RN with a different BS degree?

elkpark · Jun 7, 2016

If your plan is to stay in nursing, there is no other baccalaureate degree that will benefit you professionally as much as a BSN.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 7, 2016

While the advice you have received is true, you must also think of your pathway to BSN. If you already have a Bachelors and you're in California, things can get a little interesting. For instance, I have a Sports Med Bachelors. After ensuring that I had taken all the prerequisites for nursing, I applied to the local programs, excluding the University's program (BSN) because the entire University (including the nursing program) was closed to 2nd Bachelors students (like me). Once I was accepted to an ADN Program, California provides that students that have a Bachelors Degree meet all graduation requirements and only require the core nursing program... so I took ONLY the nursing program courses and graduated with an ADN. Had the University been open, I could have taken the core courses and graduated with a 2nd Bachelors. If I'd never actually received the first Bachelors, the BSN would have been an option...

What I suggest you do, if you really want the BSN is apply to the program. Continue taking your coursework for your other Bachelors but stop about 2 courses shy of actually completing it. If you get in right away, do the BSN and complete the 2 "missing courses" along the way and when you petition for graduation, you will do so for both and and graduate effectively as a double major. The only reason I suggest this is that you're very close to completing your first Bachelors (about 2 semesters) and you very much should consider whether or not you want to "throw away" any recognition you might get for your current educational program.

A Bachelors outside of nursing may not be worth much to nursing (short-sighted on the part of nursing, IMHO) but it may provide you additional career options should you decide to pursue something other than nursing OR it may provide you a path to an even higher degree (MS or MSN, or beyond) that might otherwise have taken some time due to "missing" credits for entry to that program...

In short, I'm just saying that you should consider ALL of your options going forward before deciding your path. "Game them out" to see what comes of each option. You owe it to yourself (and nobody else) to do this.

NerdyKnitter, CNA · Jun 7, 2016

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply! There are many things to consider for sure. I will give it some serious thought.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2016

You are very close to being done. There is something to be said to starting something and completing it. You can build on accomplishments. I see a lot of people who start and quit start and quit..and the more you quit the easier it gets. I am not saying you have quit anything, but if you get that degree under your belt you may use that as a stepping stone to nursing. Good luck!

NerdyKnitter, CNA · Jun 8, 2016

Yes! That is one reason why I want to finish that degree. It will have to happen after nursing school. I am already doing pre-reqs for nursing and I'm going to FINISH that, and then decide to work on my old Bachelor's or my BSN. It's been 11 years since I stopped working on my old degree. It can wait a little longer :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jun 9, 2016

I am 28 credits shy of a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and Family Sciences.

How many classes is that? 6-ish?

NerdyKnitter, CNA · Jun 9, 2016

How many classes is that? 6-ish?

Yes, I mapped it all out late last year and it would take me two-quarters to finish it. I could do it all online from Washington (the university is in Oregon). It would cost me about $8500, and I already have a lot of student debt. One thing I'm going to ask my current school is if completing the degree would get me through a BSN program faster. That could offset some costs and I would have two BS degrees to show for all my work.