BSN Required...what does this mean for the 2yr ADN programs ?

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Not sure about other areas....but a lot of hospitals in NJ and NY are saying BSN is required for new hires. Do you think the ADN and Diploma programs will go away ?

Specializes in ER, Mother/Baby.
it definitely depends on many factors.

i go to a nursing school that has a 99.9% passing rate for the nclex and 90% of the students have jobs guaranteed to them before they actually graduate (pending that they pass their nclex of course). the hospital that i am working for exclusively hires nurses with a bsn. it depends on your hospital also. if you work at one of the best hospitals in the nations, they will likely prefer a bsn but may have adns around from previous hire, but if you just want to work at any hospital that they may just take any type of rn. magnet hospitals in my city prefer bsns.

i also have to disagree with the generalization that adns get more clinical time. at my school we not only have to do clinical (med surg, adult i, adult ii, peds, women's, mental, community health, adult i and geriatrics) but we also have must have 1-3 six month externships at an approved hospital to graduate (i'm currently completing mine in the operating room and will do another one in the surgical trauma ward next year). we do all that while still "fluffing up" our degrees with "liberal arts stuff". you actually learn some things from those classes. one class that i loved was healthcare throughout cultures. that class is needed especially since i get to meet patients from different cultures every day. it's nice to know what is inappropriate for their culture without asking someone or looking it up.

a bsn is not only for if you want to go into management. i know tons of nurses who have bsns that don't want to go into management.

adn or bsn, do what is right for you but look into where you want to work first. i knew where i wanted to work since i was young and saw that they hire bsn. i also know that personally i wanted to graduate from a real 4 year university and continue on with my education.

i totally agree with you, we had lot's of clinical practice and was also required to do summer coops in an approved facility in order to graduate. bsn requires more theory which truly helps the nurse to understand the "why" behind your actions. plus the fact that i didn't want to have to go back in order to go on to do what i wanted to do. if you have the time and leisure to not work i say bsn all the way!

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I didn't "generalize" that ADRN has more clinicals vs. BSN. Note that I said "I actually looked at some traditional 4-yr BSRN degrees, and they were SO heavily padded..." Not that ALL of them are. Just that SOME still are of questionable quality, in spite of all the changes that have occurred in nursing curricula over the years.

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Specializes in pcu/stepdown/telemetry.

cant we all just get along

anyway most jobs may say "BSN preffered" however they will usually hire new adn from an excellent school as they know the adn and bsn take the same NCLEX. I have hear lots of times that the adn is most prepared for combat in nursing. There is also alot to be said for an adn with experience. you can't replace them. I wonder if also hospitals have realized that it is might be cheaper to hire the bachelor nurse instead of ADN. No tuition reimbursement and they will pay you the same salary

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Specializes in Hospice.

im not sure what you mean about more prepared for 'combat' nursing.... I have seen bad nurses adn and bad nurses bsn and vice-versa with quality nurses. but i just want to say with my bsn degree i do have additional classes that an adn nurse does not have related to nursing. Any adn can go on to get that bsn so its not a personal slam. in my town , two hospitals are bsn only , one just became 'bsn preferred' and the 4th is still 'whatever you are'*(but they aren't hiring anyway)

these changes have all happened within the last few years, i think that shows the trend. whether you agree or not, that seems to be the direction nursing is going to go.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

"I am just an ADN", and have had success in my career thus far. If I get my BSN it will earn me 0.30 more an hr. Not interested in management at all so paying thousands of dollars for a BSN is not a wise choice for me at the moment. If my tuition was paid for then that is another story.

I went to nursing school in the east coast, moved west and several times after that and even with the current market, I have not had a "BSN preferred" hospital yet turn me down.

Each person should do what is best for them.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
im not sure what you mean about more prepared for 'combat' nursing.....

Means that some are more prepared clinically as new grads with less orientation or able to get the hang of things easier.

Of course, not the case for everyone and that is not what was implied. When I graduated, in my area, ADN's were sought after because they did more clinical time (hours) versus theory. It is different everywhere. That is what was meant.

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Specializes in pcu/stepdown/telemetry.

thanks jessy that is exactly what i meant.

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Yeah, i heard that too, its' all about Magnet status. Almost all the hospitals here in Mercer, NJ wanted a BSN under your cap for them to accept you. Consider yourself so lucky if you get hired and you just have an ADN. Oh well...I guess, I needed to go back to school again to get my BSN. :crying2:

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hi ohmeowzer rn do you know if russell sage has an rn to bsn program? how long is it? thanks

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It all depends what state you are in. In my state there is I believe one or two hospitals in the entire state who claim to only want BSN nurses. And I know for a fact one of them (a magnet hospital too) Just hired a new grad ADN over the new grad BSN's because she had experience as a tech/student nurse intern during school. For the most part here employers don't have a preference, and there is no pay difference. I've noticed hospitals around here are more likely to hire a new grad who has CNA or some other healthcare experience regardless of degree.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

My hospital actually has a hiring freeze on new grad BSNs and are only hiring ADN's as new grads so I don't think the swing to hiring only BSNs is universal by any means. Even if there was a significant preference for BSN's in my area, my state is currently allowing expansion of ADN programs only so it would be difficult to meet the demand if it was there.

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