Nursing degree - associates or another bachelors?
July 26, 2015 3:20 AM   Subscribe

I have a fifteen year old B.A. degree in a liberal arts field with a mixed bag of grades in minor science coursework: A's in Physics, B's in Biology and Calculus, C's in Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. I don't have any Anatomy or Physiology. I ideally want to always be able to find a job when I need one, and I like the idea of getting paid to travel and work abroad. To that end I'm not sure if getting a BSN is necessary or if an associates is enough. Any insights appreciated.
posted by charlielxxv to Education (12 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
My wife, a registered nurse of almost 30 years, just this spring completed her BSN degree. Her original bachelors degree was in psychology, many years ago.

The medium sized hospital where she's worked has strongly encouraged all of the RNs to get their BSNs, and paid for nearly all of her tuition. It is my understanding that the hospital isn't even interested in talking to RNs applying for jobs unless they have their BSN degrees.

Not all employers operate this way, but I think more and more hospitals are heading in this direction.
posted by imjustsaying at 3:55 AM on July 26, 2015


I'd do the ASN, get into the field and then do the bridge to BSN (possibly with an employer footing the bill). Better to get your boots on the ground and see if it's really your thing. Even if it isn't, you can then get the BSN and move into office work.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 4:12 AM on July 26, 2015


I got my associate's in nursing in 2013, and am working on my bachelor's now in a RN-to-BSN bridge program. I am actually working on a paper now, just taking a break to read AskMe. I had my Bachelor's in Computer Information Systems initially.

I got my ADN first to see if it was what I wanted to do, because I had less prerequisites to take before the nursing classes began, and because it was cheaper. I'm getting scholarships now for my BSN.

Your ADN should be sufficient for some jobs. You'll have to take A&P.

MeMail me if you'd like more specific information.
posted by RainyJay at 4:21 AM on July 26, 2015


A relative is currently in a 2-year BSN program for people who already have bachelor's degrees (her original B.S. was in Biology). She says the job market for people with associate's in nursing is really bad, with the BSN being a de facto minimum requirement at most hospitals. I personally have observed acquaintances with recent associate's degrees struggle finding jobs, and the jobs they managed to get were not well paid.

I would suggest investigating post-bac 2 year BSN programs, as you already have a B.A. degree. You could take courses at a community college to satisfy science prerequisites you might be lacking.
posted by needled at 5:43 AM on July 26, 2015


More info on accelerated baccalaureate programs in nursing, aimed at people who have already completed a bachelor's or higher degree in a non-nursing discipline, from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
posted by needled at 5:54 AM on July 26, 2015


More and more hospitals are requiring the RN (or cutting down on ADN positions). Most of the work for ADN's is going to be at skilled nursing facilities, which isn't great for really getting your feet wet unless that's your desired setting. Several people I know have done the 2 year BA TO BSN programs and they've been aboe to get jobs they want - even working in specialty areas right away.
posted by Aranquis at 6:26 AM on July 26, 2015


Echoing the above; hospitals in the US are going through degree inflation right now with nurses and BSNs are becoming the minimum requirement for a nursing career. You might be able to get a job with the associate's, but those times are fading. Even Nurse Practitioners are being pushed out for doctorates; many schools aren't even considering the master's the terminal nursing degree anymore.
posted by juniperesque at 6:37 AM on July 26, 2015


Current second degree BSN student here. Degree inflation is definitely a thing, especially in big cities.

If you want a lower stakes way to see if you like nursing without throwing a ton of money at a BSN immediately, I'd get a CNA certification first. It'll only take you a month or so, the class work's dead easy if you already have a BA, there's lots of work available, and the tasks you learn will give you a strong foundation for getting your RN. This is the route I took (at metafilter's suggestion), and it's helped me out in so many ways.

One more note; not all those courses you have are gonna be necessary BSN prerequisites. In addition to A&P, you'll need nutrition, microbiology, biochemistry or a second semester of general chem, stats, and possibly developmental psych if you don't have them already. Look into what your local community college offers; I guarantee there will be other people taking second degree prereqs in those classes, especially if you take night classes.
posted by ActionPopulated at 7:27 AM on July 26, 2015 [1 favorite]


Go for the degree.

I've seen the requirements change several times in my Canadian province.

My grandmother, mother , sister in law were nurses.

Originally the majority of nurses were taught at teaching hospitals, and very rarely a university degree. There weren't many with a degree and they still needed residence with an associated hospital.

In the panic of a perceived nursing shortage, community colleges here began offering nursing , and teaching hospitals dropped their nursing programs to save on costs and bother .

Community college was a 2 year program .
Net result was a flood of nurses.

Those community college programs were then cancelled, and a university degree made mandatory.
Previous graduates were grandfathered under certain conditions , but had to take additional courses.

If you wish to practice now in my province you require a degree.
posted by yyz at 8:18 AM on July 26, 2015


ASN to BSN bridge graduate here.

I think BSN is becoming more of the standard. If your local hospitals hire ASNs, I see no problem doing that. Start working and enroll in a bridge program.

I got my ASN from my local community college (said college now offers Bachelor's in Nursing) graduated in May and pretty much immediately walked over to my local state university that had a satellite campus near the community college campus and enrolled in ASN-BSN starting in the fall. ASN-BSN was easy and interesting. It didn't take long -- maybe five semesters. I cannot remember, it was in late nineties. Lots of community health and professional development stuff. Classes are scheduled to accommodate working nurses. I would definitely have a goal of BSN if you want to make nursing a career.
posted by Fairchild at 8:37 AM on July 26, 2015


I have an ADN and my job really is generally reserved for MSN level nurses. A lot of job hunting is who you know, unfortunately. Probably good advice to just get the bachelors and some programs actually take about the same total time, or maybe 1 more semester, especially since you already have a bachelors, but just saying, it's not the end of the world if you get an ADN instead.
posted by latkes at 8:59 AM on July 26, 2015


I just completed an accelerated second degree BSN this past May, and was very lucky to start my first job in a competitive unit. The hospital I am at does not hire ASN nurses, and all ASN RNs in the system are required to go back to school to get their BSN within 5 years of date of hire. That said, this is in a major metro area, and where I went to school in a more rural area, ASNs were hired -- but BSN still seemed to be a big advantage (my friends in my program got jobs in the area very easily).

Since you have a B.A. already, it's likely not going to be any faster or much cheaper to get an Associate's vs another Bachelors -- at least this was my reasoning. An ASN would have taken my 2 years (just like my BSN, which was a year of prereqs, plus the 12 month accelerated program), would have probably cost almost as much (I did all my prereqs at a community college, and went to a state college for the program), and would have placed me at a huge disadvantage for the job market I am in. Even if I had gotten a job with an ASN, I would have had to return for a BSN. Again, like I said, in some areas of the country an ASN is probably fine, for the time being.

Another important factor is that you mentioned working abroad. There are tons of organizations that do this, but many I know of (like Doctors Without Borders) require a BSN.

It really depends on your life circumstances. If you have the time to devote to an intense program, I would really encourage an accelerated BSN to get it over with and have the more advanced degree. You can PM me for questions if you have any.

Good luck!
posted by queens86 at 12:12 PM on July 26, 2015


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