Dilemma: choosing between ADN vs ABSN

koreanbraves · Mar 14, 2016

Honestly, I was leaning towards BSN with the big student loans but after reading what you guys wrote, I am at a loss. Is it true that hospitals are not hiring ADNs?

myhoagie02 · Mar 14, 2016

You need to check with the hospitals in the area you're wanting to work. In my hospital, ADNs are still being hired but are being required to complete their BSN by 2017. However, there are still other hospitals hiring them.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2016

Honestly, I was leaning towards BSN with the big student loans but after reading what you guys wrote, I am at a loss. Is it true that hospitals are not hiring ADNs?

Yes, it's true in many areas. To see if those in your area are hiring ADNs, you could call and ask, or look up online job postings. If the job postings say "BSN required" or "BSN preferred", there's a good chance they are only hiring BSN prepared nurses.

WCSU1987 · Mar 15, 2016

Go ADN. I am stuck in the dilemma ot finding little work no debt with the ADN or finding work being $60K in debt with private loans if I do the ABSN.

Then with ADN I'll have $60K to do my Master's and my DNP.

koreanbraves · Mar 15, 2016

i dont know what to do...

DreamCheetah · Mar 16, 2016

If it helps, I am in the exact same position as you. I got accepted into an ABSN program almost by accident. (Applied on the website, then they emailed me 2x a week for a month.) The cost for the ABSN was like $70k. If it's more than I will earn in 1 year salary, then that's a cause for hesitation.

Conversely I got into a CC ADN program. It's less than $10k all in all (I calculated about $8k, tbh). ASN =/= BSN, true. But if you are willing to move, then you will get a job.

Also (and some people may be upset at this), if you're a man then your job prospects go up. Men are a minority in nursing, and that gives you a slight edge. Not a guarantee, but an unique feature that might make you more valuable. A buddy of mine got hired right after the NCLEX in his ADN program and credits it in a large part just to being male.

I'm 95% I'm going ADN. 7x the cost isn't worth it.

myhoagie02 · Mar 17, 2016

i dont know what to do...

Both options will get you to your end goal of FNP/DNP, so why the rush? Are you an older student (over 50 that has little time to save for retirement, for example)?

Your first step is to search job postings in the hospitals you are wanting to work and find out if they are hiring ADNs. Also, are you ONLY wanting to work in a hospital? ADNs are RNs too and many other facilities hiring ADNs like assisted living facilities, home health, physician practices, etc. so you're not just limited to working in a hospital.

If you find you're all good in that regard, it would make more financial sense to obtain an ADN. Work while you get your BSN (check to see if employers reimburse for such programs when doing your job search) and move on from there. You won't graduate with as much debt and even though a degree is quoted in costing you $XYZ amount, in all reality it's much more than than that thanks to something called INTEREST.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2016

The debt is huge. I would go the ADN route and do a bridge. Work as an ADN to gain experience even if it's ltc while you bridge. You can always apply to hospitals after you start a bridge program and many will hire based on the fact that you are actively pursuing the higher education. Also, I too believe a male has a better chance of landing a position in a hospital and the floor of their choice. I've seen it happen so much. It's a good thing I love psych! Nice and safe in my little niche. I'm just completing and adult BSN Completion program and was able to land a job in a hospital that hires mainly BSN's. Once they found out I had 5 classes yet to take, they hired me within a week of the interview.

Lsjohnson29 · Dec 16, 2017

Hi! I'm in a similar position I got into an ADN program and an ABSN as well...what did you end up choosing and how do you feel about it? Thanks! Lauren