Accelerated BSN - Will it help you get a job?

MikeyBSN · May 20, 2011

Maybe if you wanted to do psych nursing, but generally speaking, no. I do not think that extra degree helps you in the run of the mill interview or resume pile. Experience helps you, that's about it these days.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 20, 2011

Agree with mikeybsn, accelerated bsn won't help. Working as a tech and/or knowing the nm is the only real advantage for a new grad theses days.

Good luck.

RNlovesherPharmD · May 20, 2011

As a recent graduate from a school that offers traditional, accelerated, and 5 semester transfer---there is no difference in getting hired whatsoever. The thing that gets you any kind of advantage is 1. having connections at the facility you want to work at, 2. experience/ externships.

I don't mean to belittle you having two degrees at all, but nursing is nursing. However, you might be more successful in your courses due to already having done the 'college thing' and know your own learning/studying style. Many of the accelerated students were at the top of our class.

Lovely_RN, MSN · May 20, 2011

Welcome to nursing! You're about to find out that the average nursing recruiter/manager/ADON/DON has zero respect for any accomplishments, experiences, or degrees obtained outside of the nursing field. :down: If you decide to take this on as a second career it will not matter if you're 40+ with years of solid work experience and a non-nursing degree from a top university under your belt. You will be treated the same as the 21-year-old new grad ADN from your local CC. The only thing that will give you a slight edge in getting hired is if you have your BSN...then you will be treated like the 23-old-new grad from your local university. Of course if your competition knows someone in the hospital then it won't matter what degree you have because "knowing someone" trumps everything else in getting hired these days.

That said, though I felt the sting from the lack of acknowledgement and sometimes outright derision for my former achievements, I still think becoming a nurse has been worth it. The only way my non-nursing BA helped was that I'm skipping getting another bachelor degree and going right into an MSN program soon.

Nursing is a good as second career just be mentally prepared to deal with people who could care less or even look down on where you came from before nursing.

stephie_love · May 20, 2011

On a positive note...a BSN is the key these days. BSN, ABSN...you still have a leg up on other new grads. I do think that a psych degree + nursing degree is a great combo...and that employers may appreciate what you can potentially bring to the table.

Also, I feel that many cannot find jobs because they are waiting for their 'dream job' and not taking what is first offered to them. I do realize that this is not always the case, I am just speaking from personal experience :)

Many of my new grad ADN friends are having no luck finding hospital jobs - even if they have worked in a hospital for years. I find it to be a very sad situation. So basically, it's bad all around :/

RNlovesherPharmD · May 20, 2011

Welcome to nursing! You're about to find out that the average nursing recruiter/manager/ADON/DON has zero respect for any accomplishments, experiences, or degrees obtained outside of the nursing field. If you decide to take this on as a second career it will not matter if you're 40+ with years of solid work experience and a non-nursing degree from a top university under your belt. You will be treated the same as the 21-year-old new grad ADN from your local CC. The only thing that will give you a slight edge in getting hired is if you have your BSN...then you will be treated like the 23-old-new grad from your local university. Of course if your competition knows someone in the hospital then it won't matter what degree you have because "knowing someone" trumps everything else in getting hired these days.

Way to put a damper on this person's aspirations. OP, if nursing is what you want to do--go for it!!! Also, BSN IS the way to go...but several states (Virginia where I am from) have an option that if you already have a Bachelor's degree, and you go to a CC for your nursing education and get a ADN degree---you are still considered to have a BSN because you have already completed the undergrad requirements as well as nursing requirements. That makes for an affordable option to BSN for some. I ,not matter how expensive, wouldn't have traded my University education for the world. :nurse:

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 20, 2011

As for previous experience in business. Has come in very handy in the er and at my hospital. Delegation? Easy. Was a boss for years. Charge? No problem. I can fix problems or get someone who can. Difficult families? Sure, used to manage very very very angry customers who were having telcom related business emergencies. Run committees? Sure, some of the easiest program management i've ever done and moves me up the clinical ladder.

Good soft management skills can be used in any environment.

Liz520 · May 20, 2011

Good luck with your nursing career! My second degree is my BSN and I love that I made the sacrifice to go for nursing I hope you will too. In my experience I have heard that most managers like to hire people with a BSN but I think those people that are able to get as much time on the floor such as with an externship transition better. The BSN might look good on paper but IMHO I think there is too much emphasis on theory and research, but it is a great avenue to get started in nursing if you already have a degree. (I don't mind being too critical of the accelerated BSN since that is where I got mine. It's not all bad, but in hind sight I wish I would have done a traditional 4 year BSN).

My first degree actually did help me land my job in the ER. My manager told me one of the reasons he did hire me was because of my degree and experience in Social Work. It has been helpful in the ER

Good luck to you!

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · May 20, 2011

As for previous experience in business. Has come in very handy in the er and at my hospital. Delegation? Easy. Was a boss for years. Charge? No problem. I can fix problems or get someone who can. Difficult families? Sure, used to manage very very very angry customers who were having telcom related business emergencies. Run committees? Sure, some of the easiest program management i've ever done and moves me up the clinical ladder.
Good soft management skills can be used in any environment.

Well said.

jam752 · May 20, 2011

This is EXACTLY the kind of information I was looking for! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to answer my post. I currently work in a big time law firm in NYC as a paralegal (and was planning to go to law school) when I realized I'd much rather be helping people, not to mention avoid sitting in an office all day. The ironic thing is that now when I tell people at my law firm that I'm going into nursing, they have zero respect for that! So I'm kind of used to it... I'll do my own thing no matter what people say

Emtb2rn, I completely agree. I think that no matter what sort of facility or specialty I'm working in, having a couple of years in big business will be such an asset when it comes to delegation and multitasking.

So far, on my quest to learn everything I possibly can before I enter a program, your experience and suggestions have been absolutely invaluable so thanks again!

Lovely_RN, MSN · May 20, 2011

Way to put a damper on this person's aspirations. OP, if nursing is what you want to do--go for it!!! Also, BSN IS the way to go...but several states (Virginia where I am from) have an option that if you already have a Bachelor's degree, and you go to a CC for your nursing education and get a ADN degree---you are still considered to have a BSN because you have already completed the undergrad requirements as well as nursing requirements. That makes for an affordable option to BSN for some. I ,not matter how expensive, wouldn't have traded my University education for the world.

Did I tell the OP to not go to nursing school?

Nursing has been pretty good to me but I did come up against the attitude that only nursing degrees and nursing experience count in nursing. At this point I list my non-nursing degree and experiences but I don't talk about them much during interviews because they typically don't care or kind of pooh-pooh it...like oh, that's nice but what I'm looking for is an RN with _______. It was my experience and the experience of other 2nd degree nurses that I know that most people in charge of hiring nurses can't see how your previous skills/degree can help you as a nurse and trying to show them how it does was so frustrating that I gave up.

If the OP is worried about being marketable post graduation they should become a PCT/CNA and try to get hired in a hospital or get to know some nurses who can get them in the door.

I edited to add that my experiences have helped me. People wondered how I have caught on so quickly and I do use the skills and knowledge I've acquired over the years. Sometimes as they were telling me how surprised they were that I could manage so well as a new grad I was looking at them and wondering if they thought I had been living under a rock for all of the years before I became a nurse. The skills and knowledge you have acquired to date will help you wherever you go. However, being acknowledged or financially compensated for prior non-nursing degrees or experience will not happen.