RN in school getting BSN and hospitals still wont hire

JenieLou · Jun 28, 2011

Strange how competive things have gotten in the last few years. I graduated 20 years ago with my ADN and it was a given you had a job when you got out of school. Almost nobody was interested where I was in getting their BSN. The standard line was "why bother its only worth another 50 or dollar an hour anyway" I went ahead and got mine several years ago, now seems nobody will look at anyone unless they at least have a BSN. I even interviewed for a couple of jobs lately and even WITH a bsn and 20 years experience-no calls back Wouldnt want to be a new grad today. I'm gonna try going back for my DNP and becoming an NP, the midlevel management jobs suck.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jun 28, 2011

Hi
I just recently graduated from Gwynedd Mery College, with my ASN. Gwynedd is a 2+2 program. I really want to work in the hospital on a Med surg floor, however the problem that I'am having is that alot of hospitals in the philadelphia area will not hire you unless you have your BSN. I just dont understand.

*** They don't want you yet cause you doen't owe enough in student loans. Once you get your BSN you will likely have a bunch of student debt. Nurses in a lot of debt are more compliant, less likely to rock the boat, more likely to put up with managment BS and tolerate poor working conditions. See if you are just an ADN who doesn't owe anyone for your degree and there are plenty of jobs out there why would you put up with poor working conditions?

That is, I believe, the whole motivation behind the BSN only hiring.

aprilfresh · Jun 28, 2011

BSN only is becoming the a new Magnet status requirement. I am starting my BSN in September and am getting rejection after rejection - should I put I am 40K in debt and willing to kiss your butt all day in my resume? haha

dudette10, MSN, RN · Jun 28, 2011

Not so sure if it's your ADN or just this crappy economic environment.

We'll see if my fancy-schmancy and expensive BSN (and a GPA to die for) is worth it. Licensed for less than two weeks, 47 applications, and multiple phone calls to nurse managers...will keep y'all posted. :)

Callisonanne · Jun 28, 2011

I'll add ADN degree, willing to wash cars on my days off if they hire me. Dog walking service?? why not!

hope3456, ASN, RN · Jun 28, 2011

How many students were there in your graduating class? How many nursing schools are there in your locale and how many classes do they graduate per year? How many applicants from new grad RN's do you think the m/s mgr is getting? think about it.

In many states - the nursing schools are graduating more students than there are jobs for. If this is happening in philly - even a bachelors may not help you. there are BSN's here on AN complaining about the job market as well.

RhinoRocketRN · Jun 28, 2011

i know, esp for philly, it'll be hard to compete for a job without a BSN.. esp with schools like Drexel who have students in co-ops (these co-op facilities usually tend to hire their co-op students post graduation) then you have Thomas Jefferson, and Penn.. and even temple all very good baccalaureate programs, just within a few miles of eachother

jayonline1218 · Jun 28, 2011

How do hospitals expect for a Nurse to have one year experience if they don't give them a chance??? Most places won't even consider other experience! Even if you acquire your BSN with no hospital experience, I doubt they will even hire you??? It's very disappointing that so much has changed in the past 2 years!!! :banghead:

Sehille4774 · Jun 28, 2011

I knew alot of Gwynedd Mercy nursing students who did the summer externship at PMMC while I was there as an extern from Alvernia College. They were also doing the 2 + 2. This was in 2008.

After 2009 alot of the local hiring freezes, externships, ect. stopped with the economic crisis. I was AT Reading Hospital at clinical the day they laid off 135 people. At the time I graduated in May 2009, their were some jobs that I applied for, especially in the hospitals where it might be 80-140 people applying for one spot. It has gotten better since then, hopefully it will keep going that way. I used to only see "experience only" ads at hospitals. Now I see "will consider new-grads" frequently.

I have a BSN. Also had 5 years as a CNA in nursing homes, hospital externship, 3.3 gpa. Not the best perhaps, but as new grads go my resume and "readienss" to work on a med-surg floor was pretty good compared to other new grads. I had heard at the time, locally that it had alot more to do with the 1 year of experience thing and not so much ASN vs BSN. I used to see "BSN not required but preferred". I have probably applied to just about every hospital in the philly area too, about a year ago. Bear in mind that maybe 30-40% of nurses have the BSN. We are vastly outnumbered by everyone else. Hospitals cant run on BSNs alone....far from it!

I did not get a med-surg or any other hospital spot.

I did find employment about 2 months after I passed the boards. (Made about 50k last year). I haven't given up...but I had made the decision to stay where I am for the time being rather then continue to drive myself crazy when the odds for me landing the job in hosp were ridiculous at the time. (I am actually curious about what it is like in the HC job market now. Havent tried for about a year but will again soon I think) I ended up doing pediatric home care then trained on the high-tech trach and ventilator cases within a month or two of starting..they are in desperate need. I have interviewed on a peds unit at PMMC and was told that being a home care nurse would have put me high on the list for a spot but they had alot of internal candidates. For about 350$, I can take a test now to become a Certified Pediatric Nurse or CPN..(RN, BSN, CPN) which would open even more doors for me. You need peds in the ER and for NP (family), so I didnt mind. Chop hires nurses without hosp experience too. So point is just that----even though I didnt get to enter nursing in the traditional way many say you have to..my career is not over..my options are not limited. (I REALLY wanted to do med-surg to progressive care or ER/ICU. . Yes, I was paying 25-30k for my school too and killed my self working/studing for the ability to get a hospital spot!

It finally helped me more to think of it this way...their are many nursing spots open...hundreds...across our area....one of them WILL give you a job.

If I was back where you are, I would be applying to Nursing homes..manor care is an instant hire so I have heard.but a tough environment. But the acquity is often high in this setting and you would be demonstrating to your future hospital employer that you can handle an assignment. Many LTCF have TCU-like step down units (short-term rehab) that are close to hospital experience.

I haven't impressed with what the BSN has gotten me....I have encountered the attitude.."Oh, BSN..thats nice. But you dont have any experience huh?"

Good luck!

send me a message if you would like the names of some places to try.

Sehille4774 · Jun 28, 2011

Fascinating insite!!! Never thought of it that way...but so true!.I would Never pull some of the S#$% that others would with my 48k in debt!..i have to work! and while i am a work, i HAVE to maintain a good reputation/reviews and references so that I could GET another job if I want out of these S!@#ty working conditions.

Funny.....I signed up for all the education because I though it would set me free. Hasn't changed my standard of living at this time much either. Course I have been the only one in the house with job for the last 2 yrs unless you count my full-time college student sister who works as a CNA. Thanks Dad/economy.

J/k

Pretty happy with things, all things considering.

NewTexasRN · Jun 28, 2011

BSN only is becoming the a new Magnet status requirement. I am starting my BSN in September and am getting rejection after rejection - should I put I am 40K in debt and willing to kiss your butt all day in my resume? haha

Hey UT of A has a $8,000 RN-BSN program. What $40,000?