San Diego job outlook (determines Assoc vs Bach RN degree)

sungrl22 · Jun 10, 2011

Hi Kelly,

I am a new grad RN currently living in SD. I was in OU's accelerated BSN program. It is true that the program is no longer offered. I have heard different things but in my opinion you should definitely get a BSN. Many hospitals prefer BSN candidates now to those with an associate's degree and many now state that they do give preferences to those candidates. I believe Point Loma also offers a second degree program or they did a few years ago.

I can't answer most of your other questions at this time. However, the field for new grads is very competitive at the moment, especially in San Diego. Nurses do get paid more to work the night shift and most new grads will need to start out on the night shift initially. Many of my friends have had to relocate to find work and are thinking of coming back to SD after they get some experience. I have heard L&D can be difficult to get into at first, however, two of my classmates were able to get into Sharp March Birch right after graduation because they had senior preceptorships there so it can be done. Best of luck!

NjRNinCA · Jun 11, 2011

Hello. I'm a diploma RN graduate from NJ that recently moved to Cali. I have never had a problem getting a job thankfully. I have done Med/Television for 3 yrs. Did case management for 1 yr. And SNF for 2 yrs. I just moved to Cali through a travel agency 4 months ago, and landed a full time staff position in the bay area. In my experience , there is no pay difference between Diploma RN from BSN thanks to most unions. An RN is an RN to most unions. Now it is true that there are alot of places that prefer a BSN but there are more that just don't pay that much attention to it. If money is tight, or u just don't want to much money tied into getting education, I suggest getting your diploma, then getting your BSN. You'll end up making the same and then u can prob. Get tuition assistance through your employer if your lucky.

Hope this helps b

Mec_Happens · Jun 11, 2011

I can only speak from my own experience. I have a BS in an unrelated field, and wanted to complete nursing school the fastest and most economical way possible. I completed my ADN at a local community college. After graduation last year I landed my dream job in L&D. I know I was hired over another BSN candidate. If you really want to go into OB, I HIGHLY recommend taking the Regional Perinatal Course through the San Diego regional perinatal system.

I plan on going back to school, but I think I'm going to go straight for my MSN b/c I don't really see the point of a second bachelors. My point is, do the program that will be the fastest and most economical. If you can complete your ADN and start working and earning a nursing salary before you would complete a BSN program I say go for it. You can always finish your BSN after completing your ADN. If you're applying to CC's in San Diego, don't just limit yourself to just SDCC - I would apply to all of them to increase your odds.

Good luck!

KMLSanDiego · Jun 11, 2011

Tremendously helpful. Thank you!! I feel encouraged again. :)

Does anyone know if certain SD hospitals are more ADN-friendly?

Mec Happens... major congratulations on your job! How are you liking it? I will certainly pursue the RP course.

BeccaznRN, RN · Jun 11, 2011

**please forgive my double-posting here and on the nursing programs thread. **
i have a few questions about the job market and outlook in sd.
i'm a sahm and plan to go back to school for nursing degree when my child starts school. i already have a bachelor's. correct me if i'm wrong, but the 2nd degree programs at cssm and national will require at least $30k+, while an assoc rn degree at sdcc is only @ $3k?
does anyone see a huge reason why spending an additional $25k would be justified at this time (i could always go back to school to get my bsn later). would there be that fewer opportunities and the pay that much less? if you already have a bachelor's degree, you still may be competitive with the adn/asn. this is very dependent on the job market in your area.
i can't find any concrete information on this.... did the univ of ok nursing online/accelerated (for sd nurses) program end?
i also have some basic, general questions about nursing. i've only ever worked in the corporate world with salary (no o/t) and 2 weeks paid vacation a year. the nursing field is completely new to me.
my dream is to work in l&d. how competitive is it to get into? again, this is very dependent on the job market in your area. at this point, southern california new grads are having a difficult time all around. check out the graduate nurse forum here (under the student tab) - many of these posts are from people trying to get into new grad programs in southern california.
i would need to work part-time... does that break down into 2 - 12 hr shifts a week? it does. however, new grads generally always start out full-time nights - especially in a specialty like l&d where there is so much to learn. you will likely be hard-pressed to find a l&d unit that will let you start as a new grad working part-time.
how much do nurses have control over how much vacation time they're able to take? a lot of units utilize self-scheduling, but you may still need to have vacation approved (choice is usually based on seniority), like any other job in the corporate world.
is there a difference in pay scale when working days/nights/weekend? a friend said she has a friend who gets paid triple time for weekends? dependent on the facility. most facilities will offer differentials for evenings, nights, and weekends. i would expect triple time for weekends to be pretty rare though.
union vs non-union i have never worked at a union facility, but i can say that california nurses across the board are covered under the state ratio laws.
best hospital/employer reputations in sd area.
best program reputations
thank you... you've no idea how much time i've put into all this research and still can't find the most basic of answers.

