RN or BSN??

As you search the forums, you'll see that this is sometimes a hotly contested issue. In general, I think it's safe to say that grad school opportunities and management opportunities (after acquiring some nursing experience) are the two big advantages to obtaining a BSN. I think most people find that the monetary difference is slight if anything. Some hospitals do have a preference for BSN's, but most hospitals in my area do not.

Hi Christie,

I have a BA and Masters, neither of them in nursing. I graduated from a hospital school of nursing. We have a mix of BSNs and ADN/diploma RNs on our SICU. All are competent nurses. Do what works best for you :)

In some areas ADN RNs enjoy a wide variety of job opportunities. In my area ADNs are basically bedside nurses and charge nurses. I'm 47 years old and have been doing bedside nursing for 15 years and love it. But as I age, I'm wondering if I can handle the stress and strain and hard work of bedside nursing when I'm 65 (unless I marry rich or win the lottery I'm going to have to work probably into my late 60s).

There are BSN-preferred jobs in case management, managment, teaching (a BSN can teach a clinical group here but not lecture in the classroom), patient safety, quality, research, pharmaceutical companies, community health, etc.

So I'm going back for my BSN online. That is one option you can choose. My hospital reimburses books and tuition up to $2200.00 per calender year and I've taken advantage of that.

BSN RNs and ADN RNs basically started out pretty equally at the bedside making the same amount of money, doing the same things and are equally skilled. In rare cases BSNs are perferred by some hospitals or recruiters, and you'll also find recruiters who favor ADNs (with the mistaken belief they get more clinical hours or for whatever reason).

If you've already gotten so many courses behind you it might not take 4 years to get a BSN. If not, go for the BSN and get it out of the way. Otherwise getting the ADN will definately serve you well, since you've obviously spent a lot of time in school and if you decide you want to do something later on down the road, RN to BSN programs are sprouting up everywhere. I wish I'd gotten my BSN earlier and always advise to get it done if you have the opportunity.

Good luck. Please feel free to ask questions.

Thank you very much for the time and thought you have all given to his question.

I am so early in to trying to figure out what will be best for me and making sense of all of this that you have all added a new dimension to knowledge base about what's available and why.

Christie

You're more than welcome. Good luck!