Associates or bachelor

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For a person who already has an associates in arts and no nursing experience, what would be the better route to go in for nursing? Would it be get an associates in nursing then a bachelor of nursing or go straight to a BSN?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I have an AS in liberal arts. I went for my associate's in nursing, then got a job, then used tuition reimbursement to return to school for my BSN and MSN.

No matter what you want to plan on getting your BSN sometime in the next few years if feasible.

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My current ap1 professor said there's no reason to get another associates and in nursing better to go straight to bsn..but thats more classes I have to take..

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I assume you haven't take a lot of pre-req science classes since your associate is in liberal arts, so you can't really go straight into a 2-year BSN program without taking more classes. But if you go for another associates, the pre-req requirements are lower, and you'll be able to work after 2 years. If you want you can do an RN-to-BS program while you're working.

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I have an AS in liberal arts. I went for my associate's in nursing, then got a job, then used tuition reimbursement to return to school for my BSN and MSN.

No matter what you want to plan on getting your BSN sometime in the next few years if feasible.

This is basically the route I took. I got my Associates at a Community College with very little investment. After that my employer paid for BSN then my DNP. However, my employer is no longer hiring Associate Degree Nurses without significant experience so check out your local market

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ICU.

Like the previous poster said, know the job market in your area. I live in Texas and ADN nurses still get hired where I live. If you get your associates first, just be prepared to either potentially relocate or accept a position at a less desirable hospital. I'm graduating with my ADN in a few days and I already have a job lined up, at the hospital I was after at that. They'll pay for most of my BSN too which is why I went the ADN route first. So while I'm working for the next two years, I'll have spent less money on a bachelor's degree plus I'll have an extra two years of experience.

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Specializes in Pedi.
My current ap1 professor said there's no reason to get another associates and in nursing better to go straight to bsn..but thats more classes I have to take..

Perhaps your professor is aware that ADN grads in your area have difficulty finding employment because the hospitals require a BSN? Have you looked into the job market in your area?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I am in DFW and the market for ADNs in acute care is dwindling down to nearly nothing.

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Specializes in Pedi.
I am in DFW and the market for ADNs in acute care is dwindling down to nearly nothing.

I was just there this past weekend. I liked your ballpark. Interesting that they're tearing it down/building a new one when it's only 24 years old. Ours is 106 and no plans for it to go anywhere. :)

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I agree with what others are advising you. Another thing to consider is this. If the hospital you want to work for has Magnet status, then you probably won't get an interview with an ADN.

Only you know what is best for you. First, do your due diligence. Many ADN programs are actually harder to get into than BSN programs, due to so many people trying to get in at a community college level. Then consider, that although the ADN is technically a two-year degree, in reality, it takes at least three years to complete because of the general education prerequisites. And be careful, because all of those "required courses" for the ADN programs may not transfer if you decide to go back.

Since you are essentially starting at ground zero, you need to ask yourself do you want to spend three years to get a 2-year degree, then go back later to obtain your BSN. If a BSN is your goal then I would recommend attending a BSN program.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best as you begin YOUR Nursing Journey!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

If at all possible, do the BSN. You'll likely have more job opportunities if you do. Consider this: if you have all your lower division GE done, you don't have to go back to do that stuff, you just have to do the upper division GE and the nursing coursework and then you're done. If you do your schedule right, you might be able to complete your UDGE during summer semesters so you don't horribly impact your nursing coursework. It's really not usually that much extra to do the UDGE stuff, just a few courses and you'll do a LOT of writing.

I have "just" and ADN but I also have a Bachelors in Sports Medicine. The UDGE was actually usually far easier than the coursework required for the program itself and a couple of the program courses also "double-counted" as UDGE. So don't automatically discount the BSN program because it requires a few "extra" courses. If you do an ADN program and later "upgrade" to BSN, you very well could end up needing to do a couple "extra" semesters compared to doing a straight to BSN program, starting from where you are now.

Much to consider, you have.

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No question. BSN.

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