2 Year RN VS. 4 Year BSN?

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 10, 2012

You'll be eligible for a lot more jobs with a BSN. In my area, most of the best jobs for new grads are limited to only those people with a BSN. The new grads with an ADN get "whatever's left" -- and in this economy, there are not a lot of attractive jobs left for the new grad ADN's.

Research the job market in your region and see whether or not the level of education makes a difference in hiring. It may not make as much difference in your area as it does mine.

Also consider the quality of the schools. Never go to a bad-quality school unless you have a darn good reason for doing so. Get good value for your investment of time and money. The ADN-BSN might be best option if that school is of better quality than the straight BSN one. You would just have to be aware that your job choices would be limited during that time when you had the ADN, but not the BSN yet.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2012

and never, never fall for that, "oh, get your rn first and then you can be working and earning money while you finish your bsn." i can't tell you how many people tell me they wish to heck they had never gone that route. the last two years pf school are hard, the first two years of working in the rn role are hard...you really wanna do them both at the same time? do you have staff that can do your shopping, laundry, and wash your hair for you? because you will be too busy to do any of that yourself. :twocents:

PinkCupcake · Feb 11, 2012

If it was possible for me to go into the BSN program right away I would. Unfortunately for me the closest university that offers the BSN program is the University of Iowa and it's a two hour drive one way. With only my husband working and three kids it's not possible for me to commute that far. The only choice I had was to do the RN program and then the bridge program through the university to get my BSN. In the end I'll have my BSN and it'll be cheaper than if I did BSN from the start.

Many hospitals are starting to hire BSNs only. I'm not sure if that's the case in your area, it's not in mine, at least not yet. I've known many nurses who went through the same bridge program that I'm going to go through and they had no problems working while going to school because most of it is done online because it's mostly the clerical side of nursing that is being taught. Granted all programs are different, that was their experience.

In the end if you don't mind spending a little more and you know you want to get your BSN I would say go into the BSN program and be done with it.