Need Some Help/Need to Rant

U.S.A. Washington DC

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I just need to let the frustration out just a little. ARRGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, that feels much better.

I graduated with a degree in Biology and I'm ready to make the switch to nursing. I cannot for the life of me decide whether to go for an ABSN or an ADN. Yes, I know what the search button is and that there is many topics about this, but nobody seems to mention what the job prospects look for someone who has an ADN, but is actively enrolled in an RN-BSN program at the time they are looking for jobs. Trust me, I don't want to have an ADN my whole life, but I'm not blessed enough to have rich parents that will shell out another 40K to pay for a second degree. I'm already 30K in debt from my undergraduate degree.

No offense young ones, but I don't care to hear the opinion of a 22 year old kid whose parents pay for everything tell me "just get your ABSN." I only want to hear people who know what it's like to pay student loan debt along with a car payment, car insurance, rent, cell phone - bills that come from living an independent life. I'm certain that a lot of these people on this board, not all, but a lot don't know what it's like to live a life where you can't just go to Georgetown and spend 80K on a second degree like it's no big deal or spend all this extra money to take pre-req courses like Bioethics and Developmental Psyc just to enroll at George Mason for their ABSN. I want to live in NoVA so bad. So, I want an honest opinion. If I do this ADN program, will I get a job in the NoVA area as an RN? Could I at least still live there and make a living with my ADN until I finish my RN-BSN program? ALSO, does it help if you have your ADN, but can prove to the employer you are enrolled in an RN-BSN program and will have your BSN? If not, is there anywhere I could work as an RN until I finish this program. I understand I won't have my pick of the litter, but I find it REALLY hard to believe that the ONLY people getting hired in NoVA are people with BSN's. Let's not be ridiculous, or maybe I'm being ridiculous by not just biting the bullet and taking out thousands of dollars for an ABSN.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Honestly in the DC/NOVA area it is really worth it to get a BSN. INOVA and Georgetown will not hire new grads at all with out a BSN, and the majority of the other hospitals are "BSN preferred.". With no shortage of BSN candidates, you would have a difficult time getting a hospital job with an ADN around here. Oh, and no one will care that you are an RN working on a BSN, all they will care about is the fact you dont have a BSN yet. So doing ADN and then enrolling in an RN-BSN will not increase your odds of getting hired. I know it sucks, and if you want to risk the ADN, you can, but I hope you are at least open to the option of relocating.

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Yeah I was afraid of that.

I guess I should say, I am perfectly content not working in a hospital while I work on getting the BSN. I have a bachelors in another degree, and yes it is not a BSN, but it is a bachelors and can only strengthen my application. I'm not saying they would hire me over someone with a BSN, but I would imagine I would be more competitive than someone who never graduated from a 4 yr university and just had their ADN. Plenty of ADNs in my area work in retirement homes and things like that, who is taking these type of jobs in the NoVa area? Again, I find it hard to believe that no ADNs are hired. Why would they have one of the largest community colleges in NoVA granting ADNs if nobody in that area could do anything with it? That program would be bogus, but yet I have heard great things about the program and their graduates. Where are these graduates getting jobs at?

I guess I am willing to take that risk. I'd rather take one year off not working (worst case scenario) and do the RN-BSN then do an ABSN and be so far in debt I can't enjoy my new RN salary. The whole point of me getting my RN was to increase my salary. Taking on more debt to get a BSN in under 2 years versus waiting 3 years really doesn't make sense coming from my current position in life.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Yeah I was afraid of that.

I guess I should say, I am perfectly content not working in a hospital while I work on getting the BSN. I have a bachelors in another degree (Biology) snd yes it is not a BSN, but it is a bachelors and has to count for something while I turn my ADN to a BSN. Plenty of ADNs in my area work in retirement homes and things like that, who is taking these jobs in the NoVa area? Again, I find it hard to believe that no ADNs are hired. Why would they have One of the largest community colleges in NoVA granting ADNs if nobody in that area could do anything with it? That program would be bogus, but yet I have heard great things about the program and their graduates.

NOVA is supposed to be a great program, but most area hospitals will not hire their graduates and prefer BSN grads. While I am sure you worked hard for you BS degree, no one in nursing will really care that you have a previous Bachelor's degree. There are lots of people in nursing with previous degrees and it generally gets you no special consideration.

If you insist on getting an ADN, I would start looking now to see what sort of jobs you can find for a ADN nurse. I would check psych facilities, prisons, long term care, rehab centers, home health, school nursing. While all of these are nursing jobs, working in one of these areas right out of school can make it more difficult to get into a hospital setting later on.

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I just happened to think too, I have my B.S. in Biology and I'm certified in phlebotomy so even if I couldn't get an ADN position, I could get a job working in a lab with my bio degree or drawing blood making connections with employers until I got my BSN.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
I just happened to think too I have my B.S. in Biology and I'm certified in phlebotomy so even if I couldn't get an ADN position, I could get a job working in a lab with my bio degree or drawing blood making connections with employers until I got my BSN.[/quote']

But you would have a gap from when you graduated to when you started working as an RN, and gaps normally make employers nervous as it is time you can start forgetting skills. Also, why would you spend even 10k on an. ADN to draw blood?

I get the impression you do not currently live in the D.C. area. Why don't you get your degree and experience where ever you are at right now if there are ADN jobs there?

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Thanks for your responses. What do you mean if I take those type of positions I wouldn't be able to get a hospital job later on. That makes absolutely no sense - is nursing really this picky? If I was an employer I would hire someone who has recommendations and experience working as a nurse in a psyc ward or a prison over a new graduate that has absolutely no experience at all. It seems like you are really oversimplifying and generalizing.

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Well this gap could be easily explained in an interview...."This gap year was so I could turn my rn into a bsn in order to make myself more competitive and strengthen my skills.". Now, if in this gap year I was off in Aruba vacationing then maybe the gap year would hurt me.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Thanks for your responses. What do you mean if I take those type of positions I wouldn't be able to get a hospital job later on. That makes absolutely no sense - is nursing really this picky? If I was an employer I would hire someone who hahagerstown recommendations and experience working as a nurse in a psyc ward or a prison over a new graduate that has absolutely no experience at all. It seems like you are really oversimplifying and generalizing.

I encourage you to read some of the other threads on all nurses of nursing grads who have been out of school for a year or more with their ADN and can not find employment of any kind as an RN. I know it seems like I am being harsh and generalizing but the fact of the matter is it can be very tough for someone with an ADN to get hired in a hospital in a major urban area, including DC.

I am from a different part of the country where I did a 2 year RN diploma and I am so glad I did an RN-BSN bridge before moving to DC as even with RN experience it would have been hard for me to find work here without the BSN

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I already have my phlebotomy certification and didn't pay anything for it. I would pay 10k for an ADN because my end goal is not the ADN it is a BSN. That 10K ADN is not a waste if I turn it into a BSN for another 10K.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
I already have my phlebotomy certification and didn't pay anything for it. I would pay 10k for an ADN because my end goal is not the ADN it is a BSN. That 10K ADN is not a waste if I turn it into a BSN for another 10K.

If you are willing to relocate and try to find work elsewhere and not just limit yourself to DC, your ADN might not be a "waste." However, even if you do a bridge program, you will not be a new grad with a BSN, you will be someone who did not work for a year with a BSN and that is much less desireable

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Thanks for your input! I have the added benefit of having my B.S. in Biology because if I don't get a job as an ADN I can use my bio degree until I am able to turn my ADN into a BSN. I have tons of friend in that area that are working as lab assistants with their biology degree.

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