What did you take away from your ADN to BSN program

[jennifers]

Going back to school in the Fall (Lord willing). I already have a BS in another field and my ADN. My question is for those of you that have went this route. What did you take away from the BSN program? Did you feel your knowledge greatly changed? Your attitude toward the profession? What was the one greatest thing you learned from your program? Are you glad you did it?

Thanks for the answers.

[noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP]

This is what I was afraid of. But I too see it as a hoop to get to the msn.

Have you thought about doing a MSN directly? I know some schools offer going from an ADN to a MSN if you have a bachelors in another field. You do have to take a few bridge courses (around three courses) but you can skip the BSN altogether.

Its interesting to read the responses on here. I have a BS in another field and I am currently enrolled in an ADN program. Eventually I want to get an MSN and was thinking of going the slow route of first getting a BSN and then doing the MSN but now I'm more swayed to pursue the option I mentioned above.

O, I was shadowing a RN in the ICU this semester in clinicals and she sat me down and was like, "you MUST get a BSN. I started out with an ADN and went back to get a BSN and I learned so much about leadership and ethical issues in nursing." She turned out to be one of the worst nurse I have ever seen... reminds me of the post above about the BSN nurse in the ICU.

[Moogie]

My experiences were vastly different from those mentioned by other posters.

There was a high level of professionalism in both my ADN and BSN programs. With few exceptions, the instructors encouraged students to strive for excellence in both clinical and scholarly work. Many of us in the ADN program were strongly encouraged to go on for the BSN and many in the BSN were encouraged to go to graduate school. (Considering that I finished my BSN twenty-seven years ago---it just takes some people longer to get there!)

The focus of the ADN program was on skills acquisition---which we accomplished---and in the BSN, the focus was on critical thinking and nursing theory. While both programs valued a holistic approach, our understanding of holism was definitely honed in the BSN program. And while we learned some assessment skills at the ADN level, we learned more at the BSN.

I think the biggest difference for me was that the ADN program taught us how to be good worker bees---and we were! Hospitals loved the graduates of our program. The BSN, however, helped me become more well-rounded as an individual and helped broaden my thinking about nursing.

The only negative experience I have had with nursing education was a graduate program that was not right for me for so many reasons---not a good time in my life, not enough focus on theory (sorry, I love theory), and too much focus on trying to do research without having a good understanding of research---at least from my perspective. It was not a good fit for me and I left that program, but no education is ever wasted. On the first day of class, one of the profs said that graduate education was a socialization process and that we would learn to think differently while we were going through the program. After I left the program and went back to work in a clinical setting for a while, I understood what she meant. I do approach situations differently from nurses who have not had graduate coursework---and that has been both good and bad for me in a clinical setting. It was good in that I was able to see the bigger picture in terms of patient care but not good in that some of my co-workers thought I was from a different planet and my direct supervisor, who did not have as much education or experience, thought I was "slumming" by working in a clinical setting and pretty much resented everything I did or suggestion that I (very kindly and politely) made.

I really love the graduate program that I attend now because it is the right time, I love the focus on theory, I'm happy with the curriculum, and I feel I will get a very adequate preparation on how to do research before I am expected to go out there and do it.

At the risk of being flamed, I will say that while schools do vary in the quality of education they provide, a good amount of what one gets out of a program depends on what one puts into the program. Most definitely, people can get into programs that, for whatever reason, are not a good fit for them. However, there are people who aren't really thrilled about going back to school, who are going through the motions of a course simply to get "done", not to learn anything. I've done group work with people who could care less, who do the minimum, and don't care about anything except getting a passing grade and moving ahead to the next semester. I guess I don't understand that attitude because I figure that while I am in school, although it is busy and stressful, I am going to enjoy this process!

[NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN]

FYI: If you are going to do a program at a school that does not use APA format, you may want to check their credentialing.