i placed the answers i am qualified to answer in blue. i started working as a new grad in l&d in ventura county back in 2006, when the economy was much better for new grads. so while it's always possible to break into this specialty as a new grad, the job market is very competitive right now. this may change by the time you graduate, but it may not. i apologize if i've painted a grim picture for you, but it is what it is and better that you go into this field as an informed student. once you have some experience under your belt, your job opportunities will be much better. however, until you get at least a year of hospital experience, expect a tough go.

best of luck to you!

KMLSanDiego · Jun 12, 2011

Thanks, Becca. I appreciate the grim reality truth. I actually feel more confident having the straight story than having a bunch of outdated, inaccurate info. And FWIW, I'm exclusively speaking about the San Diego market, if that helps with your responses.

SunSurfRN · Jun 13, 2011

Thanks, Becca. I appreciate the grim reality truth. I actually feel more confident having the straight story than having a bunch of outdated, inaccurate info. And FWIW, I'm exclusively speaking about the San Diego market, if that helps with your responses.

Theres 1000 applicants for 40 openings at Scripps, to give you an idea of what you are up against. These numbers aren't inflated either.

jojonavy · Jun 13, 2011

What ever you decide, to go with the ADN or BSN, it is empirative that you network early. Try getting a position as a CNA or student nurse at a hospital that provides new grad programs. Internal applicants would almost always get priority.

I'm a BSN graduate, and I wish I had worked as a student nurse or CNA at certain hospitals. For example; I have 5 classmates whom got into the Torrance Memorial Hospital program out of 1000's of applicants. They all worked there as student nurses.

Though make sure you get into a hospital that has a new grad program. The girl who graduated top of her class is still looking for a job, even though she worked at a hospital for a couple of years.

sd-ace · Jul 25, 2011

Definitely work as a CNA or extern if you can while in school. It's really the only way to get a job nowadays. I wish I had. Also, the ADN programs in San Diego are severely impacted and very very competitive. You could wait a year or two to even enter nursing school. The private programs like National are having their own troubles. The gov't recently stopped giving federal loans to these students because so many have defaulted in the past couple of years due to the horrendous job market for nurses. The state schools are super expensive now because of the CA spending cuts. Overall, I kind of wish I hadn't gone to nursing school, but I didn't have my crystal ball at the time. Sorry for being such a downer, but it's the reality we live in right now.

qnhip · Sep 6, 2012

Hi [COLOR=#003366]Mec_Happens , thank you so much for your advise. I am currently i the ADN program at SWC and my dream would be to work in the L&D also. Regarding the Regional Perinatal Course through the San Diego regional perinatal system... would you recomend me taking this while in the nursing program or do I have to be an RN to take the course. Do you have any advise for me as I want to follow in your footsteps. It's so hard to even get hired on as a CNA, I will try to get my foot in the door as a volunteer, hopefully that would help! Thanks : )