Why ADN is Better Than BSN for CRNA.. For Some

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

This is just one person's story but I think it may apply to others. A very good friend of mine just left for CRNA school in MN. He was a cheese factory worker who lost his job. He did extensive research as to what field would best to go into and discovered nursing, and through it CRNA. The state of Wisconsin had a program to re-train factory worker who lost their jobs, but the training had to be at one of Wisconsin's 16 Technical Colleges. He chose ADN RN and finished in two years with no previous college (Wisconsin's ADN programs are desinged to be finished in two years). He then went to work in the same SICU where I work and enrolled in an online RN to BSN program and used the hospital's education assistance program to pay for it. It took him two years to complete the BSN while working more than full time in the SICU. He applied to several CRNA schools and was accepted to four, La Crosse WI, St. Mary's in MN, University of MN, and Rush in IL. He graduated in May with his BSN and left for CRNA school this month (June). His ADN RN took two years and cost about $6,000, paid for by the state, his BSN took two years and was paid for by the hospital, while earning the BSN he made around $120,000 over two years as an ICU nurse and got two years of very solid ICU experience at the same time.

Had he chosen to go directly to a university and do a BSN program it would have taken him 4 years and he would just now be a new grad RN with a lot of education debt to pay back. Even had there not been a state program to pay for his ADN the $6,000 community college RN program would have been much more managable for a laid off factory worker with a family than the $40,000 four years at the UW would have cost him (probaly should also take into account the $120,000 in pay he would not have made over two years).

It would seem to me that for those who can actually complete an ADN in 2 years, the ability to gain two years of real world nursing experience (plus RN pay & benifits) in one of the many hospitals that have programs to pay for or help pay for nursing degrees, while at the same time doing one of the many BSN program desinged for working nurses, would put one at a significant advantage for CRNA school over a traditional univeristy BSN.

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Specializes in SICU.

Good for him, someone that was smart and ambitious enough to make the system work for him.

To have the drive and determination that you account, I am sure that he will be a great CRNA.

Congratulations to your friend.

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Specializes in Everything!.

What a smart way to go! Did he plan for things to happen like that? I was hoping to become a CRNA but thought I was too old to be in LVN school... let alone continue all the way past having a BSN. I just got my license June 2008 and will be re-taking my pre req (b/c they are more than 5 years old) classes starting Fall 2008. At 23 years of age I'm in a limbo whether I should just stick to ASN & stay with an ASN for the rest of my life. OR should I just go for the BSN now.

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Wow that is amazing? This information helps me alot. I want to be an a CRNA............I will put some thought into your info and definately use it.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

His situation is a no-brainer. Free education.......versus getting deeply in debt.

This is the route a lot of people take exactly for the cost. Getting the ADN sometimes is a bargain compared to getting a BSN at a university. Going ADN to BSN with tuition reimbursement (which I did) is also fabulous. Gotta love the ADN to BSN route sometimes.

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What a smart way to go! Did he plan for things to happen like that? I was hoping to become a CRNA but thought I was too old to be in LVN school... let alone continue all the way past having a BSN. I just got my license June 2008 and will be re-taking my pre req (b/c they are more than 5 years old) classes starting Fall 2008. At 23 years of age I'm in a limbo whether I should just stick to ASN & stay with an ASN for the rest of my life. OR should I just go for the BSN now.

23?? Too old?? I was 34 when I went to graduate school (not a CRNA program, but another advanced practice role), and there were students there older than me (the oldest student I was aware of was in her mid-50s). It's never too late, if it's something you want to do!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
What a smart way to go! Did he plan for things to happen like that? I was hoping to become a CRNA but thought I was too old to be in LVN school... let alone continue all the way past having a BSN. I just got my license June 2008 and will be re-taking my pre req (b/c they are more than 5 years old) classes starting Fall 2008. At 23 years of age I'm in a limbo whether I should just stick to ASN & stay with an ASN for the rest of my life. OR should I just go for the BSN now.

*** 23 too old!? You gotta be kidding? The man I wrote about is 42 years old and will be 44 when he graduates from CRNA school. Whether you go on for more school is up to you but I can't believe you think you might be too old. I wish I had got into nursing when I was only 23.

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Specializes in Everything!.
23?? Too old?? I was 34 when I went to graduate school (not a CRNA program, but another advanced practice role), and there were students there older than me (the oldest student I was aware of was in her mid-50s). It's never too late, if it's something you want to do!

Haha. Well thank you for your comment. It's quite uplifting. I've always dreamed of me being an RN, BSN. Seeing so many people my sister's age finish their ASN as 19 and 20 was sort of discrouaging as I myself attempted to complete LVN school 3 times. Finally receiving my license was a big "whew!" off my shoulder but bittersweet as the road to follow my dreams seems so long.

Should I go the ASN to BSN route or should I go LVN to BSN route? That is the ultimate question I answer (and change answer every other day this summer) based on my age alone. :eek:

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Specializes in Everything!.
*** 23 too old!? You gotta be kidding? The man I wrote about is 42 years old and will be 44 when he graduates from CRNA school. Whether you go on for more school is up to you but I can't believe you think you might be too old. I wish I had got into nursing when I was only 23.

Thank you for your comment. Until I attempted nursing school the 3rd and last time I never knew how many people go back to school later in life nowadays! Reading things like that just slowly but surely change my mind about me being "too old at 23 years of age" to try and get my RN BSN.

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Thank you for that post!

I am and ADN student who will be graduating next summer as an RN...and what your friend did is EXACTLY the career path I had thought about pursuing. It's nice to hear that it actually worked!

Dianne

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What a smart way to go! Did he plan for things to happen like that? I was hoping to become a CRNA but thought I was too old to be in LVN school... let alone continue all the way past having a BSN. I just got my license June 2008 and will be re-taking my pre req (b/c they are more than 5 years old) classes starting Fall 2008. At 23 years of age I'm in a limbo whether I should just stick to ASN & stay with an ASN for the rest of my life. OR should I just go for the BSN now.

youre kidding right? nothing SHOULD EVER stop you from reaching your full potential, shoot for the stars! go n get your bsn...and if youre not content after that then shoot for your msn. Sky's the limit !

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To treezuh, too old? I am the same age as you and the mother of two. A five year old and a soon to be one year old. I am planning to hopefully one day become a crna. I am planning to start school in the spring do my prerequisites in about a year hopefully less. Then go fo the aas in nursing. Get my rn license. Work for a few months and start my bsn. Hopefully do that in two years. Work for a few more months to complete the time and experince in icu care in order to get accepted into a crna program. Then apply for crna school hopefully get in and work my behind off in it. I will not work during this time and focus only in school and of course my family. You are still very young and could do anythinng you set your mind to. Never say am too old I certaintly don't feel that way. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide. And best of luck to anyone else in the process of getting into or currently in nursing school. We shall all achieve great things.

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