Thinking about quitting

Nurses New Nurse

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I am a new grad ADN actively seeking my BSN who is thinking about throwing in the towel. I had plans to acquire my MSN but now don't see a reason. I even took a pay cut and gave up 22 years seniority in another career for nursing. I live in Arizona and have found that with an ADN you are not desirable as a nurse. I have put out over 200 applications and the only thing I could land was my worst nightmare...a SNF.

In this facility I am basically a higher educated med passer who can hang the occasional IV. There is no time to assess patients because you have 20-30 of them and reports are a joke. I am losing my skills with each passing day.

In the last week I've had two interviews for a PCU position with Banner and another one set for today for med-surg but they put a halt to everything and cancelled since I do not have a BSN. Eventhough I am working on it they still refused me because of their magnet status.

So here is the dilemma. I am a new grad working in a place for "experience" where I am losing my skills and cannot get into a new grad program because I do not have a BSN. So by the time I graduate with my BSN in 1.5 years and have lost my skills I do not qualify for the new grad program because I will have had my license for over a year.

Because of this it will take me who knows how many years to acquire two years experience in critical care before I can pursue an MSN in the field I was working towards.

I am currently 45 years old and do not have time for these kinds of delays because of oncoming retirement and the cost of the education.

I feel defeated and betrayed plus I'm starting to dispise the nursing profession. I just don't know if it's worth it. I got into this profession to help people but I do not see anybody getting any real help from my current prospective. Help.

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Well, based on similar personal experiences, I could advise you to give yourself permission to return to your former occupation if possible and desirable. Once I figured out what was what, it was too late. Would hate for you to sink another five years into this to come to the same place where you are now. Good luck.

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I've noticed many ADN nurses state that they are having difficulty landing a job without a BSN. At all of the major hospital systems in my regional area that I have looked into (there are many, mostly magnet and include a world-renowned facility), they will gladly hire ADN's as long as you agree upon hiring to obtain your BSN within a specified period of time. Usually it's within 5 years.

I just interviewed for a position and was asked if I was agreeable to that, and I said that obtaining my BSN was one of my goals so it was not an issue. The bonus is that this hospital system pays 100% tuition reimbursement!

Are there any systems in your area that maybe hire ADN's with this stipulation?

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I am very sorry that you are in this situation. In Washington state ADNs are just as hire-able as BSNs, although "BSN preferred" is tacked onto most job positions.

As a BSN, I personally think REQUIRING a BSN for every hospital nursing position is a bunch of crap. I think over the years I've been in the short minority or 'half in half' with ADNs, and I've worked in hospitals (albeit psych) for all but the last six plus years. My ADN compatriots may not have the philosophy, language and history education I have, or the 'research' (as it were) and 'leadership' (again, as it were) that I barely remember from my BSN education. On the floor? No difference. In management? I'm not convinced there is much difference there either, though others may disagree. I just haven't seen the difference with my own eyes.

"BSN only" strikes me as elitist and really dumb. I'd be interested in hearing from those who think otherwise, and have evidence based articles to support their position. Honest and open-minded request here :)

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OK, here's what I really think.

Becoming and being a nurse is SO much more about the PERSON than any liberal arts education can 'create' (slap in some leadership and research classes). You can't EDUCATE a person into being a good nurse. They must have . . . some special personal set of 'qualities' in place already, a temperament if you will. No amount of BSN education, much less ADN education, is going to make a good nurse WITHOUT their pre-existing personal abilities.

We nurses use our 'self' as a tool and there's no college education that will make that tool effective or exist in the first place.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Have you considered looking outside Phoenix? What about smaller community hospitals, like Yavapai or Verde Valley?

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I am in AZ, too, and have been a nurse for over 20 years. I am an ADN.

It used to be you had your pick of jobs as a nurse in AZ, even when I was an LPN.

Things have totally changed for nurses in AZ.

Is there any way you could change your major, and apply the degree you are working on to your old career?

I have an acquaintance who has an MSN, and is working for Banner. She is miserable there and would leave if not for having to support her grandchildren.

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Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

Well first off no one made you quit a job you had for years and paid more. Second did you research BEFORE you went to nursing school the job situation? No one "betrayed" you. You are a free thinking person who can do what you want. No one owes you anything. I don't even understand what your post is about? Are you wanting people to feel sorry for you? I served in the military and then to out and lived on almost no money while I got through nursing school. If I didn't make it or get a job I sure as heck wouldn't blame anyone else. I (yes..me...no one else) checked out the hospitals I wanted to work at and realized I needed a BSN for the type of career I wanted. You took a pay cut and lost seniority? What did you THINK would happen? Did you think you would just walk in and be a head nurse with automatic double what you were making before? No one but you can make yourself happy. Not anyone else's job to do it.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Windsurfer is such a ray of sunshine.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Windsurfer is such a ray of sunshine.
Ah, but Windsurfer did address the elephant in the room. I'm sure some of us others had thought some of the same points made.

But I am sympathetic for OP and others stuck in limbo-land. They took a risk and are losing. It is tough.

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I like windsurfer8.

I am 47. I have 22 years experience as a hospital RN, now working as a School RN. Do I feel I am losing skills? Hells yea. I am going back ONLINE for m RN to BS bridge. If you want it bad enough you will make it happen.

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Ah, but Windsurfer did address the elephant in the room. I'm sure some of us others had thought some of the same points made.

But I am sympathetic for OP and others stuck in limbo-land. They took a risk and are losing. It is tough.

You, know, to be honest, it never occurred to me to do any research about nursing as a career. I just assumed that I would easily always be employed as long as I wasn't a screw-up. I had no knowledge whatsoever about the fact there wasn't a nursing shortage then, or at any time since I went down the nursing rabbit path. I think a lot of people are misinformed in this respect. The problem is in not changing your path once you find out that the obstacles are too great or there are better options. Throwing good money after bad is never a good idea, even if you are spending that money on an education. Not many of us can afford to get an education only for personal satisfaction. We expect to be able to support our families with that education.

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