Hostpitals no longer hiring for ADN?

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I received a call today from Arizona College to learn more about their nursing program. I only have 12 general education credits and am enrolled in a MA program from Pima that will have no transferable credits. The lady on the phone jumped right into earning a BSN claiming they do not have a wait list, it is a 3 year program and you will start from the bottom gen ed and end with BSN courses. She stated they are doing this because in 2020 hospitals and other facilities will no longer hire RN's with an associates?! Is this true!? The program she offered seemed amazing but the catch was it was $80,000.00 for the BSN. She said thats how much other BSN programs are...

I am not sure if I am doing this right but my plan was to earn my MA, gain experience in the medical field while earning my gen ed/ pre nursing classes (paying myself so I wont have so a lot of loans), applying for LPN or RN programs and then essentially work my way up to a MSN. Am I missing something? I was hoping once I obtain my RN or LPN I could begin practicing as a Nurse but she made it seem like all hope was gone for RNs/LPNs... My boyfriend claimed that she was just a school representative and that they get aid off of signing people up for school so some information may have been stretched or misleading but now I'm worried.

Does anyone have any insight on this? Will facilities really stop hiring for RN's with Associates and LPN's?

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First and foremost -- 80k for a BSN is ridiculous

Second -- there is no legal mandate requiring hospitals to require BSN only trained nurses by 2020. There is a recommendation from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that facilities should have 80% of RN staff with BSNs by 2020.. Some hospitals - especially those either with or working toward Magnet status - are currently heavily favoring BSN trained nurses.. Best thing to do is to view the job postings in your area and see if the hospitals have wording in their postings such as "BSN Required" or "BSN preferred"...

You have an excellent plan and goal in not becoming burdened in debt for your nursing degree, so always remember that there are Nurses working in many more environments other than just hospitals...

I have the feeling that your boyfriend is correct in that these schools reps (ie, sales agents) get paid a bonus and/or commission for selling you on more expensive programs and have surely given you a high pressure sales pitch. Kudos for checking out the facts prior to signing a contract that would cost you a lot of money based on emotions from that sales pitch.

Best of luck :)

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It honestly depends on where you live. Google local hospitals and look at positions in nursing they are hiring for. That should pretty much tell you what's in demand in your area. Also, $80,000 is way too much for a BSN. I would go the ADN-BSN route. (I may be biased about that because that is the route I am going.)

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203bravo, I had a gut feeling she was lying. The boyfriend is a sales guy so he knew but ofcourse me never believing him I had to double check! lol I actually check very regurly on job sites such as indeed almost once a week to check for changes and who hires what. Thank you so much!! I will check IOM as well. :)

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Cherokeegirl08, ADN-BSN is definitely looking like the best option right now. My question is, is adn-bsn one program or do you obtain your ADN and then apply again for BSN? I should pry know this but it always confuses me. Thanks! :)

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Cherokeegirl08 ADN-BSN is definitely looking like the best option right now. My question is, is adn-bsn one program or do you obtain your ADN and then apply again for BSN? I should pry know this but it always confuses me. Thanks! :)[/quote']

Today there are many ADN programs that have agreements with colleges and universities that allow for a seamless admittance into the RN-BSN track once you earn your ADN.

However, the traditional method is that you obtain your ADN and then apply directly to the college or university nursing program for a seat in an upcoming cohort.

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You can find a BSN program for way less than $80,000 and don't hold your breath waiting for the system to do away with the ASN. However, I still advise you to get a BSN, just don't waste that kind of money on it.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Like others have said: $80k for a BSN is basically insane. You can find BSN programs that are far cheaper than that. Heck, doing an ADN program then a BSN upgrade program would be much cheaper than what you were quoted. My ADN program at a public college generally costs $4-5k. Total cost to upgrade to BSN (for me) from starting nursing school would probably top out somewhere near $15k, at any of the various public institutions I could attend.

