Do I really need to get my BS in Nursing??

The job market for nursing has changed a great deal since the time your cousin entered nursing 10 years ago.

What are your goals in nursing? What sort of environment do you want to practice in? Do you think you might want to pursue further education in nursing? If you think that you might want to pursue graduate study, then a BSN would be very advantageous. If you think you might want to practice at a Magnet hospital or a larger facility, then a BSN may be required.

In my city, there is both an ADN and a BSN program. The major hospital (Magnet hospital) hired 75 new grads this year -- only 5 of these were ADN graduates. These 5 ADNs are encouraged to get their BSN degrees within 5 years (as the level of promotion is tied to holding a BSN degree). There are several 2009 graduates of the ADN program who are still looking for jobs.

If you have the option to pursue your BSN program now, go for it.

The move is towards the higher degrees. I think everyone had thought that it wouldn't necessarily happen any time soon, but it's true... especially with the phasing out of the MSN-prepared NP in 2015. I think we'll see a push toward the BSN being the standard of nursing next.

As an older RN, BSN is required for hire has been threatened since 1964, when I graduated. I see it has now arrived. The BSN is required for any of the military services and by many larger (magnet) hospitals, as well as many non-clinical positions outside hospitals.

I would urge you to seek your BSN because only the "grandfathered" RN's who are very experienced, are being hired for any position other than small town, rural hospitals.