VENT: ADN and BSN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Well i just really needed to get something off my chest. I recently graduated from an ADN program in June and in July passed my boards. its a great accomplishment for me and its honestly still so surreal. So the next thing to do would be to find a job. I live in nyc and its been horrible out here. All you hear is sorry we accept only BSN grads and honestly its really discouraging. I understand BSN grads take more classes than we do but please tell me what does that really mean. Do we not all take the same boards? Or does the computer know who did their ADN and who did their BSN? its kind of a shame because there are so many bright new grads out there that want to make a difference in this world but yet they are rejected. Ok all my frustration started when My friends and I were taking our Kaplan review course. The whole class was full of BSN grads and we were the only ADN grads in there. Ok so we were the outcasts no problem in that we dealt with it. So the instructor would take us through 75 questions each day and honestly not many of the BSN grads knew much. I mean im not saying all BSN grads are like that it but they went to such a great school. The questions we heard coming out of their mouths was dreadful. For example a girl asked Why do you use carbon dioxide during a laparoscopic procedure And the list goes on. Ok i know your supposed to learn these things in nursing school and honestly they are basic things. So explain to me shouldnt a BSN grad know more than an ADN grad? I just think its kind of unfair for us to be rejected due to our degree. I apologize if my post offended anyone but i just needed to get this out there and make people realize something .Ok fine they got a higher degree than us but that doesnt make them a better nurse than us. There is such a shortage and so many people that need to be taken care of that employers are nit picking about that. Im proud of my degree and a hospital that wouldnt accept me because of it isnt for me. All i can say is their loss.

Thanks for listening and sorry if i offended anyone. feel free to leave any comments

I'm an ADN grad (May 08 grad), however I plan on pursuing my BSN starting in the Fall. The school that I graduated from split the program for some odd reason. I have been told that the BSN grads have more knowledge as far as management and stuff like that, not necessarily the skills part.

Many hospitals are saying BSN preferred on applications, however, you have to sell yourself. I will be working on PICU at a magnet facility and I have been offered positions at 3 different magnet hospitals so I was actually able to choose where I wanted to be and one hospital allowed me to choose the unit I wanted. I expressed during each interview that I do have plans to further my education and that is what they like to hear.

However, the hospital where I will be working, have expressed that they actually want me to wait a year before continuing my education and that is something that I am actually struggling with because I've only been in school three years and I have no desire to wait. Anyway, I started rambling.

Bottom line, recruiters and managers want to hear that you plan on continuing your education and that you just want more. You just have to sell yourself and know your worth.

Good luck to you and I'm sure you'll find something, you may not get exactly what you want.

Your employer was probably encouraging you to wait because the first year in nursing is pretty stressful and adding school to the mix might make it more stressful yet. I waited a year and think it was good timing. I am now about 2/3 done (10 classes done and 5 to go...yeah). Good luck to whatever you decide.

Specializes in Pediatric critical care.
Your employer was probably encouraging you to wait because the first year in nursing is pretty stressful and adding school to the mix might make it more stressful yet. I waited a year and think it was good timing. I am now about 2/3 done (10 classes done and 5 to go...yeah). Good luck to whatever you decide.

I'm waiting until Fall 09 to continue with my BSN. These first few weeks have been quite challenging, and I have a couple of classes that I have to take and like three books that I have to read, lol, so I might have been a bit overwhelmed, plus I have an hour commute and full time for my hospital is 80hrs/2wks, so that extra 8 hr shift is a pain!!!!! At the moment, I'm not complaining about my decision. Did you find that you got out of the "school mode" after waiting a year?

Specializes in ICU, ED.

I think the debate between BSN and ADN is really a moot point in Texas but thats just here. I know NYC stopped hiring LVN's in many hospitals a looooong time ago and now Texas is following suit as are many other hospitals in other states. It looks better to governing organizations to have a better educated staff even if that education is on paper and not in the trenches. (retention issues to keep experienced staff is a whole 'nother thread!). With the issues of managed care making healthcare organizations more and more competitive and customer service oriented, whats on paper is really what matters to those doing the hiring. I only know of one hospital system in Dallas that still employs LVN's and I wouldnt be surprised if the trend eventually excluded ADN prepped nurses as well. I think thats a sad trend because many of the most knowledgable nurses I know have ADN's but just as in any other field, you have to get the paper employers want to get the jobs they offer.

