Frustrated in Philly - CCP past Grads advice welcome

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

Published

Just graduated the ADN program (CCP), and am prepping for the NCLEX. However, I am having the hardest time lining up a position anywhere! I've gone on interviews that seem to go very well, but no callbacks. Several of the area hospitals are now going strictly with BSN students (and this info would've been handy three years ago, when I elected to go into an Associate's program!), and in general the pickings have been scarce. Far as I know, about half of my graduating class is employed, and half are in the same boat that I'm in.

I've been externing at a local community hospital, which is a fine place but a little distant for me. However, this experience doesn't seem to be counting for much.

My specific questions, before this turns into a rant/therapy-session:

1) Is the market "flooded" in Philly? Everywhere? Worse at this time of the year or pretty uniform throughout the year?

2) Is the market better when you put "RN" next to your name, post-boards?

3) Am I just freaking out prematurely, expecting too much too soon, borrowing trouble when I should just be hitting the review questions (which I have been doing, BTW. 30-60/day)?

If you've read this far, thank you. If you're responding to any part of it, thank you even more!

-Kevin :madface:

Specializes in oncology, transplant, OB.

one last thing.. although I am def happy w/CCP's program, if I had to do it again I think I would do an accelerated BSN program. Yeah, it's hard and expensive. But getting it all over w/in one year is worth it. Try to get info about and Jeff's BSN program!

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Thanks for you input!--yes, I have a professor here at my community college who has worked with ACE students--I'm glad I've chosen my community college route. Two years is really not that much time to invest, and the community college is sooo much more affordable--we even have a really great scholarship that can make it virtually FREE. I've also used my time during pre-reqs to get BSN classes done (like statistics, nutrition, and chemistry), so I hope after I pass the boards to get right into a masters program...

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CCP's program is very good. 's is very good as well from what I hear. I actually read somewhere that Drexel's NCLEX pass rate was nearly 100 %. I've talked to a student who was doing very well at Drexel and another one that had dropped out of the program because it was so intense. I think that the extra clinical experience you get from CCP is invaluable.

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Specializes in Post Surgical.

I just want to let everyone know that HUP is the only hospital that will not hire you with an ADN in the city. You can still work at Pennsylvania, Presby or their other hospitals. Reason I know this is because I have fellow grads that work or just were hired at these hospitals and they only have their ADNs. Good luck to everyone!

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Hi. You are right. There are a number of opportunities for RNs with an associates degree. I met a couple CCP grads (who recently received their AAS degree in nursing) in my clinical and at the hospital where I volunteered -- both were in Philly. I did hear something about New York moving toward hiring BSN graduates only. Don't know if it will definitely happen though.

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I just want to let everyone know that HUP is the only hospital that will not hire you with an ADN in the city. You can still work at Pennsylvania, Presby or their other hospitals. Reason I know this is because I have fellow grads that work or just were hired at these hospitals and they only have their ADNs. Good luck to everyone!

I guess it depends who you're asking. In June I was told by an HR person at Presby, after being referred there by a Presby RN who'd graduated CCP a few years ago, that they weren't accepting newly graduated ASNs. At Penn, the last I heard (this was in August) was that the Spring '07 group was the last they were taking of ASNs, though this is word-of-mouth from someone in that group. My last clinical rotation was at Jeff, and a few people I spoke with there (one was the person who did the Lastword training class) said that they were "going in the same direction", as far as BSN-only. So in that instance it was merely strongly implied, not stated outright. I pursued all of these options nonetheless and nothing turned up, though obviously in April-through-July I was part of a wave of hopeful candidates.

Einstein (now my employer) and Hahnemann (where many of my classmates work) are fair game, as well as other, smaller institutions in and around the city. I wanted to post this because my initial post was in frustration, and while it was not intended to cause a scare, I obviously should have been clearer as to what the source of that frustration was, and for that I apologize.

RNKaren and others in the thread are better sources of info about the various viable options than I am, and you can see that there are plenty of them. Basically the moral of the story is that you keep plugging at it and you'll get something, but that there are no guarantees. Not unlike all other professions, come to think of it! ;)

-Kevin

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I just spoke with Sue in Nurse Recruiting, and she said they're not hiring ADNs, just to confirm.

She recommended West Chester University pretty highly though- said their nursing program is great even though the school itself isn't well ranked.

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Hi Hiddencat,

Just curious -- in regards to your post, which hospital isn't hiring ADN grads?

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regarding penn presbyterian:

i am a new monto grad and i recently applied to presby. this is the e-mail i received in response to my application:

thank you for your interest in presbyterian hospital and the ed, but we only accept bsn rn's into our hospital. if you get your bsn please feel free to apply again.

regards,

sue huot-singer rn, bsn, chcr

nurse recruiter

penn presbyterian medical center

1 wright-saunders bldg

39th & market streets

philadelphia, pa 19104

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phillystudentforlife,

I think everyone else is hiring ADNs, but Presby was the only hospital I called. I am still in prereqs, so haven't been doing the rounds yet!

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Specializes in oncology, transplant, OB.

RNCU-

Thanks for sharing that info! That's a little disappointing though! :o

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Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Med-Surg.
regarding penn presbyterian:

i am a new monto grad and i recently applied to presby. this is the e-mail i received in response to my application:

thank you for your interest in presbyterian hospital and the ed, but we only accept bsn rn's into our hospital. if you get your bsn please feel free to apply again.

regards,

sue huot-singer rn, bsn, chcr

nurse recruiter

penn presbyterian medical center

1 wright-saunders bldg

39th & market streets

philadelphia, pa 19104

omg rncu0918 i got the same response in a email. all of penn health has gone bsn only..if you are already in their system, then you have a better chance...and if not....come see us when you have your bsn.

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