So, I have been accepted into TCU's nursing program and into El centro college of nursing in Dallas tx. I am having a hard time deciding which route will be better for me. TCU has been the school of my choice since day 1, i believe that it is a very competitive school and i was accepted as a transfer student ( which is really hard to get in nowadays since they first take their own students). I will earn a BSN with them and it will open me a lot of other doors. What i am not really looking for is the high private tuition they carry ( 14,000 per semester) i really have my heart in to this school, but im scared of the debt. On the other side i also got into el centro's program which leads to a ADN and its much cheaper. I've been doing some research that will give me strong conclusions and will help me decide which way to go, since I don't have that much time and i came across a lot of articles stating how many hospitals where switching to a magnet status, where they no longer hire new ADN, this makes me wonder if really there is such a shortage of nurses how is it that they are switching to this new reform, i mean if the shortage is real, they would hire an ADN without experience and train them their way. This leads me to think.. How real is this information? will ADN nurses really have a tough time finding a job, and if so, should that make an impact in my college decision, because i don't want to have to spend 4 semester and be unemployed for a while , while i go back for my BSN, while in TCU in 5 semesters i can graduate with my BSN and have absolutely no problem. Tough decision, please help me with your suggestions and opinions! it is greatly appreciated!!!
I am an RN with 5 years ICU experience and Nurse Manager experience.
I wanted to do homecare with a certain company, but they will not even consider me because I am an ADN. They will hire BSN new grads before even looking at me.
Same with the other magnet status hospitals I applied too. However some will hire you if you graduate with your ADN, but are actively enrolled in a RN to BSN program.
that is true, i think it helps a lot to be enrolled in the BSN program, even if at the moment you are still an ADN, they really like to see that want to get ahead.
That's great, mirc88sl. I'm glad you were able to get so much scholarship money to go to the school you wanted! I had the same thing for my first degree, but when it came to my nursing degree, cheap was the way for me to go . Good luck in your program.
i understand everyones point of view about tcu being so expensive, and i respect everyones decision, although i dont know how many of you remember at the beginning of some of my threads i was very concerned for the same fact, but after a while i thought you know there is really not a price for the education that i may get, taking in consideration all the other schools that are way cheaper, and still really good, but after thinking about it i went ahead and just went there because after all the financial aid that i got from them i am literally paying the same thing as i would if i was going to tech or texas womans, and i thought why not? also they gave me a transfer scholarship that helped me a lot, from 18k my tuition went down to just over 7k, which is not bad for tcu. also i chose this program because they have the anesthesia program i want to go to. i am very happy here, the program is extremely challenging and they literally throw you in the water since day one.
i am just happy that i am gonna be able to get my bsn right away, but im sure all the other programs also have their pros!
that is great that you were able to get the tuition down so much. congrats and good luck.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
It's real as far as magnet status hospitals go.
I am an RN with 5 years ICU experience and Nurse Manager experience.
I wanted to do homecare with a certain company, but they will not even consider me because I am an ADN. They will hire BSN new grads before even looking at me.
Same with the other magnet status hospitals I applied too. However some will hire you if you graduate with your ADN, but are actively enrolled in a RN to BSN program.
*** Some hospitals may prefer to hire BSNs and some may be Magnet but the two are not related. Well except that both demonstrate a certain mentality of administration. There is nothing about acquiring Magnet that requires a hospital to hire BSNs for staff nurses.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
The reason some hospitals prefer to hire BSN grads is cause they typically come to their first job with lot's of student debt. They are seen as being less likely to rock the boat and tolerate poor working conditions and treatment from management because of their debt. VS ADN grads who usually come to their first job with little to no debt are more more likely to vote with their feet under poor working conditions.
Poor working conditions and maltreatment of nurses by management are often found in Magnet hospitals thus the preference for Magnet hospitals to hire BSN only.
Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
The reason some hospitals prefer to hire BSN grads is cause they typically come to their first job with lot's of student debt. They are seen as being less likely to rock the boat and tolerate poor working conditions and treatment from management because of their debt. VS ADN grads who usually come to their first job with little to no debt are more more likely to vote with their feet under poor working conditions.
