Moving to MD: New Grad with only ADN

[cooksjuliachild]

Hi everyone, I am actually posting this for my wife, who is just about to graduate from an ADN program out here in California. (She is also 8 months pregnant!). I just got a job offer in southern Maryland, and will most likely be accepting it; however, she'll be a fresh new grad in a new state, and I wondered how hard it will be for her to find work as an RN. She has an RN student internship at our community hospital, so she does have extra-clinical experience (she also has CNA licensure), but what worries me is her not having a BSN. Do you think it would be better for her to try to go back to school for an RN-to-BSN completion degree, or do you think it's possible for her to find RN work?

Thanks for any help,

--cooksjuliachild (...recipes for my wife so she can grow me a baby!)

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

The job market in MD right now is very difficult for new grads, regardless of the type of degree they have. Things are very slowly turning around, but it's still hard (even for students who graduated from local schools and have some local exposure/contacts). Personally, I would rather get more education than be unemployed, so I would certainly keep that option open if she doesn't find work within a reasonable amount of time.

[eager1hasbegun]

I agree that the market is tough for everyone, no matter the degree. I am an ADN RN and while I did come across ads requiring BSN's when job hunting 2 years ago, I had no problems getting interviews and ended up landing a job at a prominent city hospital (which boasts having over 70% BSN nurses). I also know several other community college grads who had no problems (before the job market tanked), and a CNA I worked with accepted a new grad position at Bayview Medical Center in February. So, I'm sure if someone were doing statistical data on currently unemployed nurses, educational background would not be making a huge impact. Hope this helps! Good luck with your decision and congrats on the baby!

Elise

[ukstudent]

It might help that you will be in southern Maryland. Less competition for jobs as it is lower paying (even by MD standards) and they not a big city hospital that everyone seems to want to work at.

[Jules A, MSN]

Personally I'd be more concerned about the baby bump hindering her prospects over just having a ADN. I work at a magnet hospital and we still hire ADNs although they like to hear that you are working toward your BSN. Things definitely aren't as sweet as they were a few years ago but we've got three new grads on my unit now. Welcome to the area!