Can I Still Specialize If I Get A Degree From Community College?

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I am unsure of whether or not I will be attending a University or Community College to get my degree. I know that I am interested in specializing once I receive my degree-- possibly for Neo-Natal or Nurse Anesthetist. If I do choose Community College will I still be able to go straight into specializing or are there steps in between that I am going to need to take since I chose Community College over University? Please Help! Any Information would be greatly appreciated!

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Specialization comes with the job you are hired into. But do not be surprised to find that to get hired into some areas, there is a requirement for the BSN. And some employers might require that a person be experienced as well as certified before considering them for hire. Depends on the employer more than anything else.

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Is there any way to go for a BSN after community college?

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Sure. But easier all the way around if you start out in a BSN program. However, in this day and age, people usually go to the nursing school that accepts them, then they deal with future educational goals once they have their initial degree and license.

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There is a big difference between choosing a specialty area like NICU or ICU or OB where much of the unit-specific knowledge is acquired through rigorous orientation and choosing "nurse anesthetist," (actually called CRNA--Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) which requires several years of additional schooling and clinical training beyond the BSN.

IMO, if you can afford the time and money to go for a BSN immediately, in this tight job market, that's probably the route to go. If time and funds are limited, get your ADN and build from there. Many advanced practice nurses started out as LPNs or ADNs and climbed the ladder one rung at a time.

If you get an ASN or ADN from a community college, there is the possibility that your future employer will help you with tuition assistance or reimbursement for getting your BSN.

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ADN = 2 years

RN-BSN = 1 year

Route total: 3 years

BSN = 4 years

My vote... ADN. Faster and cheaper to RN.

If I could start over, I would have done what my high school friends did. Senior year of high school, they did post-secondary and did all the nursing prerequisites. They applied and were accepted to start right out of high school and were RNs at 20. Had their BSN at 21. Started grad school by 22.

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ADN = 2 years

RN-BSN = 1 year

Route total: 3 years

BSN = 4 years

My vote... ADN. Faster and cheaper to RN.

If I could start over, I would have done what my high school friends did. Senior year of high school, they did post-secondary and did all the nursing prerequisites. They applied and were accepted to start right out of high school and were RNs at 20. Had their BSN at 21. Started grad school by 22.

I always find it odd that people say ADN 2 years....yes core nursing classes in the traditional route. BSN isn't 4 years for the core nursing classes so we really need to factor it all in. It makes sense when you say pre-reqs already done, but that is rather rare IMO.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
ADN = 2 years

RN-BSN = 1 year

Route total: 3 years

BSN = 4 years

My vote... ADN. Faster and cheaper to RN.

You are way off on your math. Actually, an RN-BSN takes longer than going straight for your BSN. The ASN nurse has to take the same classes that the BSN nurse has to take plus bridge classes. It usually takes a year longer to go the RN-BSN route.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
ADN = 2 years

RN-BSN = 1 year

Route total: 3 years

BSN = 4 years

My vote... ADN. Faster and cheaper to RN.

You are way off on your math. Actually, an RN-BSN takes longer than going straight for your BSN. The ASN nurse has to take the same classes that the BSN nurse has to take plus bridge classes. It usually takes at least a semester longer to go the RN-BSN route.

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Not around here. You are able to do all prerequisites in 1 quarter and the program is 1.5 yrs in length (year round) and there are new RN-BSN programs in the area where I will be living that are 1 year in length. My ADN plus RN-BSN will be shorter than the 4 year BA I already have. Plus, I'll save A LOT of $$ so even if it is a year longer, that extra 1 year is worth the massive difference in cost, IMO. I have $20,000 in debt from my BA and that isn't counting the $40,000 that my dad paid or books (and I went to a state school with a scholarship). My ADN and RN-BSN won't cost me a penny and even if I did pay, the ADN is $5,000 plus books.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

RN is RN so yes you, can. CRNA is not as much a specialty as is NICU, cardio, etc. It's an advanced practice role that requires a master's degree.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
RN is RN so yes you, can. CRNA is not as much a specialty as is NICU, cardio, etc. It's an advanced practice role that requires a master's degree.

RN is not always RN. In many situations you have to have a BSN to get a position. In California, you have to have a BSN as entry to become a PHN (public health nurse).

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