Can You Be An Rn With An Associate’s Degree
Those who obtain an ADN degree and pass the licensing exam are considered a Registered Nurse. Some employers might require a BSN degree, but others might not. Generally, most registered nurses will be expected to take bedside roles when they start their career, so it doesnât matter if a nurse has an associate or bachelorâs degree.
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the median pay for registered nurses in 2020 was $75,330 or $36.22 per hour. Salary can vary by state, industry, experience and education. Lifetime pay for nurses who have obtained their BSN is usually higher than those who obtain an ADN, and the starting salary for RNs with a bachelorâs degree is slightly higher on average.
Registered nurses with an ADN may choose to obtain their bachelorâs degree immediately or after several years of practical experience. The RN to BSN program, or bridge program, takes approximately two years but some can be completed within a year. The degree may be completed online for those who are currently a practicing nurse.â
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Nursing is a rewarding field, and the demand for nurses remains high. There are many options to becoming a nurse, and an associate degree is often the first step to becoming a registered nurse.
When getting your associate degree, you have to choose between ADN, ASN, and AAS. While these programs all serve as a doorway to your NCLEX-RN licensure, they have some uniqueness that sets them apart.
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To Register For The Nclex
Registering for the NCLEX is a process, and your school should actively help you with this. There are a few different steps you need to take so make sure you know when you would like to take the NCLEX, and plan ahead.
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Can I Take The Nclex
Students who graduate from accredited ADN, ASN, or AASN programs qualify to take either of the National Council Licensure Examinations offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. These include the NCLEX-RN and its equivalent for vocational or practical nurses , the NCLEX-PN.
To take the exam, program graduates send a formal application to the jurisdictional regulatory body where they plan to work. This is usually their states nursing board. The application includes confirmation that the degree holder successfully completed an accredited nursing program. Applicants also need to register and pay a fee to Pearson VUE, the organization that administers the actual exam.
After the application is accepted and confirmed, program graduates receive a physical or digital Authorization to Test document, which they must show on the day of the exam along with government-issued photo ID. Candidates then have up to five hours to complete the test, and those that pass receive either registered nursing licensure or practical nursing licensure .Additional requirements may also apply, depending on the jurisdiction. For more information, refer to state-specific guidelines.
What Are The Differences Between Adn Asn And Aas Nursing Degrees
MSN, BA, RN, CBC
There are many different paths you can take to becoming a nurse, including three Associate Degrees. But how do you know which is right for you — the Associate Degree in Nursing , the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing , or the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing ?
The most common and widely known of the three is the ADN however, the other two are viable options for individuals interested in becoming nurses. In this article, well explain what the three degrees are, and what the differences are between them.
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Do Msn Make More Than Bsn
Graduates who have earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree can make thousands of dollars more per year than nurses who only hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. According to the latest information from the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, nurses who have a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing will often bring in an income of about $53,000 per year to $116,000 per year, while the low end of income for a graduate who holds a Master of Science in Nursing degree is about $84,000 per year and they can make up to nearly $200,000 per year depending on the career path they take. No matter which degree a nurse has earned, she will definitely have plenty of job security instability since the field of health care is continually growing in leaps and bounds and can garner a very good income compared to other career choices.
What Is An Aas
An AAS is another nursing degree option, and it stands for Associate of Applied Science in nursing. Another two-year program, the AAS degree focuses on teaching students which nursing specializations are available in the field and students are able to explore these subjects. With this information, nursing students may then have the foundational knowledge they need to choose which department they want to work in at a hospital or which patient population they prefer to work with, as well as basic nursing skills they’ll need to excel in any position.
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What Minimum Prerequisites Will Apply To The Nursing Program When The Application Process Re
- ENG 121 English Composition
- HPR 108 Dietary Nutrition or HWE 100 Human Nutrition
- PSY 235 Human Growth and Development
- BIO 201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
These courses must equal a 3.0 grade point average and ALL BIO courses must be completed within seven years, both at the time of application and when the student is accepted into the program. Any CLEP, DANTES or testing instrument with a pass grade will be awarded a grade of C for purposes of Nursing Program prerequisites.
