Chance of ADN to get a Hospital Job?

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I am a second year Nursing student and my classmates and I was having a discussion about jobs after Nursing. So one of my instructors stated that since we are getting an Associates Degree the chances of us getting a hospital job is slim and ADN nurses are more likely to work in a Nursing home. I wanted to know has anyone else heard this? If so what is your prospective on this matter?

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
The OP is already in an ADN program...They were asking about their chances of getting hired in a hospital, not which degree was better so this post doesn't really help them out. There are ADN-MSN programs out there, but not everyone wants to be a NP or a CRNA.

OP:

The hospitals around here hire ADN and BSN and don't really seem to have a preference. Even the magnet hospitals who say "BSN preferred" will hire ADNs who had CNA/tech experience in a hospital. On my unit ADNs are the majority. However, I'm in the midwest so NY could be a completely different story.

I know many hospitals too that will hire ADNs who are currently enrolled in a RN-BSN program.

There is nothing wrong with being an ADN nurse. I believe everyone should eventually go for their BSN, but starting out as an ADN doesn't make you any less of a nurse. I work with both ADN and BSN nurses and you can't tell who has what education unless you ask them. They are all great nurses and provide excellent care.

He/she may not want to be an NP/CRNA now, but who knows, maybe down the road he/she may want to become one? Hence why I suggest to not stop at a BSN for some grad schools prefer them.

And I hear a lot of ADNs complain about job applicants stating "BSN only". Either way, a four year degree trumps a two year degree if all else is equal.

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I'm in an area that I always read on this site is "overstaturated and wants BSN only" (FYI - I am not in the area that I've used as a screen name, so I am not talking about central Florida) I'm graduating with a 2-year degree next week and so far I have two very strong possibilities for hospital jobs (both med-surg). One was from the hospital system where I did a summer externship, and other is from the hospital affiliated with my nursing school where I did clinical.

And those are the interviews I've had before NCLEX, once I get my license I'm going to apply to far more hospitals. That also does not count the hospital where a family member works. I think job possibilities sometimes depend on the applicant, not the area. Having an externship really helped. I also had a previous (unrelated) degree from a prestigious private college (not sure if that helped), a 4.0 nursing GPA, and put on my resume that I will be starting my RN-BSN in the fall so employers would know how motivated I am.

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He/she may not want to be an NP/CRNA now, but who knows, maybe down the road he/she may want to become one? Hence why I suggest to not stop at a BSN for some grad schools prefer them.

And I hear a lot of ADNs complain about job applicants stating "BSN only". Either way, a four year degree trumps a two year degree if all else is equal.

It all depends on location...Where I live I have never ever seen a job listing say "BSN only". I've seen "BSN preferred" and I know for a fact that those hospitals (magnet hospitals) have still hired ADNs over BSN students sometimes for whatever reason. I know in places like Cali and NYC the job market is a lot different, but I know many hospitals that hire ADNs regularly.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I just don't think your post really helped the OP. They are already halfway through an ADN program, so telling them that the BSN is the best way to go to land a job doesn't really help...They're worried about finding a job as an ADN grad, not about whether they might want to be a NP or CRNA later in life. I think everyone should eventually go for the BSN, but for some people it's not feasible to do right off the bat for whatever reason.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I'm in an area that I always read on this site is "overstaturated and wants BSN only" (FYI - I am not in the area that I've used as a screen name, so I am not talking about central Florida) I'm graduating with a 2-year degree next week and so far I have two very strong possibilities for hospital jobs (both med-surg). One was from the hospital system where I did a summer externship, and other is from the hospital affiliated with my nursing school where I did clinical.

And those are the interviews I've had before NCLEX, once I get my license I'm going to apply to far more hospitals. That also does not count the hospital where a family member works. I think job possibilities sometimes depend on the applicant, not the area. Having an externship really helped. I also had a previous (unrelated) degree from a prestigious private college (not sure if that helped), a 4.0 nursing GPA, and put on my resume that I will be starting my RN-BSN in the fall so employers would know how motivated I am.

I agree, I think sometimes people say they have done all they can when maybe there is a lot more they could do to be proactive. Often times they fill out an application and that's it. Then they say how they can't find a job and it's been months and months, but they took no other initiative to stand out and get noticed. I also immediately enrolled in an RN-BSN program for the fall so they can see that education is important to me and I do plan on going further even though outside of maybe also teaching, or preceptor and being a CI, I do not plan on leaving bed-side nursing. But I do plan on continuing my education.

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I agree, I think sometimes people say they have done all they can when maybe there is a lot more they could do to be proactive. Often times they fill out an application and that's it. Then they say how they can't find a job and it's been months and months, but they took no other initiative to stand out and get noticed. I also immediately enrolled in an RN-BSN program for the fall so they can see that education is important to me and I do plan on going further even though outside of maybe also teaching, or preceptor and being a CI, I do not plan on leaving bed-side nursing. But I do plan on continuing my education.

I agree! I think enrolling in an RN-BSN program right away will definitely help...I plan on doing that myself, and I'm also a tech at my local hospital so I'm really hoping that'll help me when I start looking for jobs. I think part of the problem is for so long nursing students were told it would be so easy to find a job and that they wouldn't even have to try that hospitals would be begging them to work for them..And it's hard when you get out in the real world and that's not the case when it's what you've been told for so long.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I agree! I think enrolling in an RN-BSN program right away will definitely help...I plan on doing that myself, and I'm also a tech at my local hospital so I'm really hoping that'll help me when I start looking for jobs. I think part of the problem is for so long nursing students were told it would be so easy to find a job and that they wouldn't even have to try that hospitals would be begging them to work for them..And it's hard when you get out in the real world and that's not the case when it's what you've been told for so long.

