What do you receive upon completion of a nursing program?

wsp4905 · Dec 23, 2009

If she went to school for 18 months to be a RN, it was not a BSN program. Those take 3-4 years. More likely she got a two year ADN or diploma degree.

Upon graduation, she would receive a diploma and be eligible to NCLEX-RN.

ShawnThePhoenix · Dec 23, 2009

It looks like 80% of RN jobs require a BSN is this thruth?

dannyc12 · Dec 23, 2009

It looks like 80% of RN jobs require a BSN is this thruth?

Nope.

ShawnThePhoenix · Dec 23, 2009

Heh, okay. So a BSN is not needed to become a successful, marketable, nurse?

Crux1024 · Dec 23, 2009

Sucessful? No.

Marketable? Maybe.

If you search the threads on the board, the common theme is that there is not much of a difference as a bedside nurse regardles of ASN or BSN. Pay wise there may be a small diffrence. Ive seen instances of $0.25 an hour more for a BSN.

The difference begins with management positions and things like that, that will require a BSN or even an MSN to be considered for the position.

Also, just depening on you region or hospital they may prefer to hire BSN's as it makes their facility "Look" better for things such as Magnet status.

roser13, ASN, RN · Dec 23, 2009

I would seriously question a school that promises an RN degree in 18 months. Maybe an LPN degree. It is my understanding that most if not all hospital-based RN training programs have been phased out.

There is no connection between CNA and licensed nursing. It is not as if the CNA program will facilitate the RN degree.

What you "receive" when you graduate from an accredited RN program, be it an ADN or BSN program, is the ability to take the NCLEX-RN exam. All RN's, ADN/BSN, must pass the same exam to obtain licensure. Depending upon where you live, there may or may not be an incremental pay benefit to the BSN. The most I've ever heard about is around $1.00. BSN-prepared RN's are definitely at an advantage to obtain administrative positions, but again, that is not consistent. My top nursing manager is an ASN.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Dec 23, 2009

I would seriously question a school that promises an RN degree in 18 months. Maybe an LPN degree. It is my understanding that most if not all hospital-based RN training programs have been phased out.
There is no connection between CNA and licensed nursing. It is not as if the CNA program will facilitate the RN degree.
What you "receive" when you graduate from an accredited RN program, be it an ADN or BSN program, is the ability to take the NCLEX-RN exam. All RN's, ADN/BSN, must pass the same exam to obtain licensure. Depending upon where you live, there may or may not be an incremental pay benefit to the BSN. The most I've ever heard about is around $1.00. BSN-prepared RN's are definitely at an advantage to obtain administrative positions, but again, that is not consistent. My top nursing manager is an ASN.

It sounds like the first twelve weeks would be comparable to my first semester of Fundamentals, much of which would apply to CNA training--activities of daily living, taking vital signs, basics that every nurse should know how to do, but may often end up mostly delegating to aides. We did, however, cover some things that were strictly nursing, like sterile techniques and the beginnings of assessments.

18 months (or 21, in the OP's case) would be realistic for an accelerated BSN, if one already has a bachelor's degree in another field. I suppose an ASN could be done in 21. Uh, yeah, I just counted up, and that's what mine took: four semesters, plus one summer session. Started in August (practically Sept) and graduated in May of the second year.

If memory serves, we were eligible to sit for a CNA certificate after our first semester, and ours was the first year under a new rule by the state that would have let us sit for LPN after our first year, but I didn't do either. By that point, I thought I had plenty on my plate.

Diploma programs are getting scarce, I've heard, except in Pennsylvania, where they're going strong. (80 programs, last I heard). I think they take three years.

I'm not aware of any nursing programs that aren't accredited, but I remember being warned many times to be sure to attend an accredited program, so I guess that means some are not. Apparently, one should avoid them.

ShawnThePhoenix · Dec 23, 2009

Okay great, thank you guys. It seems like the most wise thing to do for a young man wanting to get to work asap (so he can move out finally ) is to acquire a ADN, sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, then later on if wanted or needed finish up a BSN, though it is not needed.