Need opinions on my plan..am I making the right choice?

[K_girl]

I am an ADN and graduated in May. After waiting for about a month for my ATT, I finally received it in June and took NCLEX the first week of July. During that time I had declined 2 RN positions because I was so convinced I was going to fail the exam. I ended up passing NCLEX on the first try.

There are currently very few to no hospital openings in my area. There are 3 hospitals in my city. One is currently on a hiring freeze and has rescinded on some offers. Their new grad hires start dates have been pushed back indefinitely. The other hospital is choosing to hire BSNs (which I completely understand). Needless to say, I have sort of given up on getting hired in any of the hospitals.

I just accepted my first position at a SNF and I am extremely underwhelmed by my decision. Part of me is a little happy to be starting a new job and the other part is very unhappy as this is not where I want to be. I almost feel like I'm making a huge mistake. I'm trying, though, to make the most of it and get at least a year's worth of experience under my belt (without feeling like I'm ruining my life).

Next month I am taking ACLS and October I will be taking PALS as well as starting the RN-BSN program. I am hoping to be able to make it through the next year without becoming depressed about this whole situation. I know that I am lucky to have a job with many new grads looking for months but I still feel so unhappy.

So, with all this said, what do you guys think? Should I just suck it up? Or should I keep looking for jobs since I am so distressed about this decision?

Thanks for all your help!

[MKPRN]

Oh and BTW, I just took a new job at another hospital in L&D and had to sign a contract that I would get my BSN within 5 years of hire. I don't want to start an argument here. I am just telling you what I am observing in the healthcare market that I live in.

And yes, the name badges do say BSN on them.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I don't know where you work, but does your badge say BSN with your GPA on it?

BSN, yes.

GPA, no.

I have to agree with both CapeCodMermaid and MKPRN. Having a BSN does in no way guarantee that you'd be a superior nurse to the ADN or diploma grad. You may be....or you may not be. A lot of it has to do with the program itself that the nurse attended, as well as the specific person and what they've made of themselves and their career. I've seen great ADN and diploma nurses, and I've seen lousy ADN and diploma nurses. I've seen great BSN nurses, and I've seen lousy BSN nurses.

At the same time, more and more facilities are Magnet or Magnet wanna-be, and are demanding BSNs. It doesn't matter what your skill set is or how much experience you have: many places won't even consider your application without that degree (ask me how I know). If you do manage to get hired without one, you find yourself not being able to advance far without it. And a growing number of facilities are requiring nurses to agree to get one just to keep their job.

But it's not the fault of the BSN nurse that a facility wants BSN applicants--it's facility preference. It's an employers' market right now: they know there's a glut of nurses out looking for work and therefore they can cherry-pick who they feel are the best applicants.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sometimes the best applicants ARE ADN nurses. many facilities will not look at a resume w/o the BSN, but some look deeper and look at experience and previous education. I was hired on a specialty unit for a 6 month internship with an ADN. They will teach me what I need to know. I can get my ortho cert or CDE with an ADN. I am starting BSN because it will help with clinical ladder.