While you can be granted a designation of RN if you have either a nursing diploma, ADN or BSN degree, there are significant differences between nursing programs.
A BSN degree provides a more comprehensive course offering than an ADN degree or a nursing diploma. ADN programs focus primarily on instilling technical skills whereas BSN degrees include a broad liberal arts education in addition to specific nursing courses such as leadership, research, healthcare policy and more.
Both degrees include clinical practice and high-level competency courses. Course offerings of an ADN degree may include topics such as biology, basic pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, acute care and chronic care. While a BSN degree includes courses in these areas, the curriculum is supplemented with courses in areas including population and community health, leadership, pathophysiology and nursing research, to name a few.
ADN programs typically take two years to complete after completing pre-requisite coursework. BSN degrees typically take four years to complete due to the more intensive coursework. RNs may be able to transfer credits into an RN to BSN program to earn their BSN degree at a more accelerated pace. The RN to BSN core courses can be completed in 14 months. Students that transfer in the maximum of 90 credits, including six upper division, may be able to complete the core courses in as little as 12 months.1
Research by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has found a correlation between BSN-educated nurses and improved patient outcomes.2 The healthcare field is competitive, and it’s becoming increasingly important to ensure that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are maximizing patient outcomes. With this information in mind, it’s not surprising that there is a need for more BSN-educated nurses.