See for me it's been the opposite. I have been under the impression for the past 1-2 years that jobs are scarce and hard to get, that a hospital job probably isn't going to happen and that to find any job will probably take 3-6 months and it won't be in a hospital. So I tried to be really proactive before I even finished school and as soon as I graduated and I have been so amazed because I have gotten some good leads. I wasn't expecting it at all. But I have also been very motivated and proactive and taken a lot of initiative to put myself out there and stand out.

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I have been under the impression for the past 1-2 years that jobs are scarce and hard to get, that a hospital job probably isn't going to happen and that to find any job will probably take 3-6 months and it won't be in a hospital. So I tried to be really proactive before I even finished school

Me too. I thought I'd be unemployed for months and then might get lucky enough land a part time weekend overnight shift in LTC. So I did everything humanly possible while in school in order to put myself in the best position to land a hospital job upon graduation, and it looks like my efforts will pay off.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Me too. I thought I'd be unemployed for months and then might get lucky enough land a part time weekend overnight shift in LTC. So I did everything humanly possible while in school in order to put myself in the best position to land a hospital job upon graduation, and it looks like my efforts will pay off.

Same here, although I am afraid of jinxing myself. Waiting is brutal! Good luck to you and make sure you update of your situation. Current students need to hear about new grads getting jobs soon after graduation, in the hospital none the less. (since that is usually the most sought after and hardest to get).

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

At the hospital I used to work at in OH, a majority of the nurses on my floor were ADNs. We recently became a Magnet hospital, though, so now they will be pushing for higher education. Before I left, a few were pursuing their BSN.

I now live in TX, and although some hospitals say they prefer a BSN, most of them here will hire nurses with their ADN.

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I have a hospital job now and I'm not even finished with my ADN yet - just wrapping up my first year. They hired me part time with a plan to hire me full time in nursing once I finish my degree.

Sorry to say, but your instructor is full of it.

At this time, with the economy the way it is, it would make perfect sense for a hospital to hire all the BSNs they can, as all (BSN or ADN) RNs are looking for work; why hire an ADN grad when you can have a BSN grad? Not saying it's right, but it's just the way it is in my area.

Almost all hospitals that are hiring state BSN preferred....doesn't mean you need to have one, but why hire an ADN RN when they can hire a BSN RN? Most people who are working right now in this area either already had a job before it got bad or got a job as a student/patient care tech and that still doesn't mean they will for sure have a job, but that's who's getting the jobs first. One of the hospitals, where everybody wants to work, has the program where they pay for school and you sign saying you'll work for them for 2 years after school....well that hospital is not even promising you'll stay on for those 2 years. It seems to depend on where you are, who you are, and which hospital you apply to.

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I agree! I think enrolling in an RN-BSN program right away will definitely help...I plan on doing that myself, and I'm also a tech at my local hospital so I'm really hoping that'll help me when I start looking for jobs. I think part of the problem is for so long nursing students were told it would be so easy to find a job and that they wouldn't even have to try that hospitals would be begging them to work for them..And it's hard when you get out in the real world and that's not the case when it's what you've been told for so long.

I'm doing the same, actually doing my last prerequisite for my BSN this summer. Have one more year of nursing and I have now switched my clinical site to where I want to work; I am gonna try to shine, and I absolutely want to do what this hospital specializes in, so hopefully 2 semesters of doing clinicals there (and getting my foot in the door for any position) and then going straight into a BSN program will help. If I didn't already have a work-at-home job and two children, I might be working already, but I just haven't been able to afford the cut in pay; I believe the experience I get is worth way more $, but I just have to pay the bills right now and hope I can volunteer or get a PCT job while I'm going through my last year.

Good luck everybody!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
At this time, with the economy the way it is, it would make perfect sense for a hospital to hire all the BSNs they can, as all (BSN or ADN) RNs are looking for work; why hire an ADN grad when you can have a BSN grad? Not saying it's right, but it's just the way it is in my area.

Almost all hospitals that are hiring state BSN preferred....doesn't mean you need to have one, but why hire an ADN RN when they can hire a BSN RN? Most people who are working right now in this area either already had a job before it got bad or got a job as a student/patient care tech and that still doesn't mean they will for sure have a job, but that's who's getting them. One of the hospitals, where everybody wants to work, has the program where they pay for school and you sign saying you'll work for them for 2 years after school....well that hospital is not even promising you'll stay on for those 2 years. It seems to depend on where you are, who you are, and which hospital you apply to.

Because the ADN might be a better fit. There are many reasons a person with an ADN might get the job over the BSN nurse. We have 4 local hospitals here, 2 health systems. Magnet hospitals, majority ADN work at both. There are plenty of BSN programs here too so it's not because their are lack of BSN graduates. Sure they say BSN preferred in the listing. Doesn't mean they will automatically go with the BSN. I firmly believe in furthering education. I am enrolled in a RN-BSN program. But let's not pretend that having a BSN automatically makes you a better somehow. When I did a pre-screening interview the lady told me she had just interviewed a BSN L&D nurse with 10 years of experience before me and that her interview didn't hold a candle to my interview.

I would think that most employers don't only look at a degree (as long as you meet the min. requirements) but also look at the individual person. In my area, with the minimum amount of jobs available, the hospitals can certainly hire only BSN's if they wanted. But they don't. I had a reason for doing my ADN first and then RN-BSN. With the hospital I am hoping to get a job at (the odds are definitely in my favor) after 6 months of work they will give me 5000 dollars towards my BSN.

Also at my clinical, (which I did at 3 of the 4 hospitals) the nurses and nurse managers had wonderful things to say about the students in my ADN program. They said my school usually puts out great quality nurses. So there is hope for the ADN trained nurses. In my area at least.

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