How do new grad Nurses that don't have BSN manage to survive this job market ?

[Wannabenurseneko]

Most places are now requiring New grad nurses to have BSN , I am not a nurse yet nor am I finished with my prerequisites ,but it scares me; To think after I graduate from nursing school I will not be able to find a job . My questions are if you are a New grad ADN how did you manage to beat the odds to find a job and gain experience ? , also are there other fields besides the hospital that New grad ADNs can again work experience in ?; Or are ADNs doomed to be jobless after graduating .

[Wannabenurseneko]

Ha. I'm an LPN. they have been phasing us out of existence for over 60 Year's. I have never been unemployed, and don't see that changing in the next decade at least. Don't believe everything you read kiddo. What that want and what they get are two different things.

True specially if there are still working LPNs around , because they were saying the same thing about LPNs for years . You have given me life with this comment .

[Everline]

I've never had a problem securing a nursing job with an ASN. Not once, whether in a hospital or outside of it. I do have a BA in another field but I highly doubt that counted for anything.

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

I work at a large university hospital that hires ADNs. We have to get our BSN within 5 years of our hire date, or we are let go. I'll be adding some letters to my username in May.

What I've learned in my BSN is practically nothing. It's not the letters behind your name, it's the number of years experience that makes the difference.

[sanncmd]

I was a new grad ADN and was hired onto a surgical floor. However...I worked as a CNA on that floor (only part time) for the last six months of nursing school to get my foot in the door. Their requirement is that I be enrolled in a BSN program at hire and that I earn it w/in 3 years. But it's not necessary to have worked as a CNA to get my foot in the door-I know of at least two people from my class who work on my same floor. Also know of about five classmates who were hired as new grads on a Cardiovascular Unit (CVU). But I really think it's going to depend on the supply and demand in your area. It seems like the hospitals are ALWAYS hiring nurses in my area and they're more than happy with ADN's. Of course, the community colleges on my area also have good reputations with the hospitals, so I think that also helps.

[HelloWish, ADN, BSN]

I had a job as an ADN before 2 months before I graduated in a new grad residency program. Many of my classmates did too and that was almost 2 years ago. It really depends on many factors. In fact many of the nurses I work with don't have their BSN.

[morenita0527]

I graduated with my associate's but I played up any relevant skills I could think of and aggressively contacted nurse managers, recruiters and anyone else I could think of by constantly searching hospital websites, LinkedIn, Facebook, guessing people's email addresses based on their names, showing up to random hospital units and asking for the nurse manager, cold calling human resources...it worked and I got 4 offers at major hospitals offering good benefits! Many of them were impressed I found them and were willing to refer me to someone who could help. I did get a hard no from about 3 hospitals who required either a BSN or experience but I just threw my effort into the others. I narrowed my search down to hospitals within half an hour commute and made a point of actively searching for an hour each day.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Don't be afraid to apply for jobs that say BSN either. I have landed jobs that are posted as RN as an LPN, if I think I can do the job I apply.

Everyone envisions the hiring process like a chef walking through the market picking out the finest ingredients, looking at them and pondering them, selecting only the very best for his dish. When in reality it's often more like walking through the discount isle at the corner store. Picking up a can of tomatoes, and realizing yea it's got a dent but it's the eat one here and I need tomato's tonight.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

They look for jobs in settings other than hospitals.

Not in my neck of the woods. Same NCLEX; same scope of practice; same jobs. My last 2 DON's did not have a BSN!!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I work at a large university hospital that hires ADNs. We have to get our BSN within 5 years of our hire date, or we are let go. I'll be adding some letters to my username in May.

What I've learned in my BSN is practically nothing. It's not the letters behind your name, it's the number of years experience that makes the difference.

I received a superior education in my ADN program. My BSN program was a JOKE. I already had tons of credits, so I only had to take 3 nursing classes and they were so easy, it really was a joke. I learned nothing in those classes. Just a waste of my money.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

My hospital used to stipulate you had to have a BSN within three years of hire, but since the big corporation took over I guess that went by the wayside since they probably didn't want to encourage people to use tuition reimbursement as that would take money away from the CEO's profits. Heck I'd be surprised if we even have tuition reimbursement anymore. lol

We don't have tuition assistance anymore. Haven't had a raise in 4 years, either.

[TruvyNurse]

You may be better off than you think. I've never heard of an ADN having trouble getting a job here in the Midwest and hey lots of places will PAY for your BSN

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

Look for jobs that are not in urban areas.