Need Advice On What To Do? Important..

[EMEddie]

Hi Everyone-

I am currently a second semester nursing student in an ASN/ADN program and so far everything is going great!

Before getting into the nursing program, I was working on my Bachelor's Degree [bS] in Public Health and a double minor in Biology and Psychology. I got accepted into the nursing program and stopped attending the university to focus on this program. I am 4-5 classes away from finishing my B.S. degree so my question is the following.

Next semester, I can possibly take one class at the university while doing my nursing program; its not going to be easy, but I can manage it, then the summer of 2012 I can take 2 classes since there is no classes for the nursing program and my last nursing semester I can take another class, so in a way I can possible finish my ASN/ADN and BS the same semester.

In the area where I live there are two magnet hospitals that I would really like to work in, do you guys think having my B.S. in Public Health will make it easier to get a job at one of these hospitals than just having my ASN and competing with BSNs for a job? Either way, I will finish my B.S., but I always thought I could do it once I was done with my RN and working as one I could go back to school and finish it..

What would you do? Should I just finish the nursing program, completely focus on it, have a not so stressed out time or finish the B.S. with the plan mentioned above even though it will be more challenging, but manageable?

Thanks in advance

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

A BS degree even in a related field is meaningless. For the most part they only look at your nursing education. Your best bet would probably be to just finish your BS degree and apply to an Accelerated BSN program but . . .

[NCRNMDM, ASN, RN]

There are two magnet hospitals within an hour of me, and my mom actually works at one of them. The majority of their jobs, I would say around 95% of them, accept new graduates with ASN degrees. The hospital my mom works at currently has five or six critical care jobs posted in various departments ranging from the trauma center to the MICU to PICU to CICU, and all of them accept new graduate RNs who have their ASN degree. I don't think having your BS in public health will make that much difference in getting hired as an RN. They aren't hiring you for your public health knowledge, nor are they hiring you for your psychology or biology knowledge. You are being hired as an RN, and they are more focused on your RN degree, how you did in school, how motivated you seem, and what your personality is like. Don't stress yourself trying to get your BS and cause your grades in nursing school to suffer. An employer isn't going to be impressed to see that you made Cs in one semester because you were trying to finish your BS degree while in nursing school. In my opinion, it would look much better to be able to say, "sure, I'm a new graduate, and I only have my ASN degree, but I made all As and a few Bs while in nursing school," than to say, "sure, I made a few As, more Bs, and some Cs, but look I have my ASN in nursing and my BS in public health with a double minor in psychology and biology."

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

I certainly would think it would be a plus, but I understand they want the 4yr degree to maintain that status. Just wondering if you call HR at either place and ask, you should get a fair answer. Good luck and wow!!!!