RN-BSN bridge vs straight BSN, is it the same education?

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It seems to me that RN-BSN bridge programs are primarily focused on interpersonal and managerial skills along with some history and theory and whatever gen ed classes the student needs. That has always made sense to me. However, the more I dig into college websites, specifically general information about the school's nursing department, their course lists and course descriptions, it seems that straight BSN has more than an associates RN plus an RN-BSN bridge. Is this so?

Or if not "more", than different. Straight BSN courses seems to put much more time into basic topics like assessment and pathophysiology than RN courses and less time into managerial skills than bridge programs. Is this so?

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

That's a good question. An RN to BSN bridge builds on one's previous nursing education and experiences so the focus is a bit different. I went through an RN to BSN program many years ago, well before there was any recognition that RNs might have different learning needs than entry-level students, so I took many of the same nursing courses as did my entry-level classmates. In retrospect, that resulted in a good bit of frustration for both the RN to BSN students as well as the entry-level students and probably for the instructors as well because we were on very different levels.

ETA: The school I attended for my BSN decided to offer a separate RN to BSN track after graduating my class. Mine was the first class in which a significant percentage of the students were RN to BSN and the school was wise to realize that while some overlap was okay, it wasn't always best for all learners to have us in the same classes.

It is hard to compare the two and try to say which route is "better" because I think it depends on the individual. Based on my own experience, I felt that I missed out on many of the liberal arts courses that would have helped me to be a more well-rounded individual and that I missed out on being a college student. However, I felt well-prepared to practice as a bedside nurse when I finished my ADN program and that my nursing education was definitely enhanced and enriched by my BSN. So for me it is hard to say how I might be different as an RN had I gone into an entry-level BSN program rather than ADN then BSN.

I think you are being very wise to compare curricula and look at all of your options to see which works best for your needs. Good luck to you in the future and I hope this helps!

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.

No. The BSN will have pre-req's completed at a University. The RN-BSN will still lack this educational component.

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No. The BSN will have pre-req's completed at a University. The RN-BSN will still lack this educational component.

Depends on the program. I have to take 18 liberal arts credits in addition to the RN-BSN program in order to get my BSN. I also am required to have Ethics and Statistics before starting the program.

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.
Depends on the program. I have to take 18 liberal arts credits in addition to the RN-BSN program in order to get my BSN. I also am required to have Ethics and Statistics before starting the program.

18 lib arts credits is equivalent to one semester. A BSN has 4 semesters of University schooling before they set eyes on nursing classes. The education is not the same. I'm not claiming it is better or worse, just different and non comparable. A RN-BSN has a firm basis of nursing experience to draw on. A BSN has a much broader educational foundation in non nursing. The two are not equivalent or comparable.

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The two are not equivalent or comparable.

I agree.

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BTW I think Moogie has it right on. Not one path is better. Just depends on what your needs are at this time. Either way you will be well prepared to be a nurse. :)

Do you want the "college" experience? Do you need to get in the workforce quicker? How long are wait lists and what is the job situation in your area? Some things to think about in addition to your excellent initial question.

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I have 80-some credits from a four year liberal arts university so the liberal arts aspect is not an issue for me unless it affects how others see my credentials.

I'm still interested in what anyone has to say about the liberal arts side also, but I'm primarily intersted in the differences between the nursing classes.

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Having read many of the posts on the website here, about ADN vs. BSN, plus ABSN; and the various associated costs, it still seems right, for me, to just do my prereqs & co-reqs (starting, next month), apply to NS and if accepted, do a 2-year ADN.

Prior bachelor's degrees (Russian, Accounting) have given me all the liberal arts courses I think I'll be able to make profit-able use of, at least for this stage of my life.

A PT hospital or LTC job would be nice, at least until NS, but I can get along without it. Here, CNA is a requirement for NS.

Health-related background includes last 9 years in EMS--4 yrs. EMT, 5 yrs. EMT-P, with the last 3 years as E.D. Tech. So I'm not apprehensive about patient assessment, IV starts, etc.

If the long-experienced posters here see flaws in this self-inventory, please let me know--just say so. You cannot offend

me--one of my life rules is that nobody MAKES me anything.

Regards,

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

Chorkle,

Your experience sounds very impressive and you seem to have a good idea of what nursing entails. With this economy, many new grads are having trouble finding jobs regardless of their educational levels but it seems that many employers---certainly not all but some---are preferring to hire BSN grads over ADNs. If you can swing a second degree accelerated BSN (ABSN) or an entry-level master''s, you might want to explore those options instead of the ADN. I know these programs are not available in all areas and they can be expensive and competitive. You might be able to get loans for a DEMSN program if you cannot get any additional financial aid since you already have two bachelor's degrees. There are no guarantees, especially with this economy, but if you can give yourself a competitive edge by doing a program for second (or third) degree students---think about it.

Here are a couple of blogs written by one of our senior staff members that might provide a bit more information for you:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-blogs/entry-into-rn-412055.html

https://allnurses.com/nursing-blogs/entry-into-practice-419939.html

I don't see that VickyRN has written any blogs specific to accelerated BSN programs; she may have but I might have missed them. Do check out the student discussions as well as the ADN/Diploma/BSN forum because you might find some useful information there.

Additionally, some programs require students to have CNA certification as a pre-requisite. I don't know if they would waive that for someone with your emergency experience. You MIGHT be able to get advanced placement in some of your nursing courses, but that would depend on the program.

You sound very bright and motivated and I hope you find a program that is a good fit for your time, budget, and talents! :up:

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Eating post rather than post without much thought.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

this conversation is clear as mud to me.....i still was required as a rn to take the same prerequisite's that the traditional bsn students had to take when i did my bridge to bsn. i did mountains of research prior to picking texas tech and never run into a program that did not require me to have ridiculous amounts of liberal arts ...am i missing something here

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