Bsn or lpn-adn not your usual argument

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I am just over a years graduated as an LPN in north Carolina. I worked a year in adult psych and am now on a med surg floor that takes everything non critical.

Nursing school doesn't teach you everything's I get that. But if I choose lpn to adn ( 3 semesters) its more money sooner but not much more in terms of education. (LPN to ADN would be at Forsyth tech. Comm. College) If I do bsn at Winston Salem state university ( 5 semesters plus bsn prereqs) I have to retake all my nursing classes, plus bsn prereqs. Its longer that I'm not making more money. But its like watching a movie the second time. I get to learn what I didn't during LPN.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Why do you assume doing ADN would not be much more in terms of education?

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Why do you assume doing ADN would not be much more in terms of education?

The ADN program is one semester of how to be an rn. Then psych, me surg, PEDs, crit care and done.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Yes. So a year or so of classes you've probably not taken in depth. A BSN program is more about research and management.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
The ADN program is one semester of how to be an rn. Then psych, me surg, PEDs, crit care and done.
A BSN is what you will need eventually....time and money wise....LPN to ADN to RN-BSN bridge.
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Specializes in Public Health.
A BSN is what you will need eventually....time and money wise....LPN to ADN to RN-BSN bridge.

@esme12 YES

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Specializes in ICU.

You won't have any prereqs to do for the ADN program? LPNs at my school have to get all the ADN prereqs done before the transition program. Then it is 2 semesters to bridge.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

LPN to ASN was just jumping through a few hoops. It was a joke. It also cost me less than $4,000 to do my LPN to ASN bridge. I am going back to do my BSN which I expect to be just a bunch more hoops. I chose to do an LPN-ASN rather than an LPN-BSN because I refused to repeat so much of my LPN coursework in the BSN programs - and I wanted my RN faster. Despite the push for BSNs, a new grad ASN/ADN RN who has LPN experience is still more desirable in most areas than a BSN without previous nursing experience.

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Nursing is moving towards more education. Don't limit yourself by settling for the ADN. Go for the BSN so you have more opportunities for career advancement down the line. You can't think about the next 3 years, but the next 30.

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I guess my real concern is how much better of an education with a university provide if I have to do the entire nursing program over again. If it's not much more in depth and I won't learn much more it would seem LPN-ADN is the better option, and then continue to BSN. But if doing the BSN program would teach me more than the super-fast-paced LPN program did then I would rather spend the extra time and money getting the best education possible. I don't care about more opportunities, I'll never get into management or anything other than floor nursing. I'm buying a house this month and yes, the ADN money would be very nice to have but like I said, I feel like my education has been cut in half due to LPN going by so fast.

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The ADN program is one semester of how to be an rn. Then psych, me surg, PEDs, crit care and done.
I think you are mistaken. Generally a LPN to RN is 3 semesters long, so many go LPN-RN then RN-BSN.
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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Nursing is moving towards more education. Don't limit yourself by settling for the ADN. Go for the BSN so you have more opportunities for career advancement down the line. You can't think about the next 3 years, but the next 30.

To the OP. If you can be pretty sure you will be able to get a job when you graduate from the ADN then by all means to LPN to RN. The difference between and ADN and a BSN is 6-18 months of part time online, relatively easy classes. The LPN->ADN->BSN has every advantage over the BSN except the ability to get that first acute care job. If you are pretty sure getting that first acute care job won't be a problem for you the ADN is defiantly the way to go.

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