What can you do with an ADN? It’s a common question many students ask as they consider a career in nursing. An associate degree in nursing can help you work toward becoming a registered nurse and starting a career in healthcare. But what does an ADN-equipped nurse’s scope of work look like and how does it differ from nurses with different credentials?
In this article, we’ll explain what you can do with an ADN and why this degree may be worth pursuing for your career goals.
What Is an ADN?
ADN stands for associate degree in nursing. It’s a postsecondary degree that can help you prepare to start working as a registered nurse (RN).
In Texas, earning an ADN is one of three pathways you can take to become an RN. Once you finish an ADN program, you’re eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which is how you can earn your RN license to begin working.
What Do You Learn in an ADN Program?
An ADN program combines classroom learning with clinical experience to help you learn the essential skills that nurses use every day. The curriculum also focuses on preparing you to take the NCLEX-RN.
Many ADN programs begin with general education classes, like math and communications. From there, you move into your core nursing classes. While ADN programs vary by school, you can expect to take courses like these:
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Fundamentals of nursing
- Medical-surgical nursing
- Behavioral health nursing
- Pharmacology
- Pediatric nursing
As you progress in an ADN program, you’ll also complete clinical rotations. In clinicals, you get supervised, hands-on training in real healthcare settings, and you observe how experienced nurses provide care and collaborate with care teams.
What Can You Do With an ADN After Graduating?
After graduating and passing the NCLEX-RN, you have a few options for your next steps. You can apply for entry-level nursing jobs, or you can go back to school to continue your education.
Pursue Nursing Jobs
Many ADN graduates choose to begin working right away. With an ADN, you can look for entry-level nursing jobs in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics. You can also explore other opportunities, such as travel nursing, where you work at different facilities across the country on short-term assignments.
As you gain nursing experience, you can also consider pursuing a specialty. Some common specialties for registered nurses include:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Emergency care
- Gerontology
- Rehabilitation
Continue Your Education
An ADN program can help you learn core nursing skills, but your education doesn’t necessarily end there. Some ADN graduates go on to earn a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or a master of science in nursing (MSN).
If you choose to continue your education, having an ADN may make you eligible for accelerated programs, like an RN to BSN or an RN to MSN program. These options can help you build on your existing skills and earn a higher degree more quickly.
What Do ADN Nurses Do?
An ADN-educated nurse with an RN license provides clinical care to patients. On a typical day, they may monitor patients’ vital signs, administer medications, provide basic wound care, and follow doctors’ care plans closely.
In addition to providing care, RNs also spend their time educating patients and family members about treatments. For example, when a patient is ready to be discharged, an RN may be the one who explains the post-care instructions to make sure they know how to manage their condition at home.
A registered nurse with an ADN may have these responsibilities:
- Collect patients’ medical histories and information
- Assess patients and monitor their conditions
- Take and record vital signs
- Administer medications
- Help patients with daily living activities, like bathing or eating
- Assist with diagnostic tests and procedures
- Offer emotional support to patients and their families
Where Do ADN Nurses Work?
ADN-educated nurses can work in many healthcare settings, including some you may not have even considered. RNs can work in these places, among others:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Doctor’s offices
- Outpatient centers
- Nursing homes
- Rehabilitation centers
- Schools
- Home health
- Corporate offices
Depending on the setting, an RN’s day-to-day job duties might look slightly different. For example, RNs in nursing homes may focus more on medication administration and patient observation, while a school nurse may spend their time treating minor injuries and performing health screenings.
ADN vs. BSN: What’s the Difference?
An ADN is different from a BSN, but there’s also some overlap. Both ADN- and BSN-educated nursing students take the NCLEX-RN after graduation. Once you pass the NCLEX-RN, you can get your RN license and apply for entry-level nursing jobs, whether you have an ADN or a BSN.
However, a BSN is a broader, more comprehensive program. Classes in a BSN program curriculum focus not only on core clinical concepts, but also on areas like theoretical nursing and ethics.
It takes about 4 years to earn a BSN, compared to a standard 2-year ADN program. This shorter timeline can appeal to students who want to begin working sooner and decide later if they want to go back to school for a BSN.
Start Your Nursing Journey at American Career College
Earning an ADN can be the first step toward becoming a registered nurse. After graduating with an ADN, you can apply for nursing jobs or decide to continue your education. Either way, an associate degree in nursing can be a great way to start your nursing career.
If you’re ready to explore a future in nursing, American Career College offers an Associate Degree in Nursing program at our Dallas-Fort Worth Campus, as well as Los Angeles and Ontario in California.
Our ADN program combines online learning with in-person training through simulation labs and clinical rotations at Dallas-area hospitals. It includes over 800 hours of clinical training and can be completed in as few as 20 months.
For more information about ACC’s ADN program in Dallas-Fort Worth, reach out today!
**The Dallas-Fort Worth campus of ACC has submitted an application to the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) for a new Associate Degree in Nursing program. The application is currently pending Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) approval.