Has not having a BSN cost me? Yes, it has some in that I'm not likely going to be hired at one of the local hospitals. I may have had a slightly more difficult time getting my first job because I don't have that BSN, but I'm certainly having a great time working just about 10 minutes from home. Did I forget to mention that all my classmates from my ADN program got jobs within a year of graduation? I might have... and the majority of them were employed as nurses within 3-4 months of getting their licenses.

Sure the IOM recommendation for having a BSN-educated workforce by 2020 sounds good, but transitioning to that would be horribly difficult under the very best of circumstances and the IOM standards/recommendations/guidelines/whatever are really only what the IOM wants to see and no facility that doesn't want to pursue IOM accreditation/recognition/awsome title status (like MAGNET) has to follow the IOM rules.

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Nevermind I totally misread the original post LOL

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Though I live & work in AZ, I did not go to nursing school here, so I can't speak to the nursing program situation here. However, I can speak to starting from the bottom of the nursing food chain & working my way up. I started out as a CNA in 2004, started pre reqs for nursing at many schools (as we moved a lot for my husband's job), finally getting my LPN in 2014 & my ADN in 2015 from a school in upstate NY. I worked at an assisted living facility in VT as an LPN while I completed my RN program. I moved to Boston after receiving my ADN thinking I would have a ton of opportunities to work in acute care & gain valuable experience since there are SO many hospitals. After several months, probably 10-15 applications a day & no replies for interviews, I realized no hospital was going to hire me, as I didn't have a BSN. Most of the job descriptions said "BSN preferred", but one recruiter actually told me I would be extremely lucky to even get an interview without my BSN. So I took a job in a nursing home (something I swore I'd never do) & immediately started an 18 month online RN-to-BSN program. My plan was to start applying to hospital RN jobs again once I was close to being done with my BSN & this way I'd have some experience as RN, too.

In May of 2016, my husband was offered a job in Yuma, AZ. I was in the middle of my BSN program & dreaded trying to find a nursing job out west, fearing I'd have the same issues I had in Boston. However, the hospital in Yuma was very happy to have me & they liked that I had experience in different aspects of nursing. I think it helped that I was pursuing my BSN, but it didn't seem to be a requirement. My hospital doesn't hire LPNs, but the unit I work on has the only 3 LPNs left in the hospital, as they have been grandfathered in - this sadly seems to be a common theme in most acute care settings. We have a very diverse group of nurses from new grad ADNs, to those working on their BSN, those who have their BSN, & some pursuing their MSN. Most of the people here do the online RN-to-BSN through a school called Chamberlin since the hospital has a contract with them for reduced tuition.

I'm sure small town Yuma is very different from bigger areas out here, like Phoenix or Tucson, but it is possible to get a job as an RN without having your BSN. You may not get your dream job without additional education, but you can start working & gaining experience, which is valuable. Best of luck to you!

*Sorry for my long-winded post*

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Specializes in Critical Care, Trauma.

It depends on which organization you would like to work for. In the Pacific Northwest, I currently work at a PeaceHealth hospital and they actively hire ADNs, but when I worked for Legacy they gave all ADNs 3 years to complete their BSN and stopped hiring ADNs altogether. I'd recommend finishing your ADN and then looking into a RN-BSN program. The program I'm looking into allows me to earn my ADN and then apply to any RN-BSN program in the state of Washington as a senior after successful completion of the NCLEX-RN.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

There is nothing wrong with the ADN to BSN route -- and is a good choice for many people. However, I do caution against adding too many steps to that path ... Medical Assistant, to LPN, to ADN to BSN. A path with that many steps would take several years and might end up costing more in lost RN wages than going straight into an RN program might cost. Also, with a path taking several years, you might get delayed or off track completely if you pause your education to get married, move from one town to another, have children, etc.

If starting with a BSN is too expensive for you, then I recommend the ADN to BSN path.

As for the BSN school that contacted you, they sound like hustlers. I wouldn't trust a school that recruited like that. They sound like they are just out for your money.

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