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Discussion

2 Year vs 4 Year

I am wondering how you decide the sequence for nursing education? Some schools allow you to take the RN exam after two years. Others are after 4 years. I think the best approach would be to apply at a school that offers ASN-RN-BSN-MSN but what am I not thinking about? No one in my family has gone to college so I am a little lost in all this. I am in PA if that helps.

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    "Schools" don't allow you to take the RN licensing exam (the NCLEX). The State Board of Nursing Controls that -- and they allow students from a variety of types of programs to take the test and be licensed to practice as an RN.

    However ... neither the schools nor the State Board of Nursing contols hiring. Employers are looking to hire people who best fit the requirements for the jobs they are looking to fill. A lot of employers prefer to hire RN's with the 4-year BSN degree rather then the 2-year ADN or ASN degree. Some nursing organizations and some employers feel that the extra 2 years of education provides the nurse with a more well-rounded education and in-depth preparation for professional practice.

    A lot depends on the job market in your particular area. In some areas of the country, having an ADN or ASN severely limits your job options because most of the local employers prefer the additional education provided by the BSN programs. In other areas of the county, it is not as big of a deal -- because the local employers hire plenty of ADN/ASN graduates.

    So ... what you need to do is ... investigate the job market in your region. Do the local ADN/ASN graduates have more trouble finding jobs than the BSN graduates? Do the best employers in the region prefer BSN graduates? That's what you need to know to help you make an informed decision. You can get a license with either type of education ... but a license doesn't guarantee you a good job.

    I hope that helps to clarify things for you.

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    I realize the state does the licensing but what I do not know, and the person at the board said they could not answer for me, is what schools in our state offer the education necessary to allow you to sit for the test after 2 years. Maybe I need to call them back and ask again. If a school offers an ASN, does that mean they meet the criteria for the RN exam? The biggest medical employer in our area hires ASNs from a fairly local program. It seems some go back for their BSN, some work and stop/put on-hold continuing their education, and some work and go to school to continue their education. There are so many programs and I want to narrow them down. Can I go on the assumption if a school offers an ASN degree, that is a good guideline to assume (I know, be careful with that word) that it will qualify with the state for the RN exam? Thank you. You have been very helpful.

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    • Author

    Found the list I needed! Thanks for the help llg. You got me thinking and it was right where it should have been. Much appreciate the help.

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    While getting a BSN from the get go is preferable, many people go to the first school that accepts them, particularly if it is the only program that accepts them. If that is an associate's program rather than a BSN program, they can always get the BSN later.

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