Tag: ASN

ASN and BSN Nursing Degrees

ASNRegistered Nurses deliver various treatments, care, counseling, and health information to patients. They’re educated, trained and certified in a multitude of abilities and areas; however, they don’t come from the same educational nursing path.

You will find 3 primary methods to get your Registered Nurse license. You can get it via diploma, associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree programs. It’s highly suggested to obtain your RN through the associate’s or bachelor in nursing degree path because of the tighter competition in the nursing field nowadays. Employers prefer nurses with degrees rather than diplomas.

If your goal is to become a registered nurse you can either take an ASN or a BSN degree.  An ASN degree can be completed in less than two years while a BSN degree may require 4 years or more. If you took the diploma path, you must take another course to be able to qualify for the NCLEX.

The ASN graduate can work early since it takes 1 to 2 years earlier than BSN to be completed. Both the ASN and the BSN may start in the same position once they get a job. The difference between the ASN and the BSN path is that the BSN has more advantages in terms of career opportunities after graduation and getting the license. Once the BSN licensed nurse gets in position, he will enjoy a bigger salary as compared to the ASN licensed nurse.

You’ll hear lots of people say that there’s no difference between the two in terms of opportunities. However, the upgrade and advancement in the healthcare system require registered nurses to have the more complicated skills which are already learned by BSN licensed nurses. If you want to finish a year sooner, or maybe save on the tuition you may prefer the ASN course.  However, if you have the chance to obtain the BSN now, then it will be a much better option for you.

Why should an ASN Must Proceed to BSN?

If you already have an Associate Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, then you have a good foundation and skills to become a registered nurse. Once you finish the degree, you are then qualified to take the NCLEX test that will give you your license. Being an ASN gives you a good opportunity to start your career in the field of nursing. The short term program design of the ASN will make it more practical for some since it will allow you to pursue a BSN degree after you graduate.

However, if you already have work in a health care institution as a nurse, you will have a smaller salary as compared to nurses who finished a BSN degree. BSN holder nurses are more respected and more trusted due to their degree. But not to worry, your ASN course is just your stepping stone that will lead you to more advancement in the field. You can take the advancement course to BSN while you work. There are many schools who offer this program in a flexible and convenient way; specifically designed for working ASN or students.

When you become a registered nurse with an Associate of Science degree, you will have a range of demanding and exhausting responsibilities that allow you to assist patients in some way. However, the degree doesn’t train you that much and your skills may not be as advanced as what the BSN nurses have. Nurses with a BSN degree is are only required a short transition time to gain a position as a practitioner. But, you will get there. Just don’t stop studying and improving yourself. Invest in an advanced degree to grow professionally, gain more training to help more people, and, of course, earn a better and higher salary.

Basic RN Classes

There are many Universities that now offer web based programs or have a distance studying program for certain degrees. Learning management systems would also be a good spot to look as they have an extensive selection of programs that cover all careers and degrees. You can complete a lot of your studying or studying online, however, you must be present for your clinicals. With nursing, it needs not only a lot of knowledge, but also practice routine. You are not going to understand how to successfully do everyday tasks such as putting in an IV to a person if you don’t actually practice on a person. However, you can get a lot of your RN classes out of the way by completing them online. Do some research, check out what schools offer distance learning programs or what other online schools have the RN classes necessary to help you complete your training.

To become an RN, you only need a 2-year Online Degree in Nursing (ASN). There are also ‘fast-track’ programs that will allow you to produce your LPN degree in about 10-12 months, but they will load the work on you during that interval. A lot of the LPNs usually work in assisted living facilities or physician offices. Pay ranges are going to be based on your experience, the shift that you like and the setting in which you want to work.

Most programs offer RN-BSN programs solely so RN’s are able to work and go to school. But to get your main RN licensure, you must have a certain number of hours of classroom times to do the RN classes and you also have to work a certain clinical site (where you work in a hospital or long term care service while attending school). This is done to make sure that you successfully pass your tests, since a lot of them are hands-on.

ASN vs. BSN

In our modest viewpoint, no education is bad, whatever the degree of study. Then, why is there much discussion over whether one should go for an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)? It is being suggested that companies these days want to seek the services of those with a 4-year degree more than those with the 2-year associate’s degree. But not everyone has enough time or resources to go for a longer, more costly 4-year degree. Let us guarantee you that those with an ASN degree are not at any drawback at all. Many effective RNs have made it big in their professions starting off with just an associate’s degree. Regardless of your certification, what exactly is essential is that you work with commitment, always try to understand from more experienced co-workers and do the best you can at your job.

