advice from management: ADN or BSN

Bunggie · Sep 3, 2003

Personally I believe that a Masters should be entry level for nursing. If Physical Therapists require this, then certainly Registered Nurses should. And, yes I do have a Masters.

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN · Sep 3, 2003

Some one call the fire dept to put the flames out. :)

Out of curiosity, what does the MSN bring to clinical nursing on the floor. I can say after 25 years, that my BSN did nothing to prepare me for for management. I learned every thing that I know about management and leadership from a Chief Master Seargent in the Air Force when I was a newbi 25 years ago. Nothing I got from my Masters made me a better nurse or a manager. It didn't even get me any more money. Because of my experience I'm already at the top of the scale.

What made me a competent nurse. It was the Diploma nurse who took me under her wing as a fresh ADN and showed me what it meant to be a nurse and how to be one.

Now as a DON, I make sure i look at competency and not the letters after the name.

Education is great and I'm still going forward. (2nd masters instead of PhD.

live4today, RN · Sep 3, 2003

Craig....I like your style! I'd work for you any day based on what I read here. Thanks for having an open mind, not being judgemental, and encouraging those who want to pursue nursing as a career to first be passionate about their choice(s), and take the route that best suits their interests, budget, etc. We can't all start in the same place in our lives, so we should not expect every educational choice to be what "we think" it should be for everyone. I am all for expanding one's horizons, increasing one's educational pursuits, and becoming the best at whatever one decides to become.

If I could have chosen which route I'd take as a nurse, I'd still choose AAS degree, take my boards, work one year, and continue my nursing education.......NOT stopping until I get to my doctorates. That's MY...not anyone else's.....but, MY career path for me. What works for one may not work for another. Get real here!

Again, thanks Craig for your open mind and ability to speak intelligently and with a lot of common sense here........now NO amount of education will do that for you.

renerian, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2003

I just finalized and landed a head nurse position at an inner city hem/onc unit. MS or MSN was the minimum.

renerian

Bunggie · Sep 4, 2003

To me having advanced degree as a matter of entry for nursing is a sign of professionalism. Would the public be OK with doctors who had training that ranged from two years to seven, and consider them all of equal competence. No education is ever wasted and always enhances practice, whether it be at the bedside or in management. Nurses continue on with your quests to become better educated and thus better able to serve your patients.

One more thing I would like to suggest to yupyup5 that her/his comment to deav was an example of how nursing eats their own. Deav is obviously striving to improve her/his education and does not need to be shot down at the very beginning.

SnowieRN · Sep 4, 2003

If you HAD to have an MSN you know how many good nurses youd lose? I wanted to go pre-med then MD school. But budget (and the fact I dont wanna be 30 and living at home) made me chose nursing. If nursing required a masters youd more than likely see me going to P.A. school or something similar.

Not to mention people would compare it to other jobs.. 7 years for nursing.. or 8 for MD.. hmm..

yupyup5 · Sep 4, 2003

As to the message below, I apologize that a member took my general comment personally. I did not intend to look like I was eating my young as suggested by bea___. To quote that age old saying "walk a mile in my shoes" goes a long way. One cannot judge or rate a degree one doesn't have. I don't have my PhD yet so therefore I wouldn't be able to comment or make a comment as though I already had that PhD.

QUOTEOne more thing I would like to suggest to yupyup5 that her/his comment to deav was an example of how nursing eats their own. Deav is obviously striving to improve her/his education and does not need to be shot down at the very beginning. [/b]

kimmicoobug · Sep 4, 2003

Oh brother...From a grad of an ADN program. I actually do plan on continuing on with an RN-BSN program and plan on starting in January. This has been my plan from the beginning when I chose this route. It may take me a little more time, but so what? My area has an ADN program as well as a BSN program. What helped me make my decision was the NCLEX pass rates and which program had a stronger structure. The ADN program had this.

Also, it doesn't really matter what degree you have ADN or BSN that will make you a good nurse. I know a BSN who has been a nurse for several years, but is considered one of the crappiest, and stuck-up nurses on the unit. I know another BSN of 4 years who is a very good, kind nurse and everyone likes her. I know an ADN with one year experience who admittedly has a lot of room to grow and I know another ADN who graduated with her and works with her who has become very competent in a very short amount of time. It really depends on the person how good a nurse they become and how strong their desire is to be the best they can be in their practice.

deadend · Sep 18, 2003

HELLO!!!!!

In my state ILL we have to take an exam called the HESI test IN ORDER TO SIT FOR STATE BOARDS, on my test day I was placed in a room with 4 year nurses from several universities across the city they had to take the same exam I did but low and behold the ADN students did better on the exam I encountered at least 8 BSN students who failed and will have to retest. I'm wondering how can that be ??????? By the way I attended a community college ADN program, passed state boards in MAY

NemoRN · Oct 1, 2003

BSN, thats me and I was hired on the spot.......... and I only have 3 years total exper.

live4today, RN · Oct 2, 2003

Are we done yet, are we done yet, are we done yet??????? :rolleyes:

Anyone want to grab their trumphet and play the "Day Is Done" song?

Yawnnnnnnnnnning now....

CarVsTree · Oct 2, 2003

To me having advanced degree as a matter of entry for nursing is a sign of professionalism.

I'm always wary of education for the purpose of "professionalism" or prestige rather than for the sake of learning something useful.

I'm going for my ADN because I have a 2 year old and we hope to have another child after I finish. I eventually plan to continue to get my BSN and possibly an advanced degree (if I need to learn more for my chosen career path - not for the prestige of having the degree).