Candidates will also be required to have a current Certification for CNA. Visit our Nurse Aide page for information You may have additional credentials but must ALSO have the CNA. The only certification that may be substituted for CNA is LPN.
Applicant must attain the basic skills assessment score for college requirements.
Can You Get An Associate Degree In Nursing Online
For people who work part-time or full-time jobs or who are raising a family, being able to complete an entire degree program online is a godsend. There are many associates in nursing degrees that are available online, but they are considered hybrid classes instead of fully online. This means that the student can take all his or her classes online as well as watch lectures by instructors and participate in class discussions and other class activities from the comfort of their own homes or any other place in which they want to do their coursework, but they will have to complete their nursing labs on campus and their clinicals in local hospitals or other medical settings. This mixture of online and in-person classes, labs, and clinicals is still a wonderful opportunity for busy students, especially for people who work other jobs but want to change careers or advance their current careers if they are already in the nursing field as a nursing assistant or some other type of medical professional since their schedule will still be pretty flexible.
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What Are The Courses To Expect In An Adn Program
Associate Degree in Nursing programs deals with the fundamentals of nursing, nursing, pharmacology, anatomy, microbiology, physiology, and introductory psychology.
However, these are some of the courses that cannot do without having practical knowledge about it. Anatomy and physiology, nutrition, microbiology, psychology, and blood work administering medications.
These are in addition to meeting the basic everyday needs of the patient which may include
- Keeping a thorough record of patients medical histories
- Teaching your patients how to manage their illnesses at home
- Performing diagnostic tests and analyzing the results
- Observing patients cum reporting on their wellbeing.
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What Is An Online Bsn Program
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing program was created to provide students with the knowledge they need to become successful registered nurses with a tremendous amount of leadership skills as well as nursing skills and knowledge. The program normally takes four years to complete and will provide students with classroom instruction along with time in the laboratory, simulator activities, and most importantly, hands-on experience during clinicals that students will complete in a medical setting, such as a hospital, doctors office, or long-term care facility. The program is designed to prepare students for the registered nursing licensure exam that all graduates must pass in all 50 states to be employed as registered nurses in that particular state. Online programs allow students to take classes at their own pace and still receive the same amount of classroom instruction and test-taking as traditional students, but labs and clinicals must be done in person, which means the online program is more of a hybrid one.
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Who Is Higher Rn Or Lpn
LPNs will likely earn lower salaries than RNs. This is because RNs have more advanced training and can carry out more complex types of patient care. Average salaries across both professions depend largely on your education, experience and where you practice and typically do not reflect entry-level positions.
What Do Adn Nurses Do
Nurses who have earned their ADN provide patient services that are what most patients imagine when picturing nursing care:
- They speak directly to patients about their symptoms,
- Monitor and record vital signs,
- Administer medication
- Provide invaluable guidance on topics ranging from self-care after surgery, to nutrition and wellbeing, to dealing with illnesses and injury.
Registered nurses who have earned their Associates Degree in Nursing work in every healthcare environment and in every community. They work with healthy patients and with those who are critically ill, with the very young and the very old. They are integral to quality patient care and are responsible for a wide variety of duties, including:
- Examining patients and speaking with them about their symptoms and health histories
- Recording patient information for physician diagnosis and decision-making
- Delivering essential information and counsel with the goal of improving health
- Playing a key role in patient education regarding illness and injury management
- Operating medical equipment
- Performing diagnostic tests and analysis of results
- Collaborating with other health care professionals to ensure a high quality of patient care
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How Much Does The Program Cost
The program costs approximately $16,000 including tuition, books, fees and lab fees, liability insurance, testing fees, uniforms, immunizations, certifications, criminal background check, and random drug screens. Personal health insurance may also be required. This information is subject to change. Go to the Tuition and Fees page for up-to-date tuition and fee information.
