Is BSN harder than ASN?

[HeartsOpenWide]

Are BAN programs harder than ASN programs? I saw some one post that it is better to to an ASN program if you have kids, that a BSN would be too much. Is this because it is harder or because it is a longer commitment?

[krenee]

I also don't think it matters which one is HARDER, and honestly I doubt that one is substantially harder than the other. It just depends on your personal needs. For me it was a no brainer because the community college is cheaper, more convenient, and since it's a faster program I'll be working and bringing in income sooner - but, once I get through it and possibly a few years under my belt I intend to continue my education. If I were younger and had more money I might have gone with the BSN right off the bat.

Kelly

[Skrawberri]

It depends entirely on the school and your instructors.

I go to a well-known school in the south and I am in the BSN program. There is also a local community college that has an ASN program and I work at the hospital with some of the people that go to the CC. I actually think this particular CC is harder than my school. The CC tests differently (essays, fill in the blank, etc) and ALL of our tests are multiple choice scantron tests. We right a few more papers, but their projects are INSANE. Much more detailed than our projects are. The BSN program I go to is a piece of cake. I have never studied more than maybe 2 days before a test (ok, mostly the night before!) and I'm doing perfectly fine. We do get alot more clinical time though.

So like I said, it all depends!!

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

I think you could maybe find a consensus that BSN isn't harder per se, but more comprehensive.

I think few BSNs would argue that ADN's aren't 'smart enough' to go to a BSN program. That really isn't the thrust of the whole ADN/BSN debate anyway, although a few, very few do post to that intent.

Most people argue in favor of BSN that by having a more rounded education, a more 'comprehensive' education, that nursing would benefit, as a whole. More to the point, most of those that advocate for BSN-entry also advocate for ADN conversion to BSN.

Not harder. More comprehensive.

~faith,

Timothy.

(for the record for those of you new to the whole ADN/BSN debate on this site - ADN here.)

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

To me it seems easier to have it all in one--you study a system and study all the patho and pharm for the system and then move on. The BSN students jump around in their classes for example they might be studying the nervous system in Assessment class but be on the cardiology system in patho and the GI system in Pharm.

But again, yours is a case in point where there's becoming a very thin line between the ADNs and the BSNs with the ADNs getting the short end of the stick by being awarded the associates degree and doing so much work for three or more years to get it.

[RNBMT]

If someone's looking for anything that that involves the word "easy" nursing school is not for you regardless of BSN or ADN. It really depends on the person not the amount of time you want to dedicate or how many children one has. I completed my BSN with a yound child and all but went crazy. I had a friend who completed her ADN with small children at home and went equally crazy. However, I plan to further my education with a MSN and she prefers to remain a "floor nurse" or whatever you want to call it. As far as practice goes, in our institution, one cannot differentiate between a ADN or BSN. I work with wonderful ADN nurses who never took theory, ethical nursing, etc. but are highly involved in research and are very up to date in current trends. So once again, it's all difficult but well worth every minute regardless of what program one chooses

[CareFully]

I would actually recommend a BSN program over an ADN if you have children and here is why:

The BSN programs tend to break the courses up into smaller credit hour classes. For instance, you might have three 3-credit nursing classes one semester in a BSN. If you do poorly in one, you can retake that 3 credit course. If you do poorly in one aspect of an ADN program, you could fail a 9 credit course, and then your GPA may not be high enough to stay in the program. Furthermore, you are learning enough info to sit for the NCLEX in less time, making the program more accelerated.

[tech1000]

I'm doing ASN right now. I would have applied to BSN programs but didn't fulfill the math and science requirement to get in and I just wanted to start working. I think now having a BSN makes more sense because most jobs prefer it where I live. I'm planning on doing the RN-BSN bridge when I finish, which I'm doing all online at the college I'm at now. My ASN is at a state college though, which is one of the only colleges around here that does that. I think really the only difference is the extra classes, like leadership and research classes. I think the core clinical education is basically the same.

[syckRN]

I went for the BSN because once I had taken all of the prereqs for the local ADN program, I realized that it would be another two years for either program. Also I knew that I would eventually get an MS, so the BSN made the most sense for me. I DID get the MSN about 13 years later and am on to the PhD at long last....my dream!