RN, ADN being obsolete

Published

I recently got in contact with a nursing school (ASA college) inquired regarding a RN program. i was informed by a counselor that they only offer the BSN being that the RN license is becoming obsolete and will be within the next 2 years. Has any nurses or medical professionals heard about this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

False. There are many areas of the country that do not have reasonable proximity to BSN programs. The associates trained nurses are the ones that staff these small communities' Hospitals. If they started requiring a BSN, they wouldn't have enough nurses to take care of the patients.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

I'm a diploma Graduate, still working, and held many administrators positions, even DON....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Primary Care, LTC, Private Duty.
I recently got in contact with a nursing school (ASA college) inquired regarding a RN program. i was informed by a counselor that they only offer the BSN being that the RN license is becoming obsolete and will be within the next 2 years. Has any nurses or medical professionals heard about this?

I think you have education pathways confused with what your final licensure would be. An RN is an RN is an RN. In other words, whether you are educated through a diploma program, ADN program, or BSN program, you take the very same NCLEX licensure exam leading to RN licensure.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I recently got in contact with a nursing school (ASA college) inquired regarding a RN program. i was informed by a counselor that they only offer the BSN being that the RN license is becoming obsolete and will be within the next 2 years. Has any nurses or medical professionals heard about this?

BSNs have "an RN license," so clearly the "RN license" is not becoming obsolete. Apparently you are referring to RNs with an ADN degree not being able to get good jobs. This is true in only a few areas. Even in BSN-preferred facilities, many of them hire ADN prepared nurses with the understanding that they will obtain their BSN within a certain period of time.

If you want to go straight into a BSN program, no problem. It's what I did, because I already had another Bachelors degree, so it was only one semester longer for me to do the BSN. But check your local job listings to see if only BSNs are being marketed to. I suspect that the spiel about ADN RNs becoming obsolete is pure BS used to "encourage you" to attend their program.

PS-I was hearing that same tripe about ADNs when I graduated-in 1996.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Well, ADN is 2 years and X credits, and BSN is 3 to 4 and more than just X credits, so go figure :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

It is getting tougher for inexperienced (key word) ADNs and diploma RNs to get jobs, so if you are looking at nursing programs, going the BSN route would be the preferable option.

That being said, our last new grad is an ADN so it's not entirely impossible...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Well, ADN is 2 years and X credits, and BSN is 3 to 4 and more than just X credits, so go figure :)

Not necessarily. My BSN program (small private college) costs, current day, around $36,000 for all 4 years. In contrast, the local ADN program costs $36,000 for ONE year. At a single program? Possibly, or maybe the reality is they've realized that their new grad hire rate isn't as good with an ADN because the local facilities are requiring a BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

BSN nurses have a strong advantage in some markets and only a mild advantage in others. I would consider the local job market, the competitiveness of your "dream" specialty, and the probable number of working years you have left when deciding which degree to pursue.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I will tell that advisor they are full of it. I hope they weren't the ones saying the RN licensure was becoming obsolete within two years.

It does get misleading thought with every college out there promoting the RN-BSN pathway instead of ASN-BSN.

ASN, BSN, and diploma nurses are all RNs once they pass NCLEX.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.
I recently got in contact with a nursing school (ASA college) inquired regarding a RN program. i was informed by a counselor that they only offer the BSN being that the RN license is becoming obsolete and will be within the next 2 years. Has any nurses or medical professionals heard about this?

The RN license is most certainly NOT becoming obsolete. A BSN enables you to take NCLEX-RN. BSN prepared nurses are RNs. BSN is a degree, RN is a license.

That said, in some areas of the country, ADNs are becoming obsolete specifically for academic medical center jobs. Community hospitals, SNFs, home health do not have people lined up out the door begging to work there so can't be as selective. In other areas of the country, ADN prepared RNs are readily hired anywhere and everywhere.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The RN diploma no longer exists on several nations. So if you plan on working outside of the US, yo will require a degree.

Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand all have four year degrees as the entry point for RNs

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion