The 'De-Skilling' Of Nursing

The reality of technicians and other professionals taking over aspects of the nurse's role is a valid threat that should not be handled lightly. If there's even one jobless nurse in society who desperately wants to secure employment, then the 'de-skilling' of nursing is certainly a problem. The nursing profession must stop giving up skills to other members of the healthcare team. This article attempts to explain how the nursing profession is being 'de-skilled.' Nurses Announcements Archive Article

You are reading page 16 of The 'De-Skilling' Of Nursing

Asystole RN

2,352 Posts

CNAs are not nurses. Yes, they are vital to providing patient care, but they do not possess a unique body of knowledge as nurses do.

Housekeeping feels overlooked. Maybe we should call them nurses, too. What the heck, just call everyone a nurse so no one gets their panties in a bunch.

This mentality is what comes from the "Everybody is a winner and gets a trophy" thinking.

Now you get it.

:D

Asystole RN

2,352 Posts

Pretty soon we will have licensed healthcare associates. All specialized in one area only so they have few career options.

Many RNs do specialize in one area.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Yes but these won't be nurses just glorified techs. My friend in NZ is a Cardiac Physiologist which is a really really really fancy way of saying she assists with cath labs and stress tests but that and that only. (She has a science degree but I'm not sure if that was a requirement)

So I see that happening at both ends nurses will hyperspecialize and so will the UAP's as more and more become expected of them.

We can reasonably expect as much change in the future as we've had in the past.

Asystole RN

2,352 Posts

Yes but these won't be nurses just glorified techs. My friend in NZ is a Cardiac Physiologist which is a really really really fancy way of saying she assists with cath labs and stress tests but that and that only. (She has a science degree but I'm not sure if that was a requirement)

So I see that happening at both ends nurses will hyperspecialize and so will the UAP's as more and more become expected of them.

We can reasonably expect as much change in the future as we've had in the past.

Things will change but nursing is not going anywhere, at least not registered nursing. I do think that registered nursing will become more and more specialized similar to the physician model. There will be general practice nurses and specialists.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Nursing as a concept is very old but licensing of nursing as a title only came about in the last 100 years or so. People always think the position they are in now will be the one to remain but we may find a different story when we are the ones in our nursing home beds which have been relocated to the moon for cost cutting efficiency and "nursing" has been outsourced to the illegal aliens ;)

tnmarie

268 Posts

Specializes in geriatrics, hospice, private duty.

This has been a most interesting read. I hope everyone is as passionate about pt care as they are about their precious titles and degrees.

To be honest, I naively thought that BSNs were strictly management. I suppose in hospitals where the are phasing out ASNs this won't be the case. To be fair, when I worked with RNs they were ALL BSNs (and oh yeah, officers). They gave meds and charted and we did everything else from wiping butt, VS, starting IVs, foleys, and dropping NG tubes. We were a hybrid of CNA and LPN but with the fancy title of Aerospace Medical Technician (I never called myself a nurse because I was not one at the time).

I think phasing out ASNs is a mistake. That way nurses who don't want to wipe butt or touch a patient can become BSNs (and sit in their cushy offices :bugeyes:) and those of us who became nurses to actually touch and physically nurse people can do so and you won't have nurses on the floor afraid or too proud to wipe a butt.

When my mom became a nurse 25 years ago, RNs were managers and LPNs did patient care. That is why she was never interested in becoming an RN (and she could nurse circles around many, many RNs, btw). I had to become an LPN to do the kind of patient care I did in the military in the civilian world. They seem to be phasing out LPNs here, so I am getting my ASN so I can continue to do what I'm doing now. I am not interested in my BSN because classes on management and a bunch more prereqs do not interest me and will do little to improve my patient care, IMO. Though if that is what I have to do to continue to do actual pt care, I will.

