Advice for "seasoned" individual going for RN

DroogieRN · Jun 24, 2011

Long story, short, I was a "seasoned" individual going for a nursing degree with a BA in another field. I chose the ADN over the accelerated BSN simply due to economics -- it was much less expensive, even though the time investment was virtually the same. I've been more-or-less happily employed as an RN on a telemetry floor for just over one year, and was offered the position well before graduation. You may want to check around hospitals in your area to see what they require education-wise in their RNs before you make the final decision. All of my fellow ADN grads are gainfully employed.

Additionally, my hospital will reimburse my costs should I decide to pursue my BSN, and with my previous degree, I need only statistics and the nursing classes I haven't already taken -- definitely something I am considering.

Good luck, whatever you decide! It's a great profession.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2011

If you want an instant job (in this economy using that term lightly) and want to make the same money as a BSN, IMO, get your ADN. You can then work, make decent money and pursue the other. Your facility might pay for some of your schooling too. Good luck!

Evolution2011 · Jun 24, 2011

I think that the wisest thing to do is to approach this with your eyes wide open and VERY realistically. Use this site to better understand the job market, especially in your area. Since you are new to the site, you may find a BIG difference between the perception still prevalent in the mainstream that nursing is a great career because of the shortage of nurses, and the reality on the streets among those trying to find work. Go up to the Regions tab and find the discussions in your state to get a better idea of what's going on there...including the ADN vs BSN decision. Good Luck!

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Jun 24, 2011

Hello all. I am new to the forum so if this is posted incorrectly, please feel free to move.
I want to become a CRNA. I live in Georgia, 43 yrs old and graduated in 1992 with a BBA Management. I am a "casualty" of the economy as I was laid off last summer from the construction sector (estimator/project manager). I have chosen to go back to school and become an RN. I am currently going to a technical college pursuing an ADN and so far, so good. Based on my grades (4.0 GPA) and the NLN exam (94) I think I have a pretty good chance of getting accepted and starting in the nursing program in Jan. But is this the best route? Am I wasting a lot of time getting the ADN? Should I consider an accelerated BSN program? Should I just continue on the path I am and look at the RN-MSN (CRNA?) or is that even available? What about the RN-BSN route?
A LOT of questions I know but I don't want to waste time and money, neither of which I have a lot of. :)

ADN was my chosen route because of cost. Still not cheap at around $200 a credit, but it kept the loans down a bit. Counting the prerequisites, it took me four years anyway. Like you and many other college students, I tossed around becoming a CRNA too.

You might want to look at the requirements for and cost for CRNA schools in your area. I just looked at a local example: http://www.all-crna-schools.com/saint-marys-university.html#section5

Yikes. Sure that starting salary looks nice, but even with an RN license, a 4.0 from an ADN school, a bachelors in another field, and a Med Surg job, I am light years away from getting in that program.

My engineering bachelors doesn't help me there, I would need a BSN. I also need at least a year critical care experience in an ICU or level one trauma ED. Plus more stuff like recent science classes (chemisty, physics, calculus), community service, certs (ACLS, CCRN, TNCC....) to help you compete for a spot.

And after all that, it's a 28 month, full time program costing over $30,000. Add to that the $50-60k in loans I would have to take to support myself for two years and that is a lot to bite off at my age.

Good luck!

queenjulie, RN · Jun 24, 2011

I'm in a similar situation--I have a BA and MBA and over ten years of experience in publishing, but there were no jobs available, so I finally left the field and went into nursing. I'm now halfway through a two-year ADN program, and I *love* it. It was a great decision.

That said, in our area, ADNs are still getting jobs. That is apparently not true in some places. Also, I didn't have a choice--there is no BSN program within commuting distance, and moving wasn't an option. Also, we couldn't have afforded it; I don't work and we have two preschoolers in full-time day care, so an ADN is the only affordable option. Happily, our hospital hires from our program a lot and offers some tuition reimbursement, so I'm hoping to go from ADN straight to MSN later on, if they require it--I've heard some places accept a bachelor's or master's in other fields instead of BSN or MSN.

Honestly, I'm glad I'm doing the ADN; I cannot imagine doing all the work for a BSN and then realizing that I wasn't cut out for it or didn't enjoy nursing, which a good number of people in our program have discovered. At least they were only out a few thousand dollars and a few months of work, instead of spending a year or two doing prerequisites before they ever got to clinicals and realized it wasn't for them.

