Do I need a Bachelors in Nursing?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 16, 2008

Most BON require minimum of BSN, some MSN...look for accelerated program in your area as BA.

With BSN, might qualify as Masters in Ed already.

Good luck in finding a program that fits YOU!

BrokenRNheart · Jun 16, 2008

Depends on what you want. Bachelors opens more doors but is the same in most nursing areas. More schooling and more money with more theory.

I don't recommend accelerated because crash course nursing is crash course nursing and accelerated is accelerated. Your experience will be the same. From what I have seen with the accelerated students and grads, they are overwhelmed and not as prepared as a regular nursing program.

But, they are out there and the decision is yours. Chances are you will survive it will just be a rougher start.

luckylucyrn · Jun 16, 2008

I agree, it depends on what you want to do. I disagree though on not doing an accelerated program. I went into nursing already having a bachelor's, and completed the nursing portion of my BSN in 16 months. I felt well prepared. I did have prior experience as a tech in a hospital though. Most BSN programs do pre-reqs in the first 2 years and then the nursing in the last 2 years. You may find that you have very few pre-reqs left to do depending on the classes you have already taken to obtain your previous degrees. Getting your BSN may take about the same amount of time as a ADN, and then you would have more doors opened to you. After you have experience, you could possibly teach clinicals with your M.Ed degree. I think you will find a nursing career much more rewarding with a BSN!

luckylucyrn · Jun 16, 2008

I agree, it depends on what you want to do. I disagree though on not doing an accelerated program. I went into nursing already having a bachelor's, and completed the nursing portion of my BSN in 16 months. I felt well prepared. I did have prior experience as a tech in a hospital though. Most BSN programs do pre-reqs in the first 2 years and then the nursing in the last 2 years. You may find that you have very few pre-reqs left to do depending on the classes you have already taken to obtain your previous degrees. Getting your BSN may take about the same amount of time as a ADN, and then you would have more doors opened to you. After you have experience, you could possibly teach clinicals with your M.Ed degree. I think you will find a nursing career much more rewarding with a BSN!

Also a bachelor's degree in something else plus an associate's in nursing does not count the same as a bachelor's in nursing. If you wanted to go to nurse practitioner school or something like that I don't think it would count.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Jun 16, 2008

OP, there are a lot of ways to approach your nursing career. I just want to make sure you know that your prior BA/MEd with NOT equal a BSN for "BSN" required jobs. Now, a lot of nursing jobs don't require a BSN but roles away from the bedside often do.

I bring this up because I knew a whole lot of ADN nurses in the 1980's/90's who got a bachelor's degree in "health arts" or things like that and were heartbroken when that was not accepted as a BSN.

Things that require a BSN can be public health, community health, school nursing or many management roles. Not everywhere but that's true in my state.

justconsideringit... · Jun 16, 2008

That is really helpful...Here's what I'm trying to decide between...

Option 1...getting my Associates Degree in Nursing and becoming an RN from the Community College.

Option 2...there is a program at UT that is a 3 year program in which you become an RN your first full year--summer to summer--and then your 2nd and 3rd you start working on your Masters. It seems that they recommend that over getting another Bachelors degree.

Any feedback on those ideas?

Jules A, MSN · Jun 16, 2008

That is really helpful...Here's what I'm trying to decide between...
Option 1...getting my Associates Degree in Nursing and becoming an RN from the Community College.
Option 2...there is a program at UT that is a 3 year program in which you become an RN your first full year--summer to summer--and then your 2nd and 3rd you start working on your Masters. It seems that they recommend that over getting another Bachelors degree.
Any feedback on those ideas?

Option 2 sounds awesome to me especially because you will have your RN after the first year and at that point if you really don't want to continue you can stop. Would that be the ADN or BSN after your first year?

Good luck.

BlearnRN · Jun 16, 2008

I already have a BS. I don't have a BSN but an ADN. My thought was I would get a ADN, get a job at a hospital, then when and if I wanted my BSN the hospital I was working at would pay for it - not me. ---4 yr schools are a lot more expensive than community college. Plus, I am still paying off a student loan and on top of it all I didn't want to go through another 4 years of school at that point in my life.

By the way, the hospital I work at (which is a big city hospital) everyone who is a new nurse starts out at the same payrate.

justconsideringit... · Jun 17, 2008

Is it pretty common for a hospital to pay for you to go back to school?

BlearnRN · Jun 18, 2008

A lot of hospitals will pay a certain amount toward your continuing education. Some hospitals that are connected to a University usually will pay all. But you have to work a certain amount of hours, have been there for at least a yr, and at least carry a C ( i think) average. I think this also goes with the ones that only pay a certain amount toward your education too. However, after you finish your degree there may be a stipulation where you have to work at that hospital for a certain amount of time. I am not sure. But if you like where you work, that won't be a problem.