Question

The BSN vs ADN is an interesting debate that I hear about often at my job. I work at a hospital and they are requiring all new hire ADN nurses to get their BSN within five years of their hire date. Many of the long time nurses are offended by this. I think that the biggest gripe is that the same test is taken for both degrees. Their roles in their current jobs are not going to change when they get their BSN degree and many of them are training new grad BSN nurses. Many of the nurses who have taken the bridge to BSN stated that it was just writing more papers and felt that it did not enhance their skill level. I feel that, being and older student, have taken several classes that were completely unecessary. Such as Ancient History or Renaissance Art. They were intersting and I enjoyed them, but they pertained to nothing I will need to become a nurse.   

Do you agree or desagree with an article above?

Answer 1

I disagree with the article above, though I do understand the concerns expressed in the article, there are many reasons to justify that a BSN degree ( Bachelor​ of Science in Nursing) is better than the ADN( Associates degree in Nursing). Though both degrees lead to getting the RN, there are some differences between the two.

The main difference is the length of time and the amount of credits required to complete the program. An ADN typically takes 2 years to complete while a BSN will take 4 years to complete (including the time spent taking the prerequisites to enter the program.) There are also accelerated BSN programs (18-21 months) for students who have already obtained a previous Bachelor’s degree.

A BSN program would typically offer more courses in nursing theory, including nursing research, and nursing informatics, which is a field of study that examines how nurses use technology, which better equips the BSN nurses with knowledge necessary for future leadership positions.

By taking the BSN degree,

• One can have more opportunities to advance to higher positions in nursing (for example as a nurse manager.)
• They will be prepared to enter a advanced degree program (for example, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist.)

Thus, it is better to have a BSN degree than the ADN.