Should I Be Scared of Getting an ADN in 2011?

Vinster · Jan 25, 2011

New Jersey has closed 13 hospitals in the last 4 years so there are a lot of nurses in this (the NYC metro) area. New ASN's aren't getting hired as quickly if there are 10 year BSN's around and there are. But all 60 nurses in my school's last graduating class were hired within 7 months. They were all diploma RN's with an ASN from the community college. Of course not all of them went to hospitals. I would say, don't worry about it, just get in. Especially if you need to get out and work ASAP. With your degree you're already given preference for the BSN so it may not matter.

Joie_de_vivre · Feb 9, 2011

To PACO69, i'm in the same boat as you... at this point ive realized that I can ONLY for for my aas if I want to keep working full time. The only program in my area that will allow me to work and go to school part time for my BSN, is tooo expensive (LIU in brooklyn... 896.00 per credit- 66 credits= lots of money. i have undergrad loans from my BS degree that I will be paying for the next 20 yrs).

So i plan to do the aas degree, then do the bsn either online or wherever life takes me. For now I have to stick to where I live and work, nyc- all the best to you:up:

LTV950rn · Feb 16, 2011

I am an ADN, graduated Dec 2010, and found a job about a month after graduating as an RN. A good, reputable employer looks for a well-rounded individual with some sort of experience. Any new grad with hardly any healthcare experience, BSN or not, is going to have a harder time right now-that is just reality. My suggestion is to do the program that is best for your situation, and work on getting some good experience in healthcare as a CNA or something similar in the meantime. I had work experience as an LPN in a clinic and private duty setting, as well as PCA experience in a group home. The job I got offered was doing private duty nursing and the reason they looked at my resume was due to my work experience, not whether I had my associate's or BSN. Another new grad RN I graduated with worked as an ER tech while she was in school and ended up getting offered a floor job at the hospital she worked at. Good luck to you, and hope this helps some.

soxgirl2008 · Mar 1, 2011

I agree with the post above. At my hospital they pay ADN and BSN nurses the same, and don't care which you have, what they do care about is work experience. They will almost always take an ADN graduate with healthcare work experience over a BSN graduate with none. While I believe furthering your education is important, working in a hospital as a CNA I see what a headstart it gives you to get some healthcare work experience. Our hospital also usually tries to hire within the hospital first when hiring new grads.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 1, 2011

The fastest and least expensive route to RN will almost surely be as an ADN. There is usually only a trivial salary differential between ADNs and BSNs, assuming you are fortunate enough to find employment. If your goal is to work as nurse after getting your degree and becoming an RN however, you may find that there are fewer openings for ADNs than for BSNs, though this is largely dependent on where you are located.

In my part of the world (Phila metro area), 2 of the largest hospital chains are both in the process of trying to attain magnet status. The immediate impact of this is to eliminate new grad ADNs from consideration for employment at these institutions. The follow-on impact is that other hospitals and health care institutions in the area, including some LTCs, now state "BSN required" as one of their employment criteria, effectively barring new ADNs. The majority of nursing positions in the Phila now state "BSN preferred", which is not an absolute barrier to getting hired as an ADN but does make it more difficult. From what I can see, this is also a trend in other parts of the country and one which ironically is supported - at least tacitly - by the ANA.

My situation was similar to yours (second-degree RN) and I needed to continue to work while in nursing school. With that in mind, as well as cost, I opted for the ADN. While I don't regret my choice, it has made it difficult to find nursing employment: I have not yet been able to get an interview for a nursing position. Thankfully, this is not critical in my case since I have simply continued in my old, non-health care related job. The story would be quite different if I had to find work as an RN: The unofficial statistic from my CC, which has a well-regarded and quite competitive nursing program is that 90% of my class from 2010 have been unsuccessful in finding jobs. The success rate for new BSNs from local schools, some of which have less competitive admissions and lower NCLEX pass rates, reportedly is much better. So I plan to go with the new flow and will begin an on-line RN-BSN program this summer. The hope that - and the part-time job as a CNA that I hope to get (interview pending) - will be enough to open the door to a nursing position sometime in early 2013.

So should you be "scared" to get an ADN? No, but you should be realistic and be prepared to relocate if you do. My recommendation is that if you can afford it, go directly for the BSN.

Mac00 · Mar 2, 2011

Hospitals on LI such as Stony Brook and the LIJ network will not take ADNs w/

If you already have a bachelor's then the BSN is the better option and will take the same amount of time as a ADN.

I am currently enrolled in Stony Brook's nursing program if you have any questions I am happy to answer them.

Ashley627 · Jul 2, 2012

I am in the same boat as well, I already have a BS but getting a BSN is too expensive for me. I will be starting and ASN in August, I currently work in a hospital as a unit secretary, unfortunately I already know that I will not be offered a position at my current job, which has magnet status and does not hire ASN nurses...but you have to do what you have to do! I couldn't find a job within the scope of my first degree, so this is nothing new for me! but finding employment is inevitable! so keep on keepin on

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2012

WOW, this is an old thread. So much has transpired since Jan 2011.

