If you’ve started looking into nursing school, you may have heard about associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs—among other nursing degrees and credentials. There are many paths you can choose from to enter the nursing profession, but pursuing an associate degree in nursing is typically the fastest way to become a registered nurse (RN).
So what is an associate degree in nursing? What does it mean, and how does it compare to other nursing degrees? Most importantly, will it help you as you set out on your nursing career journey?
What is an ADN program, and how does it prepare you to become a registered nurse?
ADN stands for “Associate’s Degree in Nursing.” You’ve probably heard of associate’s degrees—they’re the “two-year” degrees people earn from universities. That’s right: You don’t need a four-year degree to enter the nursing profession. The ADN program at Rasmussen can be completed in as few as 21 months.1
Beyond the shorter time frame, there’s another serious perk to earning this degree in nursing. ADN programs are designed to help you become a licensed registered nurse (AKA a “licensed RN”).
Once you complete a state Board of Nursing approved program your program, you can take the National Council Licensure Examination—Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) exam. This is the exam you’ll need to pass in order to earn your RN license. When you have you RN license, you can start working as a registered nurse.
Why do you need a nursing degree to take the NCLEX-RN?
Like other professional licensing exams, the NCLEX-RN is only offered to students who’ve completed qualifying pre-licensure education, such as an ADN program.
With that said, it’s important to note that not every nurse who sits for the NCLEX-RN needs to have this specific degree.
An ADN program is just one path you can take to prepare for RN licensure. We will explore the other programs that qualify students to sit for the NCLEX-RN momentarily. In the meantime, let’s explore this particular nursing program a bit further.
What is an ADN nurse?
People commonly refer to licensed RNs who’ve earned their Associate’s Degree in Nursing as “ADN nurses.” This distinction probably stems from the fact that there are various types of RNs.
For example, if you ever hear someone use the phrase, “BSN nurses,” this refers to RNs who’ve earned their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. BSN degree programs go more in depth and offer a more well-rounded education. And they typically take longer to complete.
Because of this, BSN-prepared nurses are in higher demand, especially in hospital and acute care settings. And they have more administrative and leadership opportunities.2
What does an ADN nurse do?
An ADN education can prepare you with the fundamental clinical skills needed to enter the nursing practice. ADN nurses are trained in the core aspects of patient care, including:
- Clinical decision-making
- Caring intervention
- Collaboration
- Care management
- Assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation.3
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) explains that registered nurses also “provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families.”
You may also oversee licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nursing assistants or even home health aides, if you work as an ADN nurse.3
How fast can you earn your ADN?
If you’re hoping to graduate in under two years, we have some good news for you. Rasmussen students with qualifying transfer credits may complete our ADN program in as few as 21 months.1
This makes the ADN an especially attractive option if you’re looking to start your nursing career without committing to a bachelor’s degree program.
And because well-trained nurses are needed these days, many universities also offer RN to BSN programs for ADN nurses who want to earn their BSN without starting their education over. For more on how that works, check out 8 Things Nurses Should Know About Online RN to BSN Programs.
With these types of options, you can start work as an ADN nurse, get your bearings in the nursing industry and perhaps even find an employer willing to offer tuition reimbursement if you want to gain more education later on.
What are the admission requirements for ADN programs?
ADN program admission requirements will vary from one university to the next. And while we can’t speak for every institution— many ADN programs only accept applicants who’ve already completed a number of prerequisite courses and who’ve met composite score thresholds on the Test of Essential Academic Skills or TEAS.5
Some ADN programs (like Rasmussen’s program) do not require those courses, but do require a meeting a threshold composite TEAS score and other qualifications. These have some variation depending on the state and campus, but generally include:
- Proof of certain immunizations
- A criminal background check
- Basic CPR certification
What does an ADN curriculum look like?
Nursing programs may vary from one university to the next. ADN students at Rasmussen, however, will take the following courses of the core nursing curriculum.
- Introduction to Nursing
- Essentials of Pathophysiology
- Physical Assessment
- Nursing Care for the Older Adult (gerontology)
- Professional Nursing Skills I and II
- Multidimensional Care I, II, III, and IV
- Mental Health and Behavioral Nursing
- Pharmacology for Professional Nursing
- Maternal-Child Nursing
- Leadership and Professional Identity
As part of the ADN program, nursing students also complete clinical rotations to better understand how their theoretical knowledge applies to real-world healthcare settings.
Nothing puts your classroom learnings into perspective quite like clinical hours!
How does an ADN program compare to other pre-licensure nursing programs?
In addition to ADN programs, there are two other types of nursing programs that prepare students for the NCLEX-RN exam: BSN programs and RN diploma and certificate programs.
BSN degree programs
A BSN degree is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. If you’re not a nurse yet, you’d complete what’s sometimes called a “standard BSN program,” which prepares you to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
As you might suspect, a standard BSN program consists of more credits than an ADN, and, as a result, takes more time to complete. The specific number of credits that make up each program will vary depending on which nursing school you attend and whether it uses a semester- or quarter-based schedule.
At Rasmussen, for example, a standard BSN program consists of 180 credits, whereas the Associate of Science in Nursing and Associate of Applied Science in Nursing require only 102.
Some employers, including hospitals, require registered nurses to have this type of Bachelor’s degree, according to the BLS.4
RN diploma and certificate programs
Before the advent of Nursing Associate’s degrees, many nurses received their education in hospital settings, rather than classrooms, according to NurseJournal.org.5 Although the quantity of these nursing programs has shrunk over the years, there are still some hospitals that provide this type of education.
Interestingly, RN diploma and certificate programs can take the same amount of time—or longer—to complete, when compared to an ADN program. It is important to check because credits earned through an RN diploma or certificate program may not necessarily transfer to a degree program.7
What does a typical career path look like for ADN nurses?
Ultimately, your nursing career can take many forms. As a registered nurse, you can work for a hospital, ambulatory service, care facility, educational service or even a government agency.6
You can also complete continuing education programs to prepare you for further licensing and certification in specialty areas, such as surgical care or pediatrics, for instance. So, while there may not be any one “typical career path” for ADN nurses, the truth is, once you become a registered nurse, you can get started gaining work experience. From there, the options to tailor your nursing career to the type of work you like best are plentiful!
Would you feel excited about nursing school?
Try this thought experiment. If you enrolled in a nursing program today, how would you feel?
If there’s a sense of excitement in that idea for you—you might be ready to take a step forward. That probably involves researching nursing program tuition costs and opportunities for financial aid.
Fortunately, you won’t have to look too hard—we’ve done a lot of the research for you! Check out our article, “Paying for Nursing School: 6 Things You Should Know.”
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NCLEX-RN is a registered trademark of National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
1Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each term.
2Chaunie Brusie, RN vs BSN: What’s the difference and which is Right for You?, (accessed March 2024), RN vs BSN | What's the Difference and Which Degree is Right for You? (nurse.org)
3Rasmussen University, Rasmussen University 2023-2024 Catalog, rasmussen.dcatalog.com/v/2024-2025-Catalog/?page=76
4Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses, (accessed March 2024), Registered Nurses : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
5Anna Giorgi, Start Your Nursing Career with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), (accessed March 2024), ADN Degree Guide | What Is an Associate Degree in Nursing? (allnursingschools.com)
6Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Handbook, Registered Nurses, (accessed March 2024), Registered Nurses: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
7Maura Deering, RN Diploma vs. ADN vs. BSN Degree: What’s the Difference?, (accessed March 2024), RN Diploma Vs. ADN Vs. BSN Degree: What’s The Difference? | NurseJournal.org
