Associate Degree program a thing of the past...

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I am graduating in 3 weeks and just found out a few hospitals (magnet + tgh) will NOT be hiring AS degree RN's starting in Jan 2012. They have a new policy in place that requires all RN's to have a BS by 2018. That part is okay b/c I plan to get a BS degree by then. The part that has me freaking out is the fact they won't be hiring AS as of Jan. 2011. This makes me think the surrounding hospitals will follow suite very soon. I still plan to apply everywhere I can but just want to give people a heads up who have AS degrees and still looking for jobs and/or in school. --- Tampa,Fl area.

Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.
One actually takes more classes as an ADN and gets more clinical experience as well

Really? How so? Doesn't seem like it to me, when an ADN program is 2 years and a BSN is 4. ADN and BSN takes the same pre-req's.

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.
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.

Depends on the college, and the state. You need a MSN to teach at the BSN level. PhD is optional. As a BSN student, many of my cohorts before me were asked to teach the clinicals for the BSN program, because there is a shortage of instructors.....clinical and class.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
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 ".

The same can be said for ADN... I'm not sure I get your point. Having a wrecked life is in no way related to one having a BSN.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the more education one has, the less 'stupid' they are likely to be.. But I'm not sure how many 'stupid' people even make it to the nursing school level to begin with..

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I am finishing up my ADN soon and not at all worried about getting beat out of a job by a BSN. I have a Bachelors in Psych and have been working in a major University hospital for the past 7+ years. My hospital has already told me I'd be hired on as an RN and be paid as a BSN, even though my Bachelors is unrelated. Maybe it's one of the perks of already having an "in" with a hospital, but it works for me! I have no desire to go into administration, so I don't see any immediate need to pursue an ADN --> BSN program.

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.
I am finishing up my ADN soon and not at all worried about getting beat out of a job by a BSN. I have a Bachelors in Psych and have been working in a major University hospital for the past 7+ years. My hospital has already told me I'd be hired on as an RN and be paid as a BSN, even though my Bachelors is unrelated. Maybe it's one of the perks of already having an "in" with a hospital, but it works for me! I have no desire to go into administration, so I don't see any immediate need to pursue an ADN --> BSN program.

Many nurses with a BSN work at the bedside. I used to think, as you do, that I didn't want to be a manager, so I don't need a BSN. Well, I changed my thinking, LOL. Eventually, a lot of places are going to be phasing out ADN's, just as they are phasing out LPN's. The few that are lucky enough not to need to get a BSN may want to rethink that. Because you know that hospitals will say one thing when they really mean another!

However, my opinion is that if facilities would utilize LPN's like they could be utilized, there wouldn't BE a nursing shortage. But.....is there REALLY a nursing shortage?? :confused:

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Specializes in School Nursing.
One actually takes more classes as an ADN and gets more clinical experience as well

Not true in the slightest. ADN programs require around 72 hours and BSN programs around 120. Last I checked, 120 was a lot more than 72.

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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.

BTW, just the opposite, two of my friends got hired in a good hospital here in Brooklyn and they are both ADN, recent grads (one is 2010, another 2011)

. I don't know about you, but I would dig in much deeper asking why a BSN don't find a job compare to ADN still got hired? some of BSN grad I've known are working in some kinda community health centers, it's not even a nursing home. so, what I try to say is, education may gives you some heads-up. but the bottom line is, do you have what it takes to get a RN job? wish you good luck in applying to nursing program, i know you are still in pre-req. getting in is easy, getting out is whole another story :)

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Specializes in School Nursing.

People can give all the anecdotal "I know ADNs who and BSNs who" but that doesn't mean one if 'preferred' over the other. What I base it on? In Houston, the Med Center (one of the biggest and most renowned in the world) is largely only hiring BSN grads. Look at their job postings. Does that mean ADNs have no hope? No, there are endless other jobs in the metro area, but it does mean that one of the greatest medical establishments in the world is going to minimum BSN educated nurses. Read into that what you will.

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.
People can give all the anecdotal "I know ADNs who and BSNs who" but that doesn't mean one if 'preferred' over the other. What I base it on? In Houston, the Med Center (one of the biggest and most renowned in the world) is largely only hiring BSN grads. Look at their job postings. Does that mean ADNs have no hope? No, there are endless other jobs in the metro area, but it does mean that one of the greatest medical establishments in the world is going to minimum BSN educated nurses. Read into that what you will.

Agreed. Many hospitals are trying to gain Magnet status, and part of that requirement is that the nursing staff have BSN's. I would say if someone is going to go into nursing, may as well get your BSN. You never know when it will come in handy! Many large urban hospitals are requiring their grads have BSN's. Now, if you do even more research, some are starting to require a MSN, with a BSN preferred. The job market is only going to get more competitive. You gotta have what they are looking for and what they want, otherwise you are gonna be SOL!

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Great thread!

I have a question, maybe some of you have advice or insight. Given the tough market, I'm contemplating going straight from my ADN into an accelerated ADN-BSN program. I probably won't be able to work much during that time. Do you think employers worry about lost skills from being out of the ADN program? The ADN-BSN program doesn't have a lot of clinical time, mostly classroom.

Thoughts on "losing skills" or "getting stale"? Is it an issue, if in the end you come out with the BSN?

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Specializes in TELE, CVU, ICU.

An ADN takes 4 years, not 2. I managed to get mine in three since I had already taken some degree requirements. One can get a BSN in as little as 3 years. I have actually heard of 2 year BSN programs. I don't see how they possibly squeeze everything into them.

Really? How so? Doesn't seem like it to me, when an ADN program is 2 years and a BSN is 4. ADN and BSN takes the same pre-req's.
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Specializes in School Nursing.
An ADN takes 4 years, not 2. I managed to get mine in three since I had already taken some degree requirements. One can get a BSN in as little as 3 years. I have actually heard of 2 year BSN programs. I don't see how they possibly squeeze everything into them.

You're backwards-- ADN is a 2 year degree (often 3 with pre-reqs)- BSN is 4 (sometimes 5 with prereqs)-- show me ONE reputable BSN program that has less classes and time than an ADN program. Good luck!

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