ADN(RN) to BSN [or] Straight to BSN

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2008

:welcome: Welcome to our online community!

This thread has been moved to the Registered Nurses forum. Good luck to you!

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Apr 18, 2008

It will take you longer to get your ASN and then bridge to get your BSN. However, you would have your RN license and could work while getting your BSN going the ASN and bridge route. At my school the bridge program is three semesters... so four semesters for an ASN plus three semesters for Bridge is seven semesters.....my BSN is going to take me six semesters....and they recently changed the program for all the classes behind me to five semesters! So, other than working as a nurse while bridging I can not see why some one would intentionally get their ASN and then Bridge.....

SCDOHJohnRN · Apr 19, 2008

The route you take should be dictated by your goals. If you are more interested in administration, go to the BSN school. If you are more interested in bedside nursing, go ADB/BSN. I went to a hospital based school and was used and abused for 3 years, but ot a great education and have never regetted my decision. Our clinical rotations were long and intense but very rewarding. Our are has many BSN programs and the nurses they produce do not have the experience or time management skills we did. My daughter also went the same route and is happy with her decision. She is noe enrolled in a RN/BSN program and I'm taking an online MSN program.

Good Luck.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2008

There are other jobs in nursing bedside administration that require/prefer a BSN such a teaching, quality control, community health and research. So getting a BSN is a good investment if you plan on working for a while.

Going straight for a BSN now would take four years, the same as any other Baccalaureate Degree. ADN programs now typically take 3 years, with one year being pre-reqs and two years being the actual nursing program. Then upon graduation going for an ADN to BSN would probably take you another 1.5 to 2 years because these are typically part-time program geared towards the working RN. Some schools are now allowing you to double up on classes and finish faster.

If your goal is to ultimately have a BSN and you have the opportunity to get a BSN at a BSN provider then go for it now and get it done and out of the way. Also if you're young and looking at many years of working, you never know what you want to be doing in 10 or 20 years and having a BSN would be an asset. If you're unsure of the path of your career and want your degree a year earlier, then the ADN is a fine way to go.

Understand that initially the new grad positions for both the ADN and BSN are the same and pay relatively the same amount. The BSN is an investment in the future, depending on your goals.

SCDOHJohnRN · Apr 20, 2008

Tweety,

You are correct. My point, which I did not make clear, was that in a BSN program, much of the slant is toward admin. A good nurse needs the ability to prioritize and be flexable. A hospital based or ADN program teaches this better because there is more clinical time. Organization and flexability, of course, depends on the person. Either course gets you to the same destination

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2008

Tweety,
You are correct. My point, which I did not make clear, was that in a BSN program, much of the slant is toward admin. A good nurse needs the ability to prioritize and be flexable. A hospital based or ADN program teaches this better because there is more clinical time. Organization and flexability, of course, depends on the person. Either course gets you to the same destination

The ADN programs and the BSN programs here have the same number of clinical hours. You're saying "hospital based ADN programs", but do you mean Diploma RN programs, because those programs definitely have more clinical hours. The ADN programs here are college-based. I know Florida Hospital in Orlando has a private school there that's ADN, being NLN accredited I imagine they have the same amount of clinical time as the NLN ADN and BSN schools here, but I don't know.

Nonetheless, advising someone to go for the ADN because they are more-patient focused and have more clinical hours might not be a good idea, because it's not necessarily true in all cases......in my opinion of course. I think BSN programs prepare good entry level bedside nurses, but have the additional classes in other stuff, but it doesn't mean the focus is on the other stuff exclusively. Around here it's still about having clinicals in a hospital setting, taking care of patients.

SCDOHJohnRN · Apr 26, 2008

You are right. I meant hospital based diploma programs. This is what I graduated from and the BSN schools that also did clinical in out hospital were only allowed to "observe" in the Critical care areas and OR. We did not get our own assifnment in these areas but were to work with the nurses we were assigned to. In later years when I would be assigned a BSN student in the ED, I would ask what they wanted to do after graduation. Most said they wnated to be in management because that was the slant of their instruction, bur many said they wanted mgt because they did not feel comfortable at the bedside. When I asked, many said they did not get as much clinical practice as they would have liked. Maybe my view is slanted but I still say that hospital based education is still the best. To be successful, you MUST be a nurse first and mgt second!!

agr8rn, ASN, RN · Apr 26, 2008

the adn programs and the bsn programs here have the same number of clinical hours. you're saying "hospital based adn programs", but do you mean diploma rn programs, because those programs definitely have more clinical hours. the adn programs here are college-based. i know florida hospital in orlando has a private school there that's adn, being nln accredited i imagine they have the same amount of clinical time as the nln adn and bsn schools here, but i don't know.

nonetheless, advising someone to go for the adn because they are more-patient focused and have more clinical hours might not be a good idea, because it's not necessarily true in all cases......in my opinion of course. i think bsn programs prepare good entry level bedside nurses, but have the additional classes in other stuff, but it doesn't mean the focus is on the other stuff exclusively. around here it's still about having clinicals in a hospital setting, taking care of patients.

although the programs technically may have the same amount of 'clinical hours' it does not seem to be the case. adn programs are more clinically focused than traditional bsn programs. i general though, i think both need more clinical overall. if you don't get a good orientation and preceptor after graduation, you are up the creek.

the bsn programs focus more on the 'education' and 'administration' part of nursing. i've worked with both adn and bsn prepared nurses, and from my personal experience (i'm not bashing anyone, just to be clear..)

from my personal experience, the bsn nurses are less knowledgeable about clinical care and procedures when they graduate, as opposed to the adn nurses.

i've found the overwhelming attitude from bsn nurses that i have worked with is that 'i don't wipe butts', i'm going back to school to get my msn or np...

which i have never understood...

how can you be a good np without clinical experience. i was always of the mindset to never get anything more than my asn; however after working for many years, i decided to go back for my msn / np. i only decided this after becoming a seasoned, experienced nurse who wanted to go to the next level.

just another point of view. :twocents:

amanda - resident cruise goddess