My personal ADN vs BSN debate in Las Vegas

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In this town I am a little concerned about my employability. To me it seems like there is a preference of BSN graduates over the ADN graduates. Now with my past dealings with CSN (an AWESOME school in general) I feel very comfortable in the knowledge of anyone teaching there is fully qualified to do so. I went through their culinary school and loved it as well....

So does anyone have any insight into this dilemma? I know the ADN vs BSN debate has been going on for some time now. But I believe that a singular response can't answer for all. I think that the real answer is region-specific. So in my region I am concerned. For one, the difference will change how I plan my course schedule. Can y'all in Nevada help me out here? Pleeeeeeeeeeease?

I am taking the pre-reqs that I can for my bsn along with my pre-reqs for CSN. But, I also had alot of the pre-reqs for CSN done already through previous majors. That way I will have less to tackle when I get to Nevada State. :-)

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Specializes in ICU.

All the talk about an ADN being any less desirable than a BSN is crap! After graduation we all take the same NCLEX-RN! There's no NCLEX-BSN or NCLEX-ADN - it's all the SAME test!! The only difference between the two degrees is that if you want to someday be in a management position (charge, manager, etc) you generally (though not always) need to have a BSN. And I totally agree - the doctors know virtually nothing about the RNs taking care of their patients! I did a few week rotation in the ER and they don't care what degree (ADN vs BSN) that you have!! You get hired based on getting your foot in the door. If they know you and you made a good impression (during clinicals or preceptorship) - they're more likely to hire you.

CSN's program is second only to UNLV in the state!! The NCLEX pass rates were just slightly under UNLV's - which is pretty darn awesome if you ask me!! (As of two years ago - not sure how they currently stand...but I can't imagine it changes that much.) Just because CSN offers an ADN program doesn't mean it's easy. About half of the people who get accepted each semester will fail out at some point. They expect a lot of their students and want to make us just as hirable as any other RN graduate! You're not going to find that kind of education at NSC (I've taken a couple classes there and know someone who graduated from their RN program).

Good luck with your decision!!

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Compared to other cities (I'm not familiar with rural areas or small towns), nurses is Las Vegas are more likely to be ADN nurses and it does not effect your hirability as a new grad. Now later on down the line if you're considering management or moving away from the bedside, then sure a BSN is a plus. Even so, you'd be surprised how many managers here don't even have BSNs.

Also, you must realize where you are. This is Vegas, not NYC or LA or Chicago. Thre aren't any world-renowned medical centers here (LOL). The ADN programs here are strong because in Vegas a BSN is not the standard for new nurses, so if an ADN is more convenient for you right now, then I wouldn't worry about it. Frankly, I often find myself downplaying the fact that I have a BSN. I've talked to some managers and administrators who have told me flat out "I prefer CSN grads to NSC or UNLV."

I certainly encourage getting the BSN. I did, but my focus has always been on being a knowledgeable competent nurse. That will open more doors for you than any degree. :twocents:

P.S. Physicians don't know or care where you went to nursing school anymore than you know or care where they went to medical school.

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CSN's program is second only to UNLV in the state!! The NCLEX pass rates were just slightly under UNLV's - which is pretty darn awesome if you ask me!! (As of two years ago - not sure how they currently stand...but I can't imagine it changes that much.) Just because CSN offers an ADN program doesn't mean it's easy. About half of the people who get accepted each semester will fail out at some point. They expect a lot of their students and want to make us just as hirable as any other RN graduate! You're not going to find that kind of education at NSC (I've taken a couple classes there and know someone who graduated from their RN program).

Good luck with your decision!!

Actually this year - the NCLEX pass rates at CSN are the highest in the state. And there actually are certain hospital hiring managers who will privately tell you that the CSN grads are better prepared clinically than the UNLV grads. I checked with some that I knew before I started. I will finish my BSN, but I am finishing some additional course material and doing an ADN to MSN nurse practitioner track. It will take me out of state eventually, but I'll take the NP in the end.

I am a biased CSN student. Thanks!

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I agree CSN and UNLV are good schools. They SHOULD be, both their nursing programs have been around for more or less 30 years! They should've perfected their systems and they have.

NSC's nursing program was just started in 2004ish, earlier this year they got their FULL accreditation! That's quite an accomplishment for 4 or 5 years? They still have a long way to go but theyre improving quickly.

If youre going to work just as hard and put up with a lot of crap in nursing school, it might as well be for BSN don't ya think? You said you only have a few pre-reqs you need to take, go for BSN! Why not? I know I wish I did!

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Make no mistake about it, the BSN push is purely money driven. Take a look at who's driving the BSN push and who they are affiliated with. Also the following statement may give another clue as to why there is a push, 200 college and university campuses have closed during the last 10 years due to decreasing enrollments as baby boomers aged" (Nursing Spectrum, Jan. 9, 2012). As far as the argument about elevating the profession, talk to any PT or OT and they will tell you the only thing it did was elevate the cost of entering those professions as well as elevate the revenue taken in by the colleges and universities.

Why nursing now? Because nurses make up the majority of healthcare workers and to try to drive them back to the schools results in a windfall for the schools, people and organizations who are in any way affiliated wit them. All RN programs must have the same nursing content in order to be accredited to allow students to sit for the boards; and that includes research courses. Courses such as Theories of Nursing and Theoretical Foundations of Nursing that BSN programs seem to be laden with have no real world value whatsoever. And as far as hospitals wanting BSNs for Magnet Status, Nothing more than a money making scheme for the ANA, hospitals pay the ANA thousands of dollars for a fake seal of approval.” (Jan.16, 2009, Nursingjobs.org.). "But go to the ANA's web site and plod through their page upon page of corporate speak and you will discover that the minimum standards a hospital must meet to obtain Magnet Status are what they would meet to pass a JACHO inspection" (Apr 30, '06 by About RN34TX Quote from workingforskies, allnurses.com). Remember that hospitals then receive a large government stipend for attaining and maintaining magnet status. It is nothing more than a marketing gimmick meant to deceive the uninformed general public into feeling good about one hospital versus another.

And all those nurses who already have BSNs, you're not out of the woods either, the CEo from my state nurses association implied that when they get enough nurses running back for the BSN, they plan to start saying that nurses now need a Master's Degree to elevate the profession. Remember these middle-aged and post middle-aged former nurses working in the fantasy world of academia and academia affiliated organizations fear one thing; losing their cushy jobs and being forced to work in an environment where they are expected to produce.

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