Sick and tired of the AAS BSN debate

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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SO

I am a new RN, graduated from one of the toughest nursing programs in the country.

I was lucky enough to land a job in this economy, even better in the department that I love the most!

Life is great, seriously..What could go wrong?!

Its another day in nursing orientation, a handful of us new nurses listening to lectures, performing skills, participating in work shops. FUN!

One day, for the head to toe assessment, a nursing instructor from a private school sits in with her clinical group to listen to the head to toe lecture.

She starts off by saying..

Congratulations you all have jobs!!!

Its because you all have your bachelors... be sure to tell that to all your friends who have their associates.

I was the only one in the group with an associates in nursing.

So I said, I have an associates, and last I checked I have a job.

I SOOOOOOOOO wanted to go on.

I wanted to ask her, with a genuinely dumb look on my face..

The nurses with their bachelors, do they take a different board exam from those associate nurses?

Wait for a response, then come back with EXACTLYYYYY!

I felt about 2 inches tall, but whatever. The school I went to had 1500 applicants, and I was the lucky person to be included in the 150 to get accepted ...of those 150, i was the lucky 70 to graduate on time (we had 90 something at pinning but we had about a dozen of LPNs and the rest were students who had to repeat a course)

Needless to say, I felt small. Was unable to concentrate, but I reminded myself of the little things..and began to feel better.

No student loans to pay back!! So my first paycheck, Im going to blow it and go shopping!!!

I am only making a whopping...drum roll please...50 cents less per hour than those with a higher degree.

I saved a ton of money by taking the NCLEX once and passing it on the first try, with 75 questions baby!

I am going back for my bachelors, my masters even (i would love to have that clinical instructor work for me one day) this time the place I work for is going to reimburse me for my tuition.

This post is not an invitation to flame and debate some more on why one is "better" than the other

This was an opportunity to share my experience, hopefully lift the spirits of someone who had a similar story.

se la vie

Putting out a fire, sorry LOL

Not sure why you bothered to post such a snippy and unhelpful remark. You might want to read the OP's first post.

Best wishes Natingale!

not familiar with the "op" nomenclature but okay

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

As a BSN nurse I am also sick of this debate. I did not graduate from a prestigious nursing program like you did, (although I do not believe any community college is prestigious) but I did get selected (not drawn from a lotto like the ASN programs in my state) the first time I applied; I graduated on time, with honors, as a member of Sigma Theta Tau; I got a job in my choice specialty department right out of school; I passed the NCLEX on my first try, with 75 questions, in a hour and half...and I come on here reading about how there was no point in my getting my BSN over an ASN (not true); that I can write a mean paper (true) but did receive have as much clinical training as an ASN grad (not true); that there are no benefits of a BSN in the hospital setting (not true on many accounts).

So trust me, the ASN nurses are not the only ones tired of this debate.

Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).
Wow than you have to be rich then,cause the last time I check getting your BSN is much more expensive.

This will depend on where you go to school, and whether you attend a public or private institution! I teach in an ADN program at a rather expensive private college. My students could easily get their BSN cheaper by attending one of our public universities.

Specializes in Emergency Room.
Kind of stupid to require a BSN or MSN just to clean people and hand out a few meds. Makes no sense to me. We all end up doing the same job eventually.

if it was this straight forward then there would be no nursing shortage and any old joe blow from the street could clean people and "pass out a few meds". when or if i ever become ill i want a nurse that understands that "a few meds" and lack of pt care could make or break my recovery. food for thought.....

not familiar with the "op" nomenclature but okay

OP = original poster

(I dislike acronyms. They are a hindrance to good communication.)

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
if it was this straight forward then there would be no nursing shortage and any old joe blow from the street could clean people and "pass out a few meds". when or if i ever become ill i want a nurse that understands that "a few meds" and lack of pt care could make or break my recovery. food for thought.....

There is no nursing shortage - true a facility may prefer someone with experience over a New Grad but there are scads of nurses who cannot get jobs right now, even with a BSN.

OP = original poster

(I dislike acronyms. They are a hindrance to good communication.)

Well I was just about to answer that op is an art form popular in the '60s that involved bright garish colors and lots of swirls and optical illusions but okay. :)

Can you imagine what our day would be like without acronyms? It's simply shorthand in informal communication, with most of the jargon pretty universally understood. At times I'll get flummoxed by something but a trip to ye olde urbandictionary.com will almost always have the common ones. Not to get too detailed or derail the thread, but a nurse here used the phrase "the beast with two backs" -- :confused: I tried my darndest to figure that one out and :eek: OMG!!