Some nurses are good at management and don't want anything to do with hands on pt care. Some nurses want to be in the trenches. I think it is important to have BSNs and ASNs to differentiate the two. I also think we should all recognize that both have their place in nursing care and stop ******* bickering about it. Of course I have no idea where this will leave the LPN. I guess doing LTC, home health, private duty and other jobs where you need a nurse but no one wants to pay an RN salary to have one...

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
To be honest, I naively thought that BSNs were strictly management.
I've seen multiple RNs with BSN degrees who push medication carts and work as floor nurses at nursing homes and rehab facilities. On the other hand, I've seen LPNs in administrative positions such as assistant director of nursing, director of wellness, unit manager, and so forth. I've also seen a fair share of RNs with associate degrees in nursing management positions. Heck, I even work with an RN with a MSN degree who works as a floor nurse.

Personality type plays a heavier role than educational attainment in whether the nurse desires to ascend to a managerial role. Even though a nurse might have an RN license and a BSN or MSN degree, higher education does not inculcate natural leadership qualities.

BrandonLPN, LPN

3,358 Posts

I think the BSN program makes that nurse better at "managing" in the sense of managing care by delegating tasks to others. I always thought this was the intended role of the BSN within the team framework. I'm not sure that it actually makes the BSN better at performing the tasks themselves, more better at seeing the bigger picture and coordinating care. Management in an administrative sense is totally different, and doesn't have much to do with a nurse's level of licensure.

OCNRN63, RN

5,978 Posts

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Now you get it.

:D

I never "didn't" get it.

Asystole RN

2,352 Posts

This has been a most interesting read. I hope everyone is as passionate about pt care as they are about their precious titles and degrees.

To be honest, I naively thought that BSNs were strictly management. I suppose in hospitals where the are phasing out ASNs this won't be the case. To be fair, when I worked with RNs they were ALL BSNs (and oh yeah, officers). They gave meds and charted and we did everything else from wiping butt, VS, starting IVs, foleys, and dropping NG tubes. We were a hybrid of CNA and LPN but with the fancy title of Aerospace Medical Technician (I never called myself a nurse because I was not one at the time).

I think phasing out ASNs is a mistake. That way nurses who don't want to wipe butt or touch a patient can become BSNs (and sit in their cushy offices :bugeyes:) and those of us who became nurses to actually touch and physically nurse people can do so and you won't have nurses on the floor afraid or too proud to wipe a butt.

When my mom became a nurse 25 years ago, RNs were managers and LPNs did patient care. That is why she was never interested in becoming an RN (and she could nurse circles around many, many RNs, btw). I had to become an LPN to do the kind of patient care I did in the military in the civilian world. They seem to be phasing out LPNs here, so I am getting my ASN so I can continue to do what I'm doing now. I am not interested in my BSN because classes on management and a bunch more prereqs do not interest me and will do little to improve my patient care, IMO. Though if that is what I have to do to continue to do actual pt care, I will.

Some nurses are good at management and don't want anything to do with hands on pt care. Some nurses want to be in the trenches. I think it is important to have BSNs and ASNs to differentiate the two. I also think we should all recognize that both have their place in nursing care and stop ******* bickering about it. Of course I have no idea where this will leave the LPN. I guess doing LTC, home health, private duty and other jobs where you need a nurse but no one wants to pay an RN salary to have one...

The BSN nurse predates all other forms of nursing except the Diploma nurse. Many hospitals are actively attempting to increase the ratio of BSN nurses on the floor.

The level of academic achievement of a nurse however has nothing to do with their clinical practice however.

Asystole RN

2,352 Posts

I never "didn't" get it.

My original statement was facetious, now you get it? :D

BrandonLPN, LPN

3,358 Posts

The level of academic achievement of a nurse however has nothing to do with their clinical practice however.
I don't understand what you mean by this. Education should determine how a nurse can practice. Since a BSN nurse has more schooling, he should have a wider scope of practice and probably it's own licensure. With an enhanced license of its own, the BSN nurse would be in a better position to demand more money. Without something like this it just seems like education for the sake of education. Why have extra training if it doesn't result in more privileges and money?