New hire PCT but soon to be RN. CONFUSED?

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Hello nurses! I am an associate degree student and I will be graduating in May (hopefully)!! I was just offered a job today as a PCT on the transplant floor of a major dallas hospital. I put on my resume that I will be immediately going into an RN to BSN program once I pass my NCLEX. Throughout my interview I was told about going through the residency program to get hired on as an RN. I know the residency program is for new grad BSN nurses. Also, once I pass NCLEX I legally cannot work as a PCT. I won't have my BSN for I guess a year after my nclex. So would I be let go” after I get my RN because of the Magnet status. I'm not really sure how things will play out with this job since I graduate so soon. I have met a few ADN students at that hospital but I was told by HR that nurses must go through an internship in order to get hired.(Again, only for BSN) Either way I'm thankful for the experience!!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

We can't answer that question for you- it's going to depend on the facility and its policies. The recommendation for BSN is 80% of nurses. How the facility decides who must be that 80% and who can be the 20% without is up to them. In my facility, it's the new hires from the affiliated ADN school. Other facilities are choosing that it's going to be those within X years of retirement. Others are splitting it into multiple groups. What matters is what YOUR facility is choosing to do.

And are you sure you can't legally work as a PCT? The issue most likely isn't legal but when job description doesn't meet the expectations of the BON for the license you hold- do you choose to act outside the job description and risk being terminated or not meet the standards of the RN license and jeopardize your license?

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Thanks for the info! I didn't know it worked with the different schools like that. This is a university hospital in Dallas and I know that there are a lot of nursing students that apply to these hospitals.

I feel like maybe if I prove myself then an opportunity will arise once I have the results from my nclex. The hospital obviously wouldn't say that though. I just wonder why they would hire me knowing that I graduate in a couple of months. I hope I learn a lot from being a PCT. I have wanted to all throughout nursing school but had another job responsibility. I really wanted to get my foot in the door and start networking.

I've heard of RN's working as a tech but it's a long ordeal to get approval. Also I have worked too hard for those two letters to wait any longer lol

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

To answer Rose Queen's question.... our BON has been very clear. Licensed nurses are not to work in unlicensed jobs because no matter what the job title says, they must comply with the standards of their license. This is an absolute no-win situation for both the employer and nurse.

That being said, I know of several newly licensed ADNs who were hired by "BSN only" hospitals - with the contingency that they are actively pursuing their BSN & will have it within 2 years. So talk to the hiring manager. You've got a strong case, especially if you have already been accepted into a BSN bridge program.

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I know where I am employed at ...Soon to be RNs work as Nurse Techs until the get their license to practice as a nurse. I also know that if some one has an Associate degree in Nursing they have at least 3 years to get their BSN.

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