Thinking about quitting

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?

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 :)

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.

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

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.

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.

Windsurfer is such a ray of sunshine.

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.

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.

Are you able to relocate? The other day I looked up a level II trauma center in North Dakota (for another AN thread) that had dozens of RN positions posted, not requiring a BSN. In fact I don't remember if they even said "BSN preferred." Many said "hospital experience preferred, but not required." Their job postings included ED, ICU, and L&D which are typically coveted spots.

Now about the SNF. It might seem like you're losing skills because nursing school is so med-surg focused, but nursing is not a set of manual tasks. You ARE using skills--they just happen to be different than the ones school focused on. You're using the nursing process all the time. So you're not sticking 16G IVs in people or giving blood transfusions. Those kinds of things can ALWAYS be brushed up on later. Likewise, assessments are different. Of course you don't have time to do full head-to-toes on people every single day; nor is it appropriate...the residents are in their home. But you will know quickly if something is off with a resident which will prompt you to do a more thorough assessment and evaluate the situation. On a personal note, my grandpa lived his last years in a SNF. He had pneumonia many times, and I credit his geriatric nurses with saving his life. My older kids got to make more memories with him, he got to enjoy them, got to come home for Sunday dinner, and when he did finally pass it was NOT a painful death from pneumonia. Geriatric nurses are heroes in my book!