What was harder? Non-nursing bachelors or ADN?

sunnyjohn · Nov 16, 2005

I have a non-nursing bachelor's (in science) and masters. I will be starting the nursing part of the ADN in January.

I'll let you know then!

Cute_CNA, CNA · Nov 16, 2005

I'm not an RN (nor do I plan to be), but getting a bachelor's in psyc was not easy. Plenty of papers to do! :uhoh3:

HappyJaxRN · Nov 16, 2005

I started a new job yesterday and was talking to my manager about NS. He made some offhand comment that all nurses act like they have worked so much harder for their two year degree. He said he just laughs it off because even though he "knows it is a challenge (he doesn't have a degree in nursing by the way), it isn't nearly as hard as a regular BS, say in Psychology or Business or whatever".
I mean, what is up with that? I explained to him that I had to take two years of pre reqs just to get into NS and will ultimately be in school for four years. I told him that "I know many nurses that would strongly disagree with you" (maybe not the right response for my first day on the job:roll ). He said, "I know, but I don't care, because I am right and they are wrong":madface: . (LOL, BAD SIGN right???:roll )
I don't have a bachelors. But what I do know is that every single academic class I have had, including Organic Chem, was by far easier than the overall stress of NS. Maybe not easier than each individual class, but by far, NS has been harder for me and more stressful than even my toughest semester of "normal" college.
After seeing how much information nurses are expected to know and internalize and understand at the core, I am really suprised at the people who still don't think they are as smart as someone with a bachelors in psych. A bachelors in psych would seem like a vacation for me right now...:roll After being in nursing school, I will forever bow down to nurses who have completed their degree. Their level of knowlege is staggering!:bowingpur
I'd like your opinion on this from those of you that have previous bachelors degrees and have completed nursing school....

I think it depends on the school and the non-nursing degree that someone holds. I'm sure a Bachelor's Degree in Biology is hard too. I've spoken to others who have had BA's and Master's Degree's in sciences as well as education and they have said that nursing school was hard! Harder than their other degrees.

I love it when people say these things. I would love to prove them wrong and send them through nursing school. :chuckle Then who will have the last laugh!

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Nov 16, 2005

puleeeeeaaassssee!!!!

now we won't belittle the non-nursing bachelor's degree (like your boss is beltiiling the adn), but i will say this... i know people who slept, drank and smoked their way through 'regular' college (as i like to call it) and made it out without blinking an eye. i, on the other hand, busted my hump, at home, no partying, did not work (tried to but couldn't handle it), and made it through by the skin of my teeth.

now of course, every degree/school/person is different. but let me tell you, i forgot just how overwhelming my adn program was, until i started teaching this year (in the same school i attended). all i can say is whoa :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

palesarah · Nov 16, 2005

now we won't belittle the non-nursing bachelor's degree (like your boss is beltiiling the adn), but i will say this... i know people who slept, drank and smoked their way through 'regular' college (as i like to call it) and made it out without blinking an eye. :

yeah, that's about how it was for me with my ba. of course, i was an art major, but i was also taking pre-med classes (calculus, chem , physics, a&p, bio, etc). my adn program, which i started about 18 months after graduating with my ba, required a lot more work and much bigger time commitment, and a lot more dedication and heart.

Cute_CNA, CNA · Nov 16, 2005

puleeeeeaaassssee!!!!

now we won't belittle the non-nursing bachelor's degree (like your boss is beltiiling the adn), but i will say this... i know people who slept, drank and smoked their way through 'regular' college (as i like to call it) and made it out without blinking an eye. i, on the other hand, busted my hump, at home, no partying, did not work (tried to but couldn't handle it), and made it through by the skin of my teeth.

now of course, every degree/school/person is different. but let me tell you, i forgot just how overwhelming my adn program was, until i started teaching this year (in the same school i attended). all i can say is whoa :uhoh3:

a non-nursing bachelor's degree requires you to bust your hump, too. that shouldn't be minimized, b/c the message you're giving to me is that a bachelor's doesn't take work. i wasn't a big partier (didn't smoke or drink, either). and i worked outside of school during the school year, at times, as well. mine was a ba in psychology.

i have never dogged nurses for their level of education, since i have never been in their position. from what i understand, there's a 2 year degree, but then another 2 years of clinicals. so in my mind, it's not equal, but different. i respect the knowledge and education of nurses because they have background that i don't. there have been several times where i outright said that i admire their efforts as professionals, especially since i would have a difficult time doing the "gross" stuff. also, it amazes me how much a nurse can juggle at one time.

i certainly hope this thread doesn't turn into an adn vs ba/bs bashing, because both degrees are respectable, and both should be treated as such. it's immature and unnecessary. no one here should try to act like one is better than the other.

