Why do nurses constantly say they don't hire ASN?

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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OK this is funny because every Magnet hospital I go to someone who doesn't work in HR or is NOT a hiring Manager just has to say they don't hire Associate Degree nurses. I have been asked to be hired at some other Magnet hospitals. Reasons like this, bullying, bad staffing, etc. have made me just complete my assignment and go to the next one. I started liking working where I am now, at a Magnet hospital, probably one of the ones who started the trend. It came up as a discussion because my contract was extended after only two weeks of starting. Then a couple of nurses who were overhearing the conversation said I would never get hired due to my lame degree status. Le sigh... :no: Some of the ASNs themselves. Just for the record. I am a 8 year experienced ASN with great references so it isn't like I am new at this kind of thing.

It just doesn't happen there, I have seen nurses do it on here to others. It is harder to get in I guess, but when you have experience it isn't so hard. At least for me. I am not sure about a New Grads, but hey what do I know. Maybe in the universe there is a New Grad ASN out there who did get hired with persistence at these Magnet hospitals! Especially, if they are enrolled or attending a BSN program.

Listen unless if you are not a hiring person don't say this. Why? I just don't understand it. Does it make you feel better? If someone has an Associate's Degree gets hire in a Magnet hospital, is willing to upgrade their education status, what they heck is it to you?

Just a rant I guess. Hopefully, this will be the last stop so I can continue on with my education. But, I won't ever be like, "They don't hire your kind here." :sarcastic:

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I will not be pushed into some scheme to make me feel degraded because I don't have a BSN. I have a bachelors in a hard science, that will do. I will have the knowledge of a nurse with an in depth knowledge of biology to apply in caring for my patients. As Bart Simpson would say they can "eat my shorts".

*** I wonder how far my nursing degree would get me if I was applying for a job as a biologist?

When i started school I wanted to pursue a career as a pharmacist, I almost had my foot in the door and worked as a pharm tech for 2.5+ years and absolutely despised it. I didn't feel like I was helping people, I just typed prescriptions and made phone calls, I wasn't doing much of anything. It just wasn't enough. I wanted to be able to use science, caring, technique, and good social skills to help people, and allopathic

Medicine does not do that

*** Sounds like you would have loved being an inpatient pharmacist. They deal with staff and patients all day, are a huge help to patients and and certainly use science as well as social skills daily.

ASN graduates should take the RN-BSN program since hospitals are now preferring BSN grads..

A BSN is a stepping stone to grad school and nothing more. There is no reason to spend the money on a BSN unless you want grad school or an admin position. It's a real shame that nursing is pushing this garbage as if to say that a BSN prepared nurse is somehow more qualified or able to actually take care of patients than an ADN nurse. Complete garbage.

TX911, NREMT-P, RN, BSN, CCRN-CMC-CSC

By the same standard there's no need to come across as if you're slandering those of us with BSNs for our choice.

I had a prior BS degree before going for an ABSN program. Getting my BSN took less time than an ADN would've taken in my case.

There's every single reason in the world to 'spend the money on a BSN' if that is what you want to do and can do it.

We get nowhere by slagging either side. It's a choice.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
ASN graduates should take the RN-BSN program since hospitals are now preferring BSN grads..

*** Even if they do they are still left out in the cold. The won't qualify for new grads programs when they graduate since they don't have BSN and when they get their BSN they still won't qualify since they are no longer new grads.

I always wonder why few question the increase in time and expence without an increase in pay. RN pay has been decreasing over the last 5 years but the time and expence to become an RN is increasing. Why isn't there higher pay for the BSN grad? (more than a token 0.50 cents). Why isn't anyone bothered by this?

Specializes in PACU, Surgery, Acute Medicine.

I am sure it's not a bad thing for the hospitals to hire people in a little bit of extra debt to the company store, a little extra lock on the handcuffs. It's true if they hire BSNs they don't need to do tuition reimbursement, thin I am sure that's written off anyways.

There is a dearth of research into the effect on current nurses to have this stepwise path: would also make a good study. Though it would be qualitative and the haters would immediately disregard it.

Patients, I don't know. The powers that be seemed convinced.

As someone who has spent time in management (and thus making hiring decisions), I can say this sounds a little paranoid...what manager has the luxury to say I'm going to hire Suzy over Sam because Suzy will have to go into debt because she doesn't have her BSN yet, and that way she'll be tied to staying here even if she wants to leave? Really? You hire the best nurse for the job, whoever is the best fit. If your facility requires that you only hire BSN's then those are the only applications that you see.

Specializes in PACU, Surgery, Acute Medicine.

*** It's the way these things work. If it is require training or education for your job either they have to hire those with the education they want, or pay for them to get it. It's like ACLS. If your hospital requires ACLS for your position they have to not only provide you with the training, but pay you to do it.

Are you sure they *have* to pay for that ACLS? I have to have a license to be a nurse but my facility doesn't pay for it.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
As someone who has spent time in management (and thus making hiring decisions), I can say this sounds a little paranoid...what manager has the luxury to say I'm going to hire Suzy over Sam because Suzy will have to go into debt because she doesn't have her BSN yet, and that way she'll be tied to staying here even if she wants to leave? Really? You hire the best nurse for the job, whoever is the best fit. If your facility requires that you only hire BSN's then those are the only applications that you see.

