how much time ADN vs BSN?

fssmith · Apr 30, 2004

I just got into nursing school and it when I graduate it will be considered a five year journey. First off I applied to all of the nursing programs and had to take what I could get, I also took all of the other classes that I needed for a BSN(English, History, etc.) so that when I get out of school I can do the ADN to BSN in nine months, and most of the classes are online. Meaning I can work and let the hospital pay for me to do the BSN. So really when you add it up it will be about 6 years but when I look at it I started when I was 18 and will be a 24 when I'm completely done. According to my dad that is the age when people are ready for the real world anyway(he think that anyone under that age with no kids or husband are daddy begging, pitiful, spoiled daddy's girl's and I would have to agree- or it may just be me) Anyways take all of the classes that you need for the BSN and do what you need to do. No matter how long it takes it will be worth it in the end!!

angel337, MSN, RN · Apr 30, 2004

if this is your first degree, don't waste your time spending 5 years in a community college when you can have a bsn in the same amount of time. i know everyone has their opinion about what is the best route to go but think of it this way, when you start working do you think you will really want to go back for a bsn? probably not. this is what frustrates many people because you get comfortable in your new job and now you have to go back for a bachelors? and like someone else said on this board there are a lot of jobs (not just administrative/management) that require a bsn, so if you can accomplish that you will be one happy camper. i finished my bsn in three years because i took classes at community college as well as the university and i went during the summer. i had an associates science degree prior so some of those credits transferred over. i don't regret it one bit. i really enjoyed my learning experience at the university. it was well worth it. good luck :)

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2004

I'm sorry, but why on earth would it take 5 years to get your ADN?

I went full time, and due to way too many pre-reqs, the school requiring LPN applicants to be experienced CNAs, requiring RN applicants to be licensed LPNs, and changing school requirements, my ADN took 6 years full time.Awful huh?

mitchsmom · May 1, 2004

Why not get your ADN and take advantage of your employer's tuition reimbursement program when you are hired to get your BSN? The pay difference is nonexistent to negligible for a first-second year RN anyhow.
Again, the only way a BSN degree will impact you in the workplace is if you intend to do some *very* specific job specialization OR aspire to take an administrative nursing position. Otherwise, (providing the cumulative cost and timing of an ADN is less than a BSN which is usually the situation) there isn't a compelling reason for it, IMHO.
I already have a Bachelor's degree in another field and am taking the ADN program. I recommend any *quality* CC any day over the insular, high-brow academia nonsense that happens in many Universities. I'm sure there are some Universities that are worthwhile and addressing this problem, but IMO where you have tenured professors you often have a can of worms where quality student education runs at crosspurposes with the individual agendas of the staff.

A BSN is also necessary if you decide to go to grad school. I have talked to more than one nurse who said they would have liked to be a {nurse-midwife, NP, fill-in-the-blank} but they didn't have their BSN and they didn't want to have to go back and do that PLUS the MSN, so they never did. For some people I think it's demotivating to go back and get the BSN because it's so close in real life to ADN's, sort of like "why bother?" once you are out there working. That certainly doesn't apply to everyone of course. So to me that's another reason to do the BSN - particularly if one is able and it's not that much more time-consuming than the ADN. Even though the difference is not big I would never want to close a door if the two were nearly equally attainable. You never know what else one might want to be able to do in the future. I'm assuming that both of us know about that since we have previous degrees :) I agree about high-brow academia but I have attended my local cc and my current state university and got about the same amount of general run around in both places. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I personally just would never encourage someone starting out or in a position to be able to choose different routes to limit themselves in any way. Again, I say open as many doors as possible!

smileystudent · May 1, 2004

Amber I'm in the same boat as you however I'm in southern cali. I took A&P in the summer it is doable and if you want to get through prereqs faster. and I got an A too. I have also run into students that didn't take the prereqs required for certain classes like here we are suppose to take Chemistry before A&P and they would skip Chem and go into A&P. I don't know however if they went to Chem afterwards. Just get through the prereqs required to get on the list as quickly as possible and as you wait get the general ed. requirements done as you wait. I'm on a 2yr waitlist right now and while I wait I'm doing GE classes that are required for ADN and the BSN. That way if I finish my GE before I'm accepted in the ADN program I can apply to the BSN program.

You are right though the ADN program is 5yrs there is no changing that. I'm not sure about the BSN program though. But I hear from the other students that it takes the same amount of time as the ADN program.

I have a question for you though after I graduate I plan on moving to the Sacramento area. Do you hear there is new grad opportunites there?

amber74 · May 1, 2004

I grew up in the bay area. Then,about 10 years I came up to Sacramento. I love this area.I live in Grass Valley which is about 30 min from Roseville. Whats nice about this area is that there are many housing choices for you. However, prices for homes are climbing. The hospitals are begging for nurses out here. If you see Sundays Sacramento Bee newspaper, there is a 2 page spread of nursing jobs. Many have bonuses, and other incentives. I heard Sutter is good to work for. I dont know too much about Kaiser.

Sutter has joined up with the city college and started a accelerated ADN program.

I know manyof these programs have new grad programs.

Amber/excuse typos..I had surgery yesterday and am on vicodin...that stuff is great:)!

TweetiePieRN · May 2, 2004

I grew up in the bay area. Then,about 10 years I came up to Sacramento. I love this area.I live in Grass Valley which is about 30 min from Roseville. Whats nice about this area is that there are many housing choices for you. However, prices for homes are climbing. The hospitals are begging for nurses out here. If you see Sundays Sacramento Bee newspaper, there is a 2 page spread of nursing jobs. Many have bonuses, and other incentives. I heard Sutter is good to work for. I dont know too much about Kaiser.
Sutter has joined up with the city college and started a accelerated ADN program.
I know manyof these programs have new grad programs.
Amber/excuse typos..I had surgery yesterday and am on vicodin...that stuff is great:)!

Amber I live in sac area. I am finishing my last semester of nursing school and it only took me 4yrs for ADN. It is possible if you take the classes in a certain order, to finish in 4 yrs or less. I have family that live in grass valley!! Small world!! Private message me and I can tell you more!! Good luck! -Tweetiepie