Is a double major, BSN/BSW worth it?

[caw100]

Hi all!

I am a nursing student at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA. I started my junior year at the beginning of the semester, however due to medication reactions I lost my medical clearance for clinicals and was unable to get it back in time. In the mean time, to avoid taking a year off, it was suggested to me to pick up a social work major. I have for the remainder of this semester. However, I am somewhat bored with the classes, I think mainly due to the fact that we are learning a lot of counseling and such. The majority of the classes seem like review to me. If i stay with the double major I will graduate in Fall 2014. If I drop the social work major, I will graduate in the spring of 2014. My mother is a nurse and is telling me that the second degree will benefit me not only professionally but in terms of money. What I want to know is all of your opinions on this matter? Will staying for one more semester to get a second degree in social work be worth it when I can already be working as a nurse?

CAW

[Peetz, BSN]

One more semester for another degree? Absolutely!! You may regret it down the road, get it done and if you never use it, better to have it than need it and not have it.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

In my opinion, this second degree will not benefit you much.

Since the market for nurses is so tight, and a lot of nurses are second-degree nurses, having a second bachelors isn't that uncommon. Since jobs are so competitive, having a second degree isn't going to get you more money, because if you aren't willing to accept the base salary, there are plenty of people that are. What employers are concerned about is your nursing degree (ADN or BSN) and your nursing experience. Everything else is such a far second it barely counts.

Also, if you do decide you want to do social work, the degree you'll need (for a good job and competitive salary) is an MSW. You don't need a BSW to get your masters. You just need a bachelors. I have a friend who graduated with a BA in Spanish and went back for her MSW. So if you do decide to pursue this road, the BSW will just mean you don't have to take most of the social work prerequisites.

That's just my opinion. Do what's best for you!

[ICU_RN2]

It would benefit you in the future if say you decide to do Case Management down the line. A lot of our nurses at my old facility transitioned into Case Management positions - still interact with patients, families & physicians, however you get out of the bedside yet still get to have an impact. The working hours are a huge plus too!

The previous poster is right, however...it won't necessarily make you stand out among other candidates for your first nursing job. But further jobs down the road it might do just that!

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

I would go for it. If not you probably have enough credits for a minor but it would be nice and certainly more marketable if you had both as majors. As far as standing out ... of course you'll stand out with both degrees. A nurse with the ability to transfer over to SW; nice.

[jessrn78]

I have 2 other BS degrees. I took the ADN route because I didn't think I needed another BS degree. Sadly, in the nursing world, my other degrees mean 0. I am now in a RN-BSN program to get my 3rd BS degree.

If it is only 1 more semester, why not? You never know what might be useful in the future. I at least know that I have 2 other degrees to fall back in the event I change my mind in the future.

[caliotter3]

I would go ahead and do it. If nothing else, you can use the double major to beef up your resume so it stands out from those who only have their nursing degree.

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

I have an MSW. . .which I never had the opportunity to use. It's harder to get a social worker job. At one hospital where I worked, a social worker with an MSW made around $16/hr, a dietician with only a bachelors made $16/hr, and an RN with only an associates/diploma made $20. I wouldn't do it, but do what you think is right.