What would you do in my shoes?

PnutButterJelly · Mar 16, 2013

I can't tell you what to do. But I can say I would probably stay in the ASN program. I am about to graduate from an ASN program and as soon as I get a job I will going back for my BSN. The positive part about it is that I can work while going to school and utilize my employers tuition assistance program. Most hospitals have them. At least in my area, nursing credits NEVER teally transfer. So your first semester may be useless if you switch. The other aspect is the better NCLEX pass rate. In the end, your degree is doesn't amount to much without passing NCLEX. Just my thoughts. Good luck either way.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 16, 2013

Depends on whether your state and area hires BSNs first, then I would transfer. The difference of timing is not much. As far as NCLEX scores, that is relative as well. A lot of those scores are comparative of WHEN graduated take the NCLEX. There are increasing numbers of graduates that wait beyond the initial period to take the NCLEX and may throw off the numbers, especially in the accelerated courses.

The pros of the BSN program is you are able to graduate with the BSN...more opportunities on the clinical ladder sooner rather than later. If you go ADN, some places may offer tuition reimbursement, but you may have to wait 2-3 years to get that reimbursement, as well as a limited amount, which may slowdown your time in getting your bachelor's, again, depends on your area. In my area, there are instances like this, which makes the BSN more attractive initially, especially where 80% of the hospitals prefer BSNs as well.

Do some research, seek out information from graduates and alumni from the accelerated program, and find out how many were able to get jobs post-graduation, same from the program you are in as well.

Katie71275 · Mar 16, 2013

Like someone said if hospitals in your area prefer BSN then I would go with that b/c you will graduate 6 months after what you would with the ASN program.

Fireman767 · Mar 17, 2013

Id suggest you consider the total amount of aspects that differ. An ABSN program is great as an idea, however we are talking about 3 years of nursing in 1 year, high stress, somewhat high dropout rates (depending the school and area). Since its an ABSN its safe to guess you have a B.S., so an alternative is try to take BSN courses while taking your ADN, thats what i'm doing and ill graduate in a year with both a BSN and an ADN. That only works if your program has a BSN with their ADN. Some states post their NCLEX pass rates and such for each college including number of students taking (Pennsylvania does) and the NCLEX is great for some schools, especially when a school has a 90% and you find out they have 10 students that took the test and realize that the scores and statistics mean little to each person.

As far as staying in the ADN program, I'm in one and i had the option of an ABSN. Theres more stress and burning out in one, your pretty much a quarter the way through your ADN, and when you complete it you can take your BSN online, many hospitals give you time before your required to have it.

I'd suggest you consider all the factors and decide, the time it takes to complete it is about 6 month difference between ADN and ABSN, so its your personal choice.

and the class of fundamentals probably wont transfer, generally ADN courses don't transfer to ABSN courses. It may vary for the college, but the ones ive seen don't usually transfer.

ixchel · Mar 17, 2013

I think also you need to consider what your final goal is. If you need a BSN for whatever your final goal is, consider that you will be going to school for years longer. I fear for my accelerated BSN counterparts though because I don't know how they can possibly feel prepared after only 3 semesters of nursing school. I'm terrified with 4. :shy: Maybe a good idea would be to research and compare, line by line, what the differences are. Make lists! How are the NCLEX pass rates for each program? How much longer will it take you to get a BSN if you stick with ADN? What is skipped or condensed to make the BSN accelerated? (For my school, they combine peds and maternity, and then psych and community, so that they get half the time in each specialty. That wouldn't work for me, since I am far more interested in those things than med/surg, which the ABSN program gets a full 2 semesters of along side the traditional students.)

The ABSN sounds better to me on paper, but you have to decide if the end result will give you what you need for your educational and career goals.

On a side note, if you do decide ABSN, perhaps stay in the ADN program for the remainder of the semester. You've already paid for it, and it will give you a jump start on the ABSN program. Maybe it would actually take away some of the gaps that would exist between the two. But you might want to keep it to yourself that you're leaving the program because I can see the instructors being very unhappy with your choice.)