continuing education for an ADN graduate????

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I wanted to ask the nursing community about the current thought on getting a BSN right away after just receiving a ADN. I have a bachelors in another field. Does that help? I am a "mature" student and need to start working sooner than later. I also am interested in an online program that would go from ADN to masters? I would love any ideas:nurse:

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The only thing that the other bachelors might help you with is having your gen eds complete. Assuming they transfer. I'm in the same situation, graduated in October and am filling out my aplication for rn-bsn today. I'm going to the same school (hopefully) as my previous bachelors so I know everything transers.

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You could do a direct-entry MSN program with the previous bachelors.

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My biggest regret in nursing is not getting my bachelor's as soon as I finished my ADN program. Every year after, I kept saying "next year I'll do it." Fourteen years later, I finally did it and I am so glad I did though it was much harder after being out of school for so long. If a master's is your ultimate goal, DO IT now while you are still in study and school-mode. Work part-time if you have to. I worked fulltime and did my RN-BSN program as a single mother. You can do it. I don't know where you live but I loved Texas Tech's program. Guns up, Red Raiders.

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And Texas Tech has a RN-MSN program as well as a RN-DNP program.

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I would say skip the RN-BSN if you already have a non-nursing bachelors degree. There are a lot of MSN programs that will allow you to enter right in if you are a RN + non-nursing bachelors degree. I am in the same boat and plan to do RN-MSN since that is my final goal and most schools I have been looking at look at me the same as a nurse with a BSN. We both get to start right into the masters coursers.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
I wanted to ask the nursing community about the current thought on getting a BSN right away after just receiving a ADN. I have a bachelors in another field. Does that help? I am a "mature" student and need to start working sooner than later. I also am interested in an online program that would go from ADN to masters? I would love any ideas:nurse:

Go while you are still in school mode.

Seriously..get all your school out of the way while you are young.

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

I'm sorry, but I am a little confused by your post. Are you currently an AD graduate with a bachelor's in another field or are you about to start a nursing program?

If you are just starting your nursing education, do check out an accelerated BSN program or a direct-entry master's for persons with bachelor's degrees in other fields. You might save a bit of time, hassle, and possibly money by going to an ABSN or DEMSN program rather than going ADN, then BSN or MSN.

If you're an AD graduate, yes, there are RN-MSN bridge programs that incorporate content from a BSN program as well as graduate-level nursing education. Some require that a nurse have a minimum level of experience before applying while others do not. Many brick-and-mortar schools offer online programs, especially at the graduate level, so you should have little trouble finding a school that would suit your needs.

If you are an AD graduate, you could not take advantage of a DEMSN program because those are meant to incorporate pre-licensure education as well as post-licensure advanced practice education. Those programs are meant for those who are starting from scratch in nursing, not for students who already have an RN license, with or without experience.

For what it's worth, I got my BSN as soon as possible after my ADN. I worked for a little over a year before I started my program and worked part-time while going to school. No regrets. I felt that I got the best of both worlds in the educational path that I took.

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i am sooo glad you asked this question! i am new to this site, newly graduated (ADN) and newly licensed (CA)! i too am a 'mature' (43 times around the sun) person with a bachelors in an unrelated field. thanks to the responders, i am NOW aware of the possibility of doing RN-MSN. and like u, i also wish to work sooner than later, so i'm glad i may not have to settle for another bachelors but can use my current one (received in 1991) to get a masters. also, make sure to get your ACLS and PALS certs if you havent already; these days, im sure the more acronyms u collect, the better! i'll research MSN programs and if u find a 'reasonable' online one, let me know...

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Go back to school while you still want to. If you wait, life will get busier with "other" things...and you won't be able to find the time. At most colleges, you must complete all university requirements for a BSN in order to get a MSN. If you have a BS in a related field, you are probably ahead of the game. But you can't get a MSN without a BSN. Maybe a MS but not a MSN. :cool:

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My hospital pays for a certain number of credit hours a semester for full-time staff. You earn money, get experience working, the hospital pays for education and eventually you get your BSN.

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