A BSN is just to say that you are a more "well-rounded" student. Bachelor's degrees of any kind give you a taste of all different areas of academics. To get a BSN , you will take classes like art, history and other humanities classes which qualifies you to receive a "bachelor's" degree. However, it does NOT constitute more knowledge in nursing. It only confirms that you are a more "well-rounded" individual. I also believe that certain states are requiring a BSN for legal reasons. Remember what a litigious society in which we are living !!!!!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
A BSN is just to say that you are a more "well-rounded" student. Bachelor's degrees of any kind give you a taste of all different areas of academics. To get a BSN , you will take classes like art, history and other humanities classes which qualifies you to receive a "bachelor's" degree. However, it does NOT constitute more knowledge in nursing. It only confirms that you are a more "well-rounded" individual. I also believe that certain states are requiring a BSN for legal reasons. Remember what a litigious society in which we are living !!!!!

Your right the BSN does not give you more hands on nursing classes, as the NCLEX is the same. But some of the extra courses are a bit more than just liberal arts....there's Community Health Nursing, Nursing Research, and Nursing Leadership to name a few. Again, it doesn't make you a better bedside hands-on entry-level nurse. Just wanted to say that. Carry on. :)

Your right the BSN does not give you more hands on nursing classes, as the NCLEX is the same. But some of the extra courses are a bit more than just liberal arts....there's Community Health Nursing, Nursing Research, and Nursing Leadership to name a few. Again, it doesn't make you a better bedside hands-on entry-level nurse. Just wanted to say that. Carry on. :)

Hi

I find it interesting that the debate over diploma, ADN or BSN continues to go on and on. I do not think we will ever get to a point where BSN is required for entry practice. Here's why: With the projected shortage of 100,000 nurses by 2010, some organization will have to step in and find more efficient methods of training RNs. This was the case during WWII which prompted the Nurse Training Act, the Cadet Nurse Corps etc where the Fed goverment funded nursing education. Many of the 3 year programs were reduced to 24-30 months to get people through the program and on the job because the shortage was so great. Fast forward to 2008 where we have a more acute (and growing) gap of trained RNs to what is needed. Eventually (when hospitals start closing and people are dying as a result), the government will have to step in. My thought would be they would sponsor entry programs at their own facilities (maybe VA hospital programs) to get more people through the program as quickly as possible. In Canada a few years ago, they closed all their diploma programs and went to strictly a BSN framework. What they ended up with was an acute shortage driven by more demand but also because people were not going into the field because of the time required. As a result, hospital schools starting to open AGAIN just to address the shortage which had been created by the BSN requirements. At the end of the day, I believe it is a supply v. demand problem. When we get to the point where demand really outstrips supply(on the brink today), there will be a outside force (Fed Government, private training school, hospital programs to create the staff they need - they have to train new grads anyway for a year - why not do it from the beginning and get the skills built into the program they need?) that will cause a change in the market dynamics to address demand. My thought would be we will revert to a 2 year program and perhaps if the governing bodies could ever agree on anything, a REAL and comprehensive nursing career ladder will be put in place to allow caregivers who are qualified to progress from CNA to LPN/RN to BSN to MSN(for NP) to PhD. Everyone in the field knows the shortage is already acute. When a well known public figure dies because of poor or a lack of care, someone will act because the problem enters the public realm and then most people will become aware.

I wonder where the OP has applied? I keep seeing posts on the NYC forum about new grads not being able to find jobs and when you dig a little deeper you find out that they are limiting where they are willing to apply. Many of the people stating that they are having a hard time are applying to hospitals that are considered prestigious or they are only willing to work in a specific area of NYC.

I don't want to accuse to OP of doing the same but if you have only applied to places like Lenox Hill, Presbyterian, NYU, or Mt. Sinai that may be part of the problem. These hospitals have a surfeit of apps and they can pick and choose.

If this is the case broaden your job search because there are 5 boroughs in NYC and the outlying counties are heavily populated. There are plenty of places to work if you are willing to be flexible.

