Nursing care of ADN vs BSN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Hi everyone! This is my first post and I have question I need help with. I am currently obtaining my BSN, however, have been working as a home care nurse and don't have a lot of experience with the following scenario. Your experiences are greatly appreciated!

Identify a patient care situation in which you describe how nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse (BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree).

Thanks much!

Oooh, oooh, I know this one! The answer your instructor is looking for is, the difference in care provided is that the ADN- or diploma-prepared RN performs rote repetition of basic nursing skills/tasks, while the BSN-prepared RN uses evidence-based practice and finely honed critical thinking skills to provide cutting edge, high quality nursing care that saves and transforms the client's life forever. :)

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I can see how this could result in a 5 page paper. Congrats on obtaining your BSN! :)

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Oooh, oooh, I know this one! The answer your instructor is looking for is, the difference in care provided is that the ADN- or diploma-prepared RN performs rote repetition of basic nursing skills/tasks, while the BSN-prepared RN using evidence-based practice and finely honed critical thinking skills to provide cutting edge, high quality nursing care that saves and transforms the client's life forever. :)

That probably is what the instructor is looking for; that's what the propaganda of BSN is all about.

Those of us who know better, know that it is bull dung.

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Specializes in CVOR, CVICU/CTICU, CCRN.
The ADN works in a nursing home, and the BSN works in acute care.

Yeah, no. Not all acute care hospitals are requiring the switch. ADN-level here working ER/Trauma/ICU. Granted, your scenario may very well be the case in the relatively distant future, but not yet! :up:

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Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.
Oooh, oooh, I know this one! The answer your instructor is looking for is, the difference in care provided is that the ADN- or diploma-prepared RN performs rote repetition of basic nursing skills/tasks, while the BSN-prepared RN uses evidence-based practice and finely honed critical thinking skills to provide cutting edge, high quality nursing care that saves and transforms the client's life forever. :)

I remember feeling a bit insulted that the first paper I was assigned to write in my first RN-BSN class was to basically talk about why I, as an ADN, wasn't able to provide the same outcomes as a BSN. I so badly wanted to take a stand, but I thought that wouldn't go over well with the person grading my paper.

What elkpark wrote is what the instructor wants. I fulfilled the rubric requirements, but I ended my paper discussing the differences between the ADN and BSN may not always yield outcomes that are so predictable. Several other factors contribute to the differences in competency levels (age, maturity, life experience). We need to take those into account when showing a link between education level and patient outcomes.

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Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.
I can see how this could result in a 5 page paper. Congrats on obtaining your BSN! :)

Thank you!...(if that was meant for me)

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I think this is a bizarre question, given that ADN and BSN nurses have the same license to practice and are held to the same standards of care. However, being in the last semester of my BSN program, I can suggest you look for the evidence to support the movement toward BSN and build your argument around that. Perhaps the IOM Future of Nursing is a good place to start.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

To be honest, for the most part, I did nothing differently as a BSN than I did as an ADN. Nowadays, students in ADN and diploma programs are taught to do more than to just robotically follow orders and standard practices.

Any changes I have made to my practice have not all been a result of my RN-BSN program (though there've been a few due to the BSN), but more from EBP and courses/seminars I took on my own.

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Specializes in Long Term Acute Care, TCU.
I agree with you! It's a shame we're not all united in our front. :) Here's a link to share some of the statistics: American Association of Colleges of Nursing | Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce.

They paid for the statistics to say what they wanted them to say. I could easily (with enough funding) show statistics to suggest that substituting M&Ms for RNs achieved comparable outcomes.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Since both ADN and BSN take basically the same essential nursing coursework and pass the same nursing boards and have the same nursing license I don't think there is a real difference in nursing care! An ADN can be seen as a more streamlined, technical degree vs a BSN encompasses a liberal arts & science education. If money were no object and someone enjoyed learning I would say go for the BSN. You would be able to take extra classes, even esoteric classes like calligraphy as Steve Jobs, the Apple inventor did which had a big impact on him. The debate rages on over which degree is better. Many people choose technical targeted degrees to save time and money and ironically many ADN RN's already have a BA/BS in another field. There are not as many accelerated BSN or direct entry MSN programs for people with prior degrees so they choose an ADN.

