ADN plus a previous 4 year degree

[MN2LA]

Is there any advantage having a previous 4 year degree when it comes to job searching as a new grad? My 4 year is Retail, merchandising and management with a concentration of interior decorating and minors in art and business. I am graduating with an associates this coming May. Is there anyone out there that felt having a 4 year degree in something else had an advantage over people with just an associates when applying for jobs? I'd love to hear your opinions!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Realiety in nursing:

BSN = BSN

ADN + any other degree = ADN

[sbostonRN]

I have a previous 4-year degree in Biology and it didn't help a bit to help me get a job. Everyone told me it would give me an advantage (maybe it helped a small amount), but it didn't help that I was competing against thousands of BSN grads with the ideal degree that all the hospitals wanted.

Going back for my BSN this fall and can't wait to have those precious letters after my name!

[Cauliflower]

ditto everyone else. another BS did not help me at all in the nursing world, EXCEPT at my facility those with any BS get paid $1 more per hour........so in about 50 years that degree (and student loan) will pay for itself....or something like that.

i truly don't understand why nursing does not acknowledge any other BS. seems like a narrow focus to me. anyone else know??

[sbostonRN]

The good thing about having a previous BS? Almost all of my pre-requisites are already completed! I have 27 credits of nursing classes and some exemption exams to take, and that will be all I need for the BSN degree. I would suggest you start the degree now and work on it slowly...even being enrolled in a program will likely help you in the job market!

[ickc22]

Toledo university has the perfect program for you. Any bachelors degree to a msn in two years. It'll take the nclex at the end

[cherryames1949]

It certainly can't hurt!

[08RNGrad]

I received a BS at a 4 yr college and then went back and got my 2 year ADN degree. It didn't help me at all, BUT, once I left bedside, it gave me a huge leg up in obtaining jobs within research. Also, if you are interested in obtaining your masters, it may be quicker because I bet you have a bunch of the pre-reqs already completed. Best of luck!

[tigerlogic]

You're probably a better writer and that extra umph on a cover letter could help you.

(I know, it's a generalization. Generally my friends with 4+ years of university or above are better writers than those with less schooling. I'm also very aware that these skills fall on a bell curve and there are many great writers without a BS or BA. Please don't take offense.)

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

This is my 36th year of nursing. I have a degree in Elementary Ed and an ADN. My non-nursing degree never stopped me from getting a job and on 3 occasions actually helped me get the job. I have been out of bedside nursing for a long time now, mostly doing education & training and school nursing. At my age (56) I have no desire to seek out more college degrees. I am within 10 years of retirement and it would not be reasonable for me to take on a bunch of college debt at this time. If my employer suddenly required me to get my BSN, I'd say adios! Not interested in that.

[chiromed0]

Well, I couldn't agree more with the post about networking...you are MUCH better off with someone on the inside getting you in. Or being there as a whatever then getting your RN. I have 3 degrees, BS in Anatomy (heck, if that ain't relevant I don't know what is) and a D.C. degree with 11 years experience (obviously, not nursing but many thousands of patients) and I'm currently 1st semester Masters degree in Nursing program. Net result? Nadda...without experience, without contacts the 3 degrees and a Masters in the works means NOTHING. At least in my market.

I've had interviews (I understand many haven't even gotten that) but the background doesn't matter w/o experience. There is a HUGE push to have everyone with BSN's. I think that is BS without the N b/c my first 3 bridge classes are the same as 1/3 of the BSN program I was looking into and it has nothing to do with clinical nursing, it's all management/leadership/research. Ninety-nine percent of nurses have nothing to do with research and the leadership/management stuff is mostly part of Business management Bachelor's programs. So let me get this straight...."being licensed already means I learned all clinical skills necessary in the first 2 years b/c I've got the license but I'm not good enough to get hired b/c I don't have basically nursing taught business management classes."

I hate to say it but yes, other degrees don't matter. I've even been told that my Masters won't matter w/o a BSN but I'm hoping that person is an idiot b/c I really can't make sense out of that. Oddly enough the research, leadership nursing courses I'm in are basically classes I've already had in chiro school, just replace "nurse" with "chiropractor" and it was the same. It's unbelievable what we do to ourselves as a profession. What happens to all the community colleges when everyone stops hiring ADN's? They are doing it now. I caught some grief about my ADN being from Excelsior but give me a break...where are most of these BSN's coming from now for existing older nurses? Online RN to BSN programs!

I'd say it's a hard sell if your BS is not science or clinical in some way but don't fret b/c even with mine it doesn't make that big a difference as far as I can tell. I'd say like before make sure you have good clinicals (that hurts me) and network with people. If you can get a job inside now, even if not nursing, do it and work from the inside. It's an extremely tight market and right now, I'm resolved to sell the house, stash some cash and start applying in the boonies and move for the job. It's just not going anywhere here for someone with my background. You would probably be better off being able to move instead of hoping the right one exists where you are. I'm in a city of 8 million and it's not better, it's worse.

But as usual, you only need 1 yes no matter how many no's you run into. Don't give up. You didn't come this far to turn around.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

unfortuantely it doesn't mean anything , the BSN is what counts because of magnet status stats. That doesn't mean you can't use your past experiences to build upon and sell yourself. For instance experience in business /retail means you are going to have a good understanding of some of the financial aspects of things. but in terms of getting a job..............i live in a very highly educated town....coffee shop people have college degrees. no joke

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I'm going to disagree here.

Generally, it's a BSN that counts. BUT...

In this day and age of customer service, take that retail degree and SELL IT on your cover letters, resumes, interviews. You are managment's DREAM when it comes to customer service scores.