Advice on getting my ADN to BSN

[chillinlikeavillain]

Hi everyone, hope everyone's having a good day/night! I am a current community college student in the state of North Carolina and was initially planning on getting into the Paramedic program but after some intensive thinking/seeking advice I changed my mind to being a Nurse instead. My ultimate goal is to be able to have direct interaction with patients. I am doing prerequisites for the ADN program at the cc and was wondering if I would be able to find jobs with just an ADN degree after graduation. I do not have the funds to go to a 4 year university and have worked part-time jobs since I was 15 years old and will continue to do so while getting my degree. My plan is to get my ADN, work for some time, save some money, and then get my BSN. My biggest worry is that I will not be able to find a job as I hear even people who graduate with BSNs are having trouble finding jobs. I do not care if I have to clean up stool/urine or start at the very, very bottom with my ADN degree as long as in the end I am able to get my BSN. I need some guidance as I am a first generation college student. Any advice/tips are greatly appreciated, thanks!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

The ability to get a job with an ADN is going to vary greatly by region and employer policies. Some areas, you may be limited with what jobs you can find with an ADN. Others may not have any barrier at all. ADN and BSN nurses hold the same licensure, so other than what employers have decided as far as hiring degree requirements, there is no difference in the job description. The best thing you can do is to research the job market where you currently are/plan to work.

[chwcbesteph, RN]

Everything that @Rose_Queen said holds water. I just want to add that where I am located (western South Dakota), it's almost pointless to get a BSN as a floor nurse. It's not even a prerequisite for many management positions. Lots of people all over the place get their ASN, work a while, do a bridge program, and move on. It completely depends on how competitive your local environment is whether or not you'll be excluded from positions for not having a bachelor's.

I will say that now that I'm looking at a move down to the southeast, I'm taking future schooling much more seriously, even with 18 months of nursing under my belt.