ASN Vs. BSN: Which Degree Should You Earn? (2023)

FAQs

Is it better to get your ASN or BSN? ›

A BSN is a higher educational credential than an ASN and requires approximately four years to complete. BSN programs cover the same material as an ASN curriculum, but with greater depth and added training in leadership, case management, information management and more.

You can earn an associate degree and become a licensed RN in about 2 years. You can gain essential work experience in the field sooner than others. You can also start building connections in nursing, and with patients, sooner. You can save money by earning an associate, rather than a four-year degree.

Choosing between an ADN and BSN degree also involves thinking about the kind of nursing career you want to build. A BSN degree provides you with more employment opportunities, as well as a chance to earn a higher salary. With a BSN degree, you will also be able to provide a wider range of healthcare to patients.

ADN programs are also generally easier to get into than BSN programs and they are not as costly. There are many advantages to both ADNs and BSNs. To help decide which program might be right for you, consider cost, program length, salary potential, and career advancement opportunities.

Some nurses choose an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) due to the shorter duration while others go for a BSN degree straight away. With a BSN, you can take on more responsibilities sooner. But how can you earn your BSN without an ADN? All you need is your high school diploma or your GED.

Nurses with bachelor's degrees are prepared to perform more multifaceted tasks and are given more autonomy on the job than nurses who hold associate degrees. In fact, research shows that BSN-educated nurses have a higher earning potential over time.

After earning their degree, BSN graduates are required to pass the same NCLEX-RN test taken by ADN candidates. As a result of the additional education, BSN-RNs are otherwise better positioned for certain nursing specialties, career advancement opportunities, and better pay.

Both BSN and ADN degrees prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) open_in_new to become registered nurses. The NCLEX exam does not differ for those on the BSN or ADN educational path. Last updated January 2022.

ASN-based shipping and receiving practices assist businesses and buyers with quick and accurate loading and unloading of shipment, never forgetting the efficient sorting and management of inventory. ASN-based shipping rectifies loopholes like human-errors like confusing variants of similarly titled items.

Do ADN and BSN make the same amount of money? ›

Associate degree nurses have a salary range from $49,810 at the beginning of their careers to over $106,000 with twenty or more years of experience. BSN nurses typically begin their careers with an annual salary of about $53,000 and may make over $115,000 annually (or more) with twenty plus years' experience.

We found that hospitals with a larger proportion of nurses with BSN qualifications have significantly lower risk-adjusted mortality for surgical patients, regardless of the specific pathway nurses take to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing.

Better Patient Outcomes

Patient care continues to become more and more complex, leading nursing leaders to push for more baccalaureate-educated nurses in clinical settings. That's because research supports the idea of education correlating with the quality of patient outcomes.

Pharmacology. Pharmacology, or the study of medication, can seem scary because of the sheer scope of the course. "It becomes one of the hardest classes for nursing students due to the depth and amount of knowledge needed," says Megan Lynch, RN and instructor at Pima Community College.

It is said that up to 90% of what you do on the job after graduation was not learned while in nursing school. I'm not convinced the learning curve is that high, but there is a lot of on-the-job training required. Nursing is a complex profession.

BSN to NP Programs

One of the most common options, a BSN-NP program takes you from a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) directly into a master's NP program. Some students choose to enroll directly from their BSN undergraduate program or work in a clinical setting before advancing their education.

ADN focuses on comprehensive nursing courses and clinical practice. ASN focuses primarily on clinical practice while also providing nursing courses. AAS is a career-focused program that provides basic nursing education.

Like most things in life, it's not quite that simple. There are two major categories of nurses working in medical settings across the U.S.—the registered nurse (RN) and the practical nurse (PN)—also called a “vocational nurse” in California and Texas.

Many hospitals favor hiring nurses with a BSN because they can reach the IOM's recommendation without losing ADNs who are close to retirement age. If hospitals do hire nurses with an associate degree, they may require them to complete a BSN program within two to five years.

