recent grads start out in. I would like to make my way to the ER, but it's my understanding that it is difficult to start out there.

Thanks

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In my opinion if you have the resources to do the BSN right away, do so.

Doing the ADN-->RN has its benefits too though. The major plus I see with this is if you go this route you can get hired in a hospital and take advantage of a tuition reimbursement plan some hospitals give for this.

This leads me to another disadvantage is that a lot of hospitals prefer BSN nurses so you may lose out on a job because a BSN was also interviewing for the same.

I personally am shooting for the BSN right out of the gate, especially because the BSN program I'm applying to is attached to a major east coast teaching hospital that many successful students are placed in jobs before they graduate.

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Specializes in LTC.

If you have the money and time go BSN all the way. I am going ADN but that's because I plan to get my Bachelors in Dietetics and get an RD (registered dietician) and be an RN RD and then become a CDE (certified diabetes educator). If I did not have very specified career plans I would not even try to go into nursing without the BSN considering the current job climate. Hope that helps :)

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I would have to agree... if you have the resources to go BSN, do it. I will have to do BSN after I'm done with my ADN program. Since I have a Bachelor's already, I can get the BSN fairly quickly afterward though, because I already have all the upper division gen ed. I would just have to take the coursework that is specific to BSN that isn't covered in the ADN program. IIRC, it's about 6 individual courses of about 4-6 units each, a relatively mild load.

In your case, since you don't have a degree already, you should have the ability to get grants and loans that I can't. Look into those and see if you're able to get your tuition fees waived, or grants for books, or whatever. Believe me, you want those tuition fees waived because it can make getting a BSN very cost-competitive with ADN programs.

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If the BSN will only be one more year then I recommend the BSN. You can get it done all at once. I was in the same place as you and transferred to a community college as a sophomore from a four year school with a different major. I knew I would have a hard time getting motivated to do a RN to BSN program after getting my ADN so doing it all at once was the best choice for me.

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

I would recommend BSN. I am in a LPN-RN bridge and I was allowed to skip a year because of my LPN. My point is why send 3 years total or 2 years of clinicals for an ADN, when you can get a BSN. I plan to get my BSN but its going to cost me another year or 2 somewhere.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

Agree with the others. In your case, being only 19 and probably don't have a lot of responsibilities yet, just go for a traditional BSN. Try finding the most affordable school, such as a State school.

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Look at the costs of doing it both ways, sometimes it is actually cheaper to do the BSN first the doing ADN and the ADN to BSN

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As far as the costs go, both will be the same becuase they are at the same school. It's private, so the tuition is pretty crazy but the financial aid office has really come through in my case.

Also some additional information: I have approx. 60+ credits transfering in but, being an engineering major, only about half of those will actually help me.

What is really making this decision difficult for me is that with the ADN route I would have my RN a year earlier than the BSN. Is the BSN route worth giving up that extra year of work?

Thanks for the responses by the way, I really appreciate the information.

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what did you decide series? i have to do the adn route because i already have a BA so no financial aid for me. there would be about a $10,000 difference in the adn and bsn for me. i just can't afford that but now i'm afraid i'm going to spend two years back in school and then i won't be able to find a job.

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BSN! Many hospitals are going Magnet and prefer BSN prepared nurses as new hires.

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@ amac77,

You probably already know this, but there are schools out there that have the reverse of a RN to BSN program. Meaning that if you already have a bachelor's degree in a different field, then you can go to school to get your BSN. These programs are sometimes called "second degree nursing programs" or "Accelerated BSN programs" and are usually about a year and a half long. Here is an example of one such program offered at Duke University. Accelerated BSN Program | Duke School of Nursing

Sorry for the late response.

Post Script: I decided to go BSN

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