RN-BSN Program or Nursing school for CNM degree?

[BrittK, CNA]

Hi everyone, I am currently enrolled at a Community College taking courses to apply for the ADN Program and my ultimate goal is to become a CNM..I know I have to get my Bachelors degree before I can apply to any midwifery program, I'm just wondering if I'm wasting my time doing the community college route or if I should just go straight to Nursing School for 4 years and then a midwifery program? I know Nursing School tends to be more expensive but will it help me in the long run? Will I gain the same amount of knowledge doing the ADN program as Nursing school but just pay less? Any advice on this is MUCH appreciated. Thank you.

[elkpark]

Um, an ADN program is "nursing school." Any program that prepares you for licensure, be it a diploma program, an ADN program, a BSN program, or a direct-entry MSN program, is "nursing school." It's just a matter of what degree you're getting. Are you talking about an ADN program vs. a BSN program? That's a v. personal decision, and there's no one "right" answer.

Both programs will prepare you for initial licensure. Employers in your area may have a distinct preference for graduates of one type of program vs. the other (lots of hospitals seem to be going the "BSN preferred/only" route these days, but certainly not all hospitals, and it varies from area to area). Cost is certainly a consideration. Location and scheduling may be a consideration for you, as well, as well as the reputation of the specific programs you are considering. There are some graduate programs out there that will take ADN graduates without a baccalaureate degree, so you wouldn't necessarily have to finish a BSN, but that would certainly restrict the number of graduate programs available to you if you went that route.

Lots to think about -- best wishes for your journey!