Job market prefers BSN , turns away ADN

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First,I am new so Hello everyone. I graduated on May/09 with ADN, I am currently enrolled in BSN. Meanwhile I am actively looking for jobs here in NY. I got 3 interview so far and still waiting a response. Anyway, during my job hunting I noticed that , Nursing recruiter highly disregard ADN, one hospital I was told no longer the hospital accepts ADN, other hospital hired on the spot the girls with BSN, the other 4 of us with ADN were told we will get a call on the decesion. Dont get me wrong its very important to go higher on education, but Nursing is different, ADN holders are licenced RN's, if we are licenced that means we are qualified to work. So why make us take NCLEX just to be turn away ? Why give us the title RN, then tell us we are not good enough? Most manhattan hospitals did not even to accept my resume! Does everyone out there have my experience? I am highly furstrated ............. I think it should be illegal to turn away ADN, as long as we are professional registered nurse? don't you all think so????

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Specializes in ICU, ED, PACU.

We live in a free market. Employers are within their right to take a candidate with more education if they want.

I know that if I am ever in the position to hire I would likely take a fresh BSN grad over a fresh ADN. Similarly I could see taking an ADN with experience over a fresh grad BSN.

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Specializes in Rehab.

What is funny is that I live in NY too and the hospital where I did all my clinicals loves to hire RN's from my ADN nursing program because we are actually more clinically trained and have a better reputation than some of the private colleges around us (BSN). Now, this same hospital is turning away ADN's for the BSNers! My class is outraged.

I know it is because they probably have more options because people are desperate for jobs and they have more applicants and choices but it sucks. I agree that more education is great but you are right, we have to take the same licensing exam as everyone else....our school actually has the highest pass rate on the nclex (first time) in the county! and we are the only adn program!!! I have a bachelors degree in another field so I plan on skipping to a BSN-MS program eventaully but that greats u are gonna do the BSN...dont give up hope, you'll find something, I eventually did after searching for months.

PS from the start of my nursing program, my profs told us NYC hospitals preferred BSN to ADN. But in my county thats never been an issue except for a select few hospitals.

goodluck to you.

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ADN's are better trained clinically, BSN's are better trained for administrative positions. I know my experience had been that they preferred to hire an ADN, and have them return for the BSN...rather than start with one. But sadly, with the job market as it is, they are getting pickier on not just education, but experience.

No, it shouldn't be illegal to turn someone away just because they only have an ADN. They can set the bar wherever they like. Just like they can take a 10 yr experienced nurse over a 5 year. It is up to them.

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First let me say "welcome" and "congrats" on getting your license and degree (even if it tis only an ADN *wink*)!

If you are speaking about the "big" and well known hospitals in Manhattan, then "yes", from what one hears they are looking for BSN grads, however there probably is well rounded reason and method to their "madness".

Search the group and you will find many, many, discussions regarding BSN vs. ADN, much of which mirrors the arguments going on in the larger professional practice of nursing. If one looks at what the BSN degree was designed to produce in terms of a nurse, and the type of nursing care many top NYC hospitals aspire to, then you can see why they would wish to hire a BSN over ADN.

Critical thinking is becoming more and more important as nurses need to analyze and interpet various data, and one can understand hospitals wishing nurses whom have already been "educated" in this manner. There is not a small number of persons who believe that ADN and diploma nurses are great on the "technical" and practical side of nursing, but aren't prepared in depth for critical thinking the way a BSN grad would be. It's not my theory, again one that is out there.

Far as some hospitals are concerned, a nurse is a nurse, any warm body with a valid license will do, however as the nature of care and the role of the professional nurse is rapidly changing to reflect healthcare in today, hospitals (still the largest employer of nurses), may finally achieve what groups like the ANA have been pushing for over 40 years, mandatory BSN for entry into the profession.

Best of luck in your employment search. Know you will find something soon!

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IMO ADN are not clinically trained any more than BSN nurses. My program offered quite a bit of clinical time as well as "administrative" learning. I believe jobs may be looking for BSN prepared nurses because they have been taught more of the global/bigger picture of nursing. This does include some administrative aspects, but a lot of what is taught is also useful on the floor.

I don't think ADN nurses should be discriminated against because you are right, we all take the same exam. Maybe the hospital is shooting for magnet status so they need to have more BSN nurses than ADN?

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Specializes in critical care.
ADN's are better trained clinically, BSN's are better trained for administrative positions. I know my experience had been that they preferred to hire an ADN, and have them return for the BSN...rather than start with one. But sadly, with the job market as it is, they are getting pickier on not just education, but experience.

Im honestly tired of hearing this pure BS that people say that ADNs are more clinically prepared that BSNs I know for a fact that most BSN programs require more clinical hrs than ADN programs, nevertheless both type of programs yield excellent nurses.

..................... anyways :eek::spbox:

The same type of thing is going on in the city I went to school in, all the local hospitals are taking BSNs over ADNs in an effort to have a higher educated staff, this doesnt make it right however that is the direction all types of careers are going in, in fact a friend of mind found her self out of work for months because she was being looked over for jobs because she has an Associate degree in accounting, and those getting call backs and job offers had bachelors degrees............. The moral of the story... Education is the greatest equalizer :D

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
ADN's are better trained clinically, BSN's are better trained for administrative positions.

How many hours clinical did you get in your ADN? I got 900 hrs plus 300 extra credit hours with my BSN. Besides, clinical skills are easy to teach. My BSN was 6 semesters the ADN is only four...how could they possibly have more clinical than BSN?

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Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.

What crap! I am VERY well clinically trained and so is my husband! (both BN's). I'm so sick of that excuse... just as pinkypie has said, "Education is the greatest equalizer." Maybe some day I won't be able to get a job because hospitals will have so many MSN nurses to chose from. So be it if they can higher someone with a higher education. I guess that's my clue that I need to go back to school to get my master degree. That's the way the free market works. If a company was advertising for an Engineer I'm sure they would pick the candidate with the most education. Why is it with nursing ppl have to make excuses? :angryfire

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You guys are making me worried because I'm just starting a Diploma/ADN program in a few weeks (I already have a degree in something else). I hope I'm not making a mistake....if this is already happening now....what's going to happen in 2 years from now?! :confused:

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I'm graduating tomorrow with my BSN. My program was only one year, but in that one year, I had 910 clinical hours with my preceptor, 40 hours postpartum/antepartum, 40 hours mental health, 40 hours pediatrics, and 40 hours of community health.

My point is I have will actually have more clinical experience at graduation than someone with a ADN. If the hospital is going to pay both of us the same (or similar amounts) why wouldn't they hire those with the higher degree?

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Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.

Agreed. I thought about working at the University of Penn; the recruiter stated "we only hire BSNs." I think some hospitals will hire RNS working towards their BSNs.

While cutbacks are hurting our profession, I think there remains quite a few openings out there depending on location.

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