ADN or BSN easier to land a job?

Noryn · Feb 8, 2008

All things equal probably a BSN would be more attractive BUT things are never equal. Quality of school, previous experience, references are probably more important.

hikernurse · Feb 8, 2008

Where I live, it makes no difference whatsoever. Many of our nurses are ADN, some of whom go back to get their BSN, but it garners you no increase in pay, so most don't bother.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2008

Entry level RN positions where I work say "BSN preferred" but the truth is both get hired with ease. BSNs and ADNs can perform new grad entry level nursing relatively equally and most employers recognize that and are mainly looking for the RN behing the name.

The BSN comes in handly later on down the line when a person desires non-bedside jobs in teaching, management, informatics, etc. and is a good thing to have, especially if you're young and planning on working until retirement age.

Good luck.

JaredCNA, CNA · Feb 9, 2008

At the community college where I live, a master's is required to teach nursing full time. To be a part time adjunct instructor (like a sub or a clinical instructor) I think you can have a bachelor's.

I think I want to earn my BSN and work as a floor nurse because of the emphasis on assessing the patient. But right now I'll be happy to earn my ADN! lol

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 9, 2008

All things equal probably a BSN would be more attractive BUT things are never equal. Quality of school, previous experience, references are probably more important.

Great post .... really hit the nail on the head.

yajaira · Feb 14, 2008

I agree, your references and experience probably weigh more than degree. However you would want to get your BSN if you want to advance your career beyond floor nursing.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Mar 2, 2008

I agree with the above post....hospitals look for experience over anything else, references, etc.

BUT it also depends. I am about to graduate in May and I've found out pretty fast that not every hospital or unit has a shortage of nurses and can be as picky as they want to be and your degree can definitely be a deciding factor as a new grad. Not every place is like that, but some are.

I'm just speaking about where I live but there are plenty of nursing jobs around...but there might not be jobs that you want is the catch.

TimSRNA2b · Mar 31, 2008

BSN. My place of unemployment only hires BSN because it is any ivy league university hospital and they have very high standards. They only want the best of the best. Even with the BSN there is fierce competition. Even smaller community hospitals would take a BSN first over a diploma because we are more well rounded and educated. Good luck!

elkpark · Mar 31, 2008

BSN. My place of unemployment only hires BSN because it is any ivy league university hospital and they have very high standards. They only want the best of the best. Even with the BSN there is fierce competition. Even smaller community hospitals would take a BSN first over a diploma because we are more well rounded and educated. Good luck!

Your employer (or should I say your "unemployer") may well have chosen to have a "BSN only" policy, which they are welcome to do, but I take issue with the rest of your statement, that all hospitals prefer BSN graduates. Do you have any sort of documentation to back up your comment??

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 31, 2008

I would not say a BSN nurse is more educated or rounded!! One gets an education outside a classroom!! I think its more of an overall package! One is seeign a lot of older people (Im 35) entering the nursing profession and bringing a lot of experience from other occupations with them. Each hospital can hire who they want, but if one is hiring just BSN, they are missing out on many fine ADN and diploma nurses. Just my 2 cents

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 31, 2008

BSN. My place of unemployment only hires BSN because it is any ivy league university hospital and they have very high standards. They only want the best of the best. Even with the BSN there is fierce competition. Even smaller community hospitals would take a BSN first over a diploma because we are more well rounded and educated. Good luck!

Hard to say which of the statements you made is the most incorrect; aside from the fact that your hospital only hires BSNs (which I'll take at face value as correct), the rest of it is pretty much a crapshoot.

How is it you know that smaller community hospitals would prefer a BSN grad over a diploma one? I'd have to disagree heartily. I've seen an ADN hired instead of a BSN. Yep, it's true. Quality of education doesn't rest in which three initials your degree is made of. Seems our nurse managers have decided that being the "best of the best" has little to do with the degree. Not to mention that several of our nurse managers ARE diploma school graduates (who have since gone on in schooling for the most part, but NOT in every case). I doubt they'd believe a BSN grad is worth more than they are, don't you?

More well-rounded? Really? How do you figure? I imagine that's something often-told in the BSN admissions process, as well as throughout the program!

The bit about BSNs being "the best of the best" is both arrogant and insulting. I have worked with some wonderful nurses, and some I couldn't believe could have graduated any nursing program at all. You don't really think all the weak ones were diploma or ADN nurses, do you? Or maybe you do, LOL....

Best of the best? Seems you have somehow placed your co-workers and yourself on some VERY high horses.