Bachelors in ???

TazziRN, RN · Mar 26, 2007

I am an ADN and I did not go on for a BSN. I don't need it. I love bedside nursing and have no intention of ever going into admin. There is no pay difference or difference in duties. BSNs are great if you ever plan on getting a position that requires it, otherwise it's a nice string of letters behind your name.

I had intended to go after my BSN until I realized that I like bedside nursing too much to ever give it up. It would be nice to have but unnecessary in my life.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2007

A word of caution....I have several friends who got bachelor degrees in other fields..."health administration" etc...only to later find out it did not substitute for a BSN requirement. Look at what you want to do or where you want to go. For me, a BSN was a godsend when I could no longer do floor nursing and got into community health. Without my BSN, I'd have had to fall back on my prior career.

SunnyAZRN · Mar 26, 2007

Thank you, Quickbeam, that is the type of info I am looking for... I am not sure what I want to do because for now I am happy. I just know that in the next 4-5 years I will probably be moving from this area and I want to be able to find a position I will enjoy. I know that bedside nursing is not what I want to do forever.

dan_haifa · Mar 26, 2007

Thank you, Quickbeam, that is the type of info I am looking for... I am not sure what I want to do because for now I am happy. I just know that in the next 4-5 years I will probably be moving from this area and I want to be able to find a position I will enjoy. I know that bedside nursing is not what I want to do forever.

Hi, SunnyAZRN,

I'm RN from Haifa, Israel. I began my BA-of-Nursing-Study in October last year. There are at last two aspects in academic studies, I think, a career and a comprehensive and deep understanding of problems and their solutions in our work. Additional, academic education open door to scientific career. I enjoy to learn in University, it is so interesting! May be, it is third aspect. :)

michelle1260 · Mar 26, 2007

Hello,

At first, I thought I wanted to get my BSN later. However, in the two years I have been in nursing (ADN), I have not been completely happy doing nursing. So I have plans to get my Bachelors in Clinical Laboratory Science instead.

Before, I went to nursing school, I worked as a lab assistant, loved it and miss doing the work and the lab environment.

Some people may think that I am crazy to want to work in the lab because they make less money than nurses but the stress level in the lab is alot lower than working as a nurse. The pay of bachelors degree clinical laboratory scientist is near the same is new grad RNs at the begining.

CruisingRN · Mar 26, 2007

Hi All!:smiletea2:
I am gearing up to start my Bachelors program but I have one problem.... I am an RN working at the hospital and right now I really like it. I work on a floor with an awesome Director and great staff. However, I'm not sure I want my Bachelors in Nursing. I was curious if any of you Associate degree nurses have gone on to get your Bachelors in something else and what did you decide on, why, and how did it work out for you? Thanks for any and all replies!

When I first got out of Nsg School in '96 I didn't see the point of getting the BSN... I was happy with myself and my skills and saw no reason...

then I decided I wanted to be a nurse practitioner (adult or family) so I started taking classes.

It was tough working, going to classes, etc.. so I took some time off and found myself in the travel business.

So now I work still as a nurse, and part time as a travel agent. It works for me.

The only reason I decided I had to have an advanced degree was if I was going for my MSN; do I need it now? No. I have no use for the degree for what I am doing now. I won't get paid anything extra, and the cost and time that would be needed just aren't worth it to me. And, it certainly won't make me any better of a nurse than I already am! :pumpiron:

Do what is best for you; doing it immediately after nursing school isn't the way to go in my opinion. You have to learn your profession inside and out, be confident and successful - and when you know where you are going in the field, you will know if you need those extra letters after your name! I'm not against advanced degrees, quite the contrary. However, I think that getting them just to 'have' them is no use to anyone.

Get your degree for a good reason, otherwise, keep up with current events and practices in nursing and you will do fine. Best of luck!

Happy Trails! Happy Sails!

A. Dieterich, RN

ready4crna? · Mar 26, 2007

I went ahead and got my BSN because of my life goals (advanced practice nursing.) My wife got hers in criminal justice and will be combining the ADN and BA in criminal justice to pursue a masters in forensics. the great thing about being a nurse is, you can combine your nursing backround and pursue nearly any field. I would echo the earlier poster's comment about researching what you want to do ultimately, as the money and time involved in getting a BSN may not be worth it if you want to go into marine biology:).

WolfpackRed · Mar 26, 2007

I am in a BSN program about to graduate in 6 weeks and I find it curious that there appears to be such discouragement that she wants to extend her education and attain her bachelor's. I have worked with numerous BSN's and some MSN's who were happy at the bedside. Having a higher degree does not destin you to administration. If she, her patients, and the community are better served by her advancing her degree, then why should we suggest she not pursue it?

MiaNJ · Apr 13, 2007

Thank you, Quickbeam, that is the type of info I am looking for... I am not sure what I want to do because for now I am happy. I just know that in the next 4-5 years I will probably be moving from this area and I want to be able to find a position I will enjoy. I know that bedside nursing is not what I want to do forever.

I just got my BSN in nursing, which was a second BA for me. I plan to eventually get my MSN though, later on. It depends where you live, but in some hospitals I've checked, they do pay a bit more for a BSN RN. Though not all.

But another thing, if you really like nursing, there are many other areas in nursing that you can get into, that have nothing to do with bedside nursing. But many of these may require a BSN.

Another problem if you get a totally unrelated Bachelors- there's not too many Bachelor degrees that end up in 'professional' careers or jobs with alot of oppty, unless you go further and get a Masters.

Unless it's something like accounting, engineering, something technical or science related, then it's not really going to get a much better job than what you have now, in terms of pay, since you also have to start from the bottom.

Unless you still want to stay within nursing, then it makes sense to get a BSN, and not all BSNs end up doing bedside forever. That's what we learned in school. that there's SO many options for nurses now, and even more if you have a BSN. Not necessarily in administration either.

Just keep in mind that unless you get a BA in a science/technical type of degree, it's may not be so lucrative or high opptortunies of jobs, unless you go and get a Masters.

For ex. a BA in Business is not so lucrative or full of good careers unless you get an MBA. Same with any social science.

Bluehair · Apr 13, 2007

I graduated with my ADN in 1979, and am just now starting my BSN. I never saw a need for it. I too loved bedside nursing and no one ever compensated you for the degree. Currently I am in a management positon, and they never even asked if I had it. But as I look forward, I see positions I would be interested in and they will not consider me (28 years of experience and all) with out the BSN, so back to school I go. I traveled (as in moved to Australia, spent time in Asia and Africa, etc., not travel nursing) for years and focused on the things I loved. Still doing that, really, because the things I want to in the not too distant future compel me to move forward with BSN.