Second degree and nursing

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2015

I think there's some misinformation going around your work. ADN-RN graduates are not being told they can only work in the nursing home and whether or not to hire a BSN is up to each individual employer. With so many new grads coming out in certain areas, employers can be picky about who they hire. It's the law of supply and demand. We have not seen the nursing shortage yet in many areas, but it ultimately will happen at some point.

The core program of an ASN program and BSN program are the same. They are both 2 years. Nothing more is being crammed in. The difference is in the prereqs. An ASN program generally has one year of prereqs and a BSN has two. An ASN program will at the very least take three years to complete. Have you looked at the differences in the programs in your area.

An ASN graduate and BSN graduate both sit for the same licensing exam. A person must complete the amount of clinical hours required by the BON in order to be eligible to sit for the exam. In the end they are both RNs.

If there are hospitals out there requiring a BSN and you go to a MSN program and bypassing the BSN, you won't get the job. Employers in certain areas want the BSN. It depends on what your end goal is, but if I was going to go on for my MSN I wouldn't be staying in bedside long. Research your options.

WCSU1987 · Aug 3, 2015

Was a general statement working in a nursing home. However, think that will come to truth in our state 75% hospital's are either magnet or won't hire a nurse with an associate's.

Our hospital is part of an in state network of hospital's. The largest of the hospital's has been a magnet hospital for awhile. Recently they been pushing their siblings in the network to transition to only BSNs. So all hospital's by 2020, with maybe the exception of the new hospital they acquired, want all nurse's to have a BSN or higher. I know three nurse's I work with who are at the MSN level, think two still do bedside in school.for APRN. The other is a nurse manager. Not sure if the director is a MSN or APRN.

Then the rest I work with are still in program's working with for their MSNs. That be an odd requirement even though you have your MSN we can't hire you because you don't have your BSN.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2015

If there are hospitals out there requiring a BSN and you go to a MSN program and bypassing the BSN, you won't get the job. Employers in certain areas want the BSN.

I was with you on your post, right up until this part. It doesn't make sense to me. Someone who is Master's prepared is educated BEYOND the BSN level. If an employer is seeking someone with a BSN, then someone with an MSN has more than met that requirement. The employer would be seeking someone with a minimum of a Bachelor's but they are hardly going to shun someone with a still higher education. That employer would seem foolish, IMHO, if they were honestly tell an applicant for an entry-level RN position "sorry, we want a BSN....you have a Master's.....you have to 'go backwards and get a BSN even though you have exceeded that".

Or am I misunderstanding something?

WCSU1987 · Aug 3, 2015

I've heard stories of nurse's with federal job's that they have a ADN a non nursing bachelor's degree and a MSN be rejected on the basis they don't have their BSN. I don't know if there is truth to that statement.

ixchel · Aug 3, 2015

Curious how many second degreer's followed a similar path. I was set to do the ADN route. However, I can become a nurse quicker by doing the ADN route and spend less money if I did the BSN to MSN route.

OP, I'm not sure if I am misunderstanding what you mean here, or if you are misunderstanding the progression of degrees. So I'll break this down, with the hope that it is my misunderstanding.

Your post seems to infer you already have a bachelors in a non-nursing field. Already having one gives you slightly different options.

ADN: you will take pre-reqs, then spend ~2 years in nursing school at the cost of a community college

ABSN: Accelerated BSN. This goes more quickly than an ADN. The reason is because you already have a bachelor's degree. You will do 1-2 semesters of pre-reqs and then be in nursing school ~12-15 months. You will pay university prices.

Traditional BSN: ~two year program with nursing prereqs. University prices.

A BSN-MSN usually requires you to already have a BSN. I think what you meant to say was an ADN-MSN program. During the progression of an ADN-MSN program, you obtain a BSN. Based on your educational goals per your OP, I'm not sure that route serves your purpose.

I am less familiar with entry level MSNs, so I really can't comment to them. It seems to me based on your post that your best option would be to initially go with the highest degree that gives you an RN if you hope to be marketable to employers.

WCSU1987 · Aug 3, 2015

Cool no already have a degree in criminal justice work as a Tech for four year's on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Many nurse's work with already achieved their RN license via an associate program. Then think have about 8 RN to MSN program's in my state. Many went RN to MSN route not sure if they achieved their BSN in the program will have to research the program to find out more.

I mean definitely the BSN be more attractive to employer's, but the $50-$60K cost compared to a $30K cost done a year earlier is more enticing. Within 2 year's after an ADN program can achieve my MSN.

WCSU1987 · Aug 3, 2015

Knowing my learning style and wanting to work during nursing school an accelerated anything is off the table, ha!

Golfer87 · Aug 3, 2015

With the price competition and lowering tuition charges, I see more colleges replacing RN to BSN with RN to MSN.

If DNP programs become more popular and BSN to MSN programs drop enough in tuition, the same will happen with BSN to MSN.

Follow the money. :)

ixchel · Aug 3, 2015

Those prices are terrible, OP. Have you shopped around? Also, again, because you already have a bachelor's degree, there is no time advantage for the ADN. You've already completed the part that makes the BSN take longer (gen eds). Getting an ADN, then BSN, will take longer and end up being more expensive than simply getting your BSN initially.

It's your decision to make, obviously, so my opinion is not the end all, be all. I will say, with equal experience, education, and options, ADN would not be something I'd consider.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2015

Employers who demand a BSN are attempting to cater to an uninformed public that their hospital provides better care and should be the hospital that Joe Public should choose to spend their government dollars at. These employers have no clue nor do they care what the difference between an ADN, BSN or MSN knowledge base is. They want a BSN because they can use it in their marketing propaganda.

The whole Magnet Status thing has gotten so twisted. It was initially meant to signify a hospital with a nurse-friendly environment that attracted nurses. Now it is being used to attempt to attract patients and the dollars that accompany them. Thus, as a future employee, since all RNs are equal, you are attractive to them for the initials after your name.

WCSU1987 · Aug 4, 2015

Appreciate the feedback. Been gung-ho doing the BSN program; year's back in college wanted to go BSN route but opted not to. I see a thinning job market for nurse's with associates. However, still a market there can be a nurse quicker and get going with experience.

Cheaper to as a MSN progeam is $40K. Save me an extra $20K in schooling.