"Just" a 2-year degree

Nurses General Nursing

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Stopped at local pharmacy to pick up prescription. Asked pharm tech how her daughter was (she's a traveling nurse); she said great, we briefly discussed how she's deciding between staying and moving on, compensations etc. I said that I heard that travelers out her way made some really good money.....and the pharm tech said "well, you guys here make really good money with just a two year degree." JUST. Said in such a way as to make me think she equated my educational experience with a humanities major. Hey: poetry, history, nursing, all the same stuff, right?

I said you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who finishes an RN program in only 2 years nowadays. She shrugged, said her daughter "blew through" it (ten years ago or so). She didn't want to hear that things have changed a TAD since then.

Sigh. I think I'll take up basket-weaving. Appears I'm qualified.

Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

I wholeheartedly agree that one can be proud of their educational credentials and experience without making another feel like a lesser professional...especially when filling the same job title. I value higher education, yet I will not look down upon the ADN once I have received a higher degree...as I realize that some must reach their long term goals by first achieving short term goals and it is no reflection upon intelligence or lack there of, as implied by certain posts within this thread!

ASW

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I am a ADN now and will have my BSN in April.:balloons: :mortarboard: :balloons: Afterward, I DO plan to go farther, but that is MY choice. I dont think anyone thinks that getting a higher education is intimidating and I cant fathom why you are saying that. Maybe some people dont want to go on and that is THEIR choice,it is not that they feel inferior unless they are letting your words do so. Puting down ADN's is not the way to go.

inflammatory post edited out.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Thread temporarily closed for moderator discussion and review.

Thanks for understanding.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Thread re-opened for discussion of original topic. Let's hope we can stay on-track!

Thanks.

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inflammatory post edited out.

For the 100 of pms I have been getting. What I said in my post that was deleted had noooo curse words or anything like that. I just responded in a very defensive way to a nurse on this board.

I respect ADN's, not everyone can afford or have the time to attend a 4 year program and see a 2 year as a well paying and rewarding alternative. It just gets annoying when some ADN's on the board say that and ADN program is more difficult or even compare when they have never been in a 4 year program. Im sorry if I have offended any nurses out there. I know that a degree doesnt make the person nor does it define your character. But my degree is something that I am very proud and im not afraid to show it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
For the 100 of pms I have been getting. What I said in my post that was deleted had noooo curse words or anything like that. I just responded in a very defensive way to a nurse on this board.

I respect ADN's, not everyone can afford or have the time to attend a 4 year program and see a 2 year as a well paying and rewarding alternative. It just gets annoying when some ADN's on the board say that and ADN program is more difficult or even compare when they have never been in a 4 year program. Im sorry if I have offended any nurses out there. I know that a degree doesnt make the person nor does it define your character. But my degree is something that I am very proud and im not afraid to show it.

THAT was stated very appropriately! I agree with you. And because of those feelings, I can completely understand why the OP was somewhat offended by the pharm tech who she perceived to be dismissing the hard work she invested into her two year degree.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

ty Seany!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well-said!

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I chose ADN because I unfortunately do not qualify for any significant scholarships, so it's cheaper. I hate loans =) AND my stating the ADN was better was just a joke... that's why there's a wink afterwards.. it wasn't meant to be taken seriously =)

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ty Seany!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well-said!

No, thankyou. Confusios say always trust moderator with sexy name.;)

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I chose ADN because I unfortunately do not qualify for any significant scholarships, so it's cheaper. I hate loans =) AND my stating the ADN was better was just a joke... that's why there's a wink afterwards.. it wasn't meant to be taken seriously =)

I dont like loans either. Lets just say I owe around the price of a fully loaded honda accord with leather, a moonroof, and 24 hr roadside assistance. I must say the ADN to BSN route is much much cheaper.

Wait a minute......... im supposed to be mad :idea:

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It took me four years to get a "two-year" degree. With six kids, general contracting building our house, and myriad other responsibilities, this was what I could manage. A four-year degree might have taken seven or eight years to achieve.

I've thought about going back several times. The thing is, I don't want to go into federal public health or advanced practice. In the hospitals where I have worked, ADNs could be charge nurses and even move into some levels of management (although many returned to school part time once they were promoted).

I'm happy with what I am doing now and don't foresee returning at this late date. I do, however, support and encourage anyone else who wants to.

It DOES concern me that one viewpoint on this subject advocates making a BSN the entry level into nursing with one of the goals being to decrease the number of nurses, thereby increasing demand and raising pay. With the staffing ratios I see currently, all I can think is that workload would also have to increase and that seems to be asking for trouble.

I'm glad this thread got back on track. Many good folks posting here.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
For the 100 of pms I have been getting. What I said in my post that was deleted had noooo curse words or anything like that. I just responded in a very defensive way to a nurse on this board.

I respect ADN's, not everyone can afford or have the time to attend a 4 year program and see a 2 year as a well paying and rewarding alternative. It just gets annoying when some ADN's on the board say that and ADN program is more difficult or even compare when they have never been in a 4 year program. Im sorry if I have offended any nurses out there. I know that a degree doesnt make the person nor does it define your character. But my degree is something that I am very proud and im not afraid to show it.

The ADN was my only option at the time I got it. It was all I could afford and the only game in town. We had no BSN programs where I lived. I had no car to commute two hours to the nearest BSN program.

I'm now in a program to get my BSN, finally and I'm proud of that.

I see a lot of misunderstanding going both ways. BSN nurses promoting their degree and in response ADN nurses putting down that degree. I'm now in my 12 course and have four more to go after this and get greatly offended when my degree is put down "as just a few more courses that won't make you a better nurse".

I also get offended when it's implied that my ADN degree doesn't meet professional standards and it's implied that I'm "bringing down the profession".

Both upset me. I think that we can be proud of our degrees, whatever they are, without offending the other degree holders.

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