Do I need a BSN to get an OR position

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I am planning on going to nursing school with the goal of working in the OR. I have 2 options. I already have a bachelors so I could do an accelerated BSN, but the cost of local programs is about $20,000 and I wouldn't be able to work at the same time. Or I could get my ADN over 2 years for about $5000 at a community college. And I think I should be able to work at least part time while doing that.

I Need to find the best balance between cost, time, and job opportunities. Any thoughts?

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Specializes in Operating room..

No, but you may need one to get hired with all the BSN only hospitals.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

The best way to answer this is for you to research facilities in your area and find out what they require. Will a BSN be mandatory? Some facilities may say yes, to apply for any position. Some may say no, to apply for any position. Some may not take new grads into specialties or only hire new grads at specific times. It is all going to depend on the facility and the area, so do your homework and research the job environment where you want to work (with the understanding that it may change by the time you graduate).

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Even though you have a previous Bachelor's degree, you most likely still spend 15 to 24 months to obtain a nursing degree... If it's the same amount of time to obtain an ADN as it is for the BSN, I say do the BSN.

I know everyone's situation is different, but my contribution to your post is that I can tell you about my situation to offer some hope. I graduated with my BSN in an accelerated program (15 months) while working 40+ hours per week, having a family with 2 teens, having a house built, and driving 2+ hours each way to get to my clinical sites every week for 2 days. It really took a lot out of me, but I did it, while still graduating with membership to Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing National Honor Society). It can be done. You just might miss sleep and a social life for that time, but now I'm circulating and loving every minute of it.

Good luck.

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Thanks dlwoodjr. It will actually be longer to do the ADN but much more expensive to do the BSN.

I figure I can do the ADN while I work, and then get the BSN with tuition assistance while continuing to work. Or I can go straight to BSN (likely not working because I just don't think I can do it!) and hope to find a job with tuition reimbursement.

And then hen there's the fact that I'd like to join the military or reserves. Then I'd need the BSN but there are no guarantees I would get a spot...

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I would think that the nursing curriculum for the ADN would be almost the same as the BSN, with the possible exceptions of Nursing Research and Community health classes... that said, unless the ADN program you are looking at is flexible in it's scheduling and allows you to take a class at a time instead of going full time, then I'm curious how you'll be able to work while going for the ADN but not the BSN.

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The adn is 2 years, and classes and clinicals are 3 days a week. Typically class days aren't a full day either.

The the bsn is 2 years worth crammed into 12 months, so it's truly full time. And that doesn't include studying.

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