[kitkatcitcat]

We live in los angeles, california. my sister who is a BSN overheard fellow nurses talking that in 2008 all nurses who has an AA degree will need to convert to BSN because there is a new law in 2008 thats coming out requiring BSN in the hospital. is there any truth to this. what will be the consequences for nurses that have an AA degree only.

pls give link or website if this is true

[Tweety]

It would be interesting. Perhaps you might want to ask in the California Nurses forum. California as I understand it is experiencing a nursing shortage are they not? Seems odd to me.

[norcalRNstudent]

not going to happen. California doesn't even have enough spaces in their schools to fill the current nursing shortage, nevermind get the majority of nurses up to a BSN. If CA did this, they'd have to close 80% of their hospitals.
Just a rumor.

[palkie]

NO WAY. Really. Now I am an ADN/RN and darned proud of it. I worked in high-acuity ICUs for 15 years.

Now - because I am old and tired - and because they finally came up with a REAL bridge program for RN to MSN, I've gone back to school for my MSN-Educator Track.

Now, I'm getting federal loan money to go to school to teach nursing school (they 'forgive' part of the loan if you teach for four years) - AT THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL.

Nursing schools are already turning away students by the thousands, and many teachers are at or near retirement age, so it will only get worse. There is no way to do away with the ADN/ASN nurse, or to require those with that degree to go back and get a bachelor's. If anything - associate degree RNs would be 'grandfathered' in, but trust me, this will not happen. There are not enough nurses NOW to take care of patients. Do away with ADNs and then you really have a healthcare crisis. No one is going to push for that.

Ok, now after saying all that, let me say - again as a PROUD ADN-RN - that going back to school was quite the eye-opener for me. Turns out all those years I worked - I thought - as a professional - I wasn't - well according to 'academia' anyway. Yeah. Right. Whatever. They say the entry-level "professional" nurse is the BSN. Ok. Sure. I've learned to keep my mouth shut, I'd like to STAY in school, not get kicked out for telling them they're wrong.

I've worked as a charge nurse, a preceptor of new nurses, etc. Give me an ADN any day! They are ready to work, to take care of patients, and to BE THERE - AT THE BEDSIDE - where they are most needed. And they don't expect to be the Nurse Manager after 6 months either. That's the problem with the so-called "professional" nurse - they don't want to touch a patient!!!

So, when I'm done with school, I'm going to teach at the Associate Degree Level. Teach nurses to be nurses. Yeah, ok, I gotta have a Master's to do it, I'll get one. But I am, was, and always will be a 'professional'. Because nursing is a PROFESSION.

Oh, yeah, I noticed in a thread somewhere (now I can't find it again!) that someone said there was NO WAY to get a Master's without having a Bachelor's. WRONG. New programs!! I'm doing it. Now, if I screw up and don't finish - I'll have nothing. (except of course the Associates I already have, and my RN license!) But, it IS a Master's Program; I am an ADN, and I WILL NEVER BE AWARDED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. Keep your eyes open, there will be more of these coming. Because they need more advance degree nurses, so they're fast-tracking ADNs to a Master's.

So, get a bachelor's or master's if you want, but nobody is going to REQUIRE it.