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Discussion

Confused about BSN

My daughter is graduating this year with a Bachelors in Natural Science. She was going to do a PA program but changed her mind and wants to be an RN. What is the difference between her Bachelors in Natural Science and a BSN? And how many employers will give her a hard time if she has a BS as opposed to a BSN?

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    Your question is a little confusing. Your daughter cannot become a nurse with a Bachelors in Natural Science.

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    My daughter is graduating this year with a Bachelors in Natural Science. She was going to do a PA program but changed her mind and wants to be an RN. What is the difference between her Bachelors in Natural Science and a BSN? And how many employers will give her a hard time if she has a BS as opposed to a BSN?

    She can't. She has to go get a BSN at an accredited school in order to take the NCLEX to become a registered nurse.

    There are programs out there though for people who already have a bachelor's in something else (accelerated bachelor's in nursing aka ABSN). She will like have to take other science prerequisites (specific to each school) in order to be accepted into those programs

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    She can't. She has to go get a BSN at an accredited school in order to take the NCLEX to become a registered nurse.

    Or an associate's degree, or a diploma, or a direct entry Master's ...

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    OP, are you asking for your daughter, or just asking for yourself?

    What is the difference between a BA in English and a BA in political science? A BS in chemistry and a BS in physics?

    A BSN is a Batchelor's of Science with a concentration in nursing, and includes the nursing content necessary to be eligible for licensure as a registered nurse. A BS in natural science doesn't include any nursing content and doesn't prepare or qualify anyone for RN licensure.

    Your daughter won't be able to become an RN without completing a nursing program (diploma, associate's, BSN (traditional or accelerated), or Master's) approved by the Board of Nursing of the state in which the school is located. Degrees in other disciplines than nursing don't make you eligible for licensure.

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    What is the difference between her Bachelors in Natural Science and a BSN?

    BS = bachelors degree in natural science

    BSN = bachelor of science in nursing

    To become a nurse, you daughter needs to complete an approved nursing program (associate of science in nursing, bachelor of science in nursing, entry level master of science in nursing, diploma of nursing).

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    Sorry, I wasn't clear, she has been accepted into a accelerated BSN program, but is unsure if she should do that or just the diploma program. In regards to getting hired, will she have a hard time without the BSN, even though she has her BS? Sorry for the confusion

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    I am doing this so I can give her better advice.

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    Sorry, I wasn't clear, she has been accepted into a accelerated BSN program, but is unsure if she should do that or just the diploma program. In regards to getting hired, will she have a hard time without the BSN, even though she has her BS? Sorry for the confusion

    That is up to individual employers. Many healthcare employers will now only hire RNs with BSNs. Whether or not an individual employer considers a diploma or ADN plus a BS in another discipline equivalent to a BSN is that employer's choice. Many employers don't care about BSN vs. diploma or ADN, with or without another degree.

    There's a lot of existing discussion on this topic on the site (that you could find with the "search" button, if you're interested). There's no single "yes" or "no" answer to your question.

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    Doing the BSN now means not having to do it later. She should just do it now. Many places are bugging their vastly experienced ADN or diploma RNs to get their BSNs which is totally not at all slightly demeaning and majorly inconvenient. But, the accelerated BSN is also not necessarily the best path, either. I had a BA before I started nursing school. I briefly considered the accelerated BSN-MSN track but realized that was a terrible idea. I'm very happy that I did a traditional BSN as a post-bacc (not so much for paying graduate tuition, but still). A lot of students get extraordinarily overwhelmed doing the accelerated track and when they get into the workforce a lot of RNs comment that they seem less prepared than traditional BSNs or ADNs. So, that's something to think about, too. Either way, BSN is the way to go.

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    Sorry, I wasn't clear, she has been accepted into a accelerated BSN program, but is unsure if she should do that or just the diploma program. In regards to getting hired, will she have a hard time without the BSN, even though she has her BS? Sorry for the confusion

    I am in the same boat so maybe I can answer your question. I have a BA in arts and letters and a AS in Nursing - I am currently in an accelerated RN to BSN program. The school that I am now attending reviewed all my transcripts and then gave me a class schedule to complete the year or so of study required to make my BA into a BSN. I took the route getting here but the other posted are right your daughter cannot become a nurse until she has the required degree AS, BSN or diploma and sits for and passes the NCLEX.

    Hope this helps

    Hppy

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    I have read many times that people have had problems succeeding in the intense ABSN programs. Many were able to complete nursing school by transferring to traditional programs. Would recommend she seek a traditional BSN program unless she really knows that she is together academically, schedule-wise (no job), and health-wise, to have a chance in the ABSN program. JMO

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