*** It's not paranoid and it's not the unit managers who feel that. I have good reason to know that part of the reason that my last hospital prefered BSN grads. They are seen as less likely to vote with their feet when faced with poor working conditions. I heard them say so. I was at a very high level meeting where I was supposed to present my data right away in the morning then leave. On my way out an old friend who is a service line manager invited me to sit at his table and take advantage of the fancy catered breakfast. I sat there for a couple hours being shocked at what I heard.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Are you sure they *have* to pay for that ACLS? I have to have a license to be a nurse but my facility doesn't pay for it.

*** Yes, if they require you to be ACLS certified for your job. At least in the 4 states I have worked as an RN.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Ok, I did say neither of *us*, how much more specific does one have to get? *LOL*

*** When you said "us" I took it to mean you and I.

*** Even if they do they are still left out in the cold. The won't qualify for new grads programs when they graduate since they don't have BSN and when they get their BSN they still won't qualify since they are no longer new grads.

I always wonder why few question the increase in time and expence without an increase in pay. RN pay has been decreasing over the last 5 years but the time and expence to become an RN is increasing. Why isn't there higher pay for the BSN grad? (more than a token 0.50 cents). Why isn't anyone bothered by this?

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THIS. Problem is I can't hit the 'like' button enough.

I was shocked when I learned prior to getting my BSN that there was no (at least starting) difference in pay for ANY RN. (I didn't care, I was still going, but that didn't change the fact that I was very surprised.)

Shoot me for it if you must, but I believe that's part of the problem. Until the powers that be establish a pay scale reflective of the education attained like the rest of the working world has, there will be no changes made in the level of education required. Because I see THAT as one of the few arguements for this that holds water: there's absolutely no incentive to actually complete a BSN if your goal is to stay at the bedside - which is where we DESPERATELY need experienced nurses to stay!!

I would also submit that hospital management needs to change its opinion of and the way it treats its RN staff, or no one will bother with a BS degree. Who in the name of God wants to get a BS (or really, any degree - any RN!), go through the rigor and the expense, and be treated no different than the janitor?

I think part of the push behind the whole BS thing is this: the thinking, though it's never said, is that if we've all got BS degrees, this treating of RNs like chattel will stop.

I'm here to say it won't.

What will stop it is start putting RNs and NPs and other RNs with more advanced degrees in medical schools as instructors. Stop this ridiculous division between the 'classes' (because that's what it is, folks, it's a caste system in many cases), stop trying to set us apart (please, please don't let me get started on why I think all this nursing diagnosis garbage damages the profession), start INTEGRATING US AS PART OF THE TEAM, regardless of what our educational background is.

Stop letting med students get away with treating RNs - TRAINED PROFESSIONALS - like handmaidens. We know they do it. We've all seen it and we've all been subjected to it. I for one call them out on it! (It's one lovely thing about the military, really - I am now the same rank as most of the MDs - and I've actually looked at a few smartmouths and said, 'Really, Captain? Because you do realize we're both captains, right?' Surgical residents, who are notorious for this, hate it. Suck it up - you're no better than I and you're not even in my chain of command, so chill out, please. Especially if we're the same rank - you do not walk on water!)

Stop taking crap from physicians that is nothing but abuse, and stop letting management kowtow to physicians. We've given the administrators all the power. Why? No other profession lets this happen. Even TEACHERS are starting to say ENOUGH, and more power to them! (Google the system in Seattle who told the administrators to take their crappy standardized tests and shove them - and won.)

If we did this, the degree might matter a bit less. If we'd stop acting like cowering puppies and start acting like professionals, we might get a bit further.

I sound like Jimmy Hoffa. We all know what happened to him....:uhoh3: And they are building a new parking deck over on the Air Force base...

*** Even if they do they are still left out in the cold. The won't qualify for new grads programs when they graduate since they don't have BSN and when they get their BSN they still won't qualify since they are no longer new grads.

I always wonder why few question the increase in time and expence without an increase in pay. RN pay has been decreasing over the last 5 years but the time and expence to become an RN is increasing. Why isn't there higher pay for the BSN grad? (more than a token 0.50 cents). Why isn't anyone bothered by this?

I'm going to get flamed for this, but I read on a link someone provided elsewhere on the board - I think it was from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing or whatever the name of that group is, and it was recent - that 60% of the workforce holds an AD/ASN.

There's your answer. Sorry, but I think it's true.

When I was hired right out of school, I was hired at a magnet hospital. I had an ADN..however, I also wasn't 20 years old and had a significant amount of work experience behind me in non-nursing.

At orientation, 73 nurses were hired. They gave us a breakdown of "who your new nursing resident class" was.

They didn't mention names but they gave demographics as to who had what kind of degree.

Out of 73 nurses, only 6 hired were ADN's.

It my interest you to know that there are 3 BSN programs in this region, but there are 8 community college ADN programs. Two of the BSN programs only admit starting in the fall while half of the community colleges admit twice per year.

If that tells you anything at all at the direction it's going.

RN-BSN programs are easy to get and you can typically get the hospital to pay for it. I would rather have it than not as if you ever desire for something more, there will come a point in your career when it will become limiting.

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