What Careers Can You Pursue With an ADN?
An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) can prepare you to become a registered nurse (RN) after you meet your state’s licensing requirements and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. ADN-prepared RNs can work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, home health, public health and other healthcare settings. With experience, nurses can pursue specialty roles and certifications or continue their education through an RN-to-BSN program.
Key Takeaways
- An ADN opens numerous career pathways for RNs.
- ADNs handle essential tasks in healthcare settings, similar to BSN-educated nurses, and can specialize in areas like pediatrics and geriatrics.
- The U.S. will face a significant nursing shortage, creating demand for RNs across various healthcare environments.
- ADN graduates can advance their careers by earning a BSN and pursuing specialty certifications to stand out in the job market.
In this Article
Many Jobs to Choose From
RN jobs are expected to grow by 4.9% through 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), close to the same rate for all jobs combined.
Moreover, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. will face a nursing shortage of over 260,000 full-time RNs by 2028—from entry-level positions suitable for newly-minted grads to senior nursing jobs usually held by highly experienced and skilled specialists.
What Kind of Work Does a Nurse with an ADN Do?
According to the American Nursing Association, RNs are the backbone of healthcare. In virtually every healthcare setting, a nurse is present.
Nurses with ADNs and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degrees (BSNs) both qualify to be an RN and do similar work when they start their careers. “Actually, ADNs are just as likely to work in the same medical settings as BSN-educated RNs,” says Joseph Dunmire, a board member of the National Association of Healthcare Recruitment. “Primarily, if not almost exclusively, new BSNs and ADNs both work in less intense areas” of healthcare such as “medical, surgical, rehab, orthopedics, or psych/behavioral health.”
RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a wide range of basic tasks such as taking health histories, giving medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, and assisting doctors with exams.
And while some hospitals may prefer registered nurses with BSNs, they will be hiring nurses with ADNs as well to fill many roles, Dunmire says.
New RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a wide range of basic but critical tasks, such as taking health histories, administering medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, helping patients prepare for procedures, and assisting doctors with patient exams.
They may also become specialists in key health areas like women’s health, pediatrics, and gerontology. They may also supervise less-skilled coworkers, including certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs).
An ADN can qualify you for RN licensure, but keep in mind that specialty roles and certifications may have additional education, experience, or clinical requirements. Many ADN-prepared nurses begin their careers as staff RNs and later specialize through clinical experience, employer training, continuing education, and more.
Common Career Paths and Workplaces for ADN Nurses
There are a wide variety of jobs and workplaces for nurses with ADNs. Common workplaces include:
- Hospitals
- Emergency departments
- Outpatient clinics
- Long-term care (skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, etc.)
- Home health agencies
- Hospice agencies
- Public/community health organizations
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Psychiatric/behavioral health facilities
- Travel nursing
Examples of specialty areas that nurses can pursue within these settings are listed below.
Staff RN
- Who this Job Is Best For: Flexible nurses that want to provide direct care to patients in a variety of healthcare units, and who may not have picked a specialty yet
- What You’ll Do: Care for medical or surgical patients who are stable but recovering from serious surgeries or illnesses
- Where You’ll Work: Hospitals, urgent care clinics, emergency rooms, student clinics
Travel Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Those who crave new places and new faces, like to travel, and prefer the variety of short-term assignments in different locations are great fits to be travel nurses.
