2 year degree?

Nurses Career Support

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Hello everyone... very excited about my decision to start a new career and chapter in my life as an RN. However, I am having trouble figuring out which direction to start in.

I am a single dad and I cannot afford to not work while going to school, so I would like to get through the program and start working in my field as quickly as possible. For that reason, I am planning to start a 2 year nursing degree program this Fall and then take online courses after getting my RN to get a BSN. Ultimately, I would love to get a job at MUSC.

My question is this... is this a good idea? The more I read the more it seems like 2 year degree nursing graduates are having a hard time getting the job over the BSN graduates. Am I setting myself up for failure or is it just more about how well you do during your 2 years of school?

Any advice and personal insight is very welcomed and extremely appreciated! Thank you!

~Sean

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It is a very difficult market. Not impossible for ADNs, but unless you work in a place that you KNOW will offer you a job after you graduate, you might want to consider going for an accelerated BSN. I am an ADN working toward an online RN-BSN. I am underemployed. It took months to find a job and yet I am lucky because I was not choosy. It's been much harder than I bargained for and I did NOT go into it with rose-colored glasses. As you are a single dad, I would invest in the time at the outset to try to enhance my chances at the other end. Try taking a look online at the new graduate, internship programs in the hospitals near you. Most of them now require a BSN, at least in my area. All the hospitals want magnate status. And, LTC in my area are just as picky.

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Specializes in HIV.

It all depends. As an ADN or BSN the chances are high you may not get your dream job right after graduation. I graduated as an ADN in 2012 and finished my BSN in 2013. It was entirely doable. You can find work if you really want to. I finally work in a hospital system and am beginning to enjoy it after >6 months. However, I had to start in rehab and home health the first year after graduation.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

If I knew where MUSC was, I'd be able to answer better. You really need to see if getting a job as an AD prepared nurse is feasible in your area. If the opportunities are limited now, they will be even less in 2 years. Where I live, BSN nurses are having trouble getting jobs.

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Sorry... Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC.

It should also be noted that the only BSN program that MUSC offers is an "Accelerated BSN" which requires 60 shrs of transfer credit from another college prior to entry.

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Just want to thank you guys for your input... I have decided to go for a generic "Applied Science" associates at my local community college which will satisfy the prerequisites for Medical University of South Carolina's "Accelerated BSN" program. I should be able to have my 2 year degree in 3 semesters and then my BSN in 16 months. It's going to be a little longer than I wanted but I think this is going to be the best career move form a long-term perspective. Thanks again!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I'm in a very similar situation as you are, and I went for the ADN, and while it took me a while to get started, I'm now almost done with the program and I'm highly considering going on to BSN soon, or even possibly an MSN as I already have a prior Bachelors Degree. I had to work full time while going to school also full time. It's been a real bear, but it was doable with only a few accommodations from work.

As to the educational plan you have in mind, just be absolutely certain that your credits will transfer and that you'll meet all of the requirements to graduate with the BSN at the end of this current plan. You don't want to be in a position where you finish your RN-related education and can't quite graduate because you missed some certain class that was actually needed. A former classmate of mine was in exactly that situation and had to take a history class before he could graduate from the college. That put his license application on hold until that class was complete and he'd officially earned his Associates Degree.

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