Poor working conditions and maltreatment of nurses by management are often found in Magnet hospitals thus the preference for Magnet hospitals to hire BSN only.
I've been involved in a lot of hiring situations. Your argument has never come up. In any industry, education & experience are pluses. Thus, in a competitive market, the better educated and/or more experienced has the leg up.
Magnet began as a way to identify why some hospitals had higher nurse satisfaction, less turnover, and good patient outcomes. That's not going to happen where there is maltreatment & poor working conditions.
And the debt argument can be easily flipped. Since BSN often have more debt it can be argued that they are more likely to jump ship than an ADN in search for better salary & working conditions.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
i've been involved in a lot of hiring situations. your argument has never come up.
*** not really my argument in that i didn't just dream it up. it is something i over heard at a meeting i was not (no longer) supposed to be at. i have since had discussions and heard things that lead me to believe it's true. not like i have proof in writing or anything. it also makes sense to me based on my observations as a nurse who has had the oppertunity to work in several different hospitals in several states.
magnet began as a way to identify why some hospitals had higher nurse satisfaction, less turnover, and good patient outcomes. that's not going to happen where there is maltreatment & poor working conditions.
*** without a doubt that is the way magnet began. what it actually was/is is something different and far less that what was hoped. based only on my personal experiences and many discussions with fellow icu, er, transport type nurses. my impression is that, at least among critical care types in the areas i have worked, magnet hospitals are aquiring a well deserved reputation as not being good places to work.
and the debt argument can be easily flipped. since bsn often have more debt it can be argued that they are more likely to jump ship than an adn in search for better salary & working conditions.
*** oh yes you are exactly right. that is the way it was in the recent past. however things have now changed (since about 2008/9) the other way. that was true back in the day when there every new grad had many job options. now things have changed the other way, hence the fairly recent preference for bsn grads over adns.
Okay people NEWFLASH.... BSN programs and ADN programs are exactly the SAME! Yes it is true if you don't want to work as a floor nurse your whole career and want to be in a management position one day then yes by all means get your BSN. But if you think you get paid more for a BSN degree your WRONG because you don't, you get paid just as much as the person who got their ADN degree and spent less time in school, so by the time you actually finish your BSN program they already have at least 2 years more experience than you. I personally think that an ADN program is better because with this program you get more hands on training rather than book training. You get to start your career earlier and when you get out of school most likely you wont be in debt.
Oh and here's another thing "Magnet Status" DOES NOT MEAN THEY ONLY HIRE BSN's, do your research RIGHT before you sit here and tell people that it does. Magnet Status just means that they support nursing practice, and focuses on a professional nursing environment. Research people, research! I mean seriously you really scare people by saying things you have no idea what your talking about. Now these "Magnet Status" hospital have a BSN prefered on there jobs but that does NOT mean they dont hire ADN's. If you have the right education and a great resume then you will have absolutely no problem getting a job at one of these hospitals. Yes you may have to work at a different hospital before applying to these kinds but they will hire ADN's if your a good fit for the job. ADN's are just a good as nurses as a BSN. Oh and to the person who said that a ADN degree is like getting your high school diploma then your CRAZY. And you obviously have not been in this program or you would know just how hard this program is, if not harder than the BSN program because they cram EVERYTHING into a 2 year program instead of the 4 year program.
And FYI every hospital around here accept anyone who has their RN license. Because if you all didnt know by now no matter what college you graduate from, or which degree you get BSN or ADN... YOU TAKE THE SAME NCLEX!
. Good luck in your program.
MomRN0913
1,131 Posts
It's real as far as magnet status hospitals go.
I am an RN with 5 years ICU experience and Nurse Manager experience.
I wanted to do homecare with a certain company, but they will not even consider me because I am an ADN. They will hire BSN new grads before even looking at me.
Same with the other magnet status hospitals I applied too. However some will hire you if you graduate with your ADN, but are actively enrolled in a RN to BSN program.