Career change...several questions

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Hello,

New to the site and interested in entering the nursing profession. I've searched through some older threads and found a wealth of info, but have a few questions I was hoping someone could answer.

I've read a lot about ADN vs BSN and the pros and cons of both. I have a BA in Sociology as well as the basic science prereq's for nursing taken separately, post graduation at my local Comm College. My ultimate goal would be to complete a DNP program and be an Nurse Practitioner. My shorter term goal would be to complete either a BSN or ADN program and become an RN, then work while taking online classes to complete the DNP over the course of a few years. My questions are:

There are several community colleges nearby to my home that offer either standard or accelerated ADN degrees for a very reasonable cost. Earning a BSN would cost me much, much more money as there are no programs nearby and I would have to pay room/board somewhere as well as higher tuition. I understand the BSN is superior for a career as an RN, but for someone using the RN as sort of a stepping stone to the DNP, is it worth the added cost/inconvenience to get the BSN?

I know this is a common question, but in general how are the job prospects for ADN graduates? I have heard so many mixed comments on this, ranging from "ADN graduates cannot get hired anywhere" to "it makes no difference". Any perspective?

Final question and another one that I'm sure is fairly common. The comm college that I'm taking my prereq's at has an ADN program that is approved by the MD State BON and has a 97% NCLEX pass rate, but they are not regionally/nationally accredited. I'm an in-county resident so the tuition is super cheap and the school is 15 mins away. Another community college in the area is accredited, but the NCLEX pass rate is only 75%. Any advice/opinions on this dilemma?

Sorry for the lengthy post and thanks for any help. Feel free to link in other threads if they address these issues. Thanks again.

Cheers,

TJ

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Hireability as an ADN has a lot to do with the local job market. I started nursing in the South, where ADNs and diplomas had no problem at all getting jobs. Then I moved to California, where many employers won't look at you without a BSN. I was rejected from a job for not having a BSN, even though I had experience AND specialty certification.

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Specializes in NICU.

If your ultimate goal is a DNP, then you need to get your BSN first. I haven't heard of going from ASN-DNP route. My advice is get your BSN. The route you are considering is ASN (RN), RN-BSN, BSN-DNP. It would seem a more expensive route by paying for an ASN, then going to school for your RN-BSN. You already have a BA, why not go the ABSN path?

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I say skip nursing all together and go for pa or something else. Nursing ain't what it use to be!

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The comm college that I'm taking my prereq's at has an ADN program that is approved by the MD State BON and has a 97% NCLEX pass rate, but they are not regionally/nationally accredited. I'm an in-county resident so the tuition is super cheap and the school is 15 mins away. Another community college in the area is accredited, but the NCLEX pass rate is only 75%. Any advice/opinions on this dilemma?

A lot depends on where you plan to complete your BSN. If you plan to stay in Maryland and attend a state university, you should check with the CC's you are interested in and see if they have articulation agreements with BSN programs in your state. If you are considering an ASN to BSN path, and have most of your gen eds and cores complete, it should take the minimal amount of time to earn your RN. At this point, you can work as a nurse, and do the rest of your degree online.

Alternatively, you can go straight BSN, bump in all previous credits earned that you can, and just ride the nursing program for four years.

In my state, any state funded university must accept credits from a state funded community college. How the credits are applied is up to the receiving program, and some colleges do have credit hour residency requirements for some programs. For the most part, as long as all credits are earned in the state, they will transfer. I do not know if Maryland has this same type of program, but you should be able to locate information on the Maryland Department of Education website.

Hope this helps! Take care, and good luck. :-)

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