Definately NO. Even if they did, 9 times out of 10, the facility you work for would pay to put you through a bridgeover program just like they did with the LPNs.
Here is the real low down on what you nead to be considering.
1. Money: Because you get ADNs through 2 year colleges (and tutuion is cheaper at two year colleges than at four year colleges) it is usually much cheaper. If money is an issue, look in your area. Many hospitals, especially if they are affiliated with a nursing school, will pay for you to go back to school to get your BSN and MSN after you have worked there a certain time period.
2. Time: ADNs are only
theoretically two year programs. At most schools, you apply for the nursing program, and you get put on a wait list. You take prerequisite classes until you have a place in the
actual nursing program. This can take one or two semesters depending on your grades and how many applicants there are. Once you enter the
actual nursing program (ie. clinical rotations) you have two more years to go. At most schools, you are only able to finish in two years because of mandatory summer sessions. In other words, they are cramming 6 semesters into two years. At a four college, 6 semesters would be 3 years. So, by the time you finish your "two year" degree, most people have done 7 to 8 semesters, or the equivalent of four years, but you get "credit" for "two". In a four year school, you take your prerequisite classes for the first two years and the last two years are the clinical rotations. Sound familiar? ADNs are four year degrees compacted into 2 1/2 or three
calendar years, not "semester years". This can make them even harder than four year schools, but can also make better nurses because it can weed out the weak and lazy. Most ADN programs start with 100+ in a class, but end up with less than 30. Check the school's NCLEX pass rates. Many times, ADN programs have higher pass rates.
3. Nursing school patient care and being on your own on the floor are two WAY different things. It takes an adjustment period beyond even the new grad orientation. You have to learn how to do it on your own without a preceptor looking over your shoulder and keeping you on time. ADN programs focus on nursing practice. BSN programs focus on theory. In my experience, it is easier for ADNs to transition to the "real world". BSNs take longer to catch up, but do.
4. ADNs in no way keep you from going to specialized nursing or even management, it just depends on your area and the hospital. Going straight into a specialized area is never recommend for a new grad anyway. Even if you are the validictorian of your school with a 8.0 GPA
, you
still need to get a solid Med/Surg foundation for at least 6 months to a year after initial new grad orientation. Due to the nursing shortage, you see more and more new grad internships to EDs or ICUs, but without a firm foundation in Med/Surg you will: 1. not have any experience off which to draw; 2. will not have found your "rhythm" as a nurse yet; 3. will probably be overwhelmed learning advanced practice teqhniques before you've mastered the fundamentals.
And, my own personal hint for an easy tranition from school to practice: try to get your first job at the hospital where you did your clinicals. It will be a much easier transition if you are already familiar/ comfortable with that hospital's policies and equipment. Every hospital, even different hospitals within the same system, can have different policies and equipment. Every floor within a hospital may have it's own policies and procedures, so apply to floors you are familiar with and liked from clinical rotations.
Me:
ADN Degree
RN III
CMSRN
6 years experience
Duke University Hospital
Would you like to comment?
