I don't understand the diff between ADN & BSN????? Help!!!

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An ADN is a so called "two year degree". But it consists of 1 year of pre reqs and 2 years of nursing school. The BSN is 2 years of pre reqs and 2 years of nursing school? So what's the difference if they are both two years of nursing school(not including the pre requs)???? I'm Confused??:confused:

Most people don't understand the difference until they receive their BSN or higher. According to the ANA, the ADN is a technical nurse. BSN is a professional nurse. Graduate nurses are advanced practice nurses, and PhD or now DNP are nurse scholars or doctorate nurses. With each degree comes a higher level of understanding of the theory and science of nursing. MSN and PhD focus on research and advanced skills which actually make nursing a science. I have my ADN, BSN, MSN, and soon PhD. I am grateful that I have pushed myself to go farther because it has been a very rewarding experience each time.

ADN might enable you to do a good job at the bedside, but that is as far as the training was meant to take you. I know in many of the hospitals around my area, they are quietly placing only BSN clinical students on their floors since many new grads will work at the hospitals they did their clinical rotations in and this ensures a higher BSN level mix which is important for magnet status.

Are you being serious????:lol2: Sorry but any new grad (BSN or not) is basically clueless once they hit the floor running.

And the magnet status comment made almost choke on my breakfast tea.....oh pleezzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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Specializes in cardiac, ICU, education.
Are you being serious????:lol2: Sorry but any new grad (BSN or not) is basically clueless once they hit the floor running.

And the magnet status comment made almost choke on my breakfast tea.....oh pleezzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I didn't think the original author was asking purely about new graduates and their comfort level. One doesn't get a degree just based on how they will feel 'day one' on the job.

Also, what is your question about magnet status? One of the criteria for acceptance is s a high level of BSN practice nurses on the floor. Anyone can be "clueless" their first day, but it is the practice levels months or years later that matter. Magnet status celebrates nursing, not medicine, or any other discipline.

LOL at my post is your prerogative, but the rest of health care doesn't exactly take us seriously either. PA, PT, OT, Social worker, pharmacist; none of our other complimentary providers has an associate degree. Unless you consider OTA, PTA, paramedic, etc. All the assistants must have a associate degree.

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm sorry, msn10, but associate degreed nurses are more than "technical", more than just task-oriented robots, which is what your statement implied, at least to me. General education courses for a BSN don't make you a more "professional" nurse, it just means you have a broader educational base in general.

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Please, keep comments civil and respectful. If this turns into the typical ADN vs. BSN slugfest, the thread will not last long, and that would be disservice to the OP.

It might be good to concentrate on things like amount of time spent doing various components of education and other practicalities. Seems like this topic almost always implodes when it veers off into the worth of one type of nurse over another.

Do we really need this kind of conflict when there are so many others willing to bash us? In the words of Rodney King, can't we all just get along?

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I'm sorry, msn10, but associate degreed nurses are more than "technical", more than just task-oriented robots, which is what your statement implied, at least to me. General education courses for a BSN don't make you a more "professional" nurse, it just means you have a broader educational base in general.

I believe she was quoting the ANA in her statement, which is one that I have read in other literature as well.

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Specializes in cardiac, ICU, education.
I'm sorry, msn10, but associate degreed nurses are more than "technical", more than just task-oriented robots, which is what your statement implied, at least to me. General education courses for a BSN don't make you a more "professional" nurse, it just means you have a broader educational base in general.

I have an ADN and I teach ADNs. I also believe I know the difference.

I didn't say they were robots and I didn't imply that. I am quoting many different sources. I base my statements on research. If you are interested the ANA has a paper on career entry for nurses which does a very good job of differentiating the different levels. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/vol132008/No3Sept08/CareerEntryPoints.aspx

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All I get is BSN's are more likely to peruse MSN level education. Unfortunately, the MSN and the newer DNP are not the end all in education IMHO. All bloviating aside, I think many would agree that in many cases both programmes fail to produce entry level nurses who are truly ready for the realities of modern medicine.

The focus should be on producing good entry level providers regardless of the degree they obtain upon completion of their respective programme.

I am wearing my asbestos undies, so no worries...

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Specializes in LTC.
I have an ADN and I teach ADNs. I also believe I know the difference.

I didn't say they were robots and I didn't imply that. I am quoting many different sources. I base my statements on research. If you are interested the ANA has a paper on career entry for nurses which does a very good job of differentiating the different levels. http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/vol132008/No3Sept08/CareerEntryPoints.aspx

I'm sorry, it was a knee-jerk reaction, and I came out of the gate brandishing a very tiny fist. :lol And thanks for the link, msn, I will read it and come down off my high horse.

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Specializes in LTC.

Do we really need this kind of conflict when there are so many others willing to bash us? In the words of Rodney King, can't we all just get along?

I'm sorry that I came out swinging. It won't happen again on this thread. :heartbeat

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I think many would agree that in many cases both programmes fail to produce entry level nurses who are truly ready for the realities of modern medicine.

The focus should be on producing good entry level providers regardless of the degree they obtain upon completion of their respective programme.

Regardless of educational program, I recommend that whenever possible, nursing students work as techs, interns, externs or any other job that will get them out on the floor in a real-world environment. The difference between doing such jobs and participating in clinicals is that in clinicals, you're pretty much a duckling, needing your instructor or preceptor to assist or observe your actions every step of the way. When you're in one of the above-mentioned jobs, you have a level of independence that can teach you a lot about time management and organization. I learned much in my stint as a nurse tech (in the summer before my last year of school) that I didn't get in clinicals.

There is also a new opportunity in some places--a nursing residency. This is an in-depth program designed to promote retention and keep new grads and orientees from freaking out and quitting in despair or overload. It can last as long as the entire first year, well past orientation into the months when a new nurse is on her own and wondering what she has gotten herself into. The ones I Googled included job coaching, teaching days, and other options to help new nurses get in the groove.

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There is one big difference once you graduate from school and try and work in a hospital. I know where I am most of the hospitals are magnet recognized hospitals. Those hospitals hire new graduate nurses with a BSN or BS from a nursing program, and not ADNs. Some of the hospitals are having thier current ADNs go back and get their Rn-BSN degree.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5079956_benefits-bachelors-degree-nursing.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/magnet-status-115638.html

If you want to work in a hospital when you graduate you should look and see what the hospitals in your area are doing and if they have magnet recognition or if they are in the process of obtaining magnet recognition. If so you might want to consider the BSN route.

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I work at a magnet hospital that employs many ADNs. As far as I know, there is no push to get a BSN, although there are opportunities for tuition assistance if one wants to go this route.

Magnet status does not eliminate ADN or diploma nurses. It merely asks for a percentage of the staff to have their BSN.

It is true that in a tight economy employers can afford to be more "choosy" about whom they hire. But when financial conditions pick up, there could well be a mass exodus of nurses who put off retirement, who want to cut back to part-time hours, who returned to nursing because a spouse or partner was laid off, etc. When that happens, there will be a huge vacuum to fill and we'll start talking about the shortage again.

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