UPDATE: I was accepted to two accelerated BSN programs about 2 months after I posted the original message. Turns out attending one year at a public university was going to cost less than 2 years for a private school associates, how odd is that? As a result, I withdrew my application to the one ADN program to which I applied. I was living in FL at the time and decided to accept the offer from the nursing school in NY, so I returned to NY and just graduated with my BSN this past May. I was offered a job right after graduation at the university hospital and will start orientation later this week! I will be taking my NCLEX sometime next month.

I am still amazed at how fast this all happened. And in hindsight, I must say: choosing the BSN route was the way to go, especially in the NY area. If you can do the BSN, do it! But in some areas of the USA, an ADN might just do.

Good luck everyone :)

piscesgrl389 · Jul 5, 2012

Paco- idk if you remember me but back in 2011 we were both apply for stony brooks acc. BSN program but i didnt get in so i ended up going to UMDNJ acc BSN program that summer. I cant believe you already graduated ! man has time flew by ! congrats! =)) def. happy for you ! hope when i graduate i will be as lucky in finding a job. lol

kat184 · Jul 14, 2012

Paco-Do you think you received enough clinical exposure in the accelerated BSN program? I would like to go that route as well, but it appears those programs may lack some clinical experience. I'm having a hard time making a decision.

scurbro · Jul 15, 2012

This problem is right where I am, and what I have posted on another post. I am considering all my options. I know there are bridge programs, so its not like I'm never going to get my BSN. I am just trying to break into the nursing field first as a caregiver or CNA (caregiver is a greater possibility right now, because businesses are more willing to train caregivers because they aren't really required to be CNA's, just some prefer CNA's).

I have applied to two jobs right now. A Caregiver position at an assisted living facility, and a housekeeper position at a care home and rehabilitation center. I am hoping for both quite frankly. I am really hoping that I can get the job. I am nervous though, because they could just hire a CNA rather then me.

I could go directly into School, but its not possible right now. I need work first.

Honestly I think the ANA is creating the nursing shortage. Constantly pushing for higher and higher degrees is always going to create a shortage of health professionals and having a requirement to a full RN staff is going to do nothing for the profession honestly in my humble opinion. Entry level degrees should be just that, entry level, either Associates or Diploma work fine for that. Bachelors degrees are entry level too but slightly higher then Associates. I saw a comment that we should look up north to Canada and I'm starting to think that this would be a great idea. I am not certain how they do this in Canada though, and probably should research more about it, however below I have outlined what I think would be a great way to go in the Nursing field.

Licensed Practical Nurse is the entry nurse position at the Associates level: they encompass CNA work and bedside care that they currently already have in scope of practice laws, the programs have the option of being 1-2 years, and you could have two levels Licensed Practical Nurse and Advanced Licensed Practical Nurse (sort of like CNA and PCT, a PCT is an Advanced practice CNA in many areas in fact this probably would replace the need for CNA's and PCT, creating two levels of Licensed Practical Nursing, maybe one being Licensed Practical Nurse, and Registered Practical Nurse) (Just hypothesizing)

BSN: This would be your entry level RN degree, if it takes you 2 years for pre-professional stuff and 2 years for professional program that effectively is a 4 year program, and this should be given at your local community college as well as at a University system. In fact more partnerships should be done between 4 year and 2 year schools to allow for joint admissions. I also agree with the Cohort system in which you have 2 or 3 programs starting at overlapping intervals. Which increases seats, but paces students at different points in the program.

Then your MSN becomes your Clinical NP degree in which you specialize in Neonatal care, Emergency Nursing etc(and the title changes from Registered Nurse, to Registered Nurse Practitioner with this degree)

The Doctor of Nurse Practice: This would be your teaching degree effectively erasing need for a PH.D., the title is in the Degree itself Doctor of Nurse Practice. Yes I know there is a huge fight right now between Nurses and MD's about this but honestly any one who sits through 4 more years of nursing school at this advanced level should be called a Doctor, but they should always clarify what type of doctor they are, and it should only be used in professional teaching capacity. We need more Nursing teachers anyway, so this degree would only be for those who intend to teach nursing professionally. Even start their own Nursing school. They must maintain their nursing license from the state obviously.

And 1 more thing. From what I hear, I think Clinical should be like internships (only a little shorter), you go and find them, and then set them up with the program instructor to get credit for the Clinical. I'm not sure how clinical work now. But I think they are similar. If I am wrong please let me know. I am okay with correction.

I am just newly researching all of this. But from what I see. Well These are just my ideas that I think would work only if the nursing field stops arguing and starts working toward a full solution. This way all nurses what ever level they are at, know that the people below them are nurses too, just at a different stage in their career. The only thing is if I was to try to effect change now people will laugh at me. I would have to become an RN with many years of experience before I get into positions where I could effect positive change in the system.

My two cents. Sorry this was so long. I just have these thoughts and would like to share them. Even though I have zero experience and probably would be better keeping my mouth shut. I hope you don't mind that. If you do tell me, I will understand.:)