A BSN generally includes over 4 years and includes more programs in nursing theory, such as nursing research and nursing and technology. An ASN, however, is smaller over 2 years and is more targeted on primary nursing education and training. With a 4-year BSN degree, extra programs in management, leadership, communication and community nursing are trained and learners also get a possibility of more clinical experience than in an ASN program.

Advantages of the ASN Degree

Just because it’s shorter does not make it any less lovely. For many, the ASN is a much better choice than the BSN because:

  • It’s more affordable
  • It requires only 2 years
  • It prepares you as well as the BSN to take the NCLEX-RN certification exam

Advantages of the BSN Degree

There are advantages of going for the BSN too, such as:

  • Greater possibilities for profession improvement into greater roles such as a Nurse Manager
  • Direct entrance into a Postgrad Nursing Program such as a Master of Science (MSN) in Nursing

Regardless of which degree you go for, what exactly is essential is that your degree is from an approved organization, be it a worldwide identified university in your state, or an approved on the internet nursing school. Whether you take the ASN degree at, say, a community college, or opt for a BSN from an approved university, you can take the NCLEX-RN exam after finishing either of the degrees, as per the need for licensure in most states.

An Affordable Way to Become an RN

Determining to become a registered nurse or RN is only 50 percent the fight once you have chosen that this is the profession you want to engage in. The other 50 percent is getting your way through all the choices available to get you there. The first phase, in selecting the direction to get you to the field of being an RN is to choose which kind of academic system you want to engage in. Being a nurse usually just indicates that you have acquired entry-level nursing education which has prepared you and you have passed an evaluation which declares you have the primary knowledge required to be in this profession. Each of the following academic choices has its benefits and drawbacks, but in the end, all must take the same evaluation, (the NCLEX-RN exam), to be able to have the status of being an RN.

The earliest official knowledge to becoming a nurse is through a qualification system. These applications are non-degree applications and are usually based within, or associated with, a particular medical center. The academic factors of these applications are just like that of an ASN degree, but have a bigger scientific element. Although this type of system is dropping by the wayside, the medical nurses of these programs usually have the most hands-on scientific ability of all the nursing program graduates.

For those who decide that they prefer a nursing program which also gives them a degree, there are two main routes, one that allows an associate degree or ASN and one which allows a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Both of these degree programs involve the component of primary sessions followed by nursing specific classes. Schools of nursing vary greatly in exactly which and how many of each of these is needed, with bachelor degree programs usually demanding more than college degree course in chemistry and others. But by far, the ASN degree programs are the most affordable way to become an RN.

ASN Bridge to BSN

Of all the nurses working in the US these days, not all of them made the decision to get into the area as soon as they completed college, and not all of them made the decision beginning on to generate master’s degree in the field. There are many individuals who start out in another profession and change to nursing, and many who start out with an ASN degree become LPNs, and continue their education later. The way that they are able to do this is through a nursing bridge system that is provided by many on the internet and campus-based degree programs.

The most typical nursing bridge programs are stop in either a Bachelor of Science degree (BSN), or a Master of Science degree (MSN):

  • RN/LPN to BSN
  • RN/LPN to MSN

The significant benefits of a nursing bridge programs is that you can have an ASN or BSN degree and get your next degree in the area without going through a complete three or four year college program. They are particularly developed for nurses who are RNs and keep an ASN or BSN degree in another area but wish to get their graduate student degree in nursing. Or, they are perfect for those who are already LPNs with an ASN degree and want to get their BSN or even MSN degree.

An excellent nursing bridge program will allow you to obtain both the abilities and information that you need to get your master’s degree, and to become a health professional in a greater paying specialty, such as a certified nurse practitioner. One of the most typical bridge programs is an RN to MSN level. This allows you to go from your ASN or BSN degree to a master’s degree in nursing. This kind of program is not for every health professional out there. You need to have gotten your past nursing degree from a completely qualified program, and you also will need to finish some extra prerequisites, depending on the program.

Online ASN Programs

Online ASN programs are an extremely common option among those looking for training in the nursing area. It allows for some versatility in organizing and makes part-time knowledge more practical. Due to the characteristics of the occupation and the specifications of certification, no nursing program can ever be finished entirely online as nursing applications require a level of hands-on clinical experience. As with all ASN programs, the objective is to practice learners to complete the National Council of Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), so that they can become RNs.

 

Typical On the internet Programs in an Associate of Science in Nursing

While the kind of scientific work a pupil does to satisfy his or her specifications can change with regards to the past or present student’s profession objectives and the program he or she is registered in, the syllabus itself is usually the same for all potential nurses. Except coursework is finished online and sessions are joined through live streaming video or are registered so that learners can watch them at their comfort. Primary training in healthcare language and scientific techniques is offered, as well as courses in cultural interaction and computer knowledge.

