RN-BSN or ASN-MSN

Maurs · Nov 25, 2009

Hi,
I've just recently graduated with a ASN degree, passed my boards and have a previous bachelors degree in a non-healthcare related field. Does it make sense for me to pursue a BSN degree since I already have a BS? or go straight to the MSN degree? Will I be lost in an MSN program without a BSN?
I'm enrolled in a BSN program and started to take the classes, but now I'm rethinking that path and think it's best for me to go straight to MSN after I get some experience. I will need to start planning for it and take some core classes I'm lacking. I think I'm primarily interested in becomeing an educator (not at a college), as opposed to becoming a NP. One fear I have is loosing my BSN place and then having requirements for the ASN-MSN program change (if they change to require a BSN) and then I will have to start all over anyway.
Thanks I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have on your experience or how an MSN is perceived without a BSN.
eflr

elfr, this is a good question. I'm wondering the same and know of several people who are in a similar position...any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

elkpark · Nov 25, 2009

I would strongly encourage you to work for a while (a few years) in nursing as a generalist RN before making a decision about grad school. Unlike "basic" nursing education, most MSN programs lock you into a particular career path and role, and most people aren't even aware of the broad range of career possibilities within nursing until they've been working in the field a while. You mention being interested in being a hospital educator rather than an NP, but those are only two of many, many possibilities. It's very common for people to start out in nursing sure that they want to specialize in a particular area only to find, in a few years, that their interests have changed completely, and they end up in some area they didn't even know existed earlier. :)

Any grad degree in nursing is going to cost you a lot of time, effort, and $$$ -- you might as well put in a little time and effort up front to make sure you're going to end up with a degree you really want, that is going to take your career where you want it to go.

Meanwhile, BSN completion programs are plentiful and comparatively (compared to "basic" nursing education) easy and inexpensive. With a previous BS degree, you would probably only need to complete the actual nursing courses. There's nothing wrong with having two BS degrees, and a BSN, specifically, will give you a lot more opportunities within nursing (it will also give you a wider choice of graduate programs, if you decide to go that route -- there are programs that will take RNs without a BSN, but there are only a limited number of them; most require a BSN, specifically).

eflr · Feb 7, 2010

Thank you this was great insight. I agree I need to work awhile before going for the MSN, but was trying to plan to see if the BSN was really necessary. I think your right when you say having the BSN will open more doors to graduate studies - at least that's consistent with what I've seen from schools. There are some programs that you don't need it, but seems like most want you to have it.

Thanks!!!