Originally Posted by LUXOR21
Diploma hospital based programs are closing in my area (PA). I currently work at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and have been told in 2 years the hospital will only hire BSN prepared nurses. Well since I want to work here I am now waiting on acceptance to a BSN program. I was also told BSN nurses make more money. I'll have to check into that.
Wrong on both accounts. 60% of RNs are ADN RNs. Hospitals are not about to move to 'BSN only'. For one thing, it is a mistake to think that hospitals even WANT this distinction. The major argument in favor of BSN entry is more pay and respect. Where exactly, would that come from? Our employers. Do you think they have a vested interest in forwarding that goal?
As a result, salaries are about the same for ADN and BSN. Look, if hospitals REALLY wanted more BSN employees, they'd simply pay for it. The fact that they do not speaks volumes.
If you are waiting for BSN to be mandated from the outside of nursing, keep waiting another 40 yrs. In fact, the reason WHY BSN hasn't already BEEN mandated is lobbying pressure to gov't from corporate interests, such as hospitals, that do NOT want this distinction.
Ask N. Dakota why it repealed BSN entry. I suspect that if you look at campaign contributions, you'd find a pervasive lobbying effort that was in play.
Your employers might WANT BSN nurses, but they certainly do NOT want to pay for it. As a result, they WILL studiously avoid pressures that would make BSN cost more money - for THEM.
Many hospitals have indeed begun to advertise, "BSN-preferred". That is far different from 'required'. By using this method, they can yield more BSN applicants for positions WITHOUT the requirement that would require more pay. When you see 'bsn preferred', read between the lines, "We PREFER BSNs but only if they are willing to work in the same salary ranges and under the same working conditions as our ADNs." Yes, I fully agree that hospitals DO prefer this option.
The supposition that BSN will ultimately lead to better salaries and respect is putting the cart before the horse. If you want a move to BSN, then better salary and more respect needs to be a direct result of attaining BSN, not some far away idea. Indeed, hospitals are banking on the difference between those two concepts: BSN first, and THEN we'll discuss what that means in terms of salary and respect. That is a losing proposition for nurses, whether it leads to more BSNs, or not.
A question for BSN proponents: Is there an advantage to moving to BSN entry IF there is no corresponding increase in salary or respect? Deep within this fundamental question is another question: HOW do we move to BSN entry in a way that DOES lead to higher salary and respect? It's not a matter of if such a move could lead to those ideal goals, but how. How, i suspect, involves making that higher pay and respect the result of individual conversion and acquisition of BSN along the way and NOT by putting forward some far off, lofty goal of such a move. That means demanding more from your employers than merely, 'BSN-preferred'. It means you hold them accountable to that preference by demanding that they put their money where their mouth is.
If you apply for a 'bsn-preferred' position, you SHOULD be asking by what means they support that preference. What exactly are the differences in salary and position? Be specific: how much MORE starting salary is this BSN-preferred position over and above what you would pay an ADN in the same tier of experience? What benefits, besides salary, accrue to BSN candidates over ADN candidates? (Don't take 'more management opportunity' as an answer. That does NOT answer this question for bedside nurses. If that answer is given, it should be immediately followed up by, "Yes, but what advantages do you extend to the BEDSIDE NURSE for BSN?") It's a valid question: IF you actually DO prefer BSN, by what methods do you do so? Talk is cheap.
I'll make a deal with you BSN proponents. You begin to actually bargain your BSN degree to your employers, so that they actually provide an incentive (as opposed to mere desire) for BSN, and I'll go back to school. Make the market place recognize a significant difference, and I'll pursue that difference. That's fair.
Upwards of 40% of RNs are at least BSN now. You don't NEED 100% participation to bargain for this, you are already a sufficiently vested 'minority'. If those of you that are already BSN raised your voices collectively, the market would be required to listen.
On the other hand, if we stumble towards BSN, without raising a voice to the differences, why should the market CARE about such differences? The fact that such a difference isn't routinely offered to 40% of the workforce speaks volumes about how 100% of a future workforce will be treated.
~faith,
Timothy.
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