What You Can Do With An Associate Degree In Nursing
Many nursing candidates opt for a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing when they first begin their nursing journeys. ADNs are the quickest way to get started in the nursing field if you are eager to strap on a stethoscope and get to work. They are the minimum degree required to work as a nurse. ADNs require two years of training from an accredited nursing school. Nurses who earn their ADN must then sit for the NCLEX exam to earn their license to practice. They can choose from the basic NCLEX-PN test or the NCLEX-RN.
In this article, we will explore:
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Is Getting An Associate Degree In Nursing Worth It
For decades, an associate degree in Nursing has been the standard credential for aspiring nurses looking to start their careers. However, is that changing? With more employers seeking BSN-educated nurses, and more states supporting the BSN-in-10 initiative, many hopeful RNs may be wondering, Is getting an associate degree in Nursing worth it after all?
If you are considering becoming a Registered Nurse, you have likely spent some time researching your degree options. Today, you can pursue an associate degree in Nursing, or a Bachelors in Nursing before starting to work in the field. Both educational paths will qualify you to take the NCLEX-RN examination, become licensed to practice, and work successfully in a clinical healthcare setting.
Are both degrees worth it for aspiring nurses? Yes. Is one degree more worth it than the other? Well, that depends on two things: your career goals, and your eagerness to start working in the field. For those who have the time to commit to four years in school, and who may desire an advanced position in nursing, a BSN degree program may be the preferred path for you. However, for those who wish to get into the workforce fast, and lay the foundation for their nursing career now, an associate degree in Nursing is really the best first step.
What Employers Think
The Benefit of an Associate Degree in Nursing
Is an associate degree in Nursing going to be worth it for you? Lets recap the benefits:
Paying For The Adn Degree Financial Aid Scholarships Grants Loans
Education of any kind represents an investment in yourself, and no matter how promising your future will be with an ADN degree, paying tuition can still represent a burden. Fortunately, there are many options available to help, including grants, scholarships and loans. Here are just a few:
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What Is An Rn
Many schools, both online and on-campus, now offer registered nurses the ability to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and a Master of Science in Nursing Degree within the same program. This can save students time as well as money since it can be more cost-effective to earn two degrees at once within one specific program at a college, university, or nursing school.
This type of program will allow students to take Master of Science in Nursing courses in place of certain Bachelor of Science in Nursing courses, possibly as electives, which count toward both degree programs. The Master of Science in Nursing courses offer not only a higher level of content but the instruction the students receive is much more focused in specific areas than the classes that are similar to some of the classes within the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Keep in mind that these accelerated programs do not always offer graduates an award for their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree coursework, so the students just simply end up with their master of science in nursing degrees but because they completed the bachelors degree required coursework, they are eligible to earn their masters degree.
What Is An Aas In Nursing Or Associate Of Applied Science In Nursing
AAS nursing degrees, also known as AASN degrees, offer curricula that closely match ASN programs. The key divergence between the two comes down to focal emphasis: AAS programs tend to include more career-focused training, making them a strong match for learners seeking to proceed directly into professional practice rather than continuing on to earn another degree.
Some of the topics that tend to receive more thorough and focused treatment in AAS nursing degrees include:
- Procedural documentation and nursing processes
- Organizational structure
- Patient-focused care delivery
- Psychosocial aspects of healthcare
As with ASN degrees, AAS nursing degrees usually take 2-3 years to complete and normally consist of approximately 72 credits/24 courses. The respective differences between ASN and AAS degrees are primarily semantic. Employers make little if any distinction between the two.
For Additional Information:
Earning your associate degree will lay a good foundation to earn future degrees, such as your online bachelors, masters or doctorate degrees. If you have completed your associate degree and are ready to take the next step, we have compiled a list of 20 Best Online Schools for Accelerated Bachelors in Nursing Degree Programs to help you in your endeavors!
For more information about Nursing Degrees and a Navigational Guide to walk you through the ins and outs of nursing, please visit NURSING DEGREE AND CAREER GUIDE and our NAVIGATIONAL GUIDE FOR NURSING OPTIONS
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