2 year or 4 year for RN?

SandyScrubs
Mon, 23 May 2016 02:13:14 +0000

There are benefits to both routes. While many hospitals are switching to prefer BSNs (to try to get/maintain magnet status), ADNs can still find jobs in NC hospitals, so that wouldn’t be as much worry for you, especially if you work in a hospital during nursing school. Hospitals prefer to hire their own nursing students before recruiting other new grads.
ADN programs are often cheaper than a 4 year degree, and the cost for getting an RN - BSN program completed it relatively cheap (from what I’ve heard it can be 5-6k in tuition, but I have no personally experience to speak from. Depends on how many non-nursing credits you need). My school (in NC) has an RN-BSN program that is 100% online and easy to complete while working full time. So the benefit is not only less cost in general, but you can start working after your ADN to pay off any loan you may have incurred, and save up to pay off the bridge program to avoid getting more/any loans. Many hospitals also offer to pay for the RN- BSN tuition cost.
The downside is that ADN programs often are closer to 3+ years in length depending on how many of the pre-reqs you can take at once and when you are admitted into the program. Some CCs have waiting lists that can be a year or more wait. They can be just as competitive as BSN programs to get into, so getting into and through the program in 2 years is not a guarantee, and often does not happen that way unless you plan it out and do well.

As for BSN programs, they are 4 years in length again depending on when you get into the program. They are more expensive, but you get to finish your degree in one go, and you can potentially have an easier time applying to magnet hospitals if you have no previous experience working there. Both degrees result in becoming a Registered Nurse, and there is no difference in pay normally especially as a new grad. The main difference is BSN nurses have management opportunities, while ADN nurses would have to get their BSN first.

I personally am in a BSN program in order to avoid all of the extra steps, but if I had realized how much an ADN could have saved money I would have greatly considered it. I’d also recommend looking online at allnurses, there are a lot of posts on there about ADN vs BSN that might help you decide.