Registered Nurse????

Question

If I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, how does that differ with an Associates degree in nursing or a Diploma in Nursing? Can nurses go from one different specialty at a time if he/she wants

Answer 1

Although both BSNs and ADNs take the same state boards and are physically indistinguishable in the work setting, the BSN provides a much deeper understanding of the underlying anatomy and pathophsiology along with more sophisticated problem solving skills. This helps make better clinical decisions, because you understand what is going on and why it is going on with a patient. ADN nurses are excellent, but in my experience the average BSN nurse has an edge over the average ADN nurse. In some settings, BSN is required to work in critical care, to work in staff education, Quality Assurance, or to become a nurse manager.  

Answer 2

A BSN in Nursing is a higher degree than the AAS or AS in Nursing, requiring more college credit. You must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to be a RN, BSN or any "RN" for that matter.  At that point, as a RN, BSN, you would have many more opportunities for advancement and especailly for administrative jobs.  Most RNs who have completed the BSN are in supervisory and admin. positions and do not usually (in larger facilities) have direct patient care assignments.  As far as specialties, it depends on your further training.  You can receive other certifications, such as ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) certification for specialized work in the cardiac field.  Most hospitals offer these certifications and training for those wishing to advance their knowledge and enter specialized fields.