ADN or BSN for San Antonio area?

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I'm going to be a college graduate in December. I'm interested in pursuing a degreee towards nursing. Ultimately I want to be an RN. I am worried though. I've read some posts that the San Antonio market is saturated and Texas as well. Some nurses and students have mentioned hospitals are now requiring magnet status (I have no idea what that means). Should I consider getting a BSN if I want to stay in San Antonio?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Yikes, too bad you didn't go for nursing the first time around instead of investing so much time and resources into another degree. You definitely should opt for a BSN. There is an increasing body of evidence linking BSN-educated nurses with better patient outcomes & employers are starting to pay attention. Hospitals in most larger urban areas in Texas are beginning to hire only BSN new grads. At this time, this is already true for all hospitals in the (Houston) Texas Medical Center. If you choose an ADN program, you'll probably end up having to upgrade to a BSN fairly soon - this process is not seamless, and you may end up having to repeat some courses and waste a lot of time.

Nursing is not a "major", it is a program.... big differences in the way that you get in, and the way it is run. Acceptance to a nursing program is carefully regulated in order to be compliant with requirements set up by the organizations that accredit nursing schools. It is a very competitive process, largely dependent upon your GPA and results of your entry exams. The curriculum is not flexible. Students will be dropped from the program if they fail to meet ongoing requirements (attendance & grades). Acceptance to BSN programs in SA & other large cities is extremely competitive... you may have better luck in other areas of the state.

FYI, "Magnet" is a highly sought-after designation awarded by the American Nurses Association. It is a voluntary program. Hospitals must meet very specific criteria and then apply to be surveyed. The criteria reflect characteristics that have been shown to be beneficial for nurses & patient care.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Magnet is a PAID FOR designation to the tune of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars created by nurses in the private sector and an entrepreneurial adventure.

I don't feel the bedside nurse benefits much....at least not from the Magnet facilities I am familiar with.:rolleyes: and yes the job market is tough across the country.

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I wouldn't say the SA market is saturated. I am re-entering bedside nursing after 23 years in legal and insurance work. I've been watching the employment ads, career fairs etc, there are a lot of jobs available. I took a re-entry course at UTHSCSA and got a job on the floor where I precepted. I have an ADN and according to the nurse recruiter, they pay a whopping $25/month difference if you have a BSN. SA also has a lot of Utilization Review and case management jobs, I get a call a month from a recuiter, so there are a lot of options. It depends on what you want.

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