ADN's being pushed out

Published

I work for a large Magnet hospital. As nursing becomes more popular, and nurses not in short supply, I have noticed something ominous has being going on lately. Several of our older and very seasoned ADN nurses are being fired. The excuses for firing are ridiculous. I have sadly seen some excellent nurses lose their jobs. I am wondering if they want to get rid of the ADNs so they can look "better" with an all BSN staff. Or perhaps they want rid of older nurses who have been there longer because they are higher on the pay scale. Either way, it is very scarey. I myself am BSN, and i am not ashamed to say that what I know does not hold a candle to these fired nurses. Any thoughts?

Thank you for saying that- Your observations are correct. I don't know where you are located but this is happening around me also- older ADN's being fired for ridiculous reasons- which all boils down to "Just because"

To make matters worse- when us older ADN/RN's try to go find another position, we are finding, no one wants to hire us because of our age, especially the hospitals and if we do get re- employment in a hopsitl, It's perdeim- lots of cancellation.

So there you have the hard cold reality of the employablity rate of the older seasoned RN

The organization I work for has set a goal to have at least 80% of all RN's to have a BSN by 2016. I haven't heard of any old ADN's fired as of yet; however, the organization has required all newly-hired RN's to begin a BSN program within 6 months and finish within 4 years. The best part is that once you've worked for 90 days, the organization pays 100% tuition for the entire program. I start mine later this month.

In a local magnet hospital, ADN RNs are being "encouraged" (i.e., effectively forced) to get their BSN. I had a classmate from that hospital in my microbiology lab, and she hadn't taken a college class for a while. I'm pretty sure the hospital is paying for her classes.

This hospital has a very good reputation in the community, and they probably don't want to tarnish it by willy-nilly firing nurses. It's too bad that the management of many facilities just doesn't care.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

It's good to hear they are offering tuition assistance that actually means something -- 100% after 90 days on the job is fantastic!

pamm - unfortunately I think what you are observing is all too common. It really makes me sad.

Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I'm not against education. What I am against is elitism in nursing, in which some nurses have sought to split the profession into tiers with themselves at the top. We all passed the same board exam, so there must be something to this supposedly inferior education that I have. When I went to clinicals, floor staff expressed relief when they saw that I wasn't from a BSN program because I would be more self sufficient. We were more accomplished clinically, they were more accomplished in terms of nursing concepts.

Despite my lack of the magical three letters, I have made it into upper management. However, should I ever be displaced, the story might be different.

In my opinion, you don't strengthen a profession by excluding most of the people in it.

The hospital I will be working at when I graduate is Magnet and requires ADN RNs to get a BSN within 5 years, but has 100% tuition reimbursement if you attend their nursing program (which is top 20 ranked, so no complaints from me)!

That's odd...My organization is also a Magnet hospital, and we have several wonderful ADN nurses. Our organization has made it a goal to be 100% BSN within a few years, but they are only requiring those with ADNs to get a BSN and they are helping them achieve that degree (and only hiring those with ADNs sparingly, with the agreement that they will earn their BSN within one year of their employment). It seems unfair to fire them just for having an ADN...

I am seeing this happen too. I am in Toronto Canada. I think they are getting fired due to the high pay they are receiving (and totally deserve) What is also happening here, is RPNs are being hired instead of RNs....because RPNs can "technically" do the same job as RNs but are paid less.

I am a recent grad from an ADN program. I found it extremely difficult to find a job because everyone wanted BSN or at least persuing a BSN. I had to start a BSN program online just to be considered for a position. Thankfully, I was able to get a position in the meantime but that was mostly because I knew someone. It's terribly unfair. And our school sent us to an NCLEX review course and in the course were a lot of BSN students who would be graduating the following semester and our school knew more of the answers than the BSN students. I feel, personally, we are better prepared. So far, the BSN classes are a lot of things that are nice to know, but not entirely necessary to make me a better nurse - experience and watching older nurses who are good examples will make me the nurse I'd like to someday be.

Agree, agree. Here in Florida they are being pushed out. But not in Chicago where my friend has yet to consider getting a BSN and is constantly getting work at just under $40/hour. In Florida the magnet facilities are pushing out nurses and it is unfair. You are hiring BSN that have little experience. The experienced nurse can provide better care. Also, you are making it hard for those re-careering into nursing. I already have many degrees. I don't want to pay for a BSN. I just want an ASN, MSN, doctorate. Might have to move.

not for nothing this is everywhere, it happen in the school system where I used to be a lunch lady..all those women that were working in this town were fired, working 20 semi yrs or more..making 25-28 or up to 30 dollars an hr and privatize all the cafeterias and hired some of the ladies back BUT 12 bucks an hr or some 9 dollars an hr again....in the Computer Business is happening too my husband has a BSN but might be thinking getting Masters since he needs to keep up with the trend..he has seen older people getting let go and given a severance package..one recent one to an older gentleman in his late 50s, he only got a month worth and he didn't take it =( and this is the Federal Reserve!!!! so I see that is not only in the Nursing Field but everywhere else...higher pay is one of them I say

+ Join the Discussion