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.
This does not apply to people that ALREADY have a bachelors.
At least at my school, The pre-reqs could be done in 1 year.
ADN has a lot of advantages over a BSN. I decided to get the Associate degree first. The pay is the same, and jobs are still plentiful. I actually highly recommend doing it that way. For a few reasons. Most programs will let you test as an LPN after the first year. You will make more money (than a CNA), AND get nursing experience. A few reasons ADN is advantagious...
- Cheaper.
- Shorter time to complete.
- A lot of employers will pay for you to get your BSN as you are working as an RN.
- If you dont like it, you did not waste as much time or money.
- Same pay. (ADN/BSN)
- LPN experience/resume.
- After your BSN, you will not have to re-take boards.
I definitely agree with everyone that a BSN should be the final goal, but why not work as a nurse (both LPN and RN) while getting it?
Jay
More and more states are moving away from the model where you can get your LPN during your RN education. So, that may work in your state, but is not universal.
i don't see how it's humanly possible to do all the pre-reqs in one year. even if it is, the nursing courses take more than a year so it's not saving much time.
Wow than you have to be rich then,cause the last time I check getting your BSN is much more expensive.
You dont have to be rich to get out of school with no student loans. Lots of people do it everyday.I went to a state university, worked hard, worked while in school and paid my tuition which was only 2700a semester. It requires prioritization. Thats all.
It totally depends on the hospital. Where I work, and I've said this over and over, the stated policy is BSN required, but our nurse manager likes the ADN's from a particular community college a lot, and 80% of the new grad hires are ADN's. Sure, many go on to get their BSN or MSN . . . but they were hired with the ADN. So, the "higher" degree does not always get you the job.
With the economy right now, ur more likely to get a job with a BSN. Atleast thats I hv seen so far.
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.
Wow so all u do is clean people and hand out a few meds?? Then that means a CNA could do ur job worse still anyone on the streets could do it. No assessment, critical thinking skills right???????? Its attitude like this that make people not respect nursing or even view it as a profession after all passing meds and cleaning people is all we do.
i don't see how it's humanly possible to do all the pre-reqs in one year. even if it is, the nursing courses take more than a year so it's not saving much time.
I got my prereqs done in one year with good organization and taking classes during all 4 semesters. My summer semester consisted of 22 credits.
My nursing classes took 2.5 years (5 semesters), but I was still finished with my BSN sooner than I would have been with an ADN due to having to wait 2-3 years to even begin the program at community college.
i don't see how it's humanly possible to do all the pre-reqs in one year. even if it is, the nursing courses take more than a year so it's not saving much time.
I took my pre-reqs in one year. I had a full course load during the academic year, but didn't need to take pre-reqs over the summer.
most classes have pre-reqs. you have to take anatomy one before anatomy 2, microbiology, prob and stats, csci, speech, english, psych, etc, etc. it's a good 2 years worth even with a full load.
the actual AS nursing program takes 2 years, but after spending a year or more likely 2 on core classes - you spend the same amount of time as you would getting a BSN.
most classes have pre-reqs. you have to take anatomy one before anatomy 2, microbiology, prob and stats, csci, speech, english, psych, etc, etc. it's a good 2 years worth even with a full load .
So for your program it's impossible for anyone to finish pre-reqs in one academic year?
It wasn't for my program. It was challening, but not impossible.
the actual AS nursing program takes 2 years, but after spending a year or more likely 2 on core classes - you spend the same amount of time as you would getting a BSN.
Except for the fact that a BSN requires more credits (more classes) than an AS nursing degree. So, if a student is taking 4 years to take enough credits to graduate with an AS in nursing degree, by your standards, a BSN would take 5 years.
So for your program it's impossible for anyone to finish pre-reqs in one academic year?
It wasn't for my program. It was challening, but not impossible.
Except for the fact that a BSN requires more credits (more classes) than an AS nursing degree. So, if a student is taking 4 years to take enough credits to graduate with an AS in nursing degree, by your standards, a BSN would take 5 years.
I'm not sure - that's why I'm asking. What pre-reqs did you or do you have to take for an AS degree? Or, to make it simpler, how many credit hours? I believe I took around 60 credit hours in core classes (history 1, history 2, prob and stat, anat 1, anat 2, micro, psych, sociology, humanities, etc, etc). Do you not have to take all those?
I'm not sure - that's why I'm asking. What pre-reqs did you or do you have to take for an AS degree? Or, to make it simpler, how many credit hours? I believe I took around 60 credit hours in core classes (history 1, history 2, prob and stat, anat 1, anat 2, micro, psych, sociology, humanities, etc, etc). Do you not have to take all those?
The year of prereqs I did were what I needed for either my AS or my BS. The BS program I was hoping to gain entrance to (and did) was a three year program....so, same pre-reqs as the ADN programs here.
So, your AS program required 60 credit hours as prerequisites?
i don't see how it's humanly possible to do all the pre-reqs in one year. even if it is, the nursing courses take more than a year so it's not saving much time.
Not necessarily. Had I been able to take more pre-reqs per semester, I could have completed them in in 1 year. Unfortunately, I have to work to support myself and save for the year that I'll be out of work while completing my ABSN program. For me, it'll take 3 years. It could've taken 2, but I work long hours and couldn't handle more than 1 course per semester. My ABSN program is 12 months.
I already have a BA, so it made no sense to get an ADN. I was planning on earning a BSN anyway, so I figured I'd knock it all out at once instead of doing a 2-year ADN program, then spending another 2 years wrapping up the BSN. Seemed too long and drawn out for me.
CuriousMe
2,642 Posts
More and more states are moving away from the model where you can get your LPN during your RN education. So, that may work in your state, but is not universal.