Associate Degree program a thing of the past...

leenak · Nov 23, 2011

It doesn't matter what me, you or anyone else on this board thinks of entry level ADN nurses (unless they are in charge of hiring policy). The hospitals and places hiring nurses are going to determine whether a BSN is favorable or not.

If someone is in an ADN program, I say continue on! If you aren't, then I'd consider a BSN program unless you know that ADNs are hired readily in your area. I've seen a few comments by BSN students on this board saying they had multiple offers which kind of amazes me. The AACN reported recently that 65% of BSN graduates had a job lined up at graduation and 88% of recent BSN graduates found a job within 4 to 6 months of graduation. That seems pretty promising although not sure of what the ADN/Diploma numbers are so hard to compare.

Either way, I figure it is up for the individual to figure out their own career path. I've known many frustrated ADN students in my area that have had trouble finding jobs and known a few BSN students that had no issue. For me though since I already have a BS, getting a BSN will actually take less time than an ADN and my ultimate goal is a MSN so I plan to pursue a BSN.

codeblue1961 · Nov 23, 2011

In 1992 I heard a lot of "in 5 yrs BSN will be the standard", it still isn't in most places. Perhaps some of the metro hospitals have so few openings that they can afford to be that picky, but most rural hospitals have to get what they get. I live an an area that has about 500k in the MSA and we have an ADN school that has little problem placing grads and a BSN that is the same. My advice to those who are ADNs who can't find a job. Find one in a small market setting, work for awhile, and then take your experience to the bigger one.

Again, this is not the the first time that the "BSN is better crowd" has made the push and it fails everytime as soon as the labor pool shrinks a bit. I will say that there is nothing about the BSN program that makes them better technical nurses. In fact my experience is the opposite. What I have seen locally is that the local university program has really stepped up their clinical skills training. Now the ADN advantage fresh out of is closing quite a lot. I guess that the program directors have figured out that they actually have to turn out nurses ready to go into the market at the entry level.

FWIW, I have been there and done that with all the BSN mania, and it might take hold and stay this time or it may not. I would advise going to BSN school if you have the opportunity and resources, but there will be a place for ADN's for a good while if you are willing to go where the elitism has not hit yet.

As for AACN (of which I am a member) and others, read the studies closely and see if they even studied how easily ADNs found jobs. They may not have even studied them.

Mentalageis16 · Nov 23, 2011

It doesn't matter what me, you or anyone else on this board thinks of entry level ADN nurses (unless they are in charge of hiring policy). The hospitals and places hiring nurses are going to determine whether a BSN is favorable or not.
Either way, I figure it is up for the individual to figure out their own career path. I've known many frustrated ADN students in my area that have had trouble finding jobs and known a few BSN students that had no issue. For me though since I already have a BS, getting a BSN will actually take less time than an ADN and my ultimate goal is a MSN so I plan to pursue a BSN.

I honestly don't know where you pop from, you sounds very entertaining. I got better threads to read than this, chao

Mentalageis16 · Nov 23, 2011

I know it's a little off the topic, but thanksgiving is tomorrow!

happy thanksgiving everyone

SarahB84 · Nov 23, 2011

DOnt fret though. Getting your BSN can be as easy as three months online from what I heard of nurses I know.

the local college here is THREE YEARS to go from ASN to BSN. I am in the Tampa Florida area

CiscoNurse · Nov 23, 2011

completely agree with you xtxrn and pedshopeful!
i cringe when i think about the wasted credits and money that my school is making me do just to get the bsn, and then i cringe even more when i think about the clinical skills that are being glazed over. at this point, in my area a bsn is required for most employers to hire you as a new grad, so i looked at it as a necessary evil. pedshopeful is smart, you pay for the adn and clinical skills, make your future employer pay for the rest! xtxrn, i do feel a bit ripped off, and that's coming from someone in a public university no less. i feel as though my school is more interested in nclex pass rates than solid basic clinical skills. oh well. i'm lucky to have been accepted since the competition for limited seats has grown so fierce (not really sure why that is).

i started a adn program in 2010 and will graduate in 6 mos and have not learned a fraction of the skills an lpn has, but i know how to pass exams that ask ridiculous questions. seats are fierce because the unemployed are flocking to nursing as there is obvious demand and still pay. i know because i was let go in 09 with 10 years to go to full retirement. i owe my new career change to the 53% of stupid americans who can be so easily fooled by a smooth talker. thanks ! :jester:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

i owe my new career change to the 53% of stupid americans who can be so easily fooled by a smooth talker. thanks !

you do not want to take personal accountability for your own issues in your previous career? accountability is one of the most important aspects of nursing.

blaming voters and politicians is not taking personal responsibility. rather, it is scapegoating.

leenak · Nov 23, 2011

I honestly don't know where you pop from, you sounds very entertaining. I got better threads to read than this, chao

You mean ciao? I'm talking about personal experience. I have a relative who went through an ADN program and it was incredibly difficult for her and her friends to find any stable work. They did find some part time jobs after a few months and then at nearly a year, most of them found full time jobs. As opposed to my BSN friend and her friends who all had jobs before graduation or right after. It seems that it is the area though as we do live in a metro area.

gypsyd8 · Nov 23, 2011

One actually takes more classes as an ADN and gets more clinical experience as well

sistrmoon, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

I already had a BA by the time I decided to be a nurse(2nd career), and I talked to a lot of people who had been in both the major ADN and BSN programs in the area and decided on ADN(I'd been told by many nurses that the nurses from the ADN program were more clinically competent.) I had a job in Oncology in Austin, TX before I'd even graduated, then I relocated to the Albany, NY area. I got job offers for all jobs I interviewed for. I plan on eventually doing an RN to MSN accelerated program since I have an unrelated Bachelor's, and would like to work toward NP. But in the 2 different areas I've lived, I've not really seen any evidence of this at all. And the BSNs at my current hospital don't get differential. It seems like this has been talked and talked about for years.

TomLM · Nov 23, 2011

Instructors need to have a PhD to teach at the BSN level. Currently, there simply aren't enough PhDs to produce the number of graduates to have a 100% BSN workforce. Some places may be picky about degrees, but there'll be opportunities for ADN grads for a long time. I work at a magnet hospital with my ADN. BSN within five years is encouraged but not required. Regards and good luck in your schooling wherever you choose.

CiscoNurse · Nov 23, 2011

Thanks Tom,

I am looking forward to this new career for me as I am already having fun. I am unconcerned at this time regarding a BSN since I have learned a long time ago that if U R stupid and earn a BSN, then U R simply stupid with a BSN. I can't tell U the number of people who I know who have a BSN and wrecked lives. As we say down here " U can't fix stupid ".