Is my Bachelors degree in another field useful in nursing??

katyq82 · Mar 7, 2018

I am in the same position as you, I have a B.A. and will graduate with an A.S.N. in May. From everyone I have spoken with it does NOT help to have a Bachelor's in another field as far as job considerations. It should make getting a BSN faster though!

Cindyel, ASN, RN · Mar 7, 2018

I am in the exact same boat. I graduate in May of â€˜19 and I already have a BS in Management. It will take about 10 classes online to convert the RN-BSN. I wish it was not required, but most of the feedback I have been getting is that it will likely be.

erogersii · Mar 7, 2018

I kinda figured as much, I still plan to go for a BSN, but I will probably space out my classes a bit to not have so much homework. Thanks all for the comments!!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Mar 8, 2018

A BS in another field does not equal a BSN.

erogersii · Mar 8, 2018

Thank you for your post, I understand that it is not equal to a BSN. Since there are a few of us on this post in the same situation, could you give us some insight on the differences between the ASN and BSN programs.and how it prepares you to be a better nurse.

OliverElio87, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2018

Thank you for your post, I understand that it is not equal to a BSN. Since there are a few of us on this post in the same situation, could you give us some insight on the differences between the ASN and BSN programs.and how it prepares you to be a better nurse.

As far as being a competent nurse, there's no difference. Hospitals want Magnet status and in-order to attain that status I believe a certain amount of nurses need to be BSN or higher. I also have a BA in another field and it has not helped me in anyway with nursing. I have friends who finished with an ASN and could not even apply to certain hospitals, even with a previous bachelors, because it was BSN or MSN only.

Oldmahubbard · Mar 8, 2018

Unfortunately, your previous non-nursing bachelor's degree is pretty worthless. You will have some credits that may transfer, but not that many. The BSN program is rather specific.

Do I believe BSN makes a better nurse? Not at all.

It is all part of educational encroachment that has been going on for years. Degree inflation.

Some of it was needed, but a lot of it was nonsense.

Not just in nursing.

Today's Master's degree is the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree 40 or 50 years ago.

Now, all kinds of people are getting a meaningless "Dr" in front of their name.

My opinion only.

MedLove, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 9, 2018

In my case it did!!! I've been a nurse for 3 years in CA. I have a BS in Psychology from a top University and my hospital (a large CA hospital) liked it. I am currently enrolled in a MSN, FNP program at a university. I had to take a couple classes to "bridge" but was not required to take the entire BSN upper division line up.

So, to say it's "worthless", I strongly disagree.

Only my 2 cents ðŸ˜Š

oh- and I was not enrolled in MSN when I got hired. I just started the program this year.

Hope that helps.

Oldmahubbard · Mar 9, 2018

I can understand that you already had statistics and developmental psych, but I am not sure how you totally bypassed all the BS courses.

And most of them are pretty much BS courses.

It has been a long time, but I had to take some 8 or 10 courses.

Absolutely no school anywhere confers a BSN with just a couple of transfer classes. No legitimate school.

They should, but every school has a minimum of course work you must complete with them. And it is fairly substantial, no matter how much other course work you may have elsewhere.

And yes, it's a money making gimmick. Are you surprised?

The courses are probably being rolled into your new degree.

MedLove, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 10, 2018

You have to do research before you say these things.

I went to UCLA- and now I'm in a MSN, FNP at a State university in California. So you are not correct. It's not a "money maker" its a public university.

Psychology is a "science" major and there are many research classes.

The only classes I had to take were community health.

I will not gain a "BSN" but I will end with an MSN. UCSF also has a similar program for those with bachelors in other areas.

Do research before making such a bold statement that what I am saying is not so.

deleern · Mar 13, 2018

I had a AA in Business administration and an AA in psychology and my RN, I am employed in administration at a behavioral Health hospital. In a job like mine they have a stipulation that states you must acquire a BSN in 5 years. In my case they have waived this requirement due to my life experience.