IS BSN slower paced than ASN

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Just wondering this after reading all the horror stories about what hell nursing school is. Is a BSN program slower paced than an ASN since it is stretched out over a longer period of time? I am in a BSN program. I have the first two years to complete the pre-reqs and then enter the nursing program where it is only nursing courses for 2 years. It seems to me that an ASN could be more challenging in that you are compressing so much material into a shorter period of time ( granted you have more time in school with the BSN). I chose this program for many reasons but this was one of them. I have 3 kids, 7,6 and 20 months, and a slower pace would be more ideal for me even if it takes longer.

Do you think this is a fair assumption or am I way off?

"I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough. When I said the time frame was about the same, I was referring specifically to the nursing courses -- which take about the same amount of time in both ADN and BSN programs."

ok, now I am confused, how can the nursing courses be exactly the same but one is associates and one is bachelors. The Bachelors degree must be more than a few extra pre-reqs...right? I was under the understanding that if you have an ADN you would need another 18 months to get the BSN including more nursing courses.

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From what I've seen, the difference between BSN and ADN programs (in my area, at least) is more classes on leadership, research and community health in the BSN program. Everyone takes the NCLEX so it's mostly very similar classes.

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We have a whole year of additional nursing courses. Not all are clinical nursing courses but still they are still nursing courses. Community Nursing, being one of them, which does have clinical.

Well, I'm real happy for you. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything -- obviously, there are some differences among BSN programs (just as there are some differences among ADN programs) and your program has more nursing courses than many BSN programs do. I'm outa here.

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

let me tell you how long it took me on my ADN program from ''0' zilch, zero, nada credits to graduation:

day one started my first pre requisite in may 2008, started my core nursing classes 2 semester later in january 2009. after 4 semester of intense nursing core classes which i will break down for you:

jan-april

every week day and clinicals friday taking fundamentals and pharmachology

may-august

2 days a week (loonnng 6 hours) and 2 clinical days per week as well taking medsurge and OB

september-december 2 days per week (one six and one about 10 hour day) and 3 clinical day per week taking pediatrics, advance medsurge & critical care, as well as mental health.

jan-feb -

leadership and management 1 day of class, one shift at the hospice, 4 five hours seminar, plus 2 4 hour professional meetings and 2 clinical days per week

feb mar

preceptorship, one day of class, nine 12hour preceptorship, two hour seminar, and proof of 3000 nclex questions

mar-april,

4 days per week, taking a computer class that was not available on my first semester, also taking lifespan and development class, with nclex preparation

and april 28 PINNING CEREMONY !!!

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In my bsn nursing progam it is 7 quarters m-f 830 to 430 of only nursing courses and clinicals. Sounds intense!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

My experience in my BSN program:

Non-nursing courses:

General Psych

Developmental Psych

Chem 105

Chem 106

Anatomy

Biology 108

Physiology

Microbiology

Core 1 (4 credit gen ed)

Core 2 (4 credit gen ed)

Core 3 (4 credit gen ed)

Core 4 (4 credit gen ed)

Statistics (to satisfy math requirement)

English

Once accepted to program, you can take two nursing courses per semester. There are a total of 6 semesters of just nursing courses. Therefore, the NURSING portion of my program is 3 years long....a full year longer than ADN curriculum. Most of the nursing courses are 6 credits each. The gen eds (Core classes, math, english, etc) take a lot of time also, because they are very reading and writing intensive. Our nursing papers are also very strictly graded (APA format, nursing research based, etc), and LONG. We do lots of papers, powerpoint presentations, and our careplans and preps are the equivalent of a novel. We also take ATI assessments every semester, for each clinical course, and are required to score a certain percentile to proceed in the program. I think ADN and BSN programs are both intense, but being on the BSN side, I can tell you that it is certainly not slower paced.

Semester 1:

Foundations of therapeutic interventions

Intro to Nursing

Semester 2:

Fundamentals

Health Assessment

Semester 3:

Psych

Maternity

Semester 4:

Medsurg 1

Pediatrics

Semester 5:

Medsurg 2

Leadership

Semester 6:

Community health

Transitions

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Originally Posted by elkpark View Post

I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough. When I said the time frame was about the same, I was referring specifically to the nursing courses -- which take about the same amount of time in both ADN and BSN programs.

We have a whole year of additional nursing courses. Not all are clinical nursing courses but still they are still nursing courses. Community Nursing, being one of them, which does have clinical.

