Is it easier for the new graduate nurses with bachelor to find jobs>

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 17, 2009

It is at my hospital. While we still hire ADN's and Diploma nurses with experience, of course .... when it comes to new grads. We will hire an ADN or Diploma grad if they really impress us and/or have experience as an LPN, CNA, extern, etc. But we usually prefer the BSN grads who have done senior-year preceptorships or externships or have some other thing about them that helps them to stand out.

In other words, we hire some new grads from ADN and Diploma programs -- but they almost always have something else in addition to that ADN or Diploma that makes them stand out from the crowd. If everything else is equal, we will usually pick the BSN.

mykidzmom · Jul 17, 2009

it depends on the job you are applying for and the state you live in. public health nurses often require a BSN, and of course management, but that likely wouldn't apply to you. there are 2 camps with this question. one opinion, like the above poster stated, would prefer a BSN to an ADN when all other things are equal, because of course, completing a 4 year degree takes more time and, with respect to ADN nurses, (i myself am one) is really quite an accomplishment that is and should be recognized as something special to a population of already special people.

the other camp prefers ADN nurses out of the gate over BSN nurses because of what seems to be increased clinical experience. not entirely sure how it is different, although i know there is more time given to community health. more theory, maybe? i'm tip-toeing on eggshells a bit because i am afraid of offending one group or the other. my experience with students is that the ADN students tend to be more excited to get their hands dirty and come to me already having seen a thing or 2. i am sorry to say, the BSN students i have worked with seem to have more fear, less clinical experience and less willing to do what they consider the CNA work.

when i was a CNA 10+ years ago, i asked the RNs i worked with for advice and they overwhelmingly said i should go into ADN over BSN for the clinical experience. can always keep going in school after getting license, which is what i am doing.

the year i started nursing school, the last diploma program in the state closed its doors. but i will say, the most incredible, unflappable nurses i have ever seen were diploma nurses. not sure if it exists anywhere or not. those nurses were prepared to be IN CHARGE when they graduated. hope this helps

DuluthMike · Jul 17, 2009

I have a very hard time believing that an ADN program today has as many clinical hours as my BSN program does.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2009

I have a very hard time believing that an ADN program today has as many clinical hours as my BSN program does.

It all depends. Click on the thread below to read more on this subject.

Some of the ADN programs do involve more clinical hours than the BSN programs in the same area.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/how-many-clinical-394710.html

shoegalRN, RN · Jul 17, 2009

I have a very hard time believing that an ADN program today has as many clinical hours as my BSN program does.

In my area, it is true, the ADN programs have more clinical hours than my BSN did. Why? Maybe because they didnt spend alot of time in theory, power points, and presentations like my BSN program focused on. And I'm not saying that to be mean or funny. It is the truth. At the hospital my nursing school is affliated with, the ADN students were taking full patient loads in clinicals 4-5 patients, while we were only doing 1-2 patients. And this is during their regular clinical rotations. They didnt do a "capstone" like our BSN program does, and even during Capstone, some students were only getting 3 patients MAX.

So, I will say that in MY experience, some of the ADN students had way more clinical experience and I know that I went up against a few ADN students for a job at a Magnet hospital and I learned an ADN student got it over me simply because of her clinical experience and she did clinicals at their hospital, which I did not.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2009

ADN or BSN depends on the student. When we peer review for new hires, I tned to gravitate towards the smarter ones, quicker wit, quicker thinking, more life experienced.

They really stand out.

Everyone can get the degree later. But not everyone can be clinically smart, nor thinking well critically. My personal opinion and experience.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jul 17, 2009

it is at my hospital. While individuals vary, it seems that people need time to BECOME a nurse. If nothing else, the longer BSN program allows that time for becoming, and the grad generally has an easier transition. Generally means not everyone, of course

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 17, 2009

As far as the number of clinical hours goes ... It is REALLY dependent on the particular schools. No one type of program ALWAYS has more clinical hours than another.

In my region ... it is the ADN programs that have fewer hours. The schools with the least numbers of hours are the propriety schools that offer ADN's or AAN's. They barely meet the minimal state requirements. They are designed to get the students in and out of their programs as fast as possible -- and therefore have the bare minimal requirements to graduate. They also provide those clinical hours in concentrated burts -- e.g. 12-hour shifts in which the student only gets 1 or 2 patients during that 12 clinical hours and most clinical hours concentrated into short time span of 6 months or so.

Some of the regional BSN programs require significantly more clinical hours than required by the state board and spread those hours out over a 2 or 2.5 year period -- giving the student time to absorb the information, reflect on their experiences, and gain more from them. They also do a lot of 6-hour clinicals so that the students get to see twice as many patients. (Instead of 1 or 2 for 12 hours, they have 1 or 2 for each 6-hour block of time).

On the other hand ... we have another BSN program with the bare minimum clinical hours and many of those hours are more "observational" than they should be.

My point is that you can't say that any one type of program has more or better clinical hours than another as a rule. It depends on the particular school.

My hospital's preference for BSN's is not because of the number of clinical hours of BSN programs ... it's because of their more comprehensive education and their earlier readiness for progression into positions of greater responsibility. They don't need to go back to school to be ready for promotion. They just need some experience and staff develoment. Of course, that's assuming they went to a good BSN program and are good, hard-working people, etc. As I said, we WILL hire ADN and Diploma grads if we are impressed with them -- and we will NOT hire a BSN grad if she does not impress us ... and we will be cautious about hiring any graduate of any type who graduates from schools we do not respect.

redshott · Jul 17, 2009

I'm preparing to go get my ADN but my goal is a BSN or higher. I've been advised by various people to get my ADN first because it's more hands on with more clinical hours than the BSN program. Not sure how it affects the job market but here, there are only 2-3 schools that even have a straight BSN program. The rest are an hour or so away from the Charlotte hospitals. Of course, bridge programs are everywhere though.

RN1982 · Jul 17, 2009

I have a very hard time believing that an ADN program today has as many clinical hours as my BSN program does.

We started clinicals the fourth week into the first semester of my ADN program. They started the third week of each of the two med/surg semesters. Clinicals started the first week of L/D and peds and then transitions. Don't make assumptions that you know something about a program when you don't. Many people here worked hard for they ADN. They only reason I chose the ADN route was because I paid for all of my classes out of my pocket and it would be cheaper to go to a CC than a university and I could have my employer pay for my BSN when I went back. I don't regret the way I started.

To the OP, I did not have a hard time finding a job after school with my ADN nor did I have trouble getting hired at another facility a couple years later.

SteffersRN87, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2009

I am a preceptor on my unit. I have precepted diploma, ADN, and BSN nurses. I can tell you that from personal experience, diploma nurses have better critical thinking and clinical skills.