How far up the ladder can you go with an Associate Nursing degree?

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Hi, I'm new to the site, and am wanting to know (from an experienced nurse), how far an RN with an ADN can go up the ladder vs. an RN with a BSN.... or is basically the same, i.e. nurse practitioner, and so on?

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Hello and welcome to the family of allnurses. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.
Hi, I'm new to the site, and am wanting to know (from an experienced nurse), how far an RN with an ADN can go up the ladder vs. an RN with a BSN.... or is basically the same, i.e. nurse practitioner, and so on?

Welcome to allnurses!

Basically, you would want a BSN (at least) if you want to get into hospital managment. For upper level managment, most large hospitals require you to be at least working on your masters degree. For teaching, it's the same. You need to have your BSN to begin working toward your practitioner degree.

That being said, in smaller hospitals and/or nursing homes, you don't necessarily need a BSN to get into management. I have my ADN and have worked as a supervisor, manager and clinical reimbursement coordinator.

If you want to be able to move up to a practitioner level, you need your BSN before you can even start. It's all up to you and what your situation is at this time as to how much schooling you can do at this point.

Good luck, and again, welcome!

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I think that if you want to go further towards being an NP, you will have to go back to school. Depending on where you live, usually a BSN is required for any management position. However, once you have your ADN, you might be able to go straight for your Masters.

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As far as your imagination and drive can take you.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Hi, I'm new to the site, and am wanting to know (from an experienced nurse), how far an RN with an ADN can go up the ladder vs. an RN with a BSN.... or is basically the same, i.e. nurse practitioner, and so on?

Depends upon your locale AND desire.

To be NP, you must be MSN. You can go into the legal aspect of nursing with ADN and climb the ladder to total financial freedom. Takes alot of ingenuity, time and patience.

Like the above post stated, just about as far as your imagination allows.

Siri

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think it depends on where you are. Smaller hospitals in this area use ADN's as managers. There's a couple of managers and even one house supervisor in my RN to BSN classes that are ADN nurses enjoying management positions in various parts of the country (I do to an online school).

The hospital I'm in the ADN nurses work at the bedside or in charge nurse positions. Case management, educator, wound care, and management positions beyond the charge nurse are available only to BSN nurses or beyond.

However, nurse practioner positions are not available to ADNs or BSNs.

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I think that if you want to go further towards being an NP, you will have to go back to school. Depending on where you live, usually a BSN is required for any management position. However, once you have your ADN, you might be able to go straight for your Masters.
ou

Hi USFbsn2b: do you know of any schools here in Florida that do BSN to masters online, by any chance?

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If you want to be able to move up to a practitioner level, you need your BSN before you can even start.
Not sure about NP specifically, but there are some programs in some places where you can transition strait from ADN to MSN without having to complete BSN in between.
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Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.
Not sure about NP specifically, but there are some programs in some places where you can transition strait from ADN to MSN without having to complete BSN in between.

Really? That's good to know. I'm not interested in going back to school right now, but in the future, that might be something that I can look into. I can't see myself doing bedside nursing forever (although I love it), I'm just not sure what I'd want to do in the future.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
ou

Hi USFbsn2b: do you know of any schools here in Florida that do BSN to masters online, by any chance?

Check FSU. I know they did have RN-BSN online. Georgia Southern at Statesboro has RN-MSN (NP) online.

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Hi, I'm new to the site, and am wanting to know (from an experienced nurse), how far an RN with an ADN can go up the ladder vs. an RN with a BSN.... or is basically the same, i.e. nurse practitioner, and so on?

ADN:

Depends on where you work, outside of the medical hospital you can do a lot;

Director of Nursing

Assistant director of nursing

unit manager

at

LTC

Assistive Living Facilities

Mental Hospitals

you do not have to work at a medical hospital. There are other options.

BSN and above everything else. Depends on what you want to do, but remember the more education the more responsiblility you are given always...

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