LPN, BA, MA

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have a question for anyone who can answer because I'm just not sure the lady I just spoke with at the Michigan Board of Nursing customer support really knows.

I will be graduating with my LPN diploma come September, but I already hold a Bachelors and Masters in Business. Couldn't go for RN because it was a full time day program and i work full time in the day. My question is do I go for my BSN or just the Associate RN? I really don't know which route to take. One of my teachers said for me to just do the RN since I already have my Bachelors and so did the lady at the State. What are your opinions? I see hospitals want to hire RN's with a BSN.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

If you see in your area that the hospitals are hiring BSN RNs, then you need to looking into BSN programs in the area; look into accelerated programs and work during the weekends, or part time programs where you can go into the evening and weekend doing courses; cast your net wide ands see what program fits for you based in your area.

Best wishes.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Depends on what kind of nursing you want to do.

Hospitals in my area (SW Michigan) are hiring ADNs (I have been one for three years and just got hired into a hospital a couple months ago, and we have a dozen new grads starting on my unit this summer), but they require that you get your BSN within five years of hiring on. So yes, they want BSNs, but they're also willing to let you work your way up to it.

I was able to get my ADN using a community college part-time program. If you have to work full time while going to school, this will probably be the easiest way for you to get your RN. (And definitely the cheapest!)

Once you've got your RN, you can get the BSN online (also easier when you're working full-time compared to going through a full-time program... and also cheaper than a full-time BSN program).

In the meantime, you can work PDN or LTC as an LPN and then as an RN to get some experience under your belt. This way, if you do have to have a BSN in order to get hired, you will be an experienced nurse who also has a BSN when you apply, versus a new-grad BSN.

But definitely CHECK AROUND to see if BSNs are really required in all hospitals in your area. I haven't heard anything of the sort, and I'm only a couple hours away from you. Seeing "BSN preferred" in a job posting is not the same thing as "only hiring BSNs"...

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That's what I was thinking too. Even though I have a Bachelors, its not in nursing, so i'll find something that fits my schedule!

Thanks

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