AAS vs. BSN

Nursing Students General Students

Published

I'm in a BSN program right now and its super stressful because it is an extremely competative nursing program and I'm getting tired of dealing with professor politics. Anyway, I am considering transferring to the local community college and just getting an associates degree because I HATE school. Has anyone done this, or do you have an opinion on this? I kind of want to get through the BSN program because it would look GREAT on my resume because my school has a great reputation for good nurses, but do employers really care about where you went to school?

Dear OP,

being as you are only 21, you might want to try to look further down the road than just your next nursing job. Having a BSN will not only look great on your resume but will make you infinitely more marketable than an associate's degree. I would be willing to predict that you will not want to be a floor nurse forever. BSN's move into management positions more readily and like it or not (spare me the outcry here), the move in nursing is towards the BSN degree as an entry-level degree. Having more BSN prepared nurses is part of the push for Magnet designation. You may find an associate's degree is competitive now - it won't stay that way. If you changed to an associate program now, in 15 years, you may want to be spending time with your kids instead of going back to school OR you may want to go on for your master's instead of going back for RN-BSN OR you may want to switch out of the nursing field entirely. In which case the rest of the job market won't even look at you if you don't have a Bachelor's degree in something. So invest in your future and get the Bachelor's.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I live in an area where I had access to two ADN programs and two BSN programs. Having been an elementary ed major for 3.5 yrs in years past, any of the 4 options would have been a 2 yr program for me, so that was not a consideration. Two friends cinched it for me. One, a nurse practitioner/certified midwife and instructor at one of the schools, strongly advised me to choose one of the ADN programs....specifically one....as in her opinion, it has for years consistently produced the best nurses in the area. The other friend (these two don't know each other) has been an L&D nurse for years. She, too, suggested the same ADN program as she said that the new grads coming to her hospital from that program were generally better nurses (more knowledgable, hands-on, willing to work, confident) than the local BSN grads.

Now coming from a family where BSNs are a dime a dozen with a few master's thrown in for good measure, pride made me yearn for the BSN. But I would have been foolish to let pride override the sincere advice of my RN friends! And truth is, I have a couple of more friends who were ADN's that went on to get their BSNs and said they knew nothing more about nursing as a result. Management and theory of nursing, yes. But about being a good nurse, no. One said she wouldn't do it again if she had it to do over. Only raised her pay $1 per hour.

Ultimately, I may end up doing the RN to BSN. There are several online programs that make it very doable, and as the classes I'll be lacking are management and theory classes, I don't feel there's any need to have to actually sit in a classroom with other students to gain the knowledge. But first, I'll have to find some real need for the BSN, and as of now, I can't imagine ever wanting to be in management (my husband was in it for 12 yrs...it's not all it's cracked up to be!lol), so I don't know of what benefit the BSN would be to me.

For future students, when trying to decide between the two programs(ADN-BSN), my advice would be to talk a variety of nurses in your area and see which of the local programs produce good nurses. Then pick the school and program that fits your needs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

Please note, that while you are earning your BSN from scratch, you are not accumulating time in grade as an RN. This means, that when you start your first job as an RN, you will be marking "No Prior Experience" on your application right out of school.:o

I work full time in acute care as an RN and take fully NLN accredited online classes for my BSN at my leisure. Very, very do-able and easy on the pocketbook since my employer reimburses me for those classes that I take. Get on the web and search for online NLN approved BSN programs. There are many out there.

My recommendation is to get your RN. Work as an RN and take classes towards your BSN.:nurse: You had the patience to get this far in life, you can get where you want to go without breaking the bank if you play your cards right.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

can anyone help me please? i am a seasoned allied health care professional. i have been a CMA for 12 years, i have a clinical, administrative, amd teaching background. I have a associates degree in allied health, certified allied healthcare instructor w/ 6 years teaching experience. i have now hit the glass ceiling!! i want to know how i can apply my past achievments towards becoming a nurse as quickly as possible. do i go the lpn to rn route, do i go the asn to bsn route? i need some help here, because at my age time is of the essence!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Everyone gave some good valuable advice. I currently attend a University in california and I'm not as young as any of you. I have a very big family and I have been divorced for many years now. I have wanted to be a nurse my whole life. I have been going to school one class at a time and have got very burnt out. I want so bad to become a nurse. I thought maybe I should just go for my ASN. I don't currently have a job and never had a permanent job for more then one year. It's been hard and stressful. I was accepted into my local University this quarter and want to keep pushing forward to make my dream a reality. This Friday I had an appointment with an advisior who had advised me to get a least two minors. She said that my nursing classes will not be enough units to get any fiancial aid. She suggested that I minor in Sociology or Psychology to fill the gaps. She also said that I can double major. I don't know what to do!!! I can i get any advice out there. I'm getting very tried of school and I want to get started with some career. i don't have very many years to work. :confused:

I have to take extra classes to stay full-time for my scholarship as well. I'm getting a minor in Chemistry. I enjoy the topic and figured the knowledge will be useful as I go for my masters and need to take advanced pharmacology and pathophysiology.

Best of luck!!!

Peace,

CuriousMe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment