Why do some choose to pursue BSN over ASN first?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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In my own mind, I cannot rationalize it. The ASN program is 18 months. Once you graduate and pass boards, you can nurse. At that point you can immediately begin taking the classes needed for BSN. But from what I understand, if you are enrolled in the BSN program from the start, you cannot nurse until you've graduated the program.

Other than not wanting to take classes while working, I can't see why anyone would choose to take the long route. I'm sure some have their reasons, though, which is why I'm inquiring.

It may be worth checking with your facility's HR department to clarify that you would be eligible for hire with an associate's. The health system I worked for during school, in the ER, would not consider non-BSN prepared nurses as new hires. I worked with nurses who had years and years of charging experience in the ER and are not considered "qualified" if they wanted to move to a different position/department. No one that works with them believes them to be unqualified but HR ultimately holds the power in that struggle.

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A lot of hospitals, striving for magnet status, will not hire ADN. There is nothing wrong with choosing the BSN path. BSN is the new entry level. All ADN's I know are graduating this year and are so upset they won't be able to apply to new grad positions. Furthering your degree is never a set back no matter when you do it.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

It depends on where you are applying for jobs. If you read posts on this board by new grads, there are BSNs in some locales ( higher paying, desirable places to live) claiming they have filled out hundreds of applications and get nothing but PRN nursing home work and then ADNs in others (mostly more rural areas) who state that their whole class found acute care jobs before they graduated.

That said, due to the competition for new graduate nursing jobs, I would not advise anyone to attend nursing school if you do not have the resources, time or ability to pursue the BSN, or the ability to relocate if you need to in order to find employment.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Here, an ADN is 2 years. My BSN program is also 2 years (many are still 2, but they're getting shorter). I know that I plan to go to grad school, so I will need my BSN. Going the ADN route, then doing a BSN, would be a last resort for me. It wouldn't make any sense in my case unless I had no other choice.

It's also less expensive in the long run. I made this decision when the BSN was still 3 years. It would be less time than what was at the time going to be two 2-year programs.

It also helps with job prospects- many hospitals here are no longer hiring ADN-prepared nurses.

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I suppose you want to stay at that one hospital in the same job until you retire. No transfers or promotions? Same pay grade?What happens if you friend is no longer the manager when you finish? Even with your friend as the manager HR will have the first say about employment ev en if you are an employee. It is not uncommon for an RN to be under employed today. What happens if the hospital is sold and you must apply again for your job and the BSN is now preferred?

I supposed you didn't read my posts. :/ I have every intent of pursuing BSN classes immediately after graduation. I titled my thread including the first to reflect that. I guess I wasn't clear enough. I also happen to know a lead in HR so that is a non-issue as well... but obviously most aren't in a situation as beneficial than I am. The goal of this thread is not to say who I know and what I'm entitled to, though, I'm just responding to everyone critiquing my personal plan; I simply wanted to know why others choose one option over the other. :)

Now, if you go the BSN route first, I will have been nursing for two years already and making money, saving toward retirement, and gaining experience before you are graduated. And we will both have our BSN at about the same time.
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In my area, BSN is very strongly preferred to ADN, and even is beginning to be required in some hospitals. Also, the ADN programs are 4 semesters, while the BSN program is 5 semesters. I am just wanting to get the BSN over with.

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Specializes in ED Clinical and Documentation.

I am actually happy I pursued my bsn instead of my adn because now that my current job is requiring that all their nurses have a bsn, I am not scrambling to go back to school like half the nurses in my unit. It also pushed me to pursue my masters and thank god that part is over.

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There's nothing new or strange about graduating from high school, going to college, and choosing nursing as a major. It's a major just like education, biology, social work or political science... Except you're probably more employable and you have a well-rounded education. And you don't have to go straight to grad school.

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Specializes in PCU, LTAC, Corrections.

A BSN is often the preferrred degree in come areas. I live in the NYC metro area, a new grad with an ASN will automatically be out the running for many jobs due to the fact that they do not have a BSN. It is hard enough getting a job in this area having a BSN. I always planned on entering an ABSN program or a direct entry program. I applied to both, got in, and decided to attend the direct entry program ( which is located far away from NYC).