I think part of the ADN vs BSN debate is a class debate over working class vs middle class with the professional ideal of a BSN being touted as above an ADN. But the reality of ADN RN's does not support this as mentioned before, many ADN's already have a BA/BS or prior liberal arts schooling. Frankly there is nothing wrong with being working class and getting your LPN and/or ADN RN vs going straight for a BSN. This country needs to wake up that true professionalism is achieved by having good working conditions and wages, not simply a college degree. What good is a college degree if you don't get paid a living wage and don't have the pay and benefits such as health care, retirement and sick and vacation time? I've read that around 50% of college grads are in jobs that don't require a degree as many have settled for whatever job they could get and are underemployed.

Given the current glut of nurses in many places, it just makes sense to get your BSN if you can afford it and have time to pay it off before you retire. As the average working nurse is older, it places many of us in a difficult position where we are struggling to save for retirement while pensions are vanishing, and a BSN may impose too great a financial penalty to pursue. Each person has to make their own personal decision, but be aware that if you stay an ADN you will be at a disadvantage in the job market and will need to rely on your confidence, abilities and most importantly network to keep or change jobs! If you do get your BSN look for cheaper college programs such as online program and take advantage of any tuition reimbursement your employer offers!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Since both ADN and BSN take basically the same essential nursing coursework and pass the same nursing boards and have the same nursing license I don't think there is a real difference in nursing care! An ADN can be seen as a more streamlined, technical degree vs a BSN encompasses a liberal arts & science education. If money were no object and someone enjoyed learning I would say go for the BSN. You would be able to take extra classes, even esoteric classes like calligraphy as Steve Jobs, the Apple inventor did which had a big impact on him. The debate rages on over which degree is better. Many people choose technical targeted degrees to save time and money and ironically many ADN RN's already have a BA/BS in another field. There are not as many accelerated BSN or direct entry MSN programs for people with prior degrees so they choose an ADN.

I think part of the ADN vs BSN debate is a class debate over working class vs middle class with the professional ideal of a BSN being touted as above an ADN. But the reality of ADN RN's does not support this as mentioned before, many ADN's already have a BA/BS or prior liberal arts schooling. Frankly there is nothing wrong with being working class and getting your LPN and/or ADN RN vs going straight for a BSN. This country needs to wake up that true professionalism is achieved by having good working conditions and wages, not simply a college degree. What good is a college degree if you don't get paid a living wage and don't have the pay and benefits such as health care, retirement and sick and vacation time? I've read that around 50% of college grads are in jobs that don't require a degree as many have settled for whatever job they could get and are underemployed.

Given the current glut of nurses in many places, it just makes sense to get your BSN if you can afford it and have time to pay it off before you retire. As the average working nurse is older, it places many of us in a difficult position where we are struggling to save for retirement while pensions are vanishing, and a BSN may impose too great a financial penalty to pursue. Each person has to make their own personal decision, but be aware that if you stay an ADN you will be at a disadvantage in the job market and will need to rely on your confidence, abilities and most importantly network to keep or change jobs! If you do get your BSN look for cheaper college programs such as WGU online program and take advantage of any tuition reimbursement your employer offers!

Agree. Degree inflation does not professionalism make.

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the difference is that the ADN will say " I do this because of my experience as a nurse" and the BSN "I do this because of the evidence-based clinical information" that is just the beginning you have to go deeper in research and don't forget your APA references very important. Practically, there are few dofferences because usually they are the same person at different stages in life LOL!! That is why no one can give you factual differences. The ADN that goes into BSN does not change much.....

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