Associates degree

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Hi all, I have a quick question. I am about to start a nursing program at a community college in the fall and I am concerned because I heard that nurses with an associates degree are not getting hired, can anyone tell me if this is true?

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I graduated from an Associate Degree program in Virginia. I live in Portland now and I'm having a VERY hard time finding a job. My classmates in Virginia have been facing trouble, as well. From what I gather, all hospitals seem to prefer a BSN-and there are a lot of BSN programs, so that doesn't help with competition. If you don't have a background as a CNA, LPN, or any other medical job, then it makes it even more difficult as an Associate Degree graduate. The benefit that you may have, is perhaps when you finish the program, the economy will be better and more jobs will allow for equal consideration between BSN and ADN. Well, good luck! You will get hired, it just may take a REALLY long time.... :/ It's been 4 months for me so far...

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Specializes in NICU.

Yeah, the previous poster is right. Especially if you are in NY. if you survey 10 hospitals, 9 will state BSN is their preference. I know city hospitals def take Associate degree nurses, and Continuum Health Partners take Associate degree but your options are very limited because the market is saturated with BSN nurses. The hospitals can easily choose a BSN over an ADN. Good luck.

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I too wanted to get some advice, I am going to be starting an ADN program in the fall which will take 2 years to complete in NYC. I currently hold a bachelors in psych & chem, as well as an associates in biology, does this work for me, and will it help in the long run or there is still little or no hope with finding a job @ a nyc hospital post graduation. thanks.

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Specializes in Peds general and ICU/Comm. Disease RN.

I know this has been asked several times...I can only go from my experience...hospitals here hire ADN, new grads. I feel you need your BSN to advance down the road if that is what you want to do, but I was able to land a job right away at one of our Childrens hospitals straight out of school as a new RN with my ADN. It is all about location as well. Jobs are plentiful here (Missouri) but I hear places out West have few openings. Good luck!

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Specializes in NICU.

Well I have a BSN and nobody won't hire me. So if me, as a BSN is having trouble, imagine the level of difficulty it will be for an ADN. NYC is saturated with new nurses and the job market is tight as heck. You need to be as marketable as possible to rise above the competition. The first thing people ask me when I go in to apply somewhere is if I have a BSN.

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In NYC it is preference to have a Bachelor's degree. If you don't have one they will want you enrolled in an RN-BSN program so if you have to do an associate's degree then you will have to go right into a bridge program.

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Specializes in psych, medical, drug rehab.

I can only share my own experience. I am an Associate degree'd nurse that has worked for 20+ years as a nurse in a variety of roles.

I have had a very hard time finding work in NY state and yes, I do believe it is directly related to my not having my BSN and honestly I have NO desire to get it either. Not at this point in my life. I see jobs that I know and am confident that I can do and do well but I am not even considered because I do not have my BSN.

However with that said there are jobs out there that do accept Associate degree Nurses but most prefer BSN. If I had to offer a bit of advise to younger people attending Nursing school; go right for your BSN.

The economy is really bad for everyone now, but when it opens up, they will be hiring the BSN's before the hire the Associate degree Nurses.

Just my two cents.

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Personally think the market place will do what the ANA has been trying to for ages, mandate the BSN for entry into practice.

Not, IMHO because BSN grads are any more capable out of the box than an ADN, but given the changes going on in population and healthcare, especially delivery, nursing education is simply going to become too complex to squeeze into two and one half years. As it is many ADN programs are adding content once found mostly in BSN programs to equalise education. But at some point if it starts getting near three years for an associate degree, better just go one more year and have the BSN.

The new healthcare law and the most certain revisions to follow will drastically later the healthcare landscape, opening new areas for nursing to expand, however it will also change how hospitals make their money, and that will surely mean they are going to look for ways to deliver care more efficiently. So just as advanced practice nurses may take over some functions from doctors, more RN functions are going to be taken over by current and newly created tech positions.

While straight undergrad BSN programs probably couldn't supply enough new nurses, the numbers of second degree BSN programs, coupled with this recession and changing US labour market will allow many persons from other careers to switch into nursing.

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Specializes in Pediatric, Psych, School.

sk57, I have a BS in psych, had a long, successful first career and went to a 2 year RN program for a career change and graduated darn close to the top of my class. I have numerous outstanding contacts at NYC and suburban hospitals, and it still took me nearly a year to land a job--and not in a hospital. If you can afford it, go to a second-degree BSN program. If you can't afford it, get your ADN and be prepared to sell, sell, sell yourself in order to get a job. You will get one, but it might take a while. Many of my classmates are still searching for a job a year after graduation--some have prior bachelor's degrees, others have worked years as CNAs/patient care techs. Remember, city hospitals have closed and many others are laying off--there are a lot of experienced nurses looking for jobs, too. It's a tough job market for everyone, but if you can give yourself an extra leg up on the competition, do it. Things might be better in two years when you graduate, but nobody knows for sure.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Things might be better in two years when you graduate, but nobody knows for sure.

Very true. These things are usually cyclical. When I started nursing school there was a shortage, when I graduated, I could not find a job. What did I do? I took what I could get (home care, which IMO is not the ideal new grad position), while taking classes towrds a BSN.

As stated by others, the market is not so great right now. With St Vincents closing, there are many many nurses competing for jobs with new grads. When Mary Immaculate and St John's closed last year, the same thing happened.

Also, if a hospital is applying for Magnet recognition, they need a certain percentage of BSN prepared nurses.

As far as the ANA, they have been threatening the BSN entry-to practice-for 40+ years now. God only knows if it'll ever really happen.

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