Commute...or Settle

BSN - for sure unless you are OK with working only in non-hospital jobs. BSN has become the 'entry level' for acute care in the US - for a number of reasons. Even if you are in an area where it has not happened 'yet'.... it is coming. Worst-case scenario if you do the step-wise route-- you probably won't be eligible for acute care residency programs (the only way in to acute care for many organizations) by the time you get that BSN because you already have non-acute experience as an ADN.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the reply... i do feel that if bsn is an option take it just want to make sure my next move makes sense having kids

if possible, do the BSN. You will not regret it. Sometimes it is difficult to return to school once you are licensed and work full time.

3 hr drive time a day with 2 little ones. No way.

I would do the ADN and bridge to BSN. In the end, you would still be a BSN. It would take longer, go a little slower,... But your little ones are only little once. That is now.

If you do pursue the ADN and do BSN later, remember you can still work with the ADN. So if you do bridge to BSN later, youd be a BSN with 2 years ADN experience, and 2 years additional ADN pay. Unless im missing something that doesnt sound so bad.

My nursing program was an hour commute and I often had clinicals where I would commute 1-2 hours 2-3x a week and do a 12 hour shift at any hospital in the state they wanted to stick me at. If you stay at the local school for your ADN you might end up commuting a lot anyways for your clinical rotations.

Commuting is very doable and becomes very routine, you will just need to rally support and have a plan of attack for those days where you need a sitter last minute.

If you do the ADN program it will be difficult to find a job competing with the BSN's (especially since there is a school in your area), and you may end up having to commute to a job AND try to do online classes to get your BSN.

Personally I would suck it up and commute. You probably won't be going 5 days a week, I did an accelerated program and typically was at school 1-3x a week and 2 days of clinicals (but only 3 weeks out of every 8 week period).

It may be worth asking the admissions at the school how many times a week you would typically be in class and if they would work with you to get your clinical placements closer to home.

Good luck to you! Fingers crossed you get into the BSN program close to home.

My sister and I write a blog about our journey as nurses and try to offer a lot of advice to students, if you're curious you can read it here:

Calling the shots, sisters in nursing blog

But your little ones are only little once. That is now.

Thanks to everyone for your replies...im working over time these next two semesters to get my GPA up so hopefully im accepted into my school's BSN program...fingers crossed...whatever my path is..in the end..I WILL AND SHALL BE SOMEBODY'S NURSE!!

I don't have children, but I truly believe that an ADN is going to restrict you in the future. I would recommend that you sacrifice some of these next two years of time with your children in order to invest that into your future by going the BSN route.

You're basically trading two years of reduced time with your children now for 10-12 years of a more secure future for them once you get your BSN, plus another 20-30 years of security for yourself once they grow up.

Nursing school is hard and time consuming, but keep telling yourself that you're investing in you and your family's future. That makes it easier.

Thanks so much

I don't have children, but I truly believe that an ADN is going to restrict you in the future. I would recommend that you sacrifice some of these next two years of time with your children in order to invest that into your future by going the BSN route.

You're basically trading two years of reduced time with your children now for 10-12 years of a more secure future for them once you get your BSN, plus another 20-30 years of security for yourself once they grow up.

Nursing school is hard and time consuming, but keep telling yourself that you're investing in you and your family's future. That makes it easier.

Reading this just warms my heart...thank you

BSN - for sure unless you are OK with working only in non-hospital jobs. BSN has become the 'entry level' for acute care in the US -

I would not say this this a true statement... I choose ADN because the BSN was hour away. I was able to get a job IN A HOSPITAL and I start my bridge to BSN next month.

Now, I am not saying that you should never get a BSN, many hospitals are moving in this direction, and having a BSN will make your more competitive. It is hard to know now what kind of nursing you want to do, hospital, home health etc, but do the hospitals in your area hire ADN? Might be worth it to make a couple of calls to HR departments to see.

I have given this particular advice on this website several times, as a mother and wife (?), when we go back to school, things aren't going to stay the same in our lives, something has to give. Meaning for every minute we focus on school, we are away from our kids. When we are with our kids, homework is being neglected. You did not mention how many days a week you would have to commute, but THREE HOURS a day is a lot of time! What are you willing to sacrifice for that three hours?? Not saying that it is not possible, not saying that you shouldn't do it, I am just playing devil's advocate. As student mothers we do not have the same luxuries as others. You did not mention if your friends who did the commute had kids, even if they do, everyone's situation is different so you can not compare yourself to them.

I am not devaluing the importance of getting your BSN, what I did when I was trying to decide whether to drive to the BSN program, I wrote down the 24 hours in one day, I blocked out the hours for commuting and school, then circled the time I needed for my kids and husband and looked at the time that was left in the day for sleeping and homework and the decision became clear. My commute to my ADN program was 15 minutes, so the decision for me became clear.

Getting your ADN is not "settling", think of it as a stop on the path to your final goal!

I wish you luck!