RN- associates or bachelors degree?

[golfergirl17]

I talked with one of my coworkers who has sisters who are registered nurses and he said that registered nurses who have associates degrees aren't able to work as registered nurses unless they have a bachelors? I got into a discussion and told him that he was incorrect because I have friends who are in nursing programs at community colleges that have graduated and passed the NCLEX exam and they are now working at hospitals.

Obviously the more school you have under your belt, the better off you are and I'm waiting to get into the nursing program at a community college. How hard it is to get a job at a hospital after you get done with the nursing program and pass the NCLEX? I'm curious and confused. Please help!

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Here in the rural midwest it doesn't make a bit of difference if there's a BSN behind the Rn on your name tag. If there is a pay difference it's minimal, and probably not worth the extra money the BSN cost. In-hospital promotions, may favor BSN, but don't exclude the two year variety.

[red.tm]

It depends on your area, the hospital hiring practices and the number of new ASN and BSN grads being spit out by the local institutions. Where I live, several Universities/ Community Colleges have pretty much doubled their degree awards - and the hospitals will hire ASNs but "prefer" BSNs (as listed in all the new grad hospital website job posts). Very few new grad spots. Call the hospitals and ask the recruiter about their 'hiring-of-new-grad-practices' and ask how many applicants they see per new grad job posting. Even if you don't want to work at the hospital, the answer will tell you a lot.

[SunshineRN79]

thank you for taking the time to email me and share your thoughts on the nursing shortage. you are very well spoken and a strong advocate for patients and the nursing profession. our healthcare system is indeed broken, and serious steps must be taken to ensure that patients receive high quality, safe care. the research shows that nurses with high patient loads are spread too thin, and patients suffer the consequences. fortunately, the magnet hospital concept is catching on and more facilities are moving to limit nurse to patient ratios and enhance the nurse work environment. the current trend in not hiring new graduates in some parts of the country is a direct result of the recession which has impacted all sectors of the economy. this disruption in usual trends has resulted since nurses planning to retire are holding on to their jobs, some part-time nurses are now working full-time to make ends meet, and hospitals have instituted hiring freezes to help keep costs down. as the economy recovers, we do expect old patterns to re-emerge and many rn positions are expected to open soon. the rn workforce is still aging rapidly and a large wave of retirements is expected over the next 10 years. i know that some parts of the country are still experiencing shortages (like texas and missouri) and heard last week that new nursing grads can earn annual salaries of up to $80,000 if they opt to work in the delta region of mississippi. below are some links to jobs site that you may find useful. i do wish to offer some additional information about baccalaureate prepared and associate degree nurses. you should be proud of your magna cum laude standing and i know you worked hard to achieve this. but associate degree programs are not accelerated versions of baccalaureate programs, and bsn graduate do receive more in-depth and rigorous coursework in the sciences, research, community health, and management. the reason why magnet hospitals look to hire bsn grads is because they recognize a difference in these nurses, and the research is clear that patient outcomes are better when care is provided by bsn nurses. you are clearly a bright, committed nurse and i encourage you to continue your formal education (up through doctoral preparation!) because nursing needs strong leaders like you guiding the profession. best of luck to you in your job search. robert

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