Rob72, ASN, RN · Jun 24, 2011

I would go to the jobs page of as many local hospitals and specialty clinics as you can, in your area, and look ath the nurse manager requirements listed. Most will list "BSN", and I would try speaking either with a nurse recruiter(preferred) or HR(may or may not be a drooler) and see if an RN with a Bachelors in Business would qualify. As noted, the job market for floor nurses may not be quite what you expect, and an RN with a BBA *might* be more marketable.

If you're willing to travel/move, its a whole lot more open, in terms of opportunity. If you were in business in a healthcare related service(i.e., drug company, advertising for a clinic, risk management, office or facility supplies, etc..) where you interfaced with hospital administration, docs, etc., I would maintain, and if possible, enhance those contacts. If you have that foot in the door, and sell yourself as "excited in transition", "proactive", "eager to start the new career", etc., you'll be waaaaaay ahead of everyone else in receiving offers.

If you want to manage, at some point, and use your Business, I would say try to find a BS-BSN program, if it isn't cost-prohibitive.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 24, 2011

I'm also a "seasoned" individual with several prior degrees however, my motivation for becoming an RN was a bit different than yours.

My goal was, and still is, to become an FNP and the original plan was to get my ADN and work part-time as an RN while retaining my present job and after getting some nursing experience, take early retirement and work full-time in nursing at a facility that offered educational benefits. At that point, I planned to apply to an MSN program for second degree RN's, hopefully subsized by my new employer (as is the case with DroogieRN), and eventually get my FNP. Unfortunately, due mostly to some significant changes in the US economy I've only gotten through the first gate. So here's my take on things.

My observation is that the trend toward the BSN as the minimum credential needed to work as an RN is accelerating, aided by an oversupply of nurses and poor economic conditions. This is probably not true as blanket statement, but it applies to more areas than not. Again in my view, it's foolish to ignore this and I would caution you that what tokmon says about the ADN leading to an instant nursing job is not the case in most parts of the US. All that said, getting your ADN can still be worthwhile as the least costly route to a higher nursing degree. Once you are an RN, you have the option to an RN-BSN program. This can also be fairly inexpensive proposition if you are able to use a local state college and there are also a number of on-line programs that relative bargains. For example, the programs at U Texas-Arlington, U Wyoming and Ohio U all are under $9,000.

Alternatively, you can do an RN-MSN program for second-degree students. These programs require a number of bridge courses for non-BSNs, usually 3 or 4. I do not know if any schools have RN-MSN-CRNA programs - perhaps someone else has info on this. My feeling is that this route is impractical for an RN with little nursing experience beyond the clinicals of an ADN program, which is why in my original plan, I wanted to work for a while before going in this direction. YMMV.

My modified plan is now to get my BSN via the Ohio U RN-BSN program and I start next month. When I complete the program, which should be early in 2013 (have had stat, micro, nutrition - all the BSN prereqs really), hopefully the job market will have improved and I can then go back to the plan as before: Find a job with educational benefits and get my MSN.

Best of luck to you.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jun 24, 2011

find out what the CRNA schools in your area require for entry. Do what it takes to get those requirements.

I was 45 when I started nursing school

itsmejuli · Jun 24, 2011

I am a "casualty" of the economy as I was laid off last summer from the construction sector (estimator/project manager). I don't want to waste time and money, neither of which I have a lot of. :)

There is no nursing shortage. Hopefully by the time you get your nursing license things will have turned around for new grad nurses.

There are many threads on the difficulty of new grad RNs finding jobs as well as the difficulty seasoned nurses are having finding jobs.

IttyBittyBabyRN · Jun 24, 2011

I had a BS when I decided to go to nursing school as well. It was the same length of time for me to go to the BSN program as it would have taken to do the other. My advice is to compare each based on length and cost. A BSN will be required to advance to management or the CRNA program obviously. Both are a ways off for you. If you have an accelerated program locally since you have a degree already, I would definitely look into that. I have heard they are intense, but most are only one year an it would have been totally worth it to me to get it over with that soon!! Just look at all your options based on time/money/ how quickly you need that salary coming in.

ean29 · Jun 24, 2011

Coming from someone who has lived in and been educated (BSN, RN) in NE, it's a very tight market up here for nurses, ADNs in particular. Certain hospitals within these states are specifically only hiring BSN nurses; I've also heard that certain states will be mandating a BSN to be an RN (some are probably much more well-versed on this topic than I - just sharing the bit I've heard). So if you had any desire to work in the NE area, I'd encourage you to get a BSN if possible.

Regardless one of the biggest things I'd encourage you to do is somehow get your foot in the door at the hospital of your choice - or any one in general - outside of your nursing clinicals (i.e. CNA/LNA/tech, EMT, externships, etc.) because that greatly helps your chances to get a job after, whether it be at that hospital or another.