Well, I'm real happy for you. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything -- obviously, there are some differences among BSN programs (just as there are some differences among ADN programs) and your program has more nursing courses than many BSN programs do. I'm outa here.

I was simply pointing out that the BSN is longer via nursing courses after you tried to say the nursing courses specifically are the same. Which they are not. And my nursing program does not have more than the average BSN, all BSN programs, in my state at least, focus in research, leadership, and community in the last year.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
We have a whole year of additional nursing courses. Not all are clinical nursing courses but still they are still nursing courses. Community Nursing, being one of them, which does have clinical.

I was simply pointing out that the BSN is longer via nursing courses after you tried to say the nursing courses specifically are the same. Which they are not. And my nursing program does not have more than the average BSN, all BSN programs, in my state at least, focus in research, leadership, and community in the last year.

True. My program is the same as yours...and every other BSN program that I know of is set up similarly as well. I think many people are very misinformed about BSN programs, and that's unfortunate. :(

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Specializes in CVICU, CCU, Heart Transplant.
ok, now I am confused, how can the nursing courses be exactly the same but one is associates and one is bachelors. The Bachelors degree must be more than a few extra pre-reqs...right? I was under the understanding that if you have an ADN you would need another 18 months to get the BSN including more nursing courses.

I think when it came to clinicals we were definitely slower paced than the local ADN students. By the end of first semester, we were still practicing assessments while the ADN students were already doing invasive procedures such as Foley insertion and passing PO meds.

But, we definitely weren't sitting on our hands. In BSN education there is a larger focus on research and nursing theory. Every semester we had quite a few theory classes-- Intro to Nursing Research, Scholarly Inquiry in Evidence-Based Practice, legal issues in Nursing, Healthcare systems. The amount of paper writing is absurd.

Moral of the story: ADN or BSN, there is no such thing as a "Slow Paced" nursing program. :D

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BSN has more nursing classes than an ASN.ASN's integrate the philosophies of the individual BSN courses into their nursing clases. Each college/university, whether community or traditional has their own programs, and variances on a theme. Some schools have fall or spring only entrances. Using a linear timeline wont work for comparison. There is a lot of personal experience typed below, ignore it if you wish, I just hate to erase my typing. Bottom line, BSN covers more. Core requirements are essentially the same- as they are for most health programs, including paramedic, radiology, pharmacology, respiratory therapy etc. Even med school. The additional "core classes" for each program varies according to their theory of what is necessary for a graduate of that program to be professional and competitive. Don't forget that each state has standards that every program must adhere to, in addition to NLN and other accreditations.

In my area, most colleges have a stepping stone system. In theory, you could finish the nursing program in two years BUT only if you already had all the pre-reqs finished. My CC required Psych 101, speech 101, eng 101, mat (pre-calc or higher, or stats), A&PI&II, prior to entrance to the "nursing program"- meaning ONLY nursing courses; fundamentals, med surg I&II&III, ob, peds, psych, and case management/professional issues. We also had to take a nursing theory course, that covered dosages and calcs, history, theories, future of nursing, and ethical issues. Once we had passed that class, the previous pre-reqs and the nursing theory class were used to determine our competitive GPAs. That gave a ranking to all petitioners, top 60 got in. If people are tied, then their complete co-reqs (which had to be completed by the second semester of their nursing program- child psych and micro) and those GPAs were used. If still tied, then overall GPA was used. My school advertises a low limit of 2.7 for entrance into nursing program. Many people with 3.5 got rejections.

Some schools use chem and stats in addition to the above non-nursing classes. I busted my butt, because I knew I was going to do an RN-BSN program eventually, but I knew an ASN program was the most econmical choice, with the quickest route to getting on the floor as a nurse, in my situation. I went from 0 college credits to acceptance into my nursing program in 2 years. And I had to take remedial math (out of school for about 10 years!), if I hadn't I would have done it faster. But at that time, I had no kids, and DH worked a ton, so didn't miss me. I took 6 classes a semester, classes in the summer, and online classes after I had the baby. I am 3 pre-reqs + ASN away from admittance into a BSN program.

The BSN (and now maybe an RN>>MSN program) has an additional 6-8 courses, one or two of which require clinical attendance, the rest I can do online. I will get my ASN 4 years after starting with nothing. Theoretically I could have done the same thing for a BSN.

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