does it make a real difference adn/bsn?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in hoping to be mother/baby nurse.

hi, i have a question. i am currently taking preqs for ns and can not decide which way to go as far as adn or bsn. i am curious in the real nursing world do bsn nurses have more oppurtunities than adn nurses? i am really not interested in management i just want to be a floor nurse in l&d or maybe a psych unit my options are definitely open. thanks for the response. :confused:

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I will make a prediction this post will be moved. To the OP, this is a logical question that has many answers. Great question.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

If you do a search you will find many various threads on this topic. :)

Best of luck!

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Specializes in Trauma/E.R./ ICU.

The question is:

Will it make a difference for you? You have to decide.

In my experience there are more open doors for a nurse with a BSN.

However, if you know that you definitely do not want to go on- maybe an ADN is best for you. Also- should you want to get your BSN later- You have the option of doing a BSN completion program after you get your ADN. I will guarantee you, however, that there are more opportunities other than just management should you obtain a BSN. You will need to research what those opportunities are, and how you want to proceed. As a final note- and this is just from personal experience, sometimes after getting through school it is hard to go back and start school again. That being said, do you have to fortitude to go back to get your BSN after you have been out of school for awhile (should you obtain your ADN first.)

Again- All very personal decisions that need to be viewed within the context of your personal circumstances.

What is really important: You want to be a Registered Nurse. That is awesome. There are lots of opportunities for RN's period.

No matter what- Good luck and get going! :yeah:

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In my personal experience ADN are not allowed to start in pscy right after graduation. My work requires a year of experience in any area for ADN's. Some of my friends who graduated with a BSN they were offered new grad positions in L&D (not just mother baby) as well. Other friends who graduated with an ADN did not receive offers for new graduate positions on L&D or mother-baby units, but were told to work med-surg for a year before applying.

My current job (I've been there about 6 months) they were already talking about making me the shift manager of my unit with a year when I was hired. So they do tend to push management for BSN nurses at my work.

In terms of pay there is almost no difference. (I make more than most ADN's in terms of actual work experience) For example I've worked there 6 months and make the same as a ADN nurse w/ one year med-surg and 6 months at my workplace.

Another aspect in my area (Spokane,Wa) is that my school (WSU) graduates get offers from everywhere. I was offered a job in Seattle, Reno, Maui, and various places in California(5 different hospitals all told). I had one friend go to John's Hopkins. But my other friends from the community college were hard pressed to find jobs other than in the area, although that school recently lost it's accreditation.

What ever you chose I think ADN nurses get more experience and are more comfortable with actual skills and time management than BSN nurses. BSN nurses tend to see the whole patient in terms of discharge, teaching, and actually what the patient needs to be ok with being sick.

Anyhow I hope this helps.

DaMaleNurse

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Simply put yes the BSN will give you more opportunities now and even more in the decades ahead of your nursing career. There are many career paths that a BSN will open for you that has nothing to do with management.

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All this for a couple more public health classes? If you were sick, would you rather have an ASN with 15 years of experience or a BSN with six months under her/his belt?

BSN's are great, but has little to do with the vocation of nursing.

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Yes, having your BSN will open more doors for you, but not in relation to bedside care and not in all areas. ADNs and BSNs all start on the same level when they are new grads, one does not know more than the other. There are places that require a BSN for any admin position, others do not. Many facilities do NOT require ADNs to have experience before going into specialty units, and many require ALL new grads to have experience first.

If you're unsure, I suggest going the ADN route, you can always bridge to a BSN later and be working as an RN in the meantime.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.
All this for a couple more public health classes? If you were sick, would you rather have an ASN with 15 years of experience or a BSN with six months under her/his belt?

BSN's are great, but has little to do with the vocation of nursing.

i would rather have any nurse that is competent and able to deliver safe care. just because a person has 15 years under their belt does not mean they are the best people for the job (trust me i see it everyday). education is just that...education. what you do with it and how you apply it is a personal decision. the more education you have the more opportunities are opened to you, no matter what career you choose and nursing is no exception.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
i would rather have any nurse that is competent and able to deliver safe care. just because a person has 15 years under their belt does not mean they are the best people for the job (trust me i see it everyday). education is just that...education. what you do with it and how you apply it is a personal decision. the more education you have the more opportunities are opened to you, no matter what career you choose and nursing is no exception.

Well said.

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Well said.

I can't argue with that. Again, well said.

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