[P_RN]

Well 33 years ago I aced the boards and became an RN. Worked my tukkus off those 32 years. Had to have surgery, got a physical clearance from my internist, had the surgery went home to recover....ta da.......went into asystole revived, went to the er where I bradyed down about every 15 mins......so what did I miss? I thought I knew sx sx of cardiac schtuff. I don't eat red meat, my cholesterol is perfect, my bp is great, I excercise aerobic treadmill etc,......am I Mr (S) ST tomb? Have you any pity for lil' ol' me? and btw I ain't no child 'cept my Mama's. Oh and I have 2 associates and a bacc. Too old and feeble now to pursue NP. Shoulda woulda coulda

Oh and to finish my tale of woe got a pacer which has never fired the first time.

[VivaLasViejas]

Originally Posted by elizabells

Not just you, Tweety. I was all set to agree with the OP (and I graduated from a DE program, so I know whereof I speak; it was a baaaad idea) but making a mistake does not make me a child, nor does it make me a bad nurse.

Nor do ADNs---we so-called "shortcut" nurses---necessarily kill patients.

It is precisely this attitude that turns some nurses off to the idea of further education, not only because we don't have the time or the money for it, but because we fear we too will wind up espousing a similarly elitist view.

Perhaps I've been more fortunate than many, in that I've done all I ever wanted and more with my "shortcut" degree, including management and staff education. The difference is that I respect ALL healthcare providers at ALL levels of education---including those with less schooling than I have.

And by the way, I've never killed a patient yet.

'Nuff said.

[HM2Viking]

crawl before you walk walk before you run run before you race.......The point is that knowledge is a spiral. Each experience builds on the next. I am not sure that being critical helps people move on. The general OP had an "icky" feeling in part. I agreed with parts and disagreed with others. I think that in general it would have been more helpful to lay out what skills to develop and how to gain experience to advance your professional skills.

[NeuroMedic]

Perhaps I misphrased some points. When I speak of "children"; I am in no way condescending or looking down upon anyone. The context in which I use the term could be more closely related with "children" as it is used in biblical writings, not to say that this is in any way related to religion. As to, "Handing out pity"; empathy and pity are 2 entirely separate things in my book. I understand that psychological & emotional support are important in nursing; arrogance or an, "Im better than you because" attitude was never the intent, and I apologize to those of you who took it this way. However, it angers me when I see so many people wanting to shortcut the nursing process. This is the point I was trying to get across.

[Krisi_RN]

I am an ASN graduate, of a pretty intense program, but I am already continuing to my BSN to grad. again this spring. I see many students that get in over their heads and do not make it for some reason or another. I liked my program because it allowed me to start working and getting clinical experience while I get the management/research portion of the education. I eventually want to go Master's as an Educator, along with whatever else I get my mind set on, but this route was a great choice for me. Not all programs are one in the same, but some students are looking for an "easy" degree, saddly. but, even the ones that pass the program to get the degree have to pass boards like the rest of us, so they will find out soon enough.

[elkpark]

I did not get the impression that the OP was suggesting that ADN programs produce "short-cut" nurses, or intended to put down ADN nurses (in fact, the post notes that the OP started out as an ADN grad). How often do we encounter on this board people who think that "even" an ADN program is too much trouble and time, and are looking for a quicker, easier way to get licensed? (Also, the people who are looking for quick, easy ways to become advanced practice nurses.) That's what I thought of when I read the original post ... Please, please, please, let's not turn this into another ADN vs. BSN thread -- we have too many of those already!

[PMFB-RN]

There are no true shortcuts in nursing. As Nurse Practitioner(MSN ACNP/FNP), I have worked my way from the ground up: RN, A.A.S, followed by RN, B.S.N. followed by M.S.N. ACNP/FNP, and I can tell you from experience that taking shortcuts will not pay off.

*** I took a shortcut into nursing. I am an RN who went to nursing school for 9 months and have 32 earned college credits to my name. I work in the SICU of a level I trauma center.
I spent 5 years as a medic with army infantry. When I got out of the army somebody told me that as a medic I could challenge the Ca LVN boards. I did and passed. I then moved to Wisconsin and somebody told me that the Wi technical college system just changed to a 1+1, first year is LPN and second year is RN so those with an LPN could enter the second year of the ADN RN program. I CLEPT'ed all the non RN nursing classes and passed most of them. So in addition to the second year RN nursing classes I had to take Micro, developmental psychology, and freshman english. This made for a 16 credit hour semester x2, No problem. Started nursing school in late August and graduated the following May.
I am now half way through an RN to BSN program at a state university and it seems a great waste of time and money to me. The classes I am takeing all seem like B.S. classes to me and not the least bit useful (except english comp, I am learning tons in that class). I am only doing the BSN so that I can apply to grad school. There is no other financial incentive to do so in my area. I work with staff nurses with BSNs, ADN, and a few MSNs. Most are good, some are great and some are not so good at all education levels.

First of all, I find it funny that some of you still think there is a such thing as a 2 yr RN nursing program.

*** There are. The Wisconsin technical college's ADN prorgam can be done in two years. It's set up to be doable in two years and lots of people do.

A true RN program is 3 yrs, one year for general education followed by two subsequent years nursing. You are doing yourself no favors by shortcutting as when you apply for that "sweet position in a trauma center" that you've always wanted--your hiring nurse manager is going to take into acct how you received your education. Did you know that most ICU's will not hire Paramedic to RN nurses?

*** I applied at 6 hospitals when I graduated and all 6 offered me jobs. 3 of them offered me a job in their ICUs as a new grad. They seemed to see my medic experience as a plus.

Also, B.S.N. is not a waste by any means. The B.S.N. nurse is prepared to accept roles in clinical education as well as to pursue higher education with regards to faculty positions. In addition, the B.S.N. nurse is further trained in patient assessment, critical care interventions, as well as nurse management.

*** Maybe or maybe not. I don't think all BSN programs are created equal.

New opportunities are becoming available all the time for B.S.N. Did you know that most aeromedical transport services will accept a B.S.N. nurse over an A.A.S./A.S.N./A.D.N. nurse any day of the week?

*** I did not know that but you also said most ICUs won't hire paramedic to RN grads but that has certainly not been my (limited) experience.

I am afraid my days of sympathizing with the uninformed are over. We must wake up! The simple fact is: Nurses who take shortcuts, kill patients! Period.

*** Maybe, but I have seen a few MDs kill patients and their education is far more extensive that your average BSN or ADN RN.

[Haunted]

Shortcut RN here, plus I am in a rotten bind trying to get licensed here in TN since I am 1 elective short of my ADN. Lot's of holes in the OP's statements, maybe he has never practiced out of State? When I first started out in nursing I was offered a sweet position with Life Flight. The offer was on the table and I had to decline due to the hours required to be on call (had a child at home who needed me to be available) . Why would they offer me, an non grad RN this position if everything the OP says is true?

Also, I never killed or injured a patient but knew of a few "advanced degree" co workers who made some fatal or harmful errors. It can happen to any of us, degree or not.

AND!!!! Now I'm Jonesing for a cheeseburger. DANG!