[llg]

Originally Posted by RNsRWe

Ok, I hear you on the $ instead of the wait. But I'm curious about what pre-reqs it doesn't require that the community colleges do? ?

I'm not commenting on specific programs in this post -- just on schools in general.

The original ADN programs were designed as 4 semesters long. No pre-reqs, just 4 full time semesters of study after high school that included a couple of "general education" courses and required nursing courses. The degree was designed to produce a "technical" nurse as opposed to a "professional" nurse who would base her practice upon a stronger academic foundation obtained with a 4-year (8 semesters) Bachelor's Degree.

However ... as time passed, the ADN programs wanted their grads to have the same professional status as the BSN grads. Also, because they were shorter and cheaper than 4-year colleges, they becane popular with students who wanted a quick route into the nursing profession. Finally, many Community Colleges are obligated to accept all students who graduate from high school who meet a minimum standard -- again adding to their popularity. Having pre-reqs would "weed out" the less interested and/or less capable students before they started consuming the scarce and expensive resources needed to teach the nursing clinical courses.

Thus many Community Colleges began adding requirements (such as college-level pre-reqs) to their ADN programs. That's why so many "2-year programs" now take so much longer than 2 years to complete. Personally, if I were in such a program, I would feel cheated by the school. If they raise their requirements, they should upgrade the degree they award to reflect the higher graduation requirements -- not award a 2-year degree for 3 years of college level work -- but that's a whole other issue.

So ... some technical schools have gone back to the original model of ADN programs -- with fewer pre-reqs and with some "support subjects" like anatomy and phyisology integrated into their nursing courses and/or taken concurrently. They are getting the job done in 15 months. If you consider that a standard college semester is about 3.5 months, that's equivalent to 4 semesters of college -- exactly what the ADN programs were originally created to be in the first place.

llg

[TheCommuter]

Originally Posted by RNsRWe

Ok, I hear you on the $ instead of the wait. But I'm curious about what pre-reqs it doesn't require that the community colleges do? The pre-req and co-req courses I took in my nursing program were required for an Associates Degree issued by the school. I thought all A.S. degrees would require those classes, to be well-rounded academically, not be able to skip them...? If so, how is that a full-fledged degree, instead of just a diploma for completing nursing courses only?

I'm not trying to argue, I'm just looking for info

I would think, if it's still true that a tech school nursing grad does not need the academics of an Associates Degree grad (for lack of better titles), it just might affect future employment and schooling opportunities. Candidate A has a well-rounded degree. Candidate B only had the nursing classes. Like that?

The program I attended was an NLN-accredited diploma program. It is not a well-rounded degree. I am not even considered a true college graduate. However, my personal goal was to complete school in the shortest amount of time and start earning money quickly.

[RNsRWe]

Thank you, llg, for that informative post! I had no idea (which, of couse, is why I asked). Now the tech school "quickie" makes sense to me.

According to my school, an ADN could be achieved in 2 years....and while it was possible, I never saw anyone actually DO it. It was an insane courseload, frankly, for a community college (meaning that it was understood that the majority of students are non-traditional).

At the time I began, it was not required to actually have the pre-reqs completed before being enrolled as a nursing student. You had to have them done before the core classes of course, but within that same two years. Still, as time went on, they were changing that, and now "encouraging" students to complete several courses first. Priority to those who were prepared better, it seemed.

And I'm with YOU on a higher degree for 3.5 years of work!

[RNsRWe]

Originally Posted by TheCommuter

The program I attended was an NLN-accredited diploma program. It is not a well-rounded degree. I am not even considered a true college graduate. However, my personal goal was to complete school in the shortest amount of time and start earning money quickly.

Thanks for that....there was my confusion over an ADN that could be achieved in so short a time.

[baldee]

We have a tech school about the same, but its for a LPN with totally different classes than ADN. CNA classes is its core and it embellishes upon that by wiping butts and bathing 400 lbers for about 6 to 9 months for free, except you pay them. Its a piece of cake: wipe, fold to clean surface, wipe, ... Real easy and no sweat, except the 400 lbers - GGGRRRUUNNNNTTTTT!!