RN->BSN: Is it worth the investment at 57?

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I will be a new RN graduate soon, at the age of 57. It is strongly recommended at my school that we pursue our BSN. My family & friends are advising against doing this. After much thought, I think they may be right. I'll have loans to pay back, & won't have my BSN until I'm 60-61. I plan to work for about 13 yrs. (& 3 of that will be working on degree)

  • Is it worth the investment to go for the BSN?
  • What type of nursing positions are there that do not require a BSN?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

More education is never a bad thing. The question is Can you find a job in your area as a new grad ADN? In my area the answer would be no....

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I would go for it. Furthering your education is always a good thing. A friend of mine retired from being a floor nurse. 5 yrs later she was bored not working and was able to get a part time job as a nurse manager because of her BSN. She wasn't running around the unit plus she still had a hand in helping the pt.

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You will eventually need that BSN. Most hospitals around the country are not hiring ADNs anymore. Go for it!

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I think that if I was in your position I would check what kind of facilities are hiring ADN's in your area, and then if at all possible apply to those positions in order to gain some paid nursing experience. With nursing experience you may find an ADN is acceptable for some positions where a BSN is preferred/required. You may need to start out in an area that would not be your ideal choice, i.e. LTC, and you may also find that you enjoy working in that area, and will not feel a need to pursue a BSN. If you do wish to pursue a BSN, once you have been employed for a nurse as a while and are comfortable with your duties, if you are then inclined, I would then look in to bridging to a BSN and perhaps your employer would contribute to the cost of the program. I would try to avoid going in to debt if at all possible for a BSN, or only be willing to take on a small amount of debt: You mentioned you are 57 - given the current job market even experienced nurses have no guarantee of finding work even with a BSN. Having loans coming due without a job would not be a good situation to be in in one's early sixties, in my opinion, so I would take steps to minimize the possibility this could happen.

Good luck to you whatever you decide.

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I appreciate your time & interest you gave to my inquiry. A lot to think about. I know God will show me which direction to take, but I really appreciate all the advice I can get

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Thanks for your comment. My area demands BSN. I'm very interested to know what areas do not.

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I see & appreciate your point, but if I understand you right, your friend already had her BSN before she retired, plus she had nursing experience. I will be a new (& proud) ADN grad at 57.

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Okay, Let me ask this: What states/ areas gladly appreciate,& hire new ADN nurses?

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New grad BSN employment is a major gamble today; the deck is stacked--the house holds the odds---the players are drowning.

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I think the areas more likely to hire ADN RNs are outpatient facilities. I was an older new ADN RN at 42yo 2 years ago. I had no problem finding jobs.....school RN, ASC and now outpatient endoscopy. IMHO outpatient is really the way to go. No twelve hour shifts, weekends, nights or holidays. Kind of the perfect job! I will probably never work in a hospital because of the BSN preference (I do have a BS in psych, though), but I am absolutely okay with that!

Good luck!

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The answer depends on where you live and how long you plan to work. I'm roughly in your demographic and completed my ADN three years ago. After having some difficulty getting a nursing job, I returned to school and completed an RN-BSN program. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped at all since I am competing with quite literally thousands of other new grads for that coveted first nursing job.

In many parts of the country, new grads are finding it difficult bordering on impossible to find that first job because there are so many nursing grads out there (an ever-increasing number as nursing schools continue to ramp up their enrollment). Most hospitals in many parts of the country have simply stopped hiring ADNs since there are so many BSNs for them to choose from. Many more hospitals are seeking magnet status, and gradually weeding out ADN and diploma RNs. The same shift to "BSN required" is also occurring at nursing homes in my area, though it is not yet as drastic.

The bottom line is that if you live in an area with a lot of nursing grads, you will probably need the BSN. If you plan on staying in nursing for more than a few years, you will also probably need the BSN. If you want to advance within nursing, you will almost certainly need the BSN. If however, hospitals and other institutions employing nurses in your area are hiring ADNs, and if your working horizon is limited, then you needn't bother with the BSN.

Sorry for what surely seems like a negative response. It may be that, but I assure you that it is also a very realistic assessment of the situation in many, if not not most parts of the country both at present and for the foreseeable future.

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