Hiring Manager Asked About BSN

[BoJo27]

Hello!

I am a baby nurse (first semester RN student) and I am applying for a job as PCT. My medical experience is limited to my schooling. I recently heard back from the HR department. He said that one of the managers of the floor I applied to asked when I am getting my BSN. I am unsure how to answer that as I thought I had to complete my RN before I could even start working on my BSN. What kind of answer are they looking for? Can I start working on it prior to graduating with my ADN?

[llg, PhD, RN]

You have lots of different options -- and the best way to handle this situation is simply to tell the truth. What are your career plans? Do you plan on going back to school immediately after graduating with your ADN so that you would get your BSN about 2 years later? Or do you plan on waiting a couple of years? Or do you plan on never getting a BSN? Just tell them what you are planning for your career timetable.

The BSN is an "entry-level" degree. There are many pre-licensure BSN programs. A student can enter one immediately after high school, without any special experience or qualifications beyond a high school diploma. There are other BSN programs that accept students who have already earned an ADN or Diploma in Nursing.

You have chosen to obtain an ADN as your first step in your RN education. When you complete your ADN program, you will be eligible to take the state RN licensing exam to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN). The exam is called the NCLEX-RN. You can then choose whether or not you want to further your education with a BSN academic degree.

But other students choose to start with a BSN program. When they graduate, they will need to take the same NCLEX exam to become an RN -- but they will already have the higher academic degree of BSN.

Does that make sense? A person is an RN because they passed the NCLEX -- and people can take that exam after completing an academic program of study. But there are a couple of different types of academic programs that you can take that qualify you to take the NCLEX test (ADN, DIPLOMA, BSN, ABSN, MSN, etc.).

Good luck! Just tell the HR what your plans are.

[JKL33]

Not really. Typically you choose a BSN program or else an ADN program and then a ADN-BSN bridge program.

It sounds like they are interested to know either a) how long you will remain interested in working in a PCT role or b) when they might be able to hire you as a nurse. It also seems like this question may be being asked without the recollection that you are in an ADN program. So that the manager might not have been asking about the BSN specifically but rather, "when will she be an RN?"

Best not to assume what people mean - you could ask HR for clarification. Or I guess you could just answer the question as asked by stating that you will pursue that after graduating with your ADN (if that's your general plan).

Good luck ~