Newbie Nurse SMP · Nov 16, 2005

I do not want to belittle anyone here. I graduated from a 4 year college with my BA. It was a hard ride. I had to do a Senior Thesis and present it to the entire department before I could graduate. So getting a 4 year degree is not at all a walk in the park.

I have just started taking my science pre-reqs so that I will be able to apply for the Nursing Program next November (ADN). This is also very hard, but in a different way.

I think getting your ADN if tough for two reasons 1) Nursing is a difficult profession and you need to know the ins and outs to succeed. 2) In an ADN program you get so much information crammed into your head in such a small amount of time. So I think that is why many people see Nursing being so much harder than other 4 year programs.

Your boss seems to be hard headed. He clearly doesn't understand what Nursing entails.

tele6girl · Nov 16, 2005

I would never minimize anyone's degree, however, I feel any science degree, whether nursing, biology, or physics is much more difficult than a degree in the arts. I have had conversations with people who have psychology degrees and bring up Erickson or Maslow and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Nursing, whether an ADN or BSN requires a vast amount of knowledge (Phar, anotomy, micro, patho, etc).

Many people are very upset at the fact that they have a 4 year degree, while a nurse with a 2 yr degree makes more money than them. Half of the people in my nursing program were working on their second bachelor's and many didn't make it out of the nsg program.

nurse1day · Nov 16, 2005

Hello

I have a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. I just recently graduated from a Associate Degree Nursing program. Although my first degree was no piece of cake, nursing was much harder. It is definitely more time consuming. I did not have to work full time and attend school with my first degree but I still believe that nursing school was much more demanding then my undergrad in Psyc.:)

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2005

Interesting replies, thank you. This shouldn't turn into a BS/ADN bashing cuz I am asking specifically for input from those who ARE IN OR HAVE BEEN IN nursing school AND have a bachelors in another field. Like my manager, if you have never experienced NS then you are, no offense intended, clueless when it comes to this topic. I am sure he is very smart and probably has some sort of advanced business degree. But how can he make such a comment?? When I think about it though I used to roll my eyes to all the posts in this forum that commented on how difficult NS is and how you will drown if you don't really want it. Now I see firsthand now that I am in NS, but to be honest, I don't think I would have ever thought it was this difficult unless I was in it.

I know a normal bachelors is difficult but honestly, it does seem to me like it would be a walk in the park compared to a science degree. Even a degree in Micro, well..........you know science. Yes, that is incredibly hard but you are not also required to know everything there is to know about drugs and human development, you know what I mean?? In nursing, like others have mentioned, there is so much to know. Not only about the body, but about delegation, and people relations, and how to relate to a sick patient, and technical skills, and time management, and stress management, and superior organizational skills............the list seems to go on and on. Nursing seems to require so many different skills at one time, that is what makes it hard. On top of that know the whole anatomy and patho of the human body and what everything is and WHY, know all the drugs, their dosages, what they do and WHY. It is just overwhelming to me!!! Now I know why a nursing degree is so valuable to so many different types of employers. Once you've completed it, employers know you are just chock full of transferable skills!!!

Other degrees seem so focused in their concentration that it would seem easier. It is like in nursing you are required to be a pharmacist, a psychiatrist, a doctor, a nurse, and a maid all rolled up in one!:rotfl:

Thanks for the replies everyone. Been interesting!!:)

Gennaver, MSN · Nov 16, 2005

I started a new job yesterday and was talking to my manager about NS. He made some offhand comment that all nurses act like they have worked so much harder for their two year degree. He said he just laughs it off because even though he "knows it is a challenge (he doesn't have a degree in nursing by the way), it isn't nearly as hard as a regular BS, say in Psychology or Business or whatever".
....
I'd like your opinion on this from those of you that have previous bachelors degrees and have completed nursing school....

Hi,

I think you manager is rude and narrow minded.

From what I hear from nurses that I have worked with, (some with BAs or BS' in other fields, both the liberal arts and sciences) the RN is hard not matter which way you earn it.

I am working towards it as a masters entry student with my undergrad BA in Sociology and Psychology, lots of research and statistics, and my Associates is in Biology. Between all of that and my pre-reqs it was lots of science too.

When I met a near new grad who is completing her ADN, I offered her plenty of respect. Not only is she about to complete her RN, which is a VERY BIG deal, but she was also a kind, compassionate and encouraging person. We both discussed our various programs and exchanged the best of mutual respect.

This is how I think it should be. I look forward to working alongside her when I eventually complete my RN.

I have also worked with many phenomenal RNs who earned their ADNs and many fantastic RNs who earned their BSN and was suprised one day to learn that one of our RNs with the ADN had previously completed her BS in BioChemistry with a 4.0 grade point average. For what it is worth, she said that nothing in her academic life was HaRDER than her adn. :)

Gen