BSN backfire at non-magnet hospitals, higher turnover (This is rich!)

[adnrnstudent, ASN, RN]

A few weeks ago I saw a couple of posts by Suburbsgirl that made 100% sense to me. I'll post them here and link to thread. I too work at a non-magnet hospital that is a good hospital, but no one's dream to work at. I had lunch with my manager and a HR generalist today and we were discussing this. HR manager said she already knew BSN's had higher turnover because they're just landing 1st job at hospital until they can get in where they want and my manager asked me, "Why do you think the majority of co-workers are ADN? Every BSN I've hired has left in a year, maybe a year and a half, and I haven't lost an ADN to resignation in over 3 years." My manager said maybe she should consider BSN's from the neighborhood though. Said that logic made sense. This is absolutely RICH!

Here is link to thread with posts by Suburbsgirl.

I work at a Chicago hospital that has no intention of going magnet and their strategy for retention is to hire ADNs. It's the suburban hospitals that are all magnet and they are fully staffed. Right now at non-magnet hospitals, it can be be a bad thing to have a BSN, I guarantee you it is where I work.

Keep in mind that Chicago and it's suburbs are saturated.

Put yourself in a hiring manager shoes in a dense are like Chicago. If you received an application from a BSN and an ADN that both lived a 30 minute car ride away, which applicant do you think you will retain longer? The BSN probably doesn't want to even be there, they just can't get in at their "dream" hospital. The ADN will likely be far more loyal.

The only BSN's my manager will even consider right now are those from the neighborhood. Our hospital is a good hospital, but it's no one's dream to work here. We are getting suburban ADN's (self included) that are appreciative, and loyal.

https://allnurses.com/registered-nurses-diploma/what-will-happen-924089-page3.html#post7917626

[klone, MSN, RN]

I think there are some pretty far-fetched suppositions in those posts.

I LIKE Magnet principles. But it just seems to me that many facilities talk the talk and don't walk the walk. You don't need Magnet certification to do the right thing. Just do the right thing. Everything else will follow.

And if I were Queen of the Hospital, I would still hire primarily BSNs because I value education, and I value those who aspire to further theirs. But I would strive to make it a good place to work, a place that values their nurses, and that would help decrease nurse turnover.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I think there are some pretty far-fetched suppositions in those posts.

I LIKE Magnet principles. But it just seems to me that many facilities talk the talk and don't walk the walk. You don't need Magnet certification to do the right thing. Just do the right thing. Everything else will follow.

And if I were Queen of the Hospital, I would still hire primarily BSNs because I value education, and I value those who aspire to further theirs. But I would strive to make it a good place to work, a place that values their nurses, and that would help decrease nurse turnover.

Well said klone.

Anyone, regardless of ADN or BSN will stay at a facility if it's not a good fit.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

The BSN probably doesn't want to even be there, they just can't get in at their "dream" hospital. The ADN will likely be far more loyal.

Probably like totally they don't want to even. Ya know?

There likely is some truth to the fact that suburban hospitals get higher retention rates from their novice ADN hires. There is nothing profit companies like better than employees that can't get a job at a better company and can't leave and get another job if things are bad.

I feel a little sad at those that have resigned to never having their "dream job". It's not good for the individual or the profession.

[PalmHarborMom]

As a new BSN grad, one thing that I have witnessed as a student in hospitals from some ADN's is a negative attitude toward the BSN prepared nurses/students. I've had preceptors complain about my degree path, school, the differences in pay, the incorrect perception that we do less clinical hours.... all within the first 5 minutes of meeting me and continued all day. The best preceptors that I have had were ADN's; however, not making a BSN prepared nurse feel welcomed could be the reason for the high turnover. I started at a Community College and completed my pre-req's for both my ADN & BSN before applying to nursing school. Fortunately, I was accepted to both my community college's nursing program and the nearest state university's BSN program. Either path would have resulted in a wonderful career. That being said, I will not apologize for the path that I have taken and neither should an ADN. Creating a welcoming environment and supporting new nurses (whether they're new grads or new to the unit) goes a long way for retention.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

And if I were Queen of the Hospital, I would still hire primarily BSNs because I value education, and I value those who aspire to further theirs. But I would strive to make it a good place to work, a place that values their nurses, and that would help decrease nurse turnover.

And it is cheaper. An ADN may want to use tuition reimbursement to get a BSN and a MSN. A BSN will have paid for their BSN through other means and now may only have the MSN to pay for. However some places have said they do not pay for floor nurses to get their MSNs and it wouldn't shock me if that became the standard in ten years.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I think there are some pretty far-fetched suppositions in those posts.

I LIKE Magnet principles. But it just seems to me that many facilities talk the talk and don't walk the walk. You don't need Magnet certification to do the right thing. Just do the right thing. Everything else will follow.

And if I were Queen of the Hospital, I would still hire primarily BSNs because I value education, and I value those who aspire to further theirs. But I would strive to make it a good place to work, a place that values their nurses, and that would help decrease nurse turnover.

I've worked in several Magnet Hospitals. Magnet gets a lot of lip service when applying for certification or around recertification time, but that has been about all. We're given scripts to study so that we answer any questions from the Magnet folks the "right way", but honestly, Magnet status has not improved the life of the bedside nurse. Admin talks the talk; they don't walk the walk.

If I were queen of the hiring process, I would hire ADS who aspire to further their education and continue to improve their practice. The ADNs tend to stay longer. An ADN who wants to be a CRNA STILL has to get the BSN and accumulate the experience before applying to anesthesia school.

Turnover these days ins't about having a crummy working environment. We don't. It's about folks graduating with a BSN who are determined that they are too good to be bedside nurses and they're looking for the fastest track to anesthesia school or an NP program -- or a PA program if they have to wait too long to be an NP. They expect to be "nurse leaders" immediately upon graduation and feel entitled to schedules, shift preferences, etc. that some of us have spent years earning. I don't remember the last time I met a new BSN who wanted to work in the ICU because she thought it was fascinating or because she wanted to take care of sick patients -- they all seem to see it as a stepping stone to something "bigger and better" as quickly as possible. It's the ADN grads who apply to the ICU because they want to work in the ICU. I'd hire them any day above a BSN who just wants the fast track to anesthesia school.