"Don't waste your time getting your BSN..."

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People are always trying to tell me that I am going to waste my time by not stopping after getting my ASN. They say that getting your BSN just gets you management positions and that it does not pay more. I am going for my masters so I can be a CNM, so I have to have my BSN anyway but, how could it be true that a person with a BSN gets the same as a person with a ASN? (Aside from the fact that working in different dept can make a difference)

I've had LPN's say, "Why on EARTH would you want to get your RN? You have to take microbiology. I just couldn't do that!" Well, I CAN and WILL. It's ok if you CAN'T or don't want to, but I do. I also want to pursue my BSN, which is offered through the medical school here (Jackson, MS) as a 2+2 or an RN-BSN fast track (online). I haven't decided if I want to go any further with a master's or find a Nurse-midwife program. Don't know yet, but having the education under my belt will help.

The plan is to finish the ADN program, take the NCLEX, work as a nurse and work on my BSN when I get some experience. Going to school is going to kill me financially, so I have to work while I'm going.

I already have 3 years of college, so a lot of the basics are already out of the way for a BS. I have to take two semesters of chem, and foreign language (bilingual nurses here are in spectacular demand) along with some other courses for pre-reqs. I was hoping to take some a semester before starting my ADN program, but I'm not sure that's going to happen now. Time will tell.

Do what YOU want and leave the rest.

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Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

So then, should RNs (already licensed) who graduate from RN to BSN programs also take this "new exam" to get a pay increase? How about MSNs and PHd? Is this translating into RNs with experience who later recieve BSN are the only ones who deserve a pay increase?

It is my understanding that NCLEX tests the very minimum for a individual to be considered competent to practice nursing. The whole concept of the NCLEX is to test minimum competency. It is pass or fail. Its not like people who ace the exam get paid more than people who barely pass.....

I also understand that BSN is geared for professional nurses who wish to pursue management. Would the "new exam" test the examinee's ability to effectively manage?

For the record, I am an ADN who very much values the "ADN". Yes, I do agree ADN and BSN basically have to same amount of skill right out of school. However, education is highly valued in this country, and I feel that the BSN is worth more money, even right out of college. Just because I believe that doesnt mean I value ADN any less.

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Specializes in geratrics, orthopedy, anesthesia.

Hi dear colleagues! Happy New Year!:balloons:

I want to say something about academic degree of RN in Israel. We haven't BSN here, only BAN and our universities and colleges don't offer academic degree for LPN. But RN have some reasons to get academical degree in nursing in our country:

1.RN with BA have little higher salary than without it.

2.It is impossible to be accepted on the nursing specialty course (oncology, ICU and so on) without academic degree.

I now that Nurses Associations of Ontario and British Colombia don't accepts new members without academic degree in Nursing. The same our Health Ministry promises in nearly future.

And I think it is right in some mean, if you don't learn you don't keep you professionalism, because we work not only manually but with our brain too, we don't?

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Like many things in life this depends on your individual situation. For example, I have a previous non-nursing BS degree, a part time job, two school aged kids, and a low GPA from my early years. I started back to school at 35 yo and have maintained a 4.0 in all my pre-reqs. I looked into the BS to BSN accelerated program at two local Universities, but they required full time class/clinical schedule, high GPA, and around $20,000 (public) - $38,000 (private) tuition. For me it was easy to decide on the ADN program. I'm considering their BS-ADN accelerated (10month) program or the regular 2 year. Either will cost around $2400. This doesn't include pre-reqs. Keep this in mind---the ADN programs here used to be only 2 years BUT now that the number of applicants is so high, you have to finish all pre-reqs before starting the nursing courses. SO your BSN may be the same length as the ADN.

With the ADN and the BS I can go on to the MSN/CNM without the BSN. Just weigh the pros and cons in your own situation and goals.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), but lets not forget AAN (Associate of Arts in Nursing), ASN (associate of Science in Nursing) AASN (Associate in Applied Science of Nursing).... Shall I start with LVN, LPN.... ugg. This debate has been going on since nursing included educational paths outside of the hospital setting. Florence! Florence! Where have we gone wrong????

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

Does anybody know of any 3 year deploma programs still running?

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.
Does anybody know of any 3 year deploma programs still running?

Yes, they're still out there although few and far between. I graduated a 3-year diploma program in 2006.

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Specializes in oncology, surgical stepdown, ACLS & OCN.
I agree that practical experience trumps book-learnin'. That's why physicians have internships and residencies. Do you assume that your practical experience from 'having patients, and looking up drugs, etc...' is more valuable and accurate than a BSN educated RN's? As an experienced RN of any stripe you will have an edge on someone just out of school.

Posts like this in this thread are insulting frankly. Saying that BSN educated RN's are like trained monkeys is a little much, don't you all think? Let's be real. Given a scenario where you have no time or financial considerations, would you choose an associate degree over a bachelor's degree? Is it a bad thing that academia and the powers-that-be in the nursing profession want entry level nurses to have a BSN? Shame on them for wishing professionals with what is conventionally considered a basic level of education on the public!

I suppose I'll have to introduce myself to patients this way from now on: "Hello, Mrs. Jones. My name is Dave and I'll be your nurse until 11:30 tonight. But, I must warn you, I have a Bachelor's degree. This puts your health and well being in imminent danger."

Cheerio,

Dave

I am an RN and Iwent though an ADN community college program of 2 years.I have been looking into BSN accellarated programs and have found them to be

20,000.00 and higher. I cannot afford this with a house mortgage which I obtained

last year. I will not get an increase in pay nor will I take another NCLEX exam. My

license will remain the same and it will say Professional Nurse!!! I am sending you this in agreement with your statement. BSN's really don't know as much as

ADN's when they get out of school. They seem to have less clinical time and less

studied science.

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Specializes in oncology, surgical stepdown, ACLS & OCN.
I think you read it out of context.:lol2:

I don't think anything was read out of context, we all carry the same license and went through ANA approved programs,and our lisence reads Professional Nurse so we are all Rn's!!!! Until they change the lisence and NCLEX exam I think it should remain the same don't you? More education allows for work as a nurse in a different capacity:angryfire

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

ADN is an Associate's Degree in Nursing. The Curriculum is essentialy equal in nursing content to a BSN with the exception of a Public Health Component and Nursing Leadership. Both degrees are entitled to sit for the NCLEX and have basically equal pass rates, so I think it would be safe to say the course content is equal. I always encourage my peers to continue their education,it's always less stressful to take it in steps. A BSN will not necessarily get you more money, but it is the gateway to a graduate degree. Nurses are so hung up on the alphabet after their names, and if you earn a degree, you are entitled to display it. But none of these letters trumps experience. I have worked with MSN nurses who spent most of their lives in school and could not find their way to the crash cart, much less use it. The first thing we learn coming out of nursing school is how little practical experience it taught us. My daughter is in an ADN program now, and I am encouraging her to get a few years of experience before going back to school. What she learns will mean so much more to her.

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Associate Degree in Nursing is a 2 year degree.

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I realize there may be some ADN programs that are still 2 years long but.....all of them around here(OKla) are much longer. It has become so competitive(300 apps for 70 spots) that you HAVE to finish all the pre-reqs before applying. The admission is based on a points system-pts earned from GPA, courses completed, test scores, certifications, etc. If you look at the original degree plan, it shows ALL classes taken over 2 years-that is absolutely impossible now. I have 18 pts out of 24. The lowest accepted last sem. was 16. I have a BS in botany from 1992, and I still needed : A&P 1and 2, nutrition, pharmacology, med terminology, dosage calc, dev. psych, micro- lucky I had the other gen ed already done (hist, english, gov't, etc).

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