A nurse is never just a “nurse” – a nurse can be a licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), or nurse practitioner. There are numerous nursing job titles. These job titles are received from different levels of education, reflecting their varied qualifications and expertise. The various levels of education, ranging from associate degree nurse (ADN) to bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), Master of science in nursing (MSN) and Ph.D.

Here are few differences between RN and BSN nursing degree programs that you should know:

• The primary requirement to become an RN is to clear the NCLEX exam. This applies to RN or BSN online programs. To be eligible to appear for NCLEX, you must either hold an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). ADN is a 21-month program, while BSN is a 4-year commitment. BSN has higher academic credentials than RN.
• As mentioned above, to become an RN, you have to clear the NCLEX exam. To be able to appear for NCLEX exam, you should at least have an ADN degree. After you clear NCLEX exam, you can pursue further education with a BSN degree. You can work towards higher credential course using RN to BSN nursing degree program.
• Registered nurses perform typical nursing duties; such as charting patient’s symptoms, operating medical equipment, inform and educate patients on illness. Having a BSN degree under your belt gives you an opportunity to work in public health services or become a nurse educator.
• Statistics show that RN’s with an associate’s degree is deemed qualified for around 60 percent of the jobs. On the contrary, a nurse with BSN degree is qualified for 90 percent of available job vacancies.
• When it comes to salary, the median pay of a Registered Nurse is $66,000 while that of an RN with BSN degree earn more than RN’s with an associate degree. Apart from salary RN to BSN degree programs give greater opportunity to specialize in the medical field and aim for managerial roles.

The bottom line is, to be eligible for RN licensure, you can have any of the two academic degrees, either RN or BSN nursing degree programs. But more hospitals are pushing for nurses who opted for RN to BSN degree programs.