RN, ADN being obsolete

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I recently got in contact with a nursing school (ASA college) inquired regarding a RN program. i was informed by a counselor that they only offer the BSN being that the RN license is becoming obsolete and will be within the next 2 years. Has any nurses or medical professionals heard about this?

Specializes in CCRN.
Its basically a state wide problem here in PA, a nursing surplus, with the worst areas being Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown. Does not help that PA does not belong to the nursing compact license state, so once you have your PA license, its really a pain to transfer it to other states. This is why there is such a surplus of nurses here...guessing you are talking about KY?

That really depends on where you are in PA. I'm in central PA at a local hospital and we just hired a ton of new graduate ADN RN's into multiple departments in our hospital. We have tons of open positions and dozens of travelers being used in order to staff our hospital. We do not require our RN's to get their BSN (though it is encouraged and there is a tuition program available).

Also, PA not being in the nursing compact has little to do with the pain that comes with getting licenses in other states. Any state has their own hoops to go through if you need to get a license by endorsement. I've been licensed in multiple states, including PA, and did not have an issue getting any of my licenses.

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Specializes in CCRN.
So, for those of you who are waxing poetic about the number of available jobs, I'm definitely open to relocating for a year (or two) but would love some direction on where to even begin to look. Would you be willing to share a few "prime" locations to look in? I'm a freshly graduated AAS with the NCLEX behind me.

I think the Dallas-Fort Worth area might be over-saturated with new grads? I've asked for feedback from several professors about what to changes to make in my resume and cover letter. I have a good GPA, volunteer history, glowing recommendations and have applied to over 50 different positions without so much as a call back for an interview. Yes, I know a few fellow students who have been hired at magnet hospitals, but it turns out they are rare exceptions. I can't even get into a LTC facility without 6 months of RN experience!

I'm already enrolled in online classes to bridge to the ever-coveted BSN, but in the meantime I'd like to get a job lol! Where are these elusive "hot spots" that are hiring associate degree RN's please?

DuBois, PA. The hospital I work for is one of 4 within our little health system. All 4 hospitals have openings and hire ADN RNs. We just hired nultiple new graduate ADN RN's into our ICU this passed summer and are currently interviewing more that are graduating this winter and even next May for the continued open positions we have.

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So, for those of you who are waxing poetic about the number of available jobs, I'm definitely open to relocating for a year (or two) but would love some direction on where to even begin to look. Would you be willing to share a few "prime" locations to look in? I'm a freshly graduated AAS with the NCLEX behind me.

I think the Dallas-Fort Worth area might be over-saturated with new grads? I've asked for feedback from several professors about what to changes to make in my resume and cover letter. I have a good GPA, volunteer history, glowing recommendations and have applied to over 50 different positions without so much as a call back for an interview. Yes, I know a few fellow students who have been hired at magnet hospitals, but it turns out they are rare exceptions. I can't even get into a LTC facility without 6 months of RN experience!

I'm already enrolled in online classes to bridge to the ever-coveted BSN, but in the meantime I'd like to get a job lol! Where are these elusive "hot spots" that are hiring associate degree RN's please?

I'm in Dayton, OH. I graduate in May and already have a job. We have hospitals all over the state hiring like crazy.

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LPN's are making a comeback in central PA on med-surg units. WHY??? Because they can't get RN's. All the young BSN's are back to school right away for APRN and GONE! They want ED, ICU, L&D, not med-surg for their 2 years of inpatient experience.

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
So, for those of you who are waxing poetic about the number of available jobs, I'm definitely open to relocating for a year (or two) but would love some direction on where to even begin to look. Would you be willing to share a few "prime" locations to look in? I'm a freshly graduated AAS with the NCLEX behind me.

I think the Dallas-Fort Worth area might be over-saturated with new grads? I've asked for feedback from several professors about what to changes to make in my resume and cover letter. I have a good GPA, volunteer history, glowing recommendations and have applied to over 50 different positions without so much as a call back for an interview. Yes, I know a few fellow students who have been hired at magnet hospitals, but it turns out they are rare exceptions. I can't even get into a LTC facility without 6 months of RN experience!

I'm already enrolled in online classes to bridge to the ever-coveted BSN, but in the meantime I'd like to get a job lol! Where are these elusive "hot spots" that are hiring associate degree RN's please?

Try SC. And not just rural SC. Upstate SC needs nurses.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Its basically a state wide problem here in PA, a nursing surplus, with the worst areas being Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown. Does not help that PA does not belong to the nursing compact license state, so once you have your PA license, its really a pain to transfer it to other states. This is why there is such a surplus of nurses here...guessing you are talking about KY?

https://allnurses.com/nursing-activism-healthcare/pa-state-cites-1179593.html#post9994503

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There are ADN nurses working in magnet hospitals.

I'm one of them.

I'm a midwest city girl and have not had a problem finding employment in my 7 years with an ASN. I'm still working on my BSN though because of tuition reimbursement for a 12 month work commitment, and the desire to get the heck out of dodge sooner than later. I don't want my ASN to hold me back because other cities have a different employment market.

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Wondering if you live in my neck of the woods! Nursing wages here are low, and new grads fight for jobs. Most nurses travel to Louisville, Indy or Cinci for work due to lack of jobs in our area, as more seasoned nurses usually get the jobs that are desired. And some of our LTCs are asking for BSNs at this point. Also, in regards to comments on stagnant wages, I'm only making a couple bucks more than I did starting out 20 years ago as an ADN and now MSN, and other nurses that I know at the same level are singing the same song regardless of degree. Local hospitals only hire BSNs to do nursing, ADNs and LPNs are hired to do CNA work only, not allowed to do other work per their P&P, and they don't do tuition assistance to help get the BSN! Thank goodness for low cost of living, most of my bills being paid off, and OT when I need it. Sad...

That is terrifying! I only make a few dollars more an hour in the hospital now than I did in LTC/SAR during my first year of nursing, but I never felt like I was getting ripped off until the rent hikes that have happened here in the last few years. I need to get out of apartment living. BUT the job market overall is good in the Indianapolis area. My ASN has never been a problem.

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Why would a hospital prefer a lower education over a higher one?

My BSN coursework so far has been absolutely useless to my bedside nursing.

An ASN is not going to be preferred, but it's perfectly reasonable for an employer to be indifferent to ASN vs BSN to consider other factors in who is most suited to a job.

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.
Its basically a state wide problem here in PA, a nursing surplus, with the worst areas being Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown. Does not help that PA does not belong to the nursing compact license state, so once you have your PA license, its really a pain to transfer it to other states.

It's not remotely challenging to transfer your license to another state or get a license. I know this from experience - I have multiple state licenses. It's been posted on other threads and on this one - Wilkes-Barre and Scranton need nurses. I've also seen repeated needs in Reading. There's a lot of Pennsylvania outside of Philly, Pitt, and Allentown.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Its basically a state wide problem here in PA, a nursing surplus, with the worst areas being Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown. Does not help that PA does not belong to the nursing compact license state, so once you have your PA license, its really a pain to transfer it to other states. This is why there is such a surplus of nurses here...guessing you are talking about KY?

Much like the rest of the country, you can't gneeralize your experience to the entire state. My facility is currently offering both a referral bonus (for current employees who refer a candidate who is hired) and a sign on bonus.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I have an associate degree, and I have held every position from line staff to DON (my current position, which I have held for over 11 years). The lack of a BSN doesn't seem to have damaged my career too badly. If it came down the pipe right now that I had to have a BSN in order to practice, at this stage of the game I would just leave nursing.

BSNs are still a minority among RNs. You don't strengthen a profession by excluding most of the people in it.

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