RN vs BSN - help!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 19, 2012

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I can tell you there is a movement towards BSN graduates. The job market is very tight. Nursing is not recession proof nor is there a shortage.

Nurses Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Has the Nursing Shortage Disappeared?

It's that time of year again. Graduating nursing students are preparing to take the NCLEX and are looking for their first jobs. This year, many are finding those first jobs in short supply.

Reports are rampant of new graduates being unable to find open positions in their specialty of choice, and even more shockingly, many are finding it tough to find any openings at all.

These new RNs entered school with the promise that nursing is a recession-proof career. They were told the nursing shortage would guarantee them employment whenever and wherever they wanted.

So what happened? Has the nursing shortage--that we've heard about incessantly for years--suddenly gone away?

The short term answer is clearly yes, although in the long term, unfortunately, the shortage will still be there.

The recession has brought a temporary reprieve to the shortage. Nurses who were close to retirement have seen their 401(k) portfolios plummet and their potential retirement income decline. They are postponing retirement a few more years until the economy--and their portfolios--pick up.

Many nurses have seen their spouses and partners lose their jobs and have increased their hours to make ends meet for their families. Some who left the profession to care for children or for other reasons have rejoined the workforce for similar reasons.

In addition, many hospitals are not hiring. The recession brought hiring freezes to healthcare facilities across the country, and many are still in effect. Help wanted ads for healthcare professionals dropped by 18,400 listings in July, even as the overall economy saw a modest increase of 139,200 in online job listings.

Has the Nursing Shortage Disappeared?##

The Big Lie?

Without a doubt, the main source of frustration experienced by recently graduated and licensed but still unemployed nurses is what could be called "the big lie."In other words, the television commercials that encourage young people to become nurses -- and then abandon them for months (or years) without employment; and the educators who tell them that the associate's degree is perfectly adequate to guarantee employment, that they will have their pick of jobs when they graduate, and that there is plenty of time to get a BSN later on. Who knows whether it is greed, ignorance, or wishful thinking that underlies the fairy tales told to nursing students about their future job prospects? Whatever the motivation, the disillusionment of our new grads is palpable. The jobs they expected after all of their hard work just haven't materialized, and some grads are getting pretty desperate.

Medscape: Medscape Access for the full article.Medscape requires registration but it is free.

GoodLuck in your endeavours

MattNurse, MSN, RN · May 20, 2012

go for ASN so you can start making money quicker. ASN and BSN's get paid the same for most part, you just won't get hired at Magnet hospital w/ ASN. I graduated w/ a diploma and over time worked my way up to MSN. Some of the nurses on my unit that have been around 20+ years and have diploma degrees make same amount as me.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

It depends on where you are located and where you want to work. In my state, the academic medical centers will only hire BSNs. If you would only be happy working in an ICU in a large teaching facility in a major metropolitan area, go for the BSN. If you would be ok working med/surg at a community hospital and would rather start working sooner, the ADN may be the appropriate route. Just consider all factors before you make your decision.

CarryThatWeight, BSN · May 21, 2012

go for ASN so you can start making money quicker. ASN and BSN's get paid the same for most part, you just won't get hired at Magnet hospital w/ ASN. I graduated w/ a diploma and over time worked my way up to MSN. Some of the nurses on my unit that have been around 20+ years and have diploma degrees make same amount as me.

I have to disagree. It is not just Magnet hospitals that won't hire you with an ADN. It is many, many hospitals, even ones that are not Magnet. I know this from experience of searching for a job myself with an ADN. An ADN is currently a disadvantage, and it certainly doesn't mean you will be able to make money quicker. In a difficult economy, why not give yourself every advantage?

Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN · May 22, 2012

I think it depends on your location. It seems that hiring of ADNs as well as the job market are very regional topics. In my area, new grads can easily find jobs. The cost of living is low & the pay is good. On my unit, a majority of nurses are graduates of the local tech school. In my orientation group of 12 nurses, only 1 nurse was a BSN. To make your decision it would be best to look into the job market in your region.

knighton201 · May 22, 2012

I've been doing the frantic job search for my first job recently as well, and yes for new grads, not a lot of openings that I have been able to find... however seems there are a ton of openings for people with 1+ years experience at least in the areas i've been looking, not to mentioned even seeing traveling nurse jobs (1+ year experience again I've been told) all over the place which typically cost the employer a pretty penny. However if you can get that first job and get that 1 or more years of experience, if the current trend holds, you'll be very marketable.

Also keep in mind the pay difference from what i've heard is $0.50 more per hour with a BSN

MattNurse, MSN, RN · May 22, 2012

I have to disagree. It is not just Magnet hospitals that won't hire you with an ADN. It is many, many hospitals, even ones that are not Magnet. I know this from experience of searching for a job myself with an ADN. An ADN is currently a disadvantage, and it certainly doesn't mean you will be able to make money quicker. In a difficult economy, why not give yourself every advantage?

In my experience and knowing the ADN's I had in my clinical rotations they are finding jobs within 6 months after graduation. They may not have their dream job but they are working 18 months earlier then the BSN counterpart making $80k a year which would factor to be $120k over the 18 months. They also can get an online BSN while working. This is in the New York City metro area.

CarryThatWeight, BSN · May 22, 2012

In my experience and knowing the ADN's I had in my clinical rotations they are finding jobs within 6 months after graduation. They may not have their dream job but they are working 18 months earlier then the BSN counterpart making $80k a year which would factor to be $120k over the 18 months. They also can get an online BSN while working. This is in the New York City metro area.

I have heard that some places in NY are not hiring at all, and others are hiring like crazy! I think it really is regional. The places I've applied include California (northern and southern), Maryland, DC, PA, and TX. All seemed to want BSN, because as soon as I got that, the calls for interviews started to come in! Prior to that, the experience, 4.0, honors, scholarships, etc. really did not matter, and the only change I made to the resume was to add the BSN when I graduated. This is just my experience. IF you can get a job as an ADN, you can get to work and make money faster. But another thing to consider is whether you want to go to two separate programs to achieve the same goal of BSN. Finances definitely factor in, but you also have to consider that the job market for ADN's may be better, or even worse by the time you graduate. Most are predicting worse. It is an individual choice.

tyvin, BSN, RN · May 22, 2012

Go for the BSN.

MattNurse, MSN, RN · May 23, 2012

OP what you may want to do is go to the region you want to work and repost this discussion and see if nurses in that region can give you a better answer.