Question For Nurses

[Aggie_Ama]

I am considering going back to school to be a RN. After seven years of office work I found it is okay but it doesn't completely fit me. After much soul searching and talking to friends that are in the nursing program I have determined it is a career I would like to have. They have told me all the horrors of dealing with hospital administrators, the bad days (one works the NICU) and the good ones. There is a community college that has an Associate's Degree program which allows you to take the RN exam. We also have a local University that has a Bachelor's Degree program. I already have a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism so to complete a second degree I would mostly need the science prerequisites and then the Nursing program classes.

Is there a benefit in having a Bachelor's over an Associates? Is the job market as open as the media would have you believe? We are considering eventually moving (probably to the northwest) so my hopes are it won't be as hard to find a job as just having a communications degree. Here it seems fairly healthy but I am worried it is hard to get a job straight out. Both programs have a heavy clinical rotation for two years.

[XMcShiftersonX]

I've heard of some recent graduates having difficulty finding jobs, right within Seattle. I think this has more to do with the economy and broken health care system than a overflow of new graduates. Ultimately though there are tons of hospitals out here, so I'm pretty confident you will find A job when you graduate, it may not be first choice (depending on what first choice is), but you'll be able to find something.

I work at Tacoma General in the ICU and we always have new people coming in (this is the south end, outside of King County). Most places don't pay you more or anything for having your BSN (The VA will, but that's the only place I'm familiar with doing that). But, I have my BSN and I think when someone is choosing to hire, between new grads and they have an AA nurse, and a BSN nurse, they're probably going to choose the BSN. A lot of the nurses in the ICU setting have their BSNs, so I guess it also depends where you plan on working. You could always get your AA, and go back and finish your BSN later, alot of my co-workers have done that. It's hard to work as a nurse and go to school, but if you can make it work, that would be good! Also, most hospitals have education money and may help you pay for your degree.

On a day to day basis, I don't think BSN vs AA makes much of a difference. A lot of nursing is learned on the job over a period of time, it's all about experience! Good luck!

[Crankin]

I am not a nurse, but my closest friend works in hospital admin. It is very hard for new grads to get jobs here. Older nurses just aren't retiring because of the economy. And this doesn't apply just to MGH and the Brigham, where everyone wants to work; it even is happening at community hospitals.
I do think the nursing shortage is real, though, in most parts of the country.
Go for the bachelors, Amanda. From what I know, it opens up a lot more options and the pay is much better, at least around here.

[XMcShiftersonX]

And adding on to what Crankin has said, by the time you finish college in 2-4 years, things will most likely be looking better in the economy department, so you'll probably (and hopefully) have better opportunity. It is a risk though I suppose. At least you have another career you could always fall back on.

[sfa]

Two or three years ago nurses in our program (I work at a community college) were being offered signing bonuses to take jobs and they had their pick of locations and shifts. Now they are still getting jobs, but it is taking longer and there aren't the same incentives there were a few years ago. This is a short term thing, though--the long term outlook is still very good for employment for nurses.

It doesn't matter if you do a BSN or an ADN program to become a nurse--the qualifying exam is the same. Where it matters is if you want to move forward for a master's degree or PhD in nursing. Since you already have a bachelor's degree, though, that combined with the ADN might qualify you for admission into a master's program. If it's something you are thinking about, you might want to check on that before you get started. Most ADN programs are also transfer programs to four year degrees, so you can start with the ADN and transfer to a BSN program if you choose that route.

Sarah

[Jolt]

Since you already have a bachelor's degree, you could look into accelerated BSN programs. The BSN does give you more options than the ADN. As far as the job outlook, I think it depends on where you are--as Crankin already said, it's horrendous here right now for new grads (that's how I ended up working in that nursing home when I finished the RN portion of my program...I tried everything to get into a hospital but just couldn't) but other parts of the country may be different. The economy right now doesn't help, but health care is supposedly one of the less affected areas.

[FlyingScot]

Heck...get your BSN whether the traditional route or accelerated. Hopefully by the time you graduate the pendulum will have swung back the other way (and it always does) and there will actually be some jobs for new grads. It's bad pretty much everywhere. Worse in the "desirable" areas of the country (read warm and beachy) or major metro areas (NY, Boston). Critical access hospitals are hiring but they are often in very small, sometimes isolated, rural areas.My friend works at one in Texas. They keep a ball bat at the nurses station but it isn't for the patients. It's for the snakes (usually venomous) that sneak in through the EMS doors. Her count so far is 5. I got lucky. I changed jobs and hired in to a huge hospital system (unionized) literally 4 weeks before the bottom fell out of the economy. The nursing openings there went from over 200 to 4!!!! Yes 4 openings in a matter of a few weeks. If you want to do ADN go for it though. I don't have my BSN but that hasn't kept me from doing anything from NICU to flight nursing. I'd rather have nails pounded into my eyes than do any type of management anyways.

[Chicken Little]

Get the two year and make the hospital pay for your BSN. It's good economics. It doesn't matter anyway. We all take the same test, and no matter what's after your name, every patient poops.

