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????
But the prereqs and/or coreqs and some classes taken at a diploma school may not transfer for your BSN or MSN because the diploma schools are not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. So you may have to go back and re-take courses you have already taken, costing precious time and money. My mom is an RN and this happened to her friend, as well as to a friend of mine.
RN to BSN programs are not designed for two year college RNs only, but ALL diploma and Associate nursing degree holders. There are thousands of diploma graduates that attended nursing programs all over the United States who have gone on to obtain not only a BSN, but MSN and PhD in nursing.
But the prereqs and/or coreqs and some classes taken at a diploma school may not transfer for your BSN or MSN because the diploma schools are not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. So you may have to go back and re-take courses you have already taken, costing precious time and money. My mom is an RN and this happened to her friend, as well as to a friend of mine.
I'd try to find a different RN to BSN program then- all of the programs in my area accept transfer credits easily, even from diploma programs. It sounds like your friends got a raw deal.
I live in NC and where I live, it is not an issue. ADN RN's are hired ALL OF THE TIME. The BSN RN's are usually hired for ADON positions or such. The ADN RN's have NO problem getting jobs in hospitals or nursing homes as 'floor nurses'.
But the prereqs and/or coreqs and some classes taken at a diploma school may not transfer for your BSN or MSN because the diploma schools are not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. So you may have to go back and re-take courses you have already taken, costing precious time and money. My mom is an RN and this happened to her friend, as well as to a friend of mine.
There someone goes again! *LOL* Accrediting bodies are just that, and while they do provide many functions within nursing education and the profession, the last time one checked state boards of nursing, state education departments, and individual colleges/universities can and often do decide what credits will be accepted.
If one was going to put faith and stock into an accrediting body, would go with the NLNAC or CCNE, at least they are national bodies rather than regional.
Most RN to BSN programs lay down the same rules for nursing students as transfers or others, one must have completed a certian number of liberal arts college credits, hold a vaild RN license (or about to receive one), have graduated from an accredited college/insitituion (but not any one specific, though as you mentioned some schools may). Transfer nursing credits may be awarded either depending upon previous program's relationship (CUNY schools for instance will grant 24 credits of advanced standing for RN to BSN students who hold a degree from another CUNY nursing program), others will require on take and pass with a certain grade, the Nursing Regents College Examination at the Baccalaurete level in several areas of nursing.
RN to BSN programs are not designed for two year college RNs only, but ALL diploma and Associate nursing degree holders. There are thousands of diploma graduates that attended nursing programs all over the United States who have gone on to obtain not only a BSN, but MSN and PhD in nursing.
I'm doing a Diploma program that has an agreement with a Community College here...the nursing classes are taken at the nursing school and the side classes at the other college.
Yes, these courses should be standardized so they are acceptable across the board if you transfer schools. The diploma program that would be easiest for me to complete is not only not accredited by SACS, but not accredited with NLNAC either. Therefore, sadly it is not an option as I do not want to take chances when I go for further education. I've already been there, done that (had credits denied from previous institutions).
In years past, it was often very difficult if not impossible to transfer academic from a diploma program to BSN program. However, over the last decade or so there has been a major effort made to ease the transition and allow for the transfer of far more credits.
Diploma programs have been smart enough to realize that they could not survive if there graduates were unable to advance their educations beyond that initial diploma. And universities have been smart enough to realize that the students looking for BSN completion programs can be a source of revenue. They don't need the 10:1 student to faculty ratios for clinical classes because they already have RN licenses. They can take classes with lots of students in them which are cheaper for the school to provide. So ... by making the transfer of credits easier, everybody wins. And that is happened.
So, it's not nearly as bad as it used to be as long as your classes were taken at properly accredited programs.
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?
Are you sure your math is correct? In one year of school, you worked 25 weeks "full time"? In addition to that 160 hours, another 13 weeks full time? Please recheck, as a friend of mine who is a NP told me, that NP only need about 650 hours. How could you do that much clinical time, and take all the classes that other programs do in 2 years (BSN or ADN).
Not judging, but I have never heard of anything that intense.....not even with NP schools that I have been checking into.
i'm new to this site. i am looking at nursing programs in boston, namely part-time evening programs since i work full time in an unrelated field (i have my bs in marketing/econ). i figure an adn would be a good way for me to get my feet wet since i really don't know what i'm getting into. i have friends who have become nurses and they absolutely love what the do - their patients, the hours, the money of course. i am very reluctant to join a bsn or Accelerated BSN program since there's a lot of risk involved there (higher cost, would require me to quit my job). i live in boston and would want to work in a hospital after i graduate. can anyone provide insights on: a) what the job market will look like in boston in 2-3 years (i'm hearing it's rough right now); and b) is it worth going the adn route instead of bsn given my reservations / ignorance to the profession right now? c) am i going to have a harder time finding a job w/ an adn vs a bsn? i really really hope nursing is for me. any help/insights are so very appreciated.
Are you sure your math is correct? In one year of school, you worked 25 weeks "full time"? In addition to that 160 hours, another 13 weeks full time? Please recheck, as a friend of mine who is a NP told me, that NP only need about 650 hours. How could you do that much clinical time, and take all the classes that other programs do in 2 years (BSN or ADN).
