What to Do With an ADN Degree

The fastest way to become a registered nurse today is by finishing the ADN degree. There are many questions about the ADN degree and if you’re planning to become a RN, you should know a great deal about it.

The program only takes two years to finish. If you already took up highly relevant courses from another place, you can have it credited but this will depend on the university where you enrolled for the ADN degree. It will still be evaluated by the college. While you’re taking the ADN degree, you can also work outside in other clinics for more experience but since you will be spending 25-30 hours while enrolled in the ADN degree, try to limit working outside. Gaining comprehensive experience in clinical environment can put you at ad advantage because you’re already applying the basic skills you’ve learned.

If tuition fee is an issue, you need to enroll at a college or university with reasonable tuition fee. Aside from that, you will also be responsible for the miscellaneous fees, some equipment, and uniforms. Since it will only take two years, the cost of education will not be so high as compared to taking the BSN degree which takes 4-years to finish.

Once you complete the ADN degree, you will now have to take the NCLEX-RN examination. You will need to inquire in your state about the examination procedure and the date so that you can already prepare the needed requirements. You should pass the exam if you want to become a registered nurse.

Your Tasks

The salary of a registered nurse at entry level is already good but if you want to get promoted, you may have to take the BSN degree. As a registered nurse, your tasks or duties will include the following:

• Dispensing medication to patients in the hospital or clinic
• Basic laboratory tests can also be performed by the RN
• Basic lab tests and its results can be explained by the RN to the patients
• Supervise the LVN in the hospital

These are the basic tasks that you will be performing whether you will work in clinics or hospitals. Keep in mind that these will only be the tasks that you will do if you don’t take up the BSN degree. To qualify for promotions, you will need to finish a BSN degree.

Your fastest choice to become a RN is ADN degree but you can always take additional coursework like BSN or MSN in order to move higher.