Associates Degree?

[hannahmarie]

Are there alot of hospitals that take nurses with AD's,Is there alot of job oppertunities with nurses with an AD.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I have a BA in English and went to a hospital based program. I am certified in gerontological nursing and am certified as a DNS . My years of experience ans NOT my degree are what got me where I am. We need to concentrate less on the initials and more on the skills.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

These responses are totally contrary to what I just heard from the director of admissions at Stony Brook on Long Island. I am currently vetting nursing schools and figuring out my options/paths. She specifically told me that a BSN would mean a starting salary in the 60s and an associates degree would mean starting in the low 40s. Is she completely inaccurate? I have a BS in Biology and was hoping to just go to nursing school to get the RN education and skip the extra time to earn a second undergraduate degree (BSN). It is my understanding that getting an RN would be a two year program leading to an associates degree. Can someone clarify what the significance and DIFFERENCE of ADN, BSN, nursing school itself (does completing nursing school give you a degree) and the RN title??? THANKS!

OK, a little street smarts are needed here. You spoke with the director of admissions at Stony Brook on Long Island. People in admissions are there to get you to give all your cash to their school (business), vs. some other school (business) on your list. That is their job. Colleges are for making money, they are businesses FIRST. As a new grad, you will have virtually nothing to sell yourself with over another new grad nurse no matter what the degree. You will be a liability for quite a while, until you learn nursing (how it's really done), and can prove your ability to handle it and be an asset.

However, a BSN will give you a better chance to move into admin. if you ever want to go there. But, as some of my friends who are also second degree/career RN's have found, hospital management is not like business management in the outside world, most hospital based management is simply not management. So, JMO.

[kids]

Are there alot of hospitals that take nurses with AD's,Is there alot of job oppertunities with nurses with an AD.

Not in my area (PDX Metro).

Pop open any newspaper and look look at the listings, I challenge anyone to find a hospital job listing that doesn't specify BSN prefered.