Need help with nursing school question

fergus51 · Jan 13, 2001

I would go straight for the BSN and get it overwith right away. Unless you are disciplined enough to get your BSN while you are working. I could never find the time to do that with all the shifts I get so I am glad I took my BSN. Besides it isn't a big difference in time.

Because you have a BA there are also some programs where you could get a masters in nursing after only three years, but I would NOT reccomend these programs. People expect a lot from Masters holding nurses and the graduates of these programs (I've worked with 4) were NOT up to par.

eventsnyc · Jan 13, 2001

Thank you for your reply!

What will the difference be(job responsibilty-wise and pay-wise)between a RN and holder of a BSN?

I am thinking of getting a RN first, so I will be able to practice nursing earlier. There are a lot more pre req classes for me for BSN then for Associate degree in RN.

galenight, BSN, RN · Jan 13, 2001

Eventsync.. I would recommend going for your ADN first. It should take you 2 years. Then you can get to work right away. Later, when you are ready, you can go on for you BSN. Many colleges offer ADN to BSN programs that are held conveniently only one night a week. It will take about 2.5 years of that. I have researched and here in Michigan there isn't much pay difference for ADN and BSN in the hospital setting. Might be as little as 25 cent more per hour for BSN. Having an ADN won't keep you from many jobs. Probably just teaching and management. But you would want to have experience before you do those things anyway. Good luck in your pursuit! Nursing is a wonderful career.

fergus51 · Jan 13, 2001

BSN nurses get fifty dollars a week more than diploma nurses where I live now (Canada). When I worked in the States it was an extra 20 cents an hour. Not a big incentive, I know, but more and more jobs are now requiring the bachelors degree despite the nursing shortage. 2 canadian provinces have already made the BSN the minimum for new nurses. Responsibility wise there is no difference except that ADNs sometimes can't get the same jobs that BSN nurses can. On the floor a nurse is a nurse.

BSN vs ADN also depends on where you want to work. If you want to work in the community or in administration or in many of the more specialized areas you could need the BSN. Our hospital requires it for all the specialties except the OR because that's the one area we are really shorthanded. Other hospitals have other requirements.

sa48sh · Jan 14, 2001

Originally posted by eventsnyc:
Currently I am working in the marketing field while volunteering in a hospital as an emergency room medical interpreter. I really want to be a nurse, and I am thinking to go back to school for it. What is the most efficient way to go?
I have a non-nursing BA.

Should I go to a community college for an associate's degree and take the RN exam, and later go for the BSN? Or it's better to go straight for the BSN? I am thinking I can become a nurse earlier with the first option. I would appreciate your words of wisdom! Thank you!

eventsync, I haven't seen much difference around here between an ADN and a BSN. I think the kinds of jobs you can get are going to depend a lot on what kind of nurse you are.Intelligent, committed nurses,with or without BSN's can find a multitude of positions,and keep them, where a BSN with a poor attitude and bad work ethics wouldn't last. I have noted that jobs like administration, and possibly pharmacutical reps are asked to have a BSN but I bet your degree in marketing would cause them to bend their own requirements a little. I've heard for years that without a BSN, ADN;s were going to be little more than nurses assistants, but didn't believe it then nor now.The nursing shortage is REAL and is only going to get worse. THEY, can say they only want BSN's but if there aren't enough, what are they going to do. Besides there is another push, like in the 60's to fill up the ADN classes as a way to relieve the shortages. That was when they created the ADN programs. However This time,they're not having much luck attracting applicants to the program.As for money, our nursing supervisor with her BSN was actually making LESS money than I was 4 years ago and was stuck with the place 24/7. Her compensation for getting dressed and coming in in the middle of the night when someone called in,was a comp. day which she could never really take because she had so much responsibility.She left the job for a plain old staff nurse position and does her 8 and goes home. She loves it. I am an ADN and am the infection control coordinator in a state prison. 2 more years of school is just going to get you more academics,not more nursing experience. You need to get out there and practice to get good at it.

McIndia · Jan 14, 2001

I think you should go ahead and get your BSN. It might not make a big difference now, but after working a few years you might want a new position that requires a BSN...then where will you be if you don't have it. It is not really that much more time and it is worth it. In the end however, you have to do what is right for you and you life right now. I obtained my BSN before I had my twin boys(now 4yo) so you can imagine what it is like now, working full time in CCU and raising them AND trying to start my MSN. Good luck with your decision and keep the faith.

mustangsheba · Jan 14, 2001

Get your ADN and you can work as an RN while getting your BSN. In an ADN program, you are using your theory right away in treating patients. It depends on how you learn, but I wanted to deal with patients right away and this was the most satisfying for me.

OC_An Khe · Jan 14, 2001

As a general rule, I always encourage potential RN's who have a degree from another field, to follow the ADN or Diploma first. There are a few practical reasons for thid including costs, speed of completion and virtually no difference between the degrees in direct patient care setings. You also begin to earn money faster. If you really take to nursing after that you can continue your educational track later. If you are entering nursing from high school or can afford the time and money I would opt for the BSN program first.

Mijourney · Jan 15, 2001

Hi eventsync. You've gotten some good advice on how to proceed from both sides of the issue of ADN vs BSN. I started out with a diploma and went back for my BSN. I surely don't feel I'm better than a nurse who does not have a BSN, but I do feel that I picked up some good and applicable knowledge in the BSN program. If you want to know the anatomy of direct patient care, then I agree with the posters who feel you should pursue your ADN. Of course, being a diploma grad, I'm partial to that program. You have your B.A. in marketing, why not go for your MSN once you've completed your ADN or diploma? As one poster indicated they have bridge programs that allow you to do this. Heck why not go for a dual degree MSN/MBA? You have alot of choices. Best wishes.

deniseS · Jan 18, 2001

I graduated from a diploma school 4 1/2 years ago.....I am currently back in school for my BSN. I will be done in may 2001...Hopefully.....but I strongly recommend going straight to a BSN program. Reason being is that once I started working full-time...I did take a year off before going back...and working full-time I was only able to go back to school for my BSN part-time...which in the end has taken me 4 years including summer courses. So add that to 3 years of nursing school....its a long time.....get it done in 4 years this way you can move on to graduate school also.

Tim-GNP · Jan 18, 2001

ADN is a great way to go, however, if you want your BSN, then before you do anything else, you should also consider WHERE you want to go for your BSN program. You should make sure that the BSN program accepts all of the nursing credits from the ADN program. The LAST thing in the world you want to do is to have to have lived through an RN program once, only to be told you must repeat segments of it because 'the number of credits is lacking.'

This is from my experience of having been an LPN, going back for my BSN. I was told that the university I attended 'didn't recognize the LPN 'experience' as nursing' and that I must 'begin with the rest of the sophmores in the Funadamentals of nursing class.' Needless to say, after having been an excellent LPN, with a lot of great experience, I was mortified! Be sure whatever you do that you look into the different possibilities.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

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Tis with our judgements as our watches, none go just alike, yet, each believes his own.

-Alexander Pope