Is it looked down on if you go for BSN full time after graduation instead of working?

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I just graduated from an ADN program in May and passed boards and I am enrolled in an RN BSN program. I want to go full time and just get it over with. But on the other hand, I am 24 years old and have no real work history. So my dilemma is if I should enroll part time for the BSN while working or if I should enroll full time for my BSN while either not working or working part time (if anyone even hires new grads part time). What do you guys think? Is it seen as "lazy" if you get your BSN immediately after your ADN on a full time basis? There's also the issue of skills declining because I'm not working and BSN programs don't have you practice skills. So I'm afraid of being considered a "stale grad" if I don't find a job right away.

Any input from former ADN grads? What do you think?

Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
The thing is I really hate the areas where the jobs are. One is very rural, about an hour from a small city and about 5 hours from anywhere substantial. I won't know anybody there. :/

Oh come on...man up!

Nursing is not for the faint of heart.

Be glad that you even HAVE a job offer. There are thousands of new grads that are willing to relocate.

I am sure they wouldn't know anyone at any of those jobs.

I did a travel assignment in 2002... it was 3,000 miles from my home...I didn't know anyone there either!

I did after the first shift however, and although I am no longer in that state, I still consider many of those people my friends.

You do not have to stay at that job...or any job for that matter...you DO have to get a reasonable amount of nursing skills under your belt, so you can perform this job anywhere at anytime!

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See if you can get a prn or very part time position, something so you can practice your skills as you continue your education. I'm assuming here that you are going to go ahead and take the NCLEX. At least where I work no one is going to look down on anyone for going to school.

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Already passed boards. I would try to look for a job in the area I want to live in, closer to my family. I would be happy with LTC, if I can find it.

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Why not then go RN-MSN? Skip BSN! unless that's what you want.

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Getting an MSN without experience is odd.

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I'm not trying to be superior, I'm just saying that for a new grad, acute care experience IS the best situation. You use more skills in acute care than home health or LTC, it pays more, and a hospital is more likely to help pay for your RN-BSN than an LTC facility or home health. Any new grad who goes straight into HH or LTC runs the risk of losing some of their skills and then never being able to make the transition to acute care and may not ever be able to leave LTC or HH. If you do it the other way around, acute care first and then possibly LTC or HH down the road, you retain your skills and have far more options.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

just go for it. it wouldn't be any different if you would have gone into a bsn program to begin with. you are still in student mode and that's important.

*** actually it will be very different than is she had gone to a bsn program to begin with. she will no longer be considered for any new grad positions and yet will have no experience. it will be a bad position to be in.

as far as your skills going sour ... you do clinical in the bsn program also so you won't suffer there. ?who told you bsn program doesn't do clinical? is that a joke?

*** there are no clinical in the the bsn programs. some have what they call clinical but it is more like following a nurse manager around for a week or something. rn to bsn programs are designed for rns who are working or have significant work experience this no need for clinical.

two things to the op. i wouldn't worry about your "skills" going stale. you hardly learn any in nursing school anyway. you might consider what your protentail boss might think of you requiring full time to do a program speciificaly desined to be done by working rn. what does that tell them about you? also you will not be qualified for any new grad positions of you wait.

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A combination of reasons. I decided late in the year to go to nursing school and an ADN program was the only location still admitting people in my area. Otherwise I would have gone into a BSN program. I also had a lot of pre-reqs to take that the ADN program let me take concurrently in the nursing program.

I also originally planned to work while working on my BSN but to put it simply, I might change my mind. I didn't lose any time by going this route, if that's what you're hinting at. As in, if I go full time for my BSN now, I will finish in the same time it would have taken if I went traditional BSN without the ADN.

Does that answer your question?

Fair enough! I understand that we all have plans change; I really was just genuinely curious as to why you hadn't just started out with the BSN. In this case, I think it's excellent that you have the ADN in the event that you aren't able to finish your BSN. And congrats on the job offers!

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Specializes in Oncology, Psych, Corrections.
Most RN to BSN programs don't have a clinical component. How would places be able to offer an online RN to BSN program if there were clinicals? The exception are those that have like a 45 hour volunteer component.

I'm doing my BSN online but I still have clinicals that I have to complete in my own free time...granted they can be at my current place of employment. Good luck to ya!!! :)

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I didn't do clinicals in my RN to BSN program. Well, except for community health. It was pretty much expected that we worked during the program, because we drew on our work experiences for classroom projects and discussions. But no, we didn't repeat clinicals already done in the ADN program.

I find it hard to believe that experience is not a prereq since that was the whole premise behind the development of the RN to BSN program. Schools wants the $$.

Getting an MSN without experience is odd.

I find it odd to get a RN to BSN degree without RN experience.

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Never continue education in something like nursing until you know:

1. you currently have employment in that profession

2. you see yourself growing with that profession

3. you actually like what you do, and "want" more

4. you make enough money to front the costs of that edu if and until you receive reimbursement for it

5. you have the ability to do well with that level edu - if you've never gone to a university prior, it is different if you plan to continue through a great one.

...and finally, just because you continued your edu, you don't automatically get considered for that acute care job you felt you would be considered for if only you had your BSN or MSN. Still, it only matters if you know the right people.

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Yeah, decided to take the full time job. Will do BSN part time on the side.

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