BSN vs. ADN

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2010

Great decision!!!!! Good Luck!!! When do you apply or start?

collegegirl209 · Sep 24, 2010

I am about a year from applying. Pre-reqs (science and math) take forever! But the college I'm at now is on the quarter system, so I can get more classes taken, then apply for general admission to Stan State and then the nursing program, while some of the pre-reqs are still in progress.

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2010

Thats great, I know they do take forever :) Well good luck on everything :yeah:

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Sep 24, 2010

I went to the informational mtg. they had at CSU Stanislaus and it really made some things clear to me. Also, I'm going to aim for that program and not apply for the ADN program at MJC. Reasons:
1.) Must be a minimum of a BSN to work in a hospital. (Why didn't I know that?)
2.) Classes (pre-reqs) are easier to get
3.) Not a lottery system
4.) Crazy good facilities
5.) Various other misc. reasons
6.) As the presenter (who is a program chair and a nurse for 30 yrs. in this area) said.... People should have at least a bachelor's degree education because as nurses, we hold peoples' lives in our hands.
Makes sense to me.

Either option is good depending on your location and situation.

Your #1 certainly isn't true in my state, although it may be in yours. We don't have any lottery system in either path. The quality of the ADN programs in your area may be poorer in general than my area too.

The quality of graduates from ADN or BSN programs varies widely for any number of reasons.

I know my ADN program always has higher NCLEX pass rates than the local BSN programs and its graduates have a very good reputation with employers. It is much harder to get into my ADN program than the BSN programs, which can be a check in either column.

There has been rumbling for years to try to push RN licensure to "Bachelor's only" but so far no feasible way of doing so.

I'm going to get a BSN after I graduate (paid for by my employer) so I would never discourage someone from a BSN program if they can afford it. Until I get my BSN, I hope my Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical Engineering is enough to still your presenter's quivering nerves as I hold people's lives in my hands.

Good luck.

collegegirl209 · Sep 25, 2010

@2ndyearstudent - hmm, i was just passing along the information that i learned. the pass rate is 100% at the bsn program that i inquired about at university. the year before, one student had to re-test. the jr. college adn program isn't low-quality. it is two years and the bsn is three years, so common sense tells me that they get more training, etc.

there is obviously a reason(s) why employers (in this area) prefer bsns over adns. i just have to trust that since they are the ones calling the shots in the field (hiring), then it would be best to aim for the bsn.

good luck to you and your bachelor's of science in mechanical engineering. :yeah:

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2010

I went to the informational mtg. they had at CSU Stanislaus and it really made some things clear to me. Also, I'm going to aim for that program and not apply for the ADN program at MJC. Reasons:
1.) Must be a minimum of a BSN to work in a hospital. (Why didn't I know that?)
2.) Classes (pre-reqs) are easier to get
3.) Not a lottery system
4.) Crazy good facilities
5.) Various other misc. reasons
6.) As the presenter (who is a program chair and a nurse for 30 yrs. in this area) said.... People should have at least a bachelor's degree education because as nurses, we hold peoples' lives in our hands.
Makes sense to me.

In my area, there are SOME hospitals that will only hire BSN nurses. The overall market is really competitive so it is harder for the ADN graduates to find work locally. It was something I considered and one of the reasons I opted to do the BSN program, but it's definitely not a universal that you have to be a BSN minimum to work in a hospital.

I definitely encourage getting the BSN and looking at your local economy when making that decision, but it does sound like your presenter is a little biased. The presenter's job is to sell the program to you.

Did you compare clinical hours between the programs? You don't always get more clinical time with the BSN.

e6n5j8o8i · Sep 27, 2010

The above posters are correct in that you do not necessarily need a BSN to work in the hospital setting...but as far as hiring goes, and especially in this area of the central valley, it's become more and more preferred that applicants have been BSN prepared. Reason being mostly because of the money, with facilities covering costs for ADN nurses to eventually go back to school to "upgrade" their degrees. Also, Stan State has started to make a name for itself, especially considering the very high NCLEX pass rate that you already mentioned, with an overall program pass rate of 96% over the last 3 years, as opposed to MJC's 90% rate over the same period.

If you look at MJC vs. Stan State in particular, you've already brought up some good points, including MJC's lottery selection system versus Stan's ranked selection. Also, the numbers of students taken with each batch are drastically different between the program, with Stan State taking groups of 30/40 each round to eventually sit for NCLEX, while MJC takes about 120. As far as clinical hours are concerned, I can't say with certainty how much MJC's program goes through, other than most of the clinical hours are geared towards acute care (adult health med/surg) but I do know that Stan's program includes a minimum of 871 total hours, split mostly evenly between the different areas (adult health med/surg I and II, mental health, pediatrics/OB/newborn, etc). And of course, the BSN year includes a community health rotation/certification (that you apply for after graduation, allowing you to apply for community and home health positions, including school nursing), leadership and management training, along with a minimum of 156 extra clinical hours in your chosen area, as a preceptee.

From a purely observation standpoint, and as a nursing student on the verge of graduating, I have found a few things that have been true, no matter what hospital/area I've been in Modesto/Turlock/Merced/Stockton/etc...almost every nurse that originally got hired on as an ADN is going, or is planning on going back to school for their BSN (most often because the Bachelor's level degree opens management/administration opportunities, or to stay competitive in a more difficult job market). ADN students seem to be much more focused on "skills-based" nursing, rather than "critical thinking" nursing (again, purely my opinion, based on what I've seen over the last couple years and my interactions with many other students on the floor, and the opinions of some of the nurses I've worked with). And purely based on the people/friends that have recently graduated from MJC's ADN program and what they've told me, the job market for nurses is getting more and more difficult to get into...while all but a couple of Stan State's last graduating class (Spring 2010) had job offers by the time of graduation.

At the end of the day, the nursing school experience is what you make of it, and I'm sure you've already heard the saying the "they don't teach you anything in nursing school, it's all learned on the floor". But all things considered, including the area, the economic situation, and the impression that I've got from my experience in the surrounding hospitals...I'd say you're making a good choice in aiming for the BSN program from the beginning. Sorry for the long post, and I apologize if it is, in fact, a bit biased, but I just wanted to share my experience and insight, hope it helped :)

RNBSNxo · Sep 29, 2010

BSN is not required as the entry-level for hospitals in California. I live and work here. Which hospital were you referring to? Some hospitals may prefer BSN but ADNs are hired all the time. I know hospitals here in Californiathat use a point system as a small part during the hiring process. For example, you get 1 point for ADN 2 points for BSN, 1 point for any previous experience like CNA/LVN/etc., and other point options. Hospitals do encourage those to go on to BSN programs but ADN programs are great.