Hiring outlook for ADN vs. BSN in your town?

U.S.A. Texas

Published

Hey y'all,

I am wondering what the job outlook is like in your town for an ADN vs. a BSN. Are hospitals still as willing to hire ADNs? ADNs, how fast were you able to find work when you graduated? Where are y'all located? I am in the Dallas, TX area and would love if anyone had any information on this area specifically. I am getting ready to apply to school (I will probably apply for an ADN program and a BSN program to cover all my bases)... I've read more than once that BSN is really the way to go in Dallas and need some feedback! Thanks!!

Graduated in 12/09 ADN

Licensed in 05/10

Employed 06/10 @ a SNF

Employed 01/11 @ a level II trauma center on a med surg floor

I work shoulder to shoulder with RNs that have their BSN, we are paid the same, we do the same job. A few very specialized positions "REQUIRE" a BSN or an MSN and even then with the proper experience, exceptions will almost always be made.

The REAL difference between BSN and ADN is I got my ADN for free going to community college, while many of my coworkers paid 30 -40 -or even 50,000 for their four year degree.... and their usually the ones asking me to start their IVs and Foleys ;). Some of charge nurses have their ADNs... If you have the time and money, extra education is always a good thing but IMO your time would be better spent doing something that could actually make you more marketable... (IE learning to speak another language, I learned to speak Spanish, I find it very marketable.... ) Being bold, and having confidence is something no body will be able to teach you no matter how long you go to school...

Dont be discouraged by negative posts you see here or anywhere else... I think that many people spend too much time complaining on the internet about the "bad economy" and the "tough job market" and not enough time pounding the pavement and and aggressively marketing themselves and creatively problem solving. Every day hundreds of nurses are getting new jobs. Some of those nurses are New Grads, you just got to make yourself one of them.... Becoming a nurse was one of the best decisions of my life... and I STRONGLY encourage any interested person to a career in nursing regardless of the challenges that may exist.

my :twocents:

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Loved reading your post johwikllundRN! its discouraging to think about going BACK to school to spend more time and money and to possibly be in the same situation I am in now, but when it comes down to it, I know that everything will work out as long as I stay dedicated and keep a positive attitude! You can't get great payoffs without taking risks :) I wish there were nursing jobs for everyone who had the passion and education :)

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Specializes in Oncology.

I recently graduated with a BSN in Texas and have never had a problem finding a job. I worked at Baylor in Dallas right out of school. On my unit... they hired ADNs ONLY if they had experience. They hired BSNs only (new grads included) for their internship programs.

I have since moved back to my rural Texas area and have had no problem finding a job. I think you will have an edge with a BSN if the experience between two candidates is equal. I think it may be easier as a new grad to get a job with a BSN. That is just my opinion. I do think that employers pay attention to the education, especially in this economy. But..... as others have stated there is more than one way to get that BSN. If you are planning on staying in Texas I am sure you will be able to find a job without too much difficulty.

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care.

Thank you johwiklund!! Very helpful :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I'm a December 2010 ASN grad and work at a magnet hospital in Indianapolis. No experience, nada.

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Not at all saying that some of you guys won't get hired.

Just saying that you need to make sure you have a way to pay your bills in case you are not hired. I realize this is not a problem if your family pays your bills for you, but if you wear the big boy or big girl pants in your situation, you need to have a game plan in place.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Oh and at least 10 others from my graduating class have jobs in the same hospital system as well. But don't get me wrong, I'm working on my BSN right now because I'm not sure what the outlook is for ASNs.

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That's why I am worried, because I support myself entirely and will already be needing to take out some loans for school and need a plan for when I graduate. I work two jobs, 80 hrs a week, right now to pay my bills and it will be a big change going to school FT and I need to do everything I can to set myself up to find a job after I graduate....which is why I am looking for information now, in advance! :)

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Where I live hospitals don't care whether you have your ADN or BSN. Same pay rate and everything. The magnet hospitals claim to want BSN only but I know an ADN grad who got a job at a magnet hospital because she had CNA experience in an ICU.

It really depends on your resources and what schools are around you. The only state university around my area only accepts 28 people a year for their BSN program. If you don't get in you just have to wait and apply the next year. It's super super competitive, and all the other BSN programs around my area are 20,000 plus a year. My plan is to finish my pre-reqs at my university, and do my clinicals at the local tech school. Once I graduate with my ADN it'll take me less than a year to have my BSN since I have all my pre-reqs done for my university's BSN program.

If I had the money up front or if there was a cheaper less competitive BSN program in my area I would totally do that, but there isn't and I don't want to be 40,000 plus in debt. I'd rather graduate with my ADN and have my BSN less than a year after that instead of spending over 40,000 for a BSN up front.

Oh, and I think if you are going for your ADN (BSN too, but ADN especially) try to get some sort of experience in a healthcare setting. I've heard of many hospitals there were pro BSN that will hire new grad ADN's over the new grad BSN's if they have some sort of healthcare experience.

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care.

onaclearday: Ha! I hear that, I've definitely been wearin the big girl pants for some time now :) I will definitely look into getting some experience while I'm in school!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Thank you all so much for the information. Around here, everyone is saying "if you want a job, go for nursing" but when I graduated high school in 2005 and started my first two years of college, everyone told me "if you want a job, go into education" which I did for two years..and...now there isn't a teaching job to be found around here. I sometimes think my best bet is playing the lottery daily! ;)

A very wise person told me to not pursue a field for its job security because there is no such thing. In the 80's young people were urged to go into computers for the job security..well needless to say the jobs were promptly outsourced. Follow your bliss and your enthusiasm and determination will likely yield a job. All the best!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Here in NYC a BSN will greatly improve your job prospects as a new graduate nurse. You will be more marketable in this abysmal market.I always encourage folks around here to go for BSN. But know your specific market; other areas may be marketable with a diploma/ADN, in which case why spend the excess time and money?

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