ADN

Education & Academia abbreviation · Degree

ADN
Stands forAssociate Degree in Nursing
CategoriesEducation & Academia

ADN stands for Associate Degree in Nursing, a degree abbreviation also used in medicine.

Umbrella term for any associate-level nursing program, usually two to three years including prerequisites, that ends with eligibility for the NCLEX-RN exam. ADN graduates hold the same registered nurse license as BSN graduates, though some employers pay or promote them differently.

Example: The hospital hires ADN graduates but requires them to complete a BSN within five years.

Usage notes

The diploma itself may read AAS, AS or ASN. The 2010 Institute of Medicine report The Future of Nursing recommended raising the share of BSN-prepared nurses to 80 percent by 2020, a target that pushed many ADN nurses into bridge programs and shaped hospital hiring policies.

More degree abbreviations

  • AA – Associate of Arts
  • AAS – Associate of Applied Science
  • AAT – Associate of Arts in Teaching
  • AB – Artium Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Arts)
  • AFA – Associate of Fine Arts
  • AGS – Associate in General Studies
  • ALM – Artium Liberalium Magister (Master of Liberal Arts)
  • AM – Artium Magister (Master of Arts)
  • AOS – Associate in Occupational Studies
  • AS – Associate of Science
  • ASN – Associate of Science in Nursing
  • AuD – Doctor of Audiology

See all 139 degree abbreviations →