[sundial]

Aggie, if you have a BSN you will have the qualifications for being a nursing instructor at a junior college. Just another career option....:)

[Crankin]

There's probably a regional difference here. The ADN just is not valued as much here and there is a pay differential.
Also, I had an acquaintance awhile ago (actually when I lived in AZ) who had a degree in some field and then went and did an accelerated RN program, without the degree. Even though she passed her boards and stuff, she was having a terrible time getting a job.

[malkin]

Nurses rock!

[soprano]

Aggie Ama, I'm not completely sure which university or community college you are thinking about, but if it's the big university here in Austin, your decision might already be made for you - it's difficult to get in as a transfer student. Not as hard as it used to be, but not easy, either. When I decided to go back to school last year, I was told by the admissions office in no uncertain terms that I should head over to the community college to establish my math and science credentials before I even considered applying to the big university. I have a previous bachelor's in another field; if you already have a degree, you are required to apply as a transfer student.

I have a friend who is in the associate's program at the community college. I'm sure that she would be willing to chat and give you the low-down on the program there; PM me with your email if you want me to hook you up.

[BikingNurse]

Here it doesn't pay any more to have a BSN unless you are looking at mgmt. And no, the hosp won't pay you to go get your BSN. Not here atleast. and not any where else I've worked. ( I did agency for 4 years.)
If it's something that you think would make you happy, do it. Sounds like you already made up your mind. Good Luck! it's worth it!

[Aggie_Ama]

Aggie Ama, I'm not completely sure which university or community college you are thinking about, but if it's the big university here in Austin, your decision might already be made for you - it's difficult to get in as a transfer student. Not as hard as it used to be, but not easy, either. When I decided to go back to school last year, I was told by the admissions office in no uncertain terms that I should head over to the community college to establish my math and science credentials before I even considered applying to the big university. I have a previous bachelor's in another field; if you already have a degree, you are required to apply as a transfer student.

I have a friend who is in the associate's program at the community college. I'm sure that she would be willing to chat and give you the low-down on the program there; PM me with your email if you want me to hook you up.

Actually the university is Texas State, I know UT is horrendously impossible to even think about going to. Plus downtown is a nightmare for me logistically and I ruled UT out before even thinking about it. It has nothing to do with it being UT and me being A&M alumni it is my knowledge that it is one of the hardest schools to get in as a transfer. I also turned down my acceptance to UT straight out of high school, the reasons I didn't like the campus haven't changed with age.

I am out of the ACC District and they community college is not nearly as cost effective a choice if you are paying 3x as much per credit hour. But I have a friend in the program and the flexibility is good with my need to keep working. It is a tough choice.

[XMcShiftersonX]

And no, the hosp won't pay you to go get your BSN. Not here atleast. and not any where else I've worked. ( I did agency for 4 years.)

TG has a certain amount of education money that each employee gets annually. Since I have my BSN, I get like $500/year. I know it doesn't sound like much, but we also have various education repayment options available at different times. For example, when I started, I got $6,000 of school loan repayment money in return for 2 years of service with TG (paid out in 4 equal payments over those two years and taxed). I also applied for the NELRP (a federal program) in Feb, and can get up to 60% of my loans paid back over 3 years if I'm approved. The work programs don't put much of a dent in my $75,000 school debt, but it's better than nothing!

[Catrin]

Get the two year and make the hospital pay for your BSN. It's good economics. It doesn't matter anyway. We all take the same test, and no matter what's after your name, every patient poops.

This is what my sister just did. And I am very pleased to report that she is finally taking her state boards and is considering it an early celebration of her 45th birthday :) In her case the pediatrician's office she works for reimbursed her for all of the assorted testing-related cost. I had no idea there were such expensive tests before her state boards!

I am very proud of my little sister for doing this, she has worked so hard for so long because she was only able to take 1 class at a time.

[BikeDutchess]

Seems requirements vary by region but perhaps this is an indication of future trends: North-ShoreLIJ-Requires-New-Nurses-to-Have-BSN (http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/NRS-253618/North-ShoreLIJ-Requires-New-Nurses-to-Have-BSN)

I also read another article recently (can't find the link right now) that said new nursing grads are having a difficult time finding hospital jobs right now because so many experienced nurses are either putting off or coming out of retirement due to the economy. New grads are looking to SNFs and such for jobs. But as the economy improves (whenever that may be), that situation will probably change again.

[tulip]

I have a friend who recently finished her Associates in nursing and passed the boards. She loves her work. She is working towards her Bachelor's now, and eventually her Master's because she wants to be a nurse practitioner.

So you could start with the Associates and see if you like it and want to keep going.

[neo93]

When I went back to school to become a nurse (I already had a bachelor's in Spanish), I did the BSN route - but only because the program at the university I attended had a two years of prereqs - two years of nursing type program. Since I had already completed all your prereqs, it wouldn't take me any longer to do the BSN than to do the associate's degree. I got a scholarship to the BSN program, and that really helped me make up my mind LOL. Some states do require BSN entry into practice, so you should check that out before making your final decision.

I work in Atlanta, and it is getting harder for new grads to find a job in an area they like. Work is out there, but you might not be in the area you want.

Good luck!