I work in the SICU of a fairly large (by area standards) Magnet (whoop-T-doo) hospital. We have a 7 month Critical Care Nurse Residency program for new grads to go directly into the critical care units. It used to only be open to BSN grads. In 2006 they admitted their first ADN prepared new grad (me). The residency program requires signing a two year contract with a buy out if a nurse chooses not to continue to work for two years. After several years of 2/3 or more of each class buying out their contract after one year to go off to CRNA school and, ever increasing buy out cost, they decided not to recruit or hire new grad BSNs into the program anymore. Starting with the new class (Feb 2009) all nurses hired into the residency program will be ADN or diploma grads. This was explained to us in our unit meeting yesterday.
Currently ADN prepared nurses are far outnumbered by BSN nurses (both in the hospital and the SICU). there are even more RNs with MSNs working in our unit than RNs with ADNs.
The thinking is that ADN prepared RNs are less likely to go off to CRNA school and even if they do it will take them two years to get their BSN and they will fulfill their contract.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Or create a working environment conducive to long term employment.
*** I don't see it doing any more or less than the many hospitals that put "BSN preferred" in their staff nurse job listings.
Just imagine if they created a cooperative program with a local university
*** There are no local universities. The closes university in nearly 100 miles away and does not have a nursing program.
that allowed nurses to work part-time while studying part-time in an advanced practice program.
*** People don't go into ICU to become just any kind of advanced practice nurse. They go to become CRNAs.
They would retain their staff (probably for an average of 2-4 years), promote continuing education which would benefit the staff and patients, and have a ready supply of advanced-practice nurses already familiar with the hospital.
*** The hospital does not hire any advanced practice nurses, (except for CNS) MDs, DOs or PAs. They all work for the medical center that is connected but a separate entity with it's own policies.
*** So I assume you also feel that "BSN only" staff nurse jobs are also unfair?
*** Sever shortage of nurses. New Grad BSNs are still being hired into all areas of the hospital except the SICU.
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Hey, I'm on your side!
But the difference is, the BSN preferred doens't say BSN only. So it's not eliminating someone from a job. If it said BSN only then it's unfair as well.
'ADN only' IS eliminating someone from a job. This is unfair, IMO.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Hey, I'm on your side!
But the difference is, the BSN preferred doens't say BSN only. So it's not eliminating someone from a job. If it said BSN only then it's unfair as well.
*** There are plenty of hospitals that no longer hire new grad ADNs. While I fear that many very high quality RNs will be lost to the unit by this new policy, it is discouraging for the staff to spend so much time teaching and training nurse residents only to have them (2/3 or more of each class so far) leave after only a year. Permanent staff starts to get "preceptor burn out". As explained to us yesterday the mangers have found ADN prepared RNs to be equally effective as ICU nurses after graduating from the residency program and they stay in the unit longer (so far 100% of ADN nurses that have gone through the program still work in the SICU, though to be honest this is only 6 RNs from all classes, and average class is 4-6 nurses).
cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN
4,106 Posts
It's unfair to all BSN nurses if they cant' get into the critical care program to work at this hospital.
I take it there isn't a nursing shortage at this hospital. I mean, we'll take any nurse, as long as they have legs...