Not judging, but I have never heard of anything that intense.....not even with NP schools that I have been checking into.
I am absolutely, 110% sure that the math is correct. Just graduated on Friday and lived to tell about it! We worked 270 hours of clinical hours each semester with our preceptor (total of 3 semesters). In the fall and spring, most weeks were 2 12 hour shifts. Some included 3 shifts to make the total greater than 270. In addition, we also had the pedi clinicals, maternal/child, mental health, and community health clinicals. Each of those modules were 40 hours in addition to the 270 with our preceptors. If you want to check into it, the program is the Second Degree BSN Program at Texas Tech University. Here's the website: http://www.ttuhsc.edu/son/undergrad/secWbsn.aspx
I'm happy to report I graduated on Friday with a 3.946~~~ We completed 61 hours as a part of our Accelerated Second Degree BSN program. It was a crazy year, but it was Oooooohhhhh so worth it! Now for NCLEX....
unless one of us is mrs. darrin stephens (bewitched), no one can give you an accurate prediction of what the nursing profession will look like in two or three years, even for a local area such as boston. yes, there have been reports of a nursing "shortage", and yes starting in several years many baby boom nurses will reach retirement age, which should lead to more openings, but then again nothing is certian.
what is certian is sooner or later there will be a demand for new nurses, however where and how they will be employed may change. if the obama health care or any other health care reform goes through you may see more nurses engaged in care outside of hospitals,especially nurse practioners trying to address the needs of communities medically underserved.
since you already have a bs degree, there really isn't much of a reason for you not to go the "second degree" bsn programs and get your bsn. all college/university nursing programs are basically the same, two to two and one-half years of nursing programs, with the balance filled out by core, and other college credits. with adn programs the focus is more on nursing with a good dose of college programs so one can easily transfer or enter a bsn program later on. if you have a four year degree already all if not all the college courses not releated to nursing will not be required (varies by program). however you will have to take any science,math or other nursing pre-reqs not completed. this applies to adn as well as bsn programs, so you really aren't saving that much time by obtaining the former.
as for nursing not being for you, it isn't going to matter if you are an adn or bsn in your situation (see above), ad you will spend about the same amount of time in either program. now if you were just starting out without any previous college credits, then one could see the problem. would kind of stink to spend four years in college and decide afterwards you didn't like the profession. though in hindsight this happens allot with new grads of either degree.
best way to see if nursing really is up your street is to find work as a nursing assistant. it is as close as an unlicensed person is going to get to what nurses do, and will allow you to see if you have the belly for the work.
hi all...
i'm new to this site. i am looking at nursing programs in boston, namely part-time evening programs since i work full time in an unrelated field (i have my bs in marketing/econ). i figure an adn would be a good way for me to get my feet wet since i really don't know what i'm getting into. i have friends who have become nurses and they absolutely love what the do - their patients, the hours, the money of course. i am very reluctant to join a bsn or accelerated bsn program since there's a lot of risk involved there (higher cost, would require me to quit my job). i live in boston and would want to work in a hospital after i graduate. can anyone provide insights on: a) what the job market will look like in boston in 2-3 years (i'm hearing it's rough right now); and b) is it worth going the adn route instead of bsn given my reservations / ignorance to the profession right now? c) am i going to have a harder time finding a job w/ an adn vs a bsn? i really really hope nursing is for me. any help/insights are so very appreciated.
If they are looking at magnet status this may play into it. The number of nurses educated at higher levels "looks" better. I was on a committee at my old hospital and they looked heavily at how many nurses had PHd, MSN, MS, BSN, ADN and how we could have more tuition reimbursement so we could increase those going back to school for BSN and above.
otessa
It "looks better" because there is considerable evidence that the level of education of the nurses affects patient outcomes. BSN > ADN/ASN. Of course employers look at the whole applicant, but if I have equivalent people, one of whom has BSN and one who has ASN? I know I'm hiring the person with a bachelor degree.
I know I'll get flamed for this, but I find it hard to believe that people are allowed to become RNs without a bachelor degree as a minimum. You need a bachelor degree as a minimum for so many fields which are NOT responsible for people's lives... This is a new thing to me since I did not train in the US and RNs must have bachelor degrees where I am from.
We worked 270 hours of clinical hours each semester with our preceptor (total of 3 semesters). In the fall and spring, most weeks were 2 12 hour shifts. Some included 3 shifts to make the total greater than 270. In addition, we also had the pedi clinicals, maternal/child, mental health, and community health clinicals. Each of those modules were 40 hours in addition to the 270 with our preceptors. If you want to check into it, the program is the Second Degree BSN Program at Texas Tech University. Here's the website: 
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BabyCatchr, ADN, ASN, RN
146 Posts
But the prereqs and/or coreqs and some classes taken at a diploma school may not transfer for your BSN or MSN because the diploma schools are not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. So you may have to go back and re-take courses you have already taken, costing precious time and money. My mom is an RN and this happened to her friend, as well as to a friend of mine.