I am a freshman in the School of Nursing at Purdue University, going for my BSN.
Background info: I want to be a Labor and Delivery nurse. I spent 200 hours working with OB nurses at the hospital I hope to work at, helping them do tons of stuff and watching over 50 births. AMAZING experience, I loved it! I hope to get a job there as a tech this summer. The hospital gave me a huge scholarship.
Catch: If I have my way, I will only work for about 5 years, then be a stay-at-home mom.
Question: Should I transfer to a local small college and get my ASN since I don't want to work my way up in my career and don't want to work my whole life? Would I get hired in the Childbirth Center with just an ASN? Would I make as much money? Would I get done sooner?
I am a freshman in the School of Nursing at Purdue University, going for my BSN.
Background info: I want to be a Labor and Delivery nurse. I spent 200 hours working with OB nurses at the hospital I hope to work at, helping them do tons of stuff and watching over 50 births. AMAZING experience, I loved it! I hope to get a job there as a tech this summer. The hospital gave me a huge scholarship.
Catch: If I have my way, I will only work for about 5 years, then be a stay-at-home mom.
Question: Should I transfer to a local small college and get my ASN since I don't want to work my way up in my career and don't want to work my whole life? Would I get hired in the Childbirth Center with just an ASN? Would I make as much money? Would I get done sooner?
Any advice would be great :)
Thanks so much!
Amy
You mentioned in another post that we really don't know you or your situation, and you're right---we don't. It's hard to comment on your specific situation but students and experienced nurses might be able to give you a bit of insight into how their programs work and to what the employment trends are right now.
I'm not familiar with your school's program, so may I ask---have you already been admitted to the BSN program or are you still taking pre-requisites as a freshman? If you have already been accepted into the BSN program, I strongly urge you to continue with that educational path. You would likely not save time by switching schools and going into an AD program. In fact, you might find that getting into an AD program may be even more competitive than getting into a BSN program because, as other posters have said, there is a great deal of demand for these programs by second-career students. You could end up being waitlisted for a year or two, which would make getting the ADN a much more lengthy process than had you stayed with the BSN.
Currently, most nursing grads face a tough job market but in many places, hospitals are hiring new BSN graduates over ADN grads. You may find it easier to get a job in L & D as a BSN grad than as an ADN.
I agree with One2gofst's excellent advice to you. Life happens in spite of our best-laid plans. You may or may not be with your boyfriend for the rest of your life. You may become a SAHM and then realize that it isn't for you. Or he may lose his job and you would need to continue to work. The relationship that I was in at age 18 and thought would last forever didn't. I married at 25, never dreaming I would someday end up divorced---but I did. You could end up becoming so passionate about obstetrical nursing that you want to become a certified nurse-midwife. You could end up getting exposed to another specialty altogether as a student and end up going into, say, oncology or gerontology.
The thing is, your ambitions may change and evolve as you get further into your career. You're young and you're just starting your career. I think you should get as much education as you can now---before you have family obligations. While you think you know what the future holds for you, life may turn out very differently from what you anticipate. Get your education. Work. Take care of yourself first.
As others have said ... you don't know now how your life will be when you get older. Just as your father has recently lost his job, your husband might lose his job someday -- and you will need to go back to work to support your family.
A lot of women wrongly assume that their husbands will always be able to support them in a comfortable lifestyle. But unforseen things happen. People divorce, get injured, lose jobs, etc. Many of those things are not within our control. That's why a lot of elderly women find themselves in dire financial straights -- they never planned for supporting themselves in middle age and old age. They wrongly assumed that their husbands would take care of them forever.
I don't mean this as harshly or as cruelly as it sounds ... but ... had your mother chosen to keep up her skills by working a little part time while you were growing up, your family's finances would be in a lot better shape than they are now. Your father's loss of his job would not be such a big deal if she were able to support you all -- and had been saving a nest egg in the event of just such a problem.
I would recommend finishing your schooling and getting your BSN. It may be your ideal situation to be a stay at home mom, but it is become harder and harder to do so. My fiance is an engineer and makes decent money, but we want to make sure we can provide a future where we can pay for our children's education as it is becoming essential to have at least a bacchelors degree. We have a 14 month old son together and I am finishing up a masters degree in Public Affairs concentrating in non-profit management as well as working on prerequisites for nursing school.
Thanks everyone for the advice! I really appreciate it.
And i'm so so thankful that my mom stayed home even though we are struggling right now. We aren't dying or anything, just adjusting from what my dad was making as a business owner to now being a different business's employee. So I didn't know whether or not switching to a community college would save a ton of money, but it sounds like it wouldn't! So that's good to know. Thank goodness my parents did the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University program before things took a turn! :) I can only hope that i'm as fortunate as her to be able to stay home! We'll see!
Good point about not knowing whether or not I would like to continue developing my career! Although I come from a long history of nurses turned into SAHMs, you just never know what's going to happen..as much as that sucks! haha.
It's good to know that ADNs aren't hired as often as BSNs..that's definitely something I was wanting to know.
Thanks again everyone!
Oh and someone was wanting to know - yes I am IN the School of Nursing..70 of us got in.
It's good to know that ADNs aren't hired as often as BSNs..that's definitely something I was wanting to know .
I would disagree with this and it would vary depending on where you live and the facility.
At my facility, a BSN vs ADN makes the SAME...all of the ads for jobs say BSN preferred, but I can tell you now that I am well into my second year, that my manager hires based on the interview and work history, not on the degree you have.
All of the promotions in my facility require a BSN, but I am getting mine now b/c I want to go to graduate school.
Hmm interesting! That's what i've heard from others too..
that's why I mentioned all of my experience with this hospital and my close connections with the staff there. I wondered if that would make all the difference, rather than my degree.
