associates in nursing is pointless

Actually you are agreeing with me. My message to the OP was that a large percentage of working nurses started as associate degree nurses. Rather than being a hindrance to a career, it is a good starting point.

Ah, I misunderstood. I thought with the 35% quote that you were saying a minority of nurses started as ADNs - when in fact, of the three major options for entering the workforce, ADNs make up the majority.

The statistic was confusing. My apologies and thanks for the clarification.

This is not what you want to hear, but you asked. The job market in NY has been tough for many years. I graduated in 1995 and had to work a year in geriatric psyc at a private psyc hospital with crud pay to get some lousy experience. With that I finally got hired into a long term vent unit.... another very unpopular area, trust me.

From that I had experience in vents, some drips, pegs, multisystem failure and complex diagnosis but I wanted ICU. To work in the area in which I wanted, I had to leave NY and move south. Not too long ago I had to return to NY, and with 11 years of exp. 9 of it in ICU, three of it in ICU management (assistant) I had a VERY hard time getting hired and it took about 4 months and I did take a cut in pay with a very high cost of living to boot.

Sometimes we just have to do these things.

In NC in my area now, we are desperately short staffed every shift and drool over new nurses. Because of the economy, most homeowners cannot sell the house and move So I feel your frustration, I've been there, I've even worked as a home health aid in NY for extra money with an RN degree. Stinks. I'm sorry you're going through this, but to tell you this is a brief phase isn't true up there.

I have my ADN and Im doing just fine. I plan on furthering my education and letting my hospital help me out with the bill.

My ASN is supporting my family of four very nicely. I work with BSN who make the same amount per hour that I do.

Unfortunately that seems to be the question of the year, I myself say it a hundred times a day. Nursing homes are now telling me they dont want to hire a new grad, they gotta be kidding!

I don't think that an associate's degree is pointless. I'm making bank with mine. It isn't that you are an ASN prepared nurse, it is that the economy stinks and you are a new grad. New grads are expensive to train and with experienced nurses needing jobs as well new grads will be last in line for hire. It stinks, but don't diss the degree - it is not pointless to the many folks that are paying their bills because of it. Try to hang in there, new grads. As soon as this economy gets better people will leave the workforce in droves and there will be more than enough job opportunities for nurses again. The baby boomers aren't getting any younger, you know.

That was exactly my thought. Matter of fact I have seen tight job markets come and go and very soon after a tight labor market returns hospitals are considering ADN grads again.

I got my ASN in 1977 and I've worked ever since(32+ years!) My degree has not prevented me from working in peds, L&D, NICU, PICU, triage or school nursing. I think your problem is less about your ASN degree, and more about the fact that you're a recent grad. In this economy when nurses are coming out of the woodwork to get jobs, most places would rather have experience than inexperience. If you were hiring and had the choice between a grad nurse with no experience or a nurse with 10-20 years experience, which one would YOU choose?