Here are some of the courses required in an online ASN degree program:

  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Basic Human Anatomy
  • Human Physiology
  • Medical Terminology
  • Life Span Wellness Care
  • Microbiology
  • Adult Wellness Care
  • Health Wellness care Management
  • Nutrition
  • Developmental Psychology

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, RNs represent the largest occupation in the healthcare industry and is one of the fastest growing occupations in the country. RNs fulfill a variety of projects within the medical wellness care system, from providing basic patient wellness care and doing administrative duties to doing assisted living and home wellness care projects.

Accelerated Nursing Programs

Faster nursing programs are quickly becoming a way for healthcare centers, treatment centers and healthcare facilities to obtain new nursing staff to help with individual health care. These programs typically build upon the skills and experience learned in an RN program, ASN, or from a Bachelor’s degree in another focus. Learners that are accepted into an accelerated program may be able to complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing or PhD in Nursing in much shorter period than in typical nursing programs.

 

As students registered in an accelerated degree program are often considered “non-traditional,” many times, economical aid sources may be difficult to acquire. Options like federal loans may be the only way to pay for educational costs, books and all fees associated with these programs, but even those sources have limits, especially for individuals seeking a second four-year degree. With the nursing shortage in full effect, however, more healthcare centers and health care organizations are beginning to provide programs that “sponsor” nursing school students in exchange for a chance to work within the organization for a set period.

Many states provide rewards to nursing school students in order to attract more working medical staff to the healthcare centers within those states, while other states may have awaiting regulation to implement these same types of rewards. For instance, Ohio has the Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program (NEALP) that provides economical aid and loan termination programs to nursing students in both nursing and nurse education degrees. Some colleges may also provide home programs, scholarships or other rewards for nursing students within the Nurse Educator field who commit to working at the academic institution after college.

Choosing an Online ASN Program

Generating a diploma on the internet is becoming a lot more popular. The versatility of web based classes offer great benefits for a student. Individuals searching to obtain an ASN degree online can make use of the benefits and versatility a web-based training program needs to offer. When getting your ASN online degree, you complete the non-clinical courses online. Clinical classes should be completed in a hospital. You will find no online ASN programs which let you fully complete your degree online.

To locate schools that provide an ASN degree online, you will have to perform a little research on the web. Among the reliable search engines like Google, enter in the key phrases that may help you find schools you are looking for. At the minimum, you need to enter in the words “Associate of Science in Nursing Online.” You may even wish to enter in the name of the state or states that you’d like your program to stay in.

The internet search engine will provide you with links to a lot of online schools. Spend some time visiting the links to ascertain if they provide what you’re searching for. You will find a number of things you should think about when determining which school fits your needs. Discover if this program is really a work on your personal pace program or a treadmill that actually works by semesters. A work on your personal pace program will help you to just do that – finish the work on a pace that best suits you. Many programs, however, are structured and also have semesters just like a traditional college. Find out when you are able start. Some online programs have moving enrollment, meaning you can begin at any time. Others possess a designated start date.

Pros and Cons of an Online ASN Degree

An ASN degree is nearly as good as those of an LPN or perhaps an LVN. An ASN degree is really a two-year program structured to pay attention to direct abilities and proper care of healthcare management. The positive thing a good ASN degree can give is that it caters mainly to individuals who’ve financial restrictions. It is a quick course and considerably reduces any more costs making it less expensive when it comes to becoming a nursing professional. This course directly prepares graduates to supply care to patients in hospitals, long-term care facilities, or perhaps in doctor’s offices. Focusing more about technical abilities, an ASN degree is regarded as the stepping stone for nursing candidates considering finishing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

Cons – Being Internet Savvy – Online education doesn’t really require someone to be technically savvy, however, fundamental internet abilities for example chatting, surfing the internet, and so forth are essential to get around together with your classes on the web.

Online Discussion versus Class Lecture – You will find some students who find out more with an active class lecture as opposed to just a web-based discussion from the lesson. Within this situation, if your face-to-face interaction with a teacher is required, a web-based program might not meet your needs.

Web Connection – Since much of your ASN courses are carried out online, you will have to possess a steady web connection. These are some of what you have to bear in mind when enrolling in an ASN degree online.

Pros – Online Degree – Using the ease of generating your ASN degree online, you will not have to sacrifice time for you to travel to school. It can save you time for work, family, and focus just by needing to log online to gain access to your classes. Another convenience for generating your nursing degree online is that you could complete your classes at your own pace and time.

Faster Programs – With faster programs you could have your previous courses credited to be able to inch up you nursing degree. If you are already working, you could have your clinical hours integrated in the program’s curriculum.

Online Options – With numerous accredited college options online, you will not have a difficult time finding one which suits your program needs.