Hmm interesting! That's what i've heard from others too..
that's why I mentioned all of my experience with this hospital and my close connections with the staff there. I wondered if that would make all the difference, rather than my degree.
There is something that some managers consider...
There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to get their ADN and not going any further...some people are content working as a bedside RN, enjoy the work and if I had no desire to go to graduate school? I can tell you now, I wouldn't go another day of school.
Sometimes they hire ADN's, especially older ones, because they know that if they like the department, it is very unlikely they will leave...thus, reduces their staff turnover.
Just about all of the BSN's at my facility in my particular department, are either in graduate school now or are planning to go within the next year....the purpose..to get OUT.
Right! Which is all exactly why I was asking this question.
Since I love everything about being bedside and know a lot about it, I wondered if this would be a better option, IF I got into the school without any delays. I don't particularly love school, I keep telling everyone I just want to get it over with so that I can be with moms and their babies.
And other nurses have told me that a lot of BSNs want to work up to management, their goal isn't to work bedside forever. Mine is and has been since I was 4 haha.. I know that could change, but as of now..
Right! Which is all exactly why I was asking this question.
Since I love everything about being bedside and know a lot about it, I wondered if this would be a better option, IF I got into the school without any delays. I don't particularly love school, I keep telling everyone I just want to get it over with so that I can be with moms and their babies.
And other nurses have told me that a lot of BSNs want to work up to management, their goal isn't to work bedside forever. Mine is and has been since I was 4 haha.. I know that could change, but as of now..
Another option that would keep you somewhat at bedside is that of the role of Clinical Educator...that is something you might enjoy very much..you are very much in the trenches and are responsible for fine-tuning what we do every day as well as new hires.
Just about every facility requires a BSN for that....and they are usually M-F, 8-5 positions...weekends and holidays off, thus, the draw.
Get your BSN since you are already on that path. Like others have mentioned, you never know what the future holds and being prepared for the unexpected before it happens is always the best way to go.
I know a lot of women who would LOVE to be stay at home moms. I know many who WERE stay at home moms and had no choice but to enter the workforce because they found themselves to be single moms with no child support coming in. If you have a career and experience before having a family, it will be much easier for you to get on your feet if heaven forbid you end up on your own with three kids and no help.
I'm not saying you can't do this with an ADN.. but if you can finish a BSN degree, why not?
I'm not trying to be a debbie downer... Nobody wants to think the person they choose to spend the rest of their lives with could possibly leave them with children and no (to little) child support.. but unfortunately it happens.
Since you're already in the BSN program. I say stick with it. I did the BSN program and know people who did the ASN program. It seems that once you add up all the time for the prereqs and nursing class, they take about the same length...might as well get your BSN. Plus as one of the pps mentioned, I know you say you want to be a stay at home mom eventually, but that may change in the future (wanted or unwanted)...so my advice is even when you stay at home...go work per-diem somewhere or work for an agency where you only have to work every 3 months...just to keep your foot in the door. B/c one day your lovely babies will go to college...and even before that they're very expensive...and you're going to need all the money you can get...agency and per diem work are both great ways to earn money and be able to choose your own schedule so that you can still put your family first. Just make sure you get at least 1 full year of full time experience somewhere so you can get your nursing foundation. Good luck.
PS. Promotions at my facility (8th largest hospital organization in country) requires a BSN for promotion.
Another benefit of the BSN from Purdue is that you have the coveted Bachelors Degree, meaning that if you decide to do just about ANYTHING else when your children are growing up or even when you are much older you will have a leg up on the competition, even in a non nursing field or as mentioned before me as a Clinical Educator. Your BSN might even open up opportunities for you to work in a place that would keep you close to your children, such as a part time job at their school, just because you have a bachelors degree. ASN is a great goal, but your in at Purdue which is an amazing nursing school (all campuses) and there are so many benefits to having that degree that I would stick with it. Also, from experience as mentioned before you could spend even more time getting in to an ASN especially since the Ivy Tech Programs that would save you money are very competitive and have very specific pre-req requirements. Good luck on your future goals!
Moogie
1 Article; 1,796 Posts
You mentioned in another post that we really don't know you or your situation, and you're right---we don't. It's hard to comment on your specific situation but students and experienced nurses might be able to give you a bit of insight into how their programs work and to what the employment trends are right now.
I'm not familiar with your school's program, so may I ask---have you already been admitted to the BSN program or are you still taking pre-requisites as a freshman? If you have already been accepted into the BSN program, I strongly urge you to continue with that educational path. You would likely not save time by switching schools and going into an AD program. In fact, you might find that getting into an AD program may be even more competitive than getting into a BSN program because, as other posters have said, there is a great deal of demand for these programs by second-career students. You could end up being waitlisted for a year or two, which would make getting the ADN a much more lengthy process than had you stayed with the BSN.
Currently, most nursing grads face a tough job market but in many places, hospitals are hiring new BSN graduates over ADN grads. You may find it easier to get a job in L & D as a BSN grad than as an ADN.
I agree with One2gofst's excellent advice to you. Life happens in spite of our best-laid plans. You may or may not be with your boyfriend for the rest of your life. You may become a SAHM and then realize that it isn't for you. Or he may lose his job and you would need to continue to work. The relationship that I was in at age 18 and thought would last forever didn't. I married at 25, never dreaming I would someday end up divorced---but I did. You could end up becoming so passionate about obstetrical nursing that you want to become a certified nurse-midwife. You could end up getting exposed to another specialty altogether as a student and end up going into, say, oncology or gerontology.
The thing is, your ambitions may change and evolve as you get further into your career. You're young and you're just starting your career. I think you should get as much education as you can now---before you have family obligations. While you think you know what the future holds for you, life may turn out very differently from what you anticipate. Get your education. Work. Take care of yourself first.
Wishing you the best in your decision.