Hiring/Education Question

[Adams_Mommy_07]

I am a post-baccalaureate pre-nursing student at present and wish to go the ADN-BSN-NNP route. As two years of NICU Lev III experience is required even for ADMISSION to the NNP program I'm interested in, I was curious as to the reality of getting a job in a NICU with only and ADN (while I work for the BSN). This is several years down the road, I know, but I want to do the NNP program ASAP after acquring the BSN which of course means I need to get the 2 years NICU experience as early as possible. Specifically, if anyone is familiar with the NICUs in Eastern (Greenville, Wilmington) and central North Carolina (Raleigh-area) that would be great, but any insight (including out of NC) at all would be helpful.

[preemieRNkate, RN]

Well, I'm in NY so I can't help you with the areas you are looking at. I got my job in NICU with an associate's degree 5 years ago, no problem. Many of the nurses I work with started with an ADN. Good luck to you!

[babyNP., APRN]

If you're willing to move out of state, you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting a NICU job.

[NFB2008]

What do you mean "only" an ADN? The only thing you get in a BSN program that they don't offer in the ADN is management and theory stuff. The ADN program I graduated from actually has a better reputation for how the nursing students are in clinical than the big university (that I won't name) that is located in the same town.

Anyway, I work in a NICU and I have an ADN. I was hired right after graduation. It's a level III, we get lots of babies from many hospitals in the surrounding area (often up to a few hours away).

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

The OP didn't mean "ONLY AN ADN" as a slam - she just meant that she would have an ADN when she became an RN and that her goal is NP.

[babyNP., APRN]

What do you mean "only" an ADN? The only thing you get in a BSN program that they don't offer in the ADN is management and theory stuff.

The ADNs that I've heard of don't offer community health either.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I think the biggest challenge that you are going to find is that NICU's rarely have major staffing shortages and this field has grown considerably in popularity.

Your uphill battle (as I have discovered when job searching) is not going to be the degree that you have...it's going to be:

1. Is the NICU hiring....at all.

2. Are they at capacity for new grads...they may be hiring, but only want experienced nurses...and are willing to hold out to get the applicant.

3. If they are hiring new grads, expect to be in competition.

Hospitals are cutting back. Some of the hospitals that I have talked to are very surprised that their "count" for new baby consensus (both in NICU and L&D) is down.

My theory: When you think you are going to lose your job, or have lost your job....people stop with their plans to have a baby or are putting it off.

We had about 17 babies born this week at the hospital where I am. I can usually figure out if it's a planned baby or a surprise, just from general conversations I have with the new mothers.

Very, very few babies that we are delivering are planned.

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

Having an ADN is fine, but be aware that most Magnet status hospitals prefer BSN over ADN for hiring. Many hospitals are under hiring freezes right now, so that may be a factor into opening available.

Our NICU had been over busy for almost 4 months now, and I work at a bigger city hospital...most of our births are unplanned anyways LOL

[Adams_Mommy_07]

What do you mean "only" an ADN? The only thing you get in a BSN program that they don't offer in the ADN is management and theory stuff. The ADN program I graduated from actually has a better reputation for how the nursing students are in clinical than the big university (that I won't name) that is located in the same town.

Anyway, I work in a NICU and I have an ADN. I was hired right after graduation. It's a level III, we get lots of babies from many hospitals in the surrounding area (often up to a few hours away).

Like someone said, I did not mean that I consider the ADN beneath me or anything, or any less of an RN than individuals who hold BSNs. Certainly, if I believed so I wouldn't be going for one. I was only drawing the distinction because I wondered if I would be competitive with an ADN for this particular unit. By "only" I meant that that was level of nursing education I would have, and not something higher.

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

The ADNs that I've heard of don't offer community health either.

This...and no research, either. We also had a family dynamic and groups class...probably a few more I'm forgetting (or rather supressing!).

Anyway, it really depends on the hospital. Magnet and those trying to achieve Magnet status usually want a higher ratio of BSNs to ADNs...

[NFB2008]

The ADNs that I've heard of don't offer community health either.

I took community health in my ADN program. I think getting a BSN is great, and I am going to start school to get mine this fall. I have just heard a lot of people (including those nurses with BSN's) say things that make it sound like ADN programs somehow make you less of a nurse. The program I graduated from consistently has a NCLEX pass rate over 90% and usually in the mid-90's. Every single person that I graduated with passed NCLEX the first time they took it. Sorry if I'm coming off defensive here.

[NFB2008]

Like someone said, I did not mean that I consider the ADN beneath me or anything, or any less of an RN than individuals who hold BSNs. Certainly, if I believed so I wouldn't be going for one. I was only drawing the distinction because I wondered if I would be competitive with an ADN for this particular unit. By "only" I meant that that was level of nursing education I would have, and not something higher.

I wasn't meaning to come off so defensive. I just wouldn't want you to think that a nurse with an ADN is any less of a nurse with a BSN (we all take the same licensure exam), especially if you are getting your ADN.

Good luck with your plans.