RN 2yr vs 4yr schooling?

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

There are a lot of threads about this. My theory is, if you have the time and money and a convenient good four year school, go for it.

If you would have to move house, find a job, daycare etc. and you have a local two year program (which will take you a minimum of three years) that might be easier. Getting into either program might be difficult, but you may be able to get your prereq's done in the meantime. Then you can apply for the two year, if you are lucky get in when you are ready, graduate with your RN, pass your boards, get a job, and later maybe your hospital will help pay for your BSN.

No, you don't have to have a BSN for most hospitals. Some have high aspirations, but it's not a problem in our part of the world. Also, not many hospitals pay you any more for a BSN, an RN is the same no matter how you trained for it.

sammy30 · Apr 23, 2011

Thank you so much i was so confused it would be great to work and go back for bsn. I thought it was mandatory to do 4 years

Mossback · Apr 24, 2011

There's no legal requirement to have a BSN in order to become an RN. An associate's degree is perfectly adequate. However, out here in California most of the new grad jobs are going to BSNs, simply because there is a surplus of candidates and hospitals can afford to be picky about degrees.

If a BSN is feasible for you, that's probably a better way to go right now. If not, go for the ADN. Provided you go to an accredited school, you'll likely get a quality education either way. If the job market is still as tepid when you graduate as it is now, you can always go the RN-to-BSN route.