What percentage of nurses have a Bachelor degree? ›

In April 2023, results from the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey show that the percentage of RNs with a BSN or higher degree in the US workforce exceeded 70% for the first time (71.7%). Most nurses now enter the workforce with a BSN or entry-level master's degree (51.5%).

Nurses can easily get dragged down by the difficult and draining nature of the job, making life feel heavy and stressful. Focusing on difficult and hard things day after day while pouring out energy and compassion for others can lead to burnout and depression.

The main test that nurses take is the NCLEX, but you do not need to take it more than once after passing. Though there are no other required exams, you may want to take some of the certification exams available.

BSN nurses may enjoy increased autonomy in decision making on the job, with increased knowledge and understanding of RN specialties and skills. ADN nurses are typically highly focused on technical clinical tasks and day-to-day care, such as monitoring patients, administering basic procedures or updating charts.

Immediate disqualifiers are as follows: Major misdemeanor conviction for crimes involving weapons, violence, embezzlement, dishonesty, misappropriation, fraud or sex crimes. Any felony conviction. More than one drunk driving or related conviction in the past three years.

If you happen not to pass the exam, you can retake it after 45 days. And if you are wondering how often you can take the NCLEX, the NCSBN retake policy allows for a retake eight times a year, ensuring 45 exam-free days between each test.

Nursing associate degrees prepare nursing students to become registered nurses. On the other hand, licensed practical nurse programs prepare nursing students to become licensed practical nurses. Both LPN and associate degree programs unlock several career opportunities in the nursing field.

Who uses ASN? ›

EDI 856, also known as an Advance Shipping Notice or ASN, is an important, and frequently used EDI transaction among suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers.

Network operators need Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to control routing within their networks and to exchange routing information with other Internet Service Providers (ISPs). There are two different formats to represent ASNs: 2-byte and 4-byte. A 2-byte ASN is a 16-bit number.

An advanced shipment notice (ASN) is an electronic data interchange (EDI) message sent from the shipper to the receiver prior to the departure of the shipment from the shipper's facility. The message includes complete information about the shipment and its contents.

Abstract. Roughly 40% of the nearly 3 million registered nurses (RNs) in the United States have an associate's degree (ADN) as their highest level of nursing education.

NCLEX Pass Rates

The second-attempt pass rate for domestically-educated students taking the test was 45.56%. These results demonstrate that it is a pretty difficult test. The questions are designed to test your critical thinking, knowledge of the nursing process, and assessment skills.

While nursing associates will contribute to most aspects of care, including delivery and monitoring, registered nurses will take the lead on assessment, planning and evaluation. Nurses will also lead on managing and coordinating care with full contribution from the nursing associate within the integrated care team.

“As a BSN, you have more opportunities than your RN counterparts. You can step up to a leadership position, move into nursing education, work in public health and focus on health education within the community, or even go on to pursue a nurse practitioner or nurse administrator degree,” Christman said.

Can Nurses Make Six Figures? Yes, you can 100% make six figures as a nurse. The disclaimer is that working in some states may make this easier than working in other states. Geographic location is a huge indicator of starting salary and can be a reason why some of you are not as close to others when looking at raw data.

What makes an LPN or LVN preparation program the easiest type of nursing education you can pursue is its focus on training for basic nursing services only and its quick completion time. However, aspiring LPNs and LVNs still need to take coursework in studies such as biology, pharmacology and nursing.

What is the lowest BSN salary? ›

Certified Nursing Assistant

A CNA program is a fast-paced program that only takes a couple of months to fully complete. After graduation, students can enter the field right away, assisting nurses with patient work in a wide variety of settings.

After acceptance into the nursing program, each student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for coursework in the nursing major to remain in the nursing program.

However, don't take it for granted that nursing school will be much easier than medical school, especially in an accelerated format. Both offer a unique set of challenges and demand the utmost in student commitment and work rate.

Roughly 18 percent of students in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. About 60 percent of students in Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs.