OP = original poster

(I dislike acronyms. They are a hindrance to good communication.)

Don't work in a government setting then! LOL :lol2:

Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.
NCC = ?

Nassau Community College?

In this case. That is natingale's school.

I'm certain Nassau Community College is a good school. I just noticed that she seems proud to proclaim how great her school in comparison to other programs. I love learning about different programs, so I took a look at hers comparing it my nearest community college:

NCC has fewer credits in the nursing degree program (69-70 vs 75), specifically fewer nursing classes than the community college closest to me (34 vs 47 (vs 60 in a BSN)). The CC close to me is similarly merit entry, and considered above average for a CC in our state.

I don't know anything more about it than what I can find on the net. I'm just curious why Natingale considers NCC "one of the toughest nursing programs in the nation" because the information to support that statement I've been unable to find.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I see no further point in taking potshots or "polite comparisons" at this point, as she never meant to get into that realm. So she's proud of her school! So what? Let it go!

Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
In this case. That is natingale's school.

I'm certain Nassau Community College is a good school. I just noticed that she seems proud to proclaim how great her school in comparison to other programs. I love learning about different programs, so I took a look at hers comparing it my nearest community college:

NCC has fewer credits in the nursing degree program (69-70 vs 75), specifically fewer nursing classes than the community college closest to me (34 vs 47 (vs 60 in a BSN)). The CC close to me is similarly merit entry, and considered above average for a CC in our state.

I don't know anything more about it than what I can find on the net. I'm just curious why Natingale considers NCC "one of the toughest nursing programs in the nation" because the information to support that statement I've been unable to find.

I agree. If someone wants to consider their nursing program, be it ADN, BSN, or Diploma, to be "prestigious," then they have to be prepared to back it up. People are so quickly to make claims without facts. What about NCLEX rates? School standings? Etc?

FYI NCC NCLEX pass rate is 86% Source

NYS Nursing:Nursing Programs:RN NCLEX Results: 2008-2012

Specializes in Utilization Management; Case Management.
As a BSN nurse I am also sick of this debate. I did not graduate from a prestigious nursing program like you did, (although I do not believe any community college is prestigious) but I did get selected (not drawn from a lotto like the ASN programs in my state) the first time I applied; I graduated on time, with honors, as a member of Sigma Theta Tau; I got a job in my choice specialty department right out of school; I passed the NCLEX on my first try, with 75 questions, in a hour and half...and I come on here reading about how there was no point in my getting my BSN over an ASN (not true); that I can write a mean paper (true) but did receive have as much clinical training as an ASN grad (not true); that there are no benefits of a BSN in the hospital setting (not true on many accounts).

So trust me, the ASN nurses are not the only ones tired of this debate.

AMEN!!! I feel the OP's pain. My sister and cousin are great nurses, they have their ADNs, and yes if I wanted a career change or was a sole provider I guess I may have gone the 2 year route but I went to University with nursing in my mind, did a nursing magnet program in high school. And do I think my BSN is worth more, yes I do. Yes my sister has 3 years exp more than I do as a new nurse but if I want to go for my MSN I wont need to do an RN to BSN or MSN program or something like that. And I know for a fact I did more clinical hours than the RNs in the ADN programs in my area. Clinicals 2 times a week for 4 semesters plus 3 days of classes and then 200+ hours during my last semester. And yes I do have debt, tons of it but in the end I feel like a more rounded nurse bc I was able to have a full college experience. I learned leadership skills and am able to incorperate that into my role. Are there ADNs that can do everything that I can and run circles around me...yes. But there are undeniable benefits of a BSN.

Very sorry that instructor did that but I've been told by ADN instructors and ADN nurses that I'm a BS Nurse...and thats not true. I have more than just skills and more likely than not the ADNs are gonna go back to school to transition to being a BS nurse themselves. It is an old debate but a valid one. AN RN is an RN but as long as there are programs that vary so will the opinion of the letters that follow the RN title.

Another reason I did my BSN...the ANA says that's the standard now or will soon be. I mean hey, my professors that started in diploma programs that now have PhDs told us all the time that they want nursing to be a profession not a trade with higher standard and higher standing because nurses do so much for their patients and getting a BSN is one way to help to raise the bar... Not everyone will agree with that but I understand that. I have no problems with an ADN program/nurse...we do the same thing at the bedside essentaily but getting a BSN is more work and it is not in vain...so lets not act as if the two are equal...if they were there would be no need for ADN or BSN titles..it would just be RN.

SN: Yay Sigma Theta Tau!!

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