dancechick16

Does it affect job outlooks? Or what employers think of you? Or you can go to any college and get your BSN and it won't matter to employers or getting a job at a hospital? Thanks!

dancechick16

Also, I want to be a pediatric nurse practitioner so I will be going to get my MSN. If that makes any difference.

charlieschm

As far as employment, ideally you would go to a nursing program that is well respected in the geographic area where you want to work. That might be a program that no one has heard about in other parts of the country, but it would be a program that local health care employers know provides excellent preparation.

dancechick16

So what if I plan on living in San diego? And I attended San diego state university for nursing? Is it a well respected university?

charlieschm

I don't know about California.

Yes, it matters where you go - you need to find a high quality program that provides you with a high chance of success on the certification test and that is respected by employers and that provides varied clinical experiences. However, it does not need to be a prestigious, highly selective or expensive university.

NewHavenCTmom

The nursing shortage continues... and is only going to get worse as older nurses retire and nursing instructors retire.

As long as you pass the NCLEX, pass the background check, have an updated CPR card, have your nursing license... they will hire you as a floor nurse... Most hospitals are using travel nurses due to the nursing shortage and usually hire them after their contracts are up.

Go to a few open houses for RN's at your local hospital... ask them. Ask the newer nurses that attend the open houses where they graduated from. You will see.

urbanparent

Your MSN program will matter more.

123Sesame

All that really matters is the NCLEX pass rate, the drop out rate, and how respected the school is in the local area. An RN is an RN, at least in my area of the country. Prestige of the school doesn't really matter, all that truly matters is that you graduated from an accredited nursing school. Some hospitals are more likely to hire RN's from a community college with a good reputation in the local area than a BSN who got her degree from a popular university.

So, if you are admitted to multiple schools, go for the one with the lowest drop out rate, and highest NCLEX pass rate. Good luck!

Mwallenmd

In all liklihood in 10-15 years all nurses will be required to have a BSN to obtain/maintain their RN licenses. Several state nursing boards are already considering such a requirement. These new regs would give current RNs without a BSN 10 years to obtain it or they would no longer be eligible to maintain their RN licensure. A number of Community College Programs and 2-year Nursing Programs have already begun to attempt to establish affiliations with local 4 year colleges to assist their graduates in achieving this. They have seen the handwriting on the wall. Similarly a number of hospitals already have also established a requirement that to apply for a RN position you have to have a BSN. So if you are considering getting your RN without obtaining your BSN, be forewarned. While there certainly are still many hospitals that don't require a BSN for employment I believe more and more will eventually begin to do so. This will further limit job opportunities for RNs (in at least hospital settings) without a BSN. Just some food for thought. The debate over whether an RN with a BSN is better qualified than one without it has really become a moot point, as the pressures from outside of Nursing to require this are insurmountable.