Associates degree nurse salary vs. bachelor's ??

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

Is it common that Associates degree RNs make the same as Bachelor's degree RNs in a hospital staff nurse position? I plan on moving to New York after I get my RN as an associate and eventually gain a Bachelor's at their NYU. Does anyone know specifically in New York what salary they hire starting associaites RN nurses at ???

THANK YOU!!!

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I'd like to know why as well. This has not been the preference in any of the 2 hospitals I have worked in. An Associates degree nurse may be at an advantage for about 4-6 months when it comes to hands on skills simply because of the greater amount of time spent in clinical hours. Anyone can learn a hands-on skill, in my opinion (ie. starting IVs, passing meds, dressing changes, etc). As soon as they start working, a BSN will catch up, so to speak, within a few short months. Many people will say a BSN program will better prepare you in your "critical thinking skills" - a necessary skill in many areas of nursing, including ICU, obvioiusly.

*** Well I don't think that BSN prepared nurses have any advantage in critical thinking skills. Some nurses do very well and some don't. I can't predict who will and who won't based on their degree. The reason ADN nurses have a much better chance (well the only chance really as new grad BSNs are not hired at all) of being hired into the Critical Care Nurse Residency program is because they don't run off to CRNA school as soon as they get the required ICU experience. My residency class for the SICU had 9 people in it. Only one (me) was an ADN. Of the 8 who had BSNs 7 went to CRNA school and one became a stay at home mom. Subsequent classes where similar. Many of them did not even complete their two contract we signed to get into the residency program. Our manager and preceptors ( I am one now) got tired of spending vast amounts of time and money training new grads only to have them run off to CRNA school as soon as they could. There is nothing written but no BSN grads have been hired in the last two classes.

Specializes in Uromycetisis Poisoning.

*** Well I don't think that BSN prepared nurses have any advantage in critical thinking skills. Some nurses do very well and some don't. I can't predict who will and who won't based on their degree. The reason ADN nurses have a much better chance (well the only chance really as new grad BSNs are not hired at all) of being hired into the Critical Care Nurse Residency program is because they don't run off to CRNA school as soon as they get the required ICU experience. My residency class for the SICU had 9 people in it. Only one (me) was an ADN. Of the 8 who had BSNs 7 went to CRNA school and one became a stay at home mom. Subsequent classes where similar. Many of them did not even complete their two contract we signed to get into the residency program. Our manager and preceptors ( I am one now) got tired of spending vast amounts of time and money training new grads only to have them run off to CRNA school as soon as they could. There is nothing written but no BSN grads have been hired in the last two classes.

Oh. Interesting. I'm in the ATL area and from what I've been seeing the trend here seems to be going in the opposite direction as that mentioned above. I've known a few new grads with ASN degrees who were passed over due to certain facilities hiring only BSN grads. Also, I think that facilities who hold or are seeking Magnet status will actively pursue those with the BSN or higher.

I guess everyone agrees so far that the short-term money difference is negligible. If you look at the big picture though, the lifetime career opportunities offered to those with higher education will far outweigh the slightly higher paycheck.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

Oh. Interesting. I'm in the ATL area

Also, I think that facilities who hold or are seeking Magnet status will actively pursue those with the BSN or higher.

I guess everyone agrees so far that the short-term money difference is negligible. If you look at the big picture though, the lifetime career opportunities offered to those with higher education will far outweigh the slightly higher paycheck.

*** Couple things. One I have no idea where the ATL area is. Second I work at a Magent hospital and I do not see any indication that our status as a Magnet hospital drives hiring decisions, at least not here. I am huge fan of the ADN nursing programs and here is why. Here is Wisconsin the ADN program is actually desinged to be done in two years and is very inexpensive. In two years a peson can get their ADN-RN for around $5000 then go to work, make (in our hospital) $100-$120K over two years get their BSN through one of the many RN to BSN programs and have the hospital pay for it. So instead of at the end of 4 years being a new grad with lots of student loans a nurse could, at the end of 4 years, be an RN with two years high qualiety experience, have made $100K+, AND have a BSN.

Obviously this wouldn't work in those places where it takes 3-4 years just to get an ADN (I feel like those students are being ripped off).

Specializes in Uromycetisis Poisoning.

*** Couple things. One I have no idea where the ATL area is. Second I work at a Magent hospital and I do not see any indication that our status as a Magnet hospital drives hiring decisions, at least not here. I am huge fan of the ADN nursing programs and here is why. Here is Wisconsin the ADN program is actually desinged to be done in two years and is very inexpensive. In two years a peson can get their ADN-RN for around $5000 then go to work, make (in our hospital) $100-$120K over two years get their BSN through one of the many RN to BSN programs and have the hospital pay for it. So instead of at the end of 4 years being a new grad with lots of student loans a nurse could, at the end of 4 years, be an RN with two years high qualiety experience, have made $100K+, AND have a BSN.

Obviously this wouldn't work in those places where it takes 3-4 years just to get an ADN (I feel like those students are being ripped off).

Sorry for the brevity. ATL is ATLanta. Along similar lines of WI being WIsconsin.

I do agree with the path you mention. Why not make money while pursuing the BSN?

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