Why did/are you getting your BSN?

[thesundowner]

I have been playing with the idea of returning to school to get my BSN (see my other post about feeling bored on the job) because I love school and may someday wish to go to grad school. However, if I don't go to grad school. . .I'm wondering why I would spend the $$ and time on the degree. My hospital doesn't care if I have a BSN. Would I learn interesting things or just the same old theories/care plans?

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Need the BSN to get pharma project management consulting gigs. I have all the required skills & experience to manage complex matrix organization projects except for that pesky BSN. And my hospital will pay for it, so why not? Love working in the ER but miss my corporate salary & bonuses.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Because I realized it would take me 2 years to do pre requisites and another 2 years for ADN program. I decided if I was going to spend 4 + years in school, I was getting my BSN! And people think you can get an ADN in 2 years. Um no, nit here.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

But, sadly, having a BSN with no experience will get you nowhere these days.

[noahsmama]

I already had a bachelors in another field. I applied to both accelerated BSN programs and ADN programs. I had no idea how useful it is to have a BSN, and just got lucky and got accepted to an accelerated BSN program first. I had no clue that most hospitals in my area prefer BSN nurses. I also had no idea that I would fall in love with public health nursing during nursing school, or that you need a BSN to get a PHN. In other words, I was enormously lucky and just fell into it. If I had gotten the ADN first, I would have had to do the RN to BSN bridge to work in the field I work in today.

[xiongav]

I already had a bachelors in another field. I applied to both accelerated BSN programs and ADN programs. I had no idea how useful it is to have a BSN, and just got lucky and got accepted to an accelerated BSN program first. I had no clue that most hospitals in my area prefer BSN nurses. I also had no idea that I would fall in love with public health nursing during nursing school, or that you need a BSN to get a PHN. In other words, I was enormously lucky and just fell into it. If I had gotten the ADN first, I would have had to do the RN to BSN bridge to work in the field I work in today.

Hi there. I likes your post as it is in line with my future plans in nursing. I'm curious, however, which school did you do your BSN? Was it online? I also already possess a bachelor degree.

[lovedijah]

I have a bachelors in non science and have decided to go for LPN. When it's time for me to bridge, I'll be able to use my husband's GI Bill. If I had to pay for a BSN myself, I wouldn't get one. Sure, I find the BSN useful- but financially with so many other student loans.. we can't take on anymore and stay afloat.

[amygarside]

I became a BSN first before I was hired as a nurse at my hospital, so my experiences may not be completely relatable to yours. However, I think that getting a BSN will allow you to gain more learning and knowledge about your career. Plus, they say that having a BSN and a higher degree can get you promoted faster.

[noahsmama]

Hi there. I likes your post as it is in line with my future plans in nursing. I'm curious, however, which school did you do your BSN? Was it online? I also already possess a bachelor degree.

I did my BSN at Samuel Merritt University. No, it was not online -- you can't do a BSN online unless you're already an RN and are doing an RN to BSN bridge. If you're becoming an RN for the first time, you have to do a whole bunch of clinical hours to graduate.

[sweet~revenge]

It's time.

I've been an RN working med surg for 5 years. In all that time, I never had the desire to go back to school. When I interviewed for ICU at my current facility, they asked if I was planning on getting my BSN. It didn't affect my chances because even though I only have an ADN, I still got accepted into ICU. However, it got me thinking. With the trends I see in healthcare, I can't work at the bedside forever. Also, I realized something else: I really feel like I am ready to learn more. I don't think a BSN will have that much more to teach me, but I think I may decide to become an FNP. I registered to start my RN to BSN program this fall and I can't wait.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

My hospital doesn't care if I have a BSN.

One look at the 20-30 year burnout cases who never advanced their careers on my unit and I was looking into my BSN immediately.

[minnymi]

i spoke to some LPNs who were doing a bridge program to get their BSN when i was in school.

i asked them specifically if they thought they were learning anything they didn't already know because they must've had an advantage.

they said they were learning a lot actually. they already knew how to do all of the skills..recognized s/s...knew tx, etc., but they didn't really know the WHY behind them.

in my opinion, knowing the "why" and realizing that certain s/s can lead to this or that enables you to anticipate what might happen next which has to have an impact on your care at some level.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

I was doing my prerequisites for ADN program when I realized it was going to take me two years to get all of them out of way, and then the 2 years + 1 summer for ADN program would equal 4 + years anyway.....so why not go for my BSN??? seemed like a no brainer for me. Plus I got into BSN program first try.