Is it a good idea to get my Associate Degree in Nursing first then work towards my BSN?

[andylo_ve]

I'm currently going to Community College in California and am working on my prerequisite classes for nursing. I have one more semester left to finish.

The Nursing program to get my Associate Degree at my community college currently has a two year waiting list so I was planning on applying to UCDavis to complete my psychology major which will hopefully take two years so by the time I get my Bachelors in psychology I can start the Nursing Program at community college.

Also, after I get my Associate Degree in Nursing, I want to work towards my BSN at like Sacramento State or something like that.

Does this sound like a good idea? This is my plan as of now since every Nursing Program is so competitive nowadays.

[lth1123]

That plan sounds so expensive! One needs to be omitted I think. If you want a BA in psych, just leave the at ADN out. If you want the ADN, leave the BA in psych out. I see this post and see debt before i can even think of anything else. Ijs

[robynmjay]

A lot of the top hospitals like to see that new graduate nurses have their BSN. If money is not an issue, you could always complete you degree in psych and then attend an accelerated program in nursing (ABSN). But I strongly recommend just forgetting the ADN and going straight for the four year BSN. Some places do not require it, but for most of the hospitals, it is either mandatory or preferred as a new graduate nurse. It may mean waiting on the wait list, but you might save money and secure better jobs as an RN.

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

Why not transfer your prereq credits to the university and begin working on your BSN. It will also take about two years.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

It sounds expensive and will your financial aid cover your ADN if you have a bachelors degree? I would begin looking at different routes and seeing if you can get into a school quicker than your proposed school. Some BSN schools and some ADN schools have a shorter wait list or no wait list at all (everyone applies for a chance to start next semester). I hear California is a tough job market.

I personally did my ADN but was accepted fairly quickly. Then I went on and did my general education requirements for my BSN during the programs. After graduation, I took 4 months before starting my BSN and graduating that following December so I graduated 1 year later with a BSN.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

It depends on a number of factors: will you need to get a job in between? If yes, what's required to get one (move to a state that accepts diploma/AD nurses, work in LTC, etc.). Personally, I'm taking the track of associate degree nurse to BSN (and then hopefully MSN) for economic reasons. In our area, there are still a variety of locations that will hire diploma and associate degree nurses.