The fact is that there is nothing wrong with choosing an ASN over a BSN or vice versa. If people an receive jobs with only an ASN that is wonderful. However, the fact is that with the increases in medical technologies, medical advances, and with an increasing population, many other areas of medicine (not including doctors) have increased the amount of schooling that is required. Only within nursing ( and probably respiratory tech) is an Associates still an acceptable level of entrance to practice. Am I saying ASN prepared nurses are ill prepared for their jobs? No, I am not. I know many personally and and they are great practitioners. However, with the increase of health insurance recipients, increased aging rates, increased longetivity, and lack of primary care physicians, nurses will have to stand the gap. That is why there is such an increase of nursing programs ( from BSN to DNP/PhD) that increase a nurses educational degree.

For me it just makes sense to start at a higher degree for nursing. I already have a previous college degree and getting an ASN or BSN is not something I want to do. Yes, when I graduate I will be a bedside nurse in order to get skills in real life but that is fine. Most of the research I have found has stated that direct entry-MSN graduates tend to be promoted earlier in their careers then their ASN/BSN co-workers. I already know I want to become an adult acute care NP or a CRNA. Starting from an ASN would be time prohibitive.

I understand that some areas of the country the level of degree does not matter however, I am not to sure how long that will continue.

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The military requires BSN for active duty officers. It is not a point that was up for negotiation.

However, I'd have done BSN either way. I was young, fresh out of high school, and I had the funds available to get my 4-year degree. Why work for a bit and then go back to school later when you have a family, career and other bills if you can help it?

Amen! Life finds its ways to help postpone education. I have three kiddos and it is very hard. Right now I just want to sit down and try to figure out this section in Statistics. I can't because my two yo old would be banging on the door saying " Mommy where are you?" Lol. Right now we are going over the heart and blood in A&P 2 and I find that so freaking interesting. I just want to dive in and get very detailed with it, but I can't bc I just don't have the time. When I FINALLY go to nursing school all three kiddos will be in school and it will be much easier but still more difficult if I just did everything before kiddos.

I want to see if I get this right from what I understand you are saying. Your ASN would be 2 1/2 years. One year of pre reqs and 18 months of nursing school. Then you would go back to school for your BSN. You would need to finish the rest of your pre reqs, which would be another year and go to a bridge which would be 12 to 16 months. So 2 to 2 years and 4 months or so. So if my math is right thst is 4 1/2 years or more to get your BSN.

If I am misunderstanding let me know. Seems a bit shorter just to go straight in to a BSN program. You seemed to know which way you want to go so do what you think is best. :-)

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Specializes in CVICU, CCRN.

I am in my final semester of nursing school. I will be graduating in the spring with a BSN and it took me a total of 4 years. I did consider doing the ASN; however, based upon the waiting list at other colleges that offer ASN degrees, I would have graduated only a semester early with my ASN versus one more semester for a BSN. In that way, it was much more worthwhile for me to do it all at once.

I really believe that my "long" (and it really hasn't been very long) education has really given me a little bit more of an edge versus some of my ASN colleagues. I'm not trying to talk down to ASN prepared nurses; however, a characteristic of a BSN nurse is that they have just a little bit more of a well rounded education. In addition, studies have found that hospital floors with BSN prepared nurses have better patient outcomes. Again, I am not trying to talk down to any ASN nurses because they can be fantastic (or better) than a BSN nurse.

In addition, most hospitals in my area require a BSN as a prerequisite for employment.

Finally, I wanted to get my BSN right away because I want to try to pursue an advanced practice position sooner than later.

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I have several friends who went to a 4-year university to get their BSN. Most young students what the "college experience". I am in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and you can still get a job with just an ADN. I believe most hospitals are requiring that you start your BSN classes within a year of working. My GPA was awful(I have brought it up now), due to lack of focus and motivation. The ADN program that I am applying to only looks at your pre-req GPA and is a point system. It is much easier for me to get in than if I tried to go straight for my BSN. If I would have been more committed to my studies, I would have just gotten the BSN over with. This way gives me a chance to redeem myself, so to speak, and I am so thankful.

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