Diploma or ASN(ADN)

[Nica-RN, RN]

I am a little bit confused by the lots of abbreviations, coming from Germany a nurse is a nurse, now they start also there to educate a bachelors degree.

I am interested to know, which degree is higher? Diploma or ASN/ADN? I know that a bachelor is higher than this but how to different this two nursing degrees?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Diploma nursing schools offer just that: a diploma. It is not a college degree that is awarded at the end, it is a diploma stating that one has completed the requirements of that school of nursing (again, not college) and graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN (licensing exam to become a Registered Nurse).

ADN or ASN indicates a college degree; the intials are virtually interchangeable as they both represent a "junior" college education--an Associates Degree in Nursing. While most often thought of as a 2-year college education, realities of today's nursing programs have made a year or more of pre-requisites on top of the 2-year clinical component commonplace.

Those who graduate with a BSN have earned a Bachelor's degree in nursing; it is a 4-year degree that has pre-requisite courses and clinical courses combined in such a way that one is expected to complete it in 4 years. However, if someone is transferring from another school, that is not always the case.

Regardless of the means by which someone has received a nursing education, the same national licensing exam (NCLEX) must be taken and passed in order to receive a nursing license. No one may practice nursing without this license.

We also have LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses). In some States, these are called LVNs (Licensed Vocational Nurses). No college degree is required for completion of these programs, which range from 10 months to 2 years, depending on program. These graduates take another form of NCLEX, the NCLEX-PN (for practical nurse). No one may practice as an LVN/LPN without this license.

Hope this helps clarify :)

[Nica-RN, RN]

Yes, thank you very much, it did!!