- What You’ll Do: Work wherever assigned as a staff nurse or specialty nurse—at home or abroad—to help cover during staff shortages, peak needs, crises, or emergency events
- Where You’ll Work: Hospitals, regional medical centers, long-term care facilities, and rural medical clinics
Community Health Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Nurses with a strong desire to give back to the community and meet the needs of underserved populations
- What You’ll Do: Work with an entire community or individuals—from infants to seniors—to provide health education, basic care, inoculations, nutrition counseling, and other services
- Where You’ll Work: Public health centers, campus clinics, neighborhood outreach programs, and volunteer organizations
Psychiatric Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Unflappable, empathetic, no-nonsense nurses who know when and when not to nudge patients forward
- What You’ll Do: Care for patients of all ages with a range of symptoms—from mild panic attacks to severe incapacitation
- Where you’ll Work: General hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and private practice
Long-Term Care Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Those with a gentle but firm hand who are good at multi-tasking and prefer established routines
- What You’ll Do: Provide care for patients of all ages—from babies to seniors—who are living with serious conditions, recovering from major surgery, and fighting major illnesses like pneumonia
- Where You’ll Work: Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
Home Health Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Outgoing, engaging nurses who are comfortable in a variety of settings
- What You’ll Do: Provide a range of medical care services and assistance with medications to people recovering from illness or surgery at home, or living with disabilities or limitations
- Where You’ll Work: At the patient’s home
Occupational Health Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Nurses with an interest in and knowledge of physiology, physical therapy, and sports medicine
- What You’ll Do: Care for patients working to regain motion after serious injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions—or who need to learn new movements after elective surgical procedures
- Where You’ll Work: Occupational recovery clinics, physical therapy clinics, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and large health organizations
Outpatient Care Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: RNs comfortable with a range of tasks, from admitting new patients to assisting in surgery and monitoring patients in post-op recovery
- What You’ll Do: Care for patients who undergo outpatient diagnostic procedures and surgeries
- Where You’ll Work: Ambulatory surgical centers, orthopedic clinics, hospitals, diagnostic centers, and large health networks
Hospice Nurse
- Who this Job Is Best For: Nurses with a large dose of empathy, a generous heart, and deep respect for the end-of-life journey
- What You’ll Do: Provide comfort and care to patients and their families through their final months and days
- Where You’ll Work: Hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes
Jobs an ADN Does Not Qualify You For
An ADN can be a starting point for many RN careers, but some nursing careers require graduate-level education, including:
With an ADN alone, you will not have the education necessary to pursue these roles.
How Do RNs Compare to Other Entry-Level Nursing Careers?
RNs
LPNs
CNAs
What Can I Expect to Earn?
ADN salaries vary widely nationally and depend on many factors, including:
How Can I Advance My Career?
Once you start working as an RN, you can advance your career by earning a BSN and/or by specializing once eligible.
“ADN programs generally focus more on nursing fundamentals and clinical skills, whereas BSN programs focus on the clinical skills plus education related to evidenced-based research, leadership, and management,” says Dunmire. “Ultimately, an RN with a BSN has more opportunities to advance in clinical leadership and by pursuing more diversified career opportunities in areas such as management, administration, research, and informatics.”
However, according to Dunmire, many nursing students “find beginning with the ADN more financially feasible, as ADNs are usually secured through the community college system, which is much more affordable than the university system. From there, an ADN can secure initial employment while pursuing a BSN via online education.”
What Specialties can ADN-Prepared Nurses Pursue?
Specialty certification can help advance your career and boost your income. It can also help you stand out when you apply for jobs.
While you can focus on a specialty as soon as you start your career, you won’t qualify for a specialty certification immediately after graduation from an ADN program. You have to gain the appropriate professional experience first.
Specialty certification can help advance your career and boost your income. It can also help you stand out when you apply for jobs.
For example, according to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to qualify to take the exam to become board certified in medical-surgical nurse (RN-BC), you’ll need:
Top Specialties for RNs with ADNs
With the right experience, ADN graduates can earn specialty certifications for roles in a variety of healthcare settings. They include:
| Specialty | Certification |
|---|---|
| Critical Care | Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) |
| Dialysis | Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN) |
| Geriatrics | Gerontological Nursing certification (RN-BC) |
| Medical-Surgical | Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (RN-BC) |
| Oncology | Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) |
| Pain Management | Pain Management Nursing Certification (RN-BC) |
| Pediatrics | Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) |
| Psychiatric Health | Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (RN-BC) |
| Trauma | Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What jobs can you get with an ADN?
An ADN can qualify you for a variety of registered nursing jobs after you obtain RN licensure. Common career paths include staff RN, medical-surgical nurse, emergency department nurse, psychiatric-mental health nurse, long-term care nurse, home health nurse, and community health nurse. The specific jobs available to ADN-prepared nurses vary by employer, state, and position requirements.
Can you work in a hospital with an ADN?
Yes, ADN-prepared RNs can work in hospitals, although requirements vary by employer and position. Hospitals employ the majority of registered nurses, and some hospitals or specific nursing roles may prefer or require a BSN. Earning an RN-to-BSN degree can expand opportunities for nurses who want to pursue positions that require a bachelor’s.
Can you become a travel nurse with an ADN?
Yes, an ADN-prepared nurse can pursue travel nursing after becoming a licensed RN and meeting the requirements of travel nursing employers and assignments. Travel nurses generally need clinical experience before taking temporary assignments, and some hospitals or contracts may have additional education or specialty requirements. Nurses should check the requirements for each assignment before applying.
Can you get a BSN after earning an ADN?
Yes. ADN-prepared RNs can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. These programs are designed specifically for registered nurses who initially completed an associate degree. Completing a BSN can help nurses qualify for positions that prefer or require a bachelor’s degree and can provide a foundation for pursuing graduate nursing education.