[geocachingRN]

In California if one has a B.S. or B.A, one is unable to get another one at a state or UC. I have a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies which I earned 20 years ago, and just graduated from the ASN program 12/2008. I immediately applied to the local state MSN program, and have spent the last year making up the deficits which consisted of all the RN to BSN classes save one. Because I want to do public health, I have found these classes to be immensely interesting and valuable. Though the research class was boring, I got a lot out of it.

Two points:

I'm very glad that I went this route as I appreciated all the clinical time I had in the ASN program, far, far more than the BSN.

Also, I've been told that the wave of the future is DNP and Ph.D's and recruiters as looking for new grads with a minimum of a BSN. If you have an ASN, consider going straight to an MSN, either NP or Clinical Specialist.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

This is what I was afraid of. But I too see it as a hoop to get to the msn.

*** You absolutely do NOT need a BSN to get an MSN. This is true for ADN nurse with no other degree but especially true for ADN nurse who have a degree in another field. There are many ADN to MSN programs where not BSN is required or earned in the program and even more for nurses with a BS.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

That's exactly what it is. It's just a fact of life to get an advanced degree you need a bachelors. No big deal really it's not nearly as hard as ADN.

*** Absolutely not the case. You can go from ADN to MSN with no BS required or earned. he only exception is for CRNA school but even then there is no need for a BSN, many schools will accept BS in other fields.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

FYI: If you are going to do a program at a school that does not use APA format, you may want to check their credentialing.

*** No worries. The University of Minnesota is fully accredited.

[ShannonFaas]

I am also jumping through the hoops so to speak. I just took a writing class that was beyong rediculous as to how much work was asked of us to do in 12 weeks. Then the coward who said he would take no late papers EVER kept extending the due dates for the young 20 somethings who couldn't handle the work. I was dissappointed in my professor. I was working 2 jobs, had a kid in college, one in highschool, one in pre-school and one at home and I got the work done. I might have griped a lot...but none the less I had it done. I have a friend going through the same program just actually at the college...she had the same class and her professor took her class to a bar for the final exam and asked them what they learned....this on the opposite end...way too easy. A lot of hoops....very expensive....not anymore recognition or pay than what I get now..but I need it to get my MSN.

And for the comment on the BSN in ICU....Associate degree nurses have more hands on experience...I have come acrossed some of these nurses myself....what a joke!!!!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I think it is funny because I work in an ICU and a bunch of other RN's with ADNs were told they know nothing by a new grad (BSN) because her degree was superior. I just had to laugh at the ignorance.

*** I work in the SICU of a large academic teaching hospital with Magnet (whoop-ti-do). We have a 7 month long Nurse residency program to train new grads into ICU. New grad BSNs are not even eligible to be hired in our unit. ADN only. They will hire experienced nurses who have BSNs but with new grads it's ADN or diploma only. It doesn't say any place that new BSNs will not be hired but they are not and this has been the case for two years now. I know of one other ICu in the area doing the same and was recently told by our assistant nurse manager that another large hospital in this state is considering doing the same for their ICU.

Our hospital does hire new grad BSNs into other units including PICU, ER, L&D and all the med-surg units.

[Moogie]

*** No worries. The University of Minnesota is fully accredited.

Wow! The U of M doesn't require APA formatting in its graduate coursework?

But---does that mean they have a different kind of formatting that might be even more difficult? Or one that might be a bit more user-friendly?

[noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP]

*** I work in the SICU of a large academic teaching hospital with Magnet (whoop-ti-do). We have a 7 month long Nurse residency program to train new grads into ICU. New grad BSNs are not even eligible to be hired in our unit. ADN only. They will hire experienced nurses who have BSNs but with new grads it's ADN or diploma only. It doesn't say any place that new BSNs will not be hired but they are not and this has been the case for two years now. I know of one other ICu in the area doing the same and was recently told by our assistant nurse manager that another large hospital in this state is considering doing the same for their ICU.

Our hospital does hire new grad BSNs into other units including PICU, ER, L&D and all the med-surg units.

Why don't they hire the BSNs?

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

Probably because they run off after one year, right?