Hiring outlook for ADN vs. BSN in your town?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2011

My only real options would be Baylor (which would break me financially!) or UTA (which is pretty far from where I am)... right now my tentative plan is to do Brookhaven and then their Texas Tech RN-BSN program immediately after. Thanks again for your advice!!

Where are you located? Many DFW-area students commute to schools far away in order to achieve their goals. Some people live in Arlington and commute to Stephenville to attend Tarleton State's BSN program (75 miles away). Some people live in Dallas and commute to Denison to attend the ADN program at Grayson County College. It all depends.

sugarmagnoliaRN · Apr 28, 2011

I'm in Rowlett... man alive, 75 miles! Now I feel pretty silly for being hesitant to apply to UTA... but I'm sure you know getting there with the traffic in this area is no joke! Honestly though, even UTA would put me in some debt... is it still worth it? I am very torn!

medpro32 · Apr 29, 2011

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!!

Still willing, try don't have a choice. A few big chains with magnate hospitals need to have a certain percentage of BSN's to maintain status. Look at the percentage of Texas RN's that are ADN versus BSN versus MSN etc. You would be surprised. ADN and BSN have the same license from the state. Letters don't make the nurse skill, experience and application do.

gnursjr2 · May 4, 2011

I work as a traveler at a VA hospital. They really like me here a lot, wanted me to go perm with them; told me to turn in my resume. When the HR person saw it, she just cringed when she saw I have a ADN. This hospital would rather hire a new grad BSN with not even experience as a CNA, than hire a ADN RN with some really great experience, and I have proved to them I'm a terrific RN. It was pretty degrading, and embarassing. It's kind of like having the plague. On the other hand I see droves of BSN students coming thru here on their clinicals, and also BSNs to MSNs. I want to tell you there are way, way too many nurses being pumped out of schools all over. THis whole mess with too many RNs and not enough jobs is not going to turn around. There are other jobs in healthcare to do besides nursing, check them out. Please!

georgia2009 · May 4, 2011

I work in a large city hospital and presently they are not hiring. The last time they hired someone on my floor was last year July. We have had a few nurses that have left since and they are still not rehiring. They are filling the positions with internal candidates only. However by law the are required to post the positions. You might see positions available and you apply for the jobs and you will get a response from HR saying you are not qualified or position is filled. The decision not to hire is coming from upper management. I hope this helps.

tthor5220 · May 4, 2011

I have 17 years RN experience and got my BSN in 2006. I got it just in case I need it down the road. I don't believe it can hurt. BUT maybe it won't help!

sugarmagnoliaRN · May 4, 2011

I want to tell you there are way, way too many nurses being pumped out of schools all over. THis whole mess with too many RNs and not enough jobs is not going to turn around. There are other jobs in healthcare to do besides nursing, check them out. Please!

I am aware there are other jobs in healthcare. I specifically want to be a nurse, and it has nothing to do with the perceived "job security" (anyone who has been on this message board knows that's what it looks like from the outside, but not at all from the inside).

I understand things are difficult for nurses right now (as they are for all professions). I am not going to stop trying to be a nurse because there aren't as many job opportunities right now.

Nurse Lulu · May 4, 2011

ADN's are to be phased out of the system I work in within the next fifteen years. LPN's are already gone. This includes having those already working going back to school to obtain BSN. LPN's had to obtain an ADN to keep their job by 2008. P.S. We are still actively hiring all the time (we just hired three FT RN just on my unit). BUT, they are all BSN with extern or previous experience.

KenH · May 4, 2011

3 years ago , experienced LVN were replace with new grad ADN's, basically for the some $$, but now they can say all RN patient care, who cares about patient care, Last hiring cycle all new grad ADN's, now they are the charge nurses, this hiring cycle all BSN's

CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN · May 4, 2011

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.
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I totally agree with you, johwiklundRN. Please don't take this the wrong way but I did everything that you said ( I volunteered at a hospital, kept in touch with two my clinical instructors and spoke to nurses during my clinical rotations) and I believe I would be one of the people that will have it hard because I am not eligible for almost every student nurse externship in NYC except for probably one and it's actually volunteer (which I don't mind, I was volunteering at a hospital for seven months and I thought the networking would help no one could help me there. At HSS, all the nurses have their BSN and I spoke to the nurse recruitment manager and she said that they only hire BSN nurses (among other many other hospitals in the NYC region)

You are right, we shouldn't blame the economy only but there are several factors that are occuring right now that may prevent ADN or even BSN nurses from getting employment (many nurses that should've retired haven't done so, the closings of certain hospitals, which happened in NYC (Saint Vincent Medical Center closed and many nurses were out of work), etc. To keep the demand "in check", I think it's easier for hospitals to want BSN nurses so they don't have to have do deal with the large number of supply of nurses. Even few of my friends , that I know who have been working as nurses, have their ADN but have to go back to school to get their BSN because the hospitals require it. I also research alot and do subscribe to the AJN and Minority Nurses magazines. I have been keeping updated with the changes in the field.

I do feel at times, if you know someone in the hospital and you have a connection, then you have some way in. The only person I know that can help me is my fiance and he doesn't even work at the hospital as an employee, he works a company that deals with the orthotics and prosthetics but he has to go to the hospital (the clinic in the hospital) twice a week so he works with and knows so many people, including the orthopedic surgeons and other nurses. He is probably my only way in. Otherwise, I kept telling him it will be hard for me to get a job. I mean, I am not going to give up, I will keep trying but for all the ADN who are feeling the same way, it's just a frustrating feeling. But like you stated, johwiklundRN, we shouldn't allow any obstacles stand in our way of becoming nurses.

CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN · May 4, 2011

I work as a traveler at a VA hospital. They really like me here a lot, wanted me to go perm with them; told me to turn in my resume. When the HR person saw it, she just cringed when she saw I have a ADN. This hospital would rather hire a new grad BSN with not even experience as a CNA, than hire a ADN RN with some really great experience, and I have proved to them I'm a terrific RN. It was pretty degrading, and embarassing. It's kind of like having the plague. On the other hand I see droves of BSN students coming thru here on their clinicals, and also BSNs to MSNs. I want to tell you there are way, way too many nurses being pumped out of schools all over. THis whole mess with too many RNs and not enough jobs is not going to turn around. There are other jobs in healthcare to do besides nursing, check them out. Please!

Wow, I feel bad that you went through that, that is demeaning. Have you found other employment somewhere else? That scares me, I am in a ADN program and will graduate next year.

CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN · May 4, 2011

I work in a large city hospital and presently they are not hiring. The last time they hired someone on my floor was last year July. We have had a few nurses that have left since and they are still not rehiring. They are filling the positions with internal candidates only. However by law the are required to post the positions. You might see positions available and you apply for the jobs and you will get a response from HR saying you are not qualified or position is filled. The decision not to hire is coming from upper management. I hope this helps.

It happens here in NYC. Actually, it happens everywhere, besides the nursing field. I am a career changer ( I was in HR, I seen it all the time, it got so annoying. Half of the folks that were hired weren't even qualified for the job!) It's pretty frustrating to know and see that you hear stories how people get in and they obvously have a connection with someone in the hospital.