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

foreverLaur · Jul 19, 2010

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).

RN SHOULD always be RN. Everyone passes the same licensing exam so it shouldn't make a difference. If they aren't the same, they shouldn't take the same licensing exam and carry the same title.

katoswife · Jul 19, 2010

The nurse anesthetist program in my area requires a BSN and at least one year experience in acute care...From that point it's five semesters to get your masters...So a total of around seven years to become a CRNA.

While an RN is an RN, from what I've heard, if you want to take on more of a leadership role you need to have a BSN.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Jul 19, 2010

Like someone else said...you only specialize in an area due to working and getting experience. Doesn't matter where you go to school. Now deciding whether to go for RN or BSN, depends on the responsibilities you want, if you want to go to school for a longer time, and where you live. At one time I was planning on going for my BSN after I'm done getting my RN but I've since decided I'm fine with RN. And around here, I won't have a problem finding a job....but I guess some areas around the country prefer/require a BSN...so it just depends on where you are. I go to a community college right now and my school is affiliated with a 4 year school nearby that has a BSN program and I could get into that if I wanted without going through the application process etc etc...so yes of course you can go on after a community college. Good luck!

RossayRN · Jul 20, 2010

It depends on what your long term career goals are. BSN opens more doors for educational advancement, and here Public health, and some hospital jobs. But if you don't really plan to do anything out side of what is required when you are hired (and can advance within that role with experience) then maybe not. Oh and in some cases having a BSN helps you to advance faster than if you have ADN (like you have to do some extra stuff to get a certain position because you don't have BSN).

happy2learn · Jul 20, 2010

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!

Specializing, as every one else has stated, depends on the job you get.

Nurse Anesthesia is a Masters or DNP program. It's an advanced practice nurse.

As far as ADN vs BSN time wise, it will take me the same amount of time to get my ADN then do the RN-BSN route, but that is because I am taking the BSN non nursing courses while I'm on the ADN waitlist. It will take me less than 1 year to get my BSN after I get my ADN. Total time will be 4 years (because of prereqs before getting on waitlist), however, I'll save $15 -$20k.

I highly doubt you will land a job in the Neo-Natal dept right after school. You should realize that you will probably have to work in a less than desirable area for a while to get experience before you will get near that department. By me, the nurses have to have BSN's to get in that field, or any peds field for that matter.