Hello! This is my first post here, but as a nurse I can definitely be of some assistance.
It ALL depends on where you would like to end up working. Like others have said, the ADN is quickly being phased out of hospitals in all areas of the country. It will be incredibly unlikely that you will find a job in a hospital in any metropolitan or suburban hospital. If you are willing to relocate to a rural area in a less desirable state, you will greatly increase your chances of finding hospital work with the ADN. Depending on your location, the ADN could get you a position as a nurse in a long term care or skilled nursing facility. But, be sure to know the market around you. Where I am, these positions are commonly being filled with new graduate BSN's as a stepping stone to hospital work. You will commonly hear about a "nursing shortage", however it varies greatly across the country and you will not find any shortage in the cities.
HOWEVER, I would encourage you to look into an Accelerated BSN program if you already have a bachelor's degree. These programs vary in length, but can be anywhere from 12-18 months. I used my previous degree to get into a 12 month Accelerated BSN program and all of my classmates (60 of us) had job offers before graduation in hospitals. After your first semester, you will be qualified to work as a tech on the hospital floors. This is a great way to get experience for that new grad resume and your foot in the door with a hospital.
The MSN is typically used to specialize or go into leadership, and is best used to advance an existing career. If you're interested in Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, or Certified Nurse Anesthetist programs these are completely separate and unique from an MSN. These specialized programs almost universally require at LEAST a year of experience working in a hospital with patients and a BSN. The MSN will NOT give you a BSN while you're in the program- they are distinctly different tracts with different goals. There are some direct entry MSN programs that you can enter with an unrelated bachelors that prepares you for an RN certification your first year, but you WILL NOT receive a BSN.
Tl;dr- ADN's are being phased out of hospitals across the country. They are typically hired in long-term care or skilled nursing facilities. If you want to work in a hospital, consider an Accelerated BSN.
MSN programs do not give you a BSN. BSN programs are focused on pathophysiology, nursing skills, and providing patient care while MSN programs are typically focused on leadership and specialization. Programs such as Certified Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Practitioner, and Certified Nurse Midwife require at the very least one year of experience in a HOSPITAL setting. Consider this when applying for ADN programs if this is your goal, as it will be very difficult to get that year.
It all depends on where you want to end up. The BSN will give you far more options.