Many registered nurses are incredibly satisfied with their career choices. Yet some wonder if it's possible to go from nurse to doctor. While this may not be the typical path, it's certainly a feasible to become a career changer by pursuing medicine.

Graduates with a BSN can work as bedside nurses in medical settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and physicians' offices. They can also pursue careers as nurse educators, health policy nurses, nurse recruiters, nurse informaticists, forensic nurses, clinical research nurses, or nurse health coaches.

RN to BSN/MSN.

This is an ideal pathway for registered nurses looking to earn a bachelor's and master's in nursing degree. Typically a BSN is earned first and then an MSN is pursued.

Students who graduate from accredited ADN, ASN, or AASN programs qualify to take either of the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX) offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Are ADN programs harder than BSN? ›

An ADN program seems faster and easier, and a BSN prepares qualified professionals to provide complex patient care and earn a higher income.

An associate of applied science degree (AAS) can be one of the quickest paths to a stable, well-paying career in a number of fields. Here's what you need to know about this degree level, plus what you can do with an AAS degree and the next steps to take after you finish your AAS.

Understanding the Hierarchy of Nursing. Chief Nursing Officer (CNO): The CNO, sometimes referred to as the chief nursing executive (CNE), is at the top of the pyramid. This position usually works under the CEO of the hospital or agency and has administrative and supervisory roles.

The NCLEX-RN, which stands for the National Council Licensure Examination [for] Registered Nurses (RN), is a computer adaptive test that is required for nursing graduates to successfully pass to be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the US and Canada.

Over the past two decades, a substantial body of research in the U.S. and abroad has documented that hospitals with a higher proportion of registered nurses with a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) experience significantly fewer deaths, have shorter hospital stays and fewer readmissions, and have lower Medicare ...

An ASN is a type of degree that can lead to a career as an RN. You have many options to choose from to become an RN but getting your ASN is a great way to get your career started.

GPA requirements vary from school to school, and some early admission nursing programs require an even higher GPA of at least 3.8 or higher (weighted or unweighted). In general, you can expect that any highly competitive nursing program will have a high GPA requirement for applicants.

An associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) are the two most common fast track options. With each of these ways to receive nursing instruction, they require passing the NCLEX licensure examination.

Many hospitals favor hiring nurses with a BSN because they can reach the IOM's recommendation without losing ADNs who are close to retirement age. If hospitals do hire nurses with an associate degree, they may require them to complete a BSN program within two to five years.

Emergency nursing is considered one of the most difficult fields of nursing, and certification in this specialty is highly desirable.

What percentage of nurses hold a BSN? ›

In April 2023, results from the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey show that the percentage of RNs with a BSN or higher degree in the US workforce exceeded 70% for the first time (71.7%). Most nurses now enter the workforce with a BSN or entry-level master's degree (51.5%).

Students who graduate from accredited ADN, ASN, or AASN programs qualify to take either of the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX) offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Earn Your Nursing Degree.

In order to become a military nurse, you must earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an advanced nursing degree from an accredited school. (Because military nurses are commissioned officers, an associate degree will not be accepted).

While most nursing schools set their minimum GPA requirements at 3.0, there are accelerated nursing programs out there that accept students with 2.7 and 2.8 GPAs. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean you'd receive a lesser nursing education with these programs.

To start nursing school, you don't need any prior nursing experience or healthcare education. All you need is a high school diploma or GED. Once you are accepted, your journey to RN begins! You can become an RN in 2 to 4 years by studying for an associate's degree (ASN) or bachelor's degree (BSN).

Occupational Health

One of the easiest nursing jobs to get into is in the field of occupational health. Occupational health nurses work in large industries, HMOs, and factories to treat work-related injuries and onsite illnesses.

An LPN or LVN program usually takes around a year to complete, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). What makes an LPN or LVN preparation program the easiest type of nursing education you can pursue is its focus on training for basic nursing services only and its quick completion time.