[Keigan1]

I'm hoping that someone can answer a few questions that I have. I recently decided to go back to school for nursing. I am taking full time classes at a four year university with hopes of getting into the BSN nursing program in the Fall of 2007. I just got accepted to a 2 year RN program at a local hospital that starts in Aug of 2007. I have over 60 transferable credits toward my BSN, but because you have to take all the nursing classes in sequence it will take me 3 1/2 years from Fall of 2007 to complete the program. It would only take me 2 years to complete the RN program. Does anybody know if I would be looked at as less competent when applying for a nursing job because I only have my RN? Also, do RN's and BSN's basically do the same thing? By the end of this semester I will have almost all of my "general education" credit requirements toward my BSN. I am now just waiting on the actual nursing classes, is there anyway that would count for something if I wanted to go back to a RN to BSN program down the road?

[cassioo]

Originally Posted by Keigan1

I'm hoping that someone can answer a few questions that I have. I recently decided to go back to school for nursing. I am taking full time classes at a four year university with hopes of getting into the BSN nursing program in the Fall of 2007. I just got accepted to a 2 year RN program at a local hospital that starts in Aug of 2007. I have over 60 transferable credits toward my BSN, but because you have to take all the nursing classes in sequence it will take me 3 1/2 years from Fall of 2007 to complete the program. It would only take me 2 years to complete the RN program. Does anybody know if I would be looked at as less competent when applying for a nursing job because I only have my RN? Also, do RN's and BSN's basically do the same thing? By the end of this semester I will have almost all of my "general education" credit requirements toward my BSN. I am now just waiting on the actual nursing classes, is there anyway that would count for something if I wanted to go back to a RN to BSN program down the road?

You have to do whatever is best for you but yes a RN from a 2 year ADN program and RN from a BSN program all take the same NCLEX-RN test and all have the same title when hired. A BSN can get you a few points on a clinical ladder or make it easier to get into management positions. If getting to work is the goal I'd do the 2 year program then you can transfer that and take more classes and get your BSN or even go straight MSN or ARNP.

[cougarnurse]

Just remember, some Institutions require you to take so many credits at their particular school to complete the program.

I agree with casioo that no matter which way you go, it is the same NCLEX test.

[Pucklpnemt]

Originally Posted by Keigan1

I'm hoping that someone can answer a few questions that I have. I recently decided to go back to school for nursing. I am taking full time classes at a four year university with hopes of getting into the BSN nursing program in the Fall of 2007. I just got accepted to a 2 year RN program at a local hospital that starts in Aug of 2007. I have over 60 transferable credits toward my BSN, but because you have to take all the nursing classes in sequence it will take me 3 1/2 years from Fall of 2007 to complete the program. It would only take me 2 years to complete the RN program. Does anybody know if I would be looked at as less competent when applying for a nursing job because I only have my RN? Also, do RN's and BSN's basically do the same thing? By the end of this semester I will have almost all of my "general education" credit requirements toward my BSN. I am now just waiting on the actual nursing classes, is there anyway that would count for something if I wanted to go back to a RN to BSN program down the road?

Now what do you want to do in Nursing? Care for patients? in that case
you should get a regular RN...
On the other hand if you want to wear a white jacket and walk around all
day thinking how great I am and pushing papers then get you BSN...
I have never seen a BSN take time to provide care to a patient..... They
are just overpaid uneducated things who think they are Nurse... I have
even had one two weeks from graduation come up to me and ask me how
do you make the bed with the " fancy corners" This is what Nurses are
suppose to do, care for patients, and if it means making a bed you make
a bed.. If it means stopping and taking time to just listen to a patient
you do not need a high ass degree to do this.

[The unexplainable Moo Cow]

Originally Posted by Pucklpnemt

Now what do you want to do in Nursing? Care for patients? in that case
you should get a regular RN...
On the other hand if you want to wear a white jacket and walk around all
day thinking how great I am and pushing papers then get you BSN...
I have never seen a BSN take time to provide care to a patient..... They
are just overpaid uneducated things who think they are Nurse... I have
even had one two weeks from graduation come up to me and ask me how
do you make the bed with the " fancy corners" This is what Nurses are
suppose to do, care for patients, and if it means making a bed you make
a bed.. If it means stopping and taking time to just listen to a patient
you do not need a high ass degree to do this.

Can't we train monkeys to make the beds with fancy corners? And while we're at it train them to insert foley catheters and do tracheal suctioning as well. But I say this not to play down anyone's frustrations as noted above with BSN nurses.

In school we were taught that nursing is all about making critical judgements on the patient's response to their illness and then acting on it. The skills in an of themselves are not what makes nursing to be what it is. There's also an element of a thinking process involved that monkeys cannot do. So while some nurses with a BSN may not have the arsenal of skills a "regular nurse" does, however relative, we could say theoretically they have more of the thinking process down on account of their higher degree in the field.

To stress the point, I've been told before that hospitals like the ADN graduates because they have done more "hands on" work during the school rotations. However to counter this - and I am a recent ADN grad - I say that it's only a matter of time the BSN grad "catches up" with the ADN grad in terms of utilized and learned skills. So in the long run and in the overall scope of things I say it is better to have the BSN over ADN.

I just hope now that no ADN student reading this throws their hands up in the air in frustration and quits their 2 year endeavor.