So it may not be about not having your ADN but rather more about where you are willing to work. However, if it is about you being an ADN then you might have to buck up and jump on the BSN wagon. If you enroll you can take one class and still put that you are pursuing your BSN. :coollook:

I don't believe in sour grapes because they get your no where. If the trend is BSN then do what you have to do to remain competitive.

Best of luck with the job search. :smokin:

I'm waiting until Fall 09 to continue with my BSN. These first few weeks have been quite challenging, and I have a couple of classes that I have to take and like three books that I have to read, lol, so I might have been a bit overwhelmed, plus I have an hour commute and full time for my hospital is 80hrs/2wks, so that extra 8 hr shift is a pain!!!!! At the moment, I'm not complaining about my decision. Did you find that you got out of the "school mode" after waiting a year?

I got into it really well again after a year but I think 10 years into it might have been a different story. That first year after my ADN went by soooo fast. I couldn't believe it had already been a year. I pretty much started a year to the day after my graduation. I work 12's so find it easier since I have more days off to work on all those APA papers. It gets easier but at first they took me a long time to get together. I am doing it online which works out best since I have young kids and don't want to spend more time away from them if I don't have to. So just fit it in when I have time around my families schedule. Good luck to your first year. It definitely get easier.

A BSN is just to say that you are a more "well-rounded" student. Bachelor's degrees of any kind give you a taste of all different areas of academics. To get a BSN , you will take classes like art, history and other humanities classes which qualifies you to receive a "bachelor's" degree. However, it does NOT constitute more knowledge in nursing. It only confirms that you are a more "well-rounded" individual. I also believe that certain states are requiring a BSN for legal reasons. Remember what a litigious society in which we are living !!!!!

I guess it depends on the program. My RN to BSN program has 12 courses of the 15 that are nursing courses which includes research, ethics, community nursing, management, leadership etc...and the other classes are Stats, Pharm & Patho. I love the program as a traditional BSN program would be more focused on general education type classes. I find as I am moving through the program I am definitely applying the knowledge to clinical practice so I would say BSN programs do vary (but that is only for those that are the post RN type).

Specializes in Trauma, ER, Cardiology & Spinal Rehab.
I guess it depends on the program. My RN to BSN program has 12 courses of the 15 that are nursing courses which includes research, ethics, community nursing, management, leadership etc...and the other classes are Stats, Pharm & Patho. I love the program as a traditional BSN program would be more focused on general education type classes. I find as I am moving through the program I am definitely applying the knowledge to clinical practice so I would say BSN programs do vary (but that is only for those that are the post RN type).

I am in an LPN to RN, BSN program currently with 8 months left. A friend of mine went to an ADN program when we got out of LPN school - so that he could finish is RN more quickly. He graduated in May of this year - and we graduate in April of '09 - on a daily basis or more he tells me that he wishes he would've gone through the BSN program with us.....we went through our programs and compared our classes and I think a big difference is the research, ethics, management & leadership type classes - they did not touch on these in his program and we had entire semesters on them.

Specializes in Transplant/Surgical ICU.

To the OP: I had to delete my previous post because I took your comments as an insult, but I understand you are frustrated and need a job and it is not a 'BSN vs ADN' thing but more of 'I need a job. I am also qualified, hire me'

But please remember that the BSN student in your review class has the right to ask questions, regardless of whether you think they are stupid or not. She payed for the class. And I honestly don't think that her question should be sparking feelings of whether BSN grads are better than ADN grads! And if it does you should be thinking hard as to why your mind even went there.

Finally, good luck in your search!

Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

I find it interesting that the OP was offensive to some. I didn't find it offensive at all. I took it as someone new to the nursing field encountering something for the first time that many of the posters have long since discovered....the debate between ADN vs BSN. We all have the need to discover and vent when encountered with something new. I also dont think that the ADN vs BSN debate is counter productive. It gives food for thought on educational avenues and choices. Also, we are all entitled to our own opinion and the right to express it. I may not agree with someone but agree with their right to state their beliefs. Everyone has the right and opportunity to pursue education so if feel driven to pursue a higher education go for it.....your path up the ladder will vary from someone elses. There is no right or wrong way. You have to be true to yourself, your beliefs and the needs of your family or life situation. If your happy where you're at stay there...it makes you no less of a nurse. If you feel driven continue on..you'll still be a great nurse.

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