Is this the publics perception of nurses?

[austin heart]

i am a charge RN in a cvicu. yesterday i took care of a man that was pod1 5 vessel cabg on a balloon pump and multiple drips. i had post op'd the pt the previous day so i had developed a repor with he and his family. he was telling me that his daughter is a physical therapist and works in a DR's office yadda yadda, yadda. he then asks me if i make good money beings that i have no college degree. i informed him that i did have a college degree and was very well educated in my field. he stated that he was unaware that you needed to go to college to be a nurse.

i was shocked! this was a very sick man and needed detailed care! is this the perception of the public that anyone can walk in off the street and get a job as a nurse? do they think it is like checking groceries or something? and this was a very well educated man himself. i am still just shocked and offended! has anyone else had this happen?

thanks for letting me vent

[MishlB]

Originally posted by mattsmom81

A ONE year RN program??? Hmm. I had no idea these existed...scary thought IMO.

My RN Diploma program was a three year program . The idea persists out there that Diploma RN's received some kind of second rate nursing education (I suspect this is perpetuated by BSN proponents) and it simply is untrue...Diploma programs offer a med school-like program that puts out great RN's, IMHO. The same docs teaching med school pathophys taught us. Nobody looks down on doctor's hospital- based training...but it seems many put down the same type training for nurses. Why??

Sorry...the one year I was referring to was LPN diploma, not RN. However the ADRN program is one year.

Question for you...why go to school for 3 years to get a diploma when one more is a degree? Do most employers require a degree for RN's nowadays?

[MishlB]

I don't think education can teach you compassion and caring though...

[Flo1216]

I am from NJ and attend a 3 year diploma RN program. I have never heard of a one year diploma RN. I have heard of the one year accelerated BSN but that is different.

[Flo1216]

Passion and caring is wonderful, but I would rather have a mean nasty ol nurse with an education who knew what she was doing taking care of me then a passionate, caring nurse with no education who knows nothing.

[Flo1216]

"Question for you...why go to school for 3 years to get a diploma when one more is a degree?"

Because it is more affordable than a 4 year school. That's why I chose a diploma program. I am going on for my BSN after I graduate in June and my hospital will offer tuition reimbursement once I am an RN

[MishlB]

Originally posted by Flo1216

"Question for you...why go to school for 3 years to get a diploma when one more is a degree?"

Because it is more affordable than a 4 year school. That's why I chose a diploma program. I am going on for my BSN after I graduate in June and my hospital will offer tuition reimbursement once I am an RN

And I am doing the same thing, only the ADRN program, and will continue later. What difference does it make? Were you an LPN or did you start right out at the RN diploma program? That makes a difference too. Obviously you cannot enter the ADRN program without a nursing education.

And of course I want a nurse who is educated taking care of me, but I would also like to be treated with some care. It's all relative to the situation.

Every state is very different in what they offer, which is the main problem in nursing education. Do you realize that nursing educators believe that we are being OVEReducated? LPN's need only pass a pill, not know the effects, and the RN can be responsible for everything else. Frankly that scares me. There is a place for RN's and LPN's to work together, but the "education" part continues to divide. As RN's we are taught how much more knowledge we have over LPN's, (LPNs CANNOT assess....right!)and what they cannot do because they lack the knowledge, and at the BSN level, taught to be superior. I disagree.

Why is everyone so concerned about their degree and title on their nametag? To impress patients and family? NEWSFLASH....most patients and their families don't know the difference between CNA, LPN, RN, and NP. They only want a knowlegable, caring, and respectful person to care for their loved one in their time of need.

Isn't that what nursing is all about???

[MishlB]

Originally posted by Flo1216

Passion and caring is wonderful, but I would rather have a mean nasty ol nurse with an education who knew what she was doing taking care of me then a passionate, caring nurse with no education who knows nothing.

Remember you said this...

[Flo1216]

Well....I wouldn't want a mean nasty nurse either, but if I had to have one or the other, I would rather come out alive!

[MishlB]

Originally posted by Flo1216

Well....I wouldn't want a mean nasty nurse either, but if I had to have one or the other, I would rather come out alive!

I totally agree with you!! Hopefully, those who become nurses will have some education. (I can hope can't I????)

[hapeewendy]

with respect to your comment about preferring a mean nurse as opposed to one with compassion but no knowledge, all I can say is careful what you wish for...

why do we have to be so extreme anyway?

tons of nurses are both compassionate AND full of knowledge...

as a nurse who went the college route I found that I learned a lot more than my university counterparts at the time did , infact during my pregrad at a major downtown hospital here in toronto I was one of 2 pregrad students on the unit - the other was a university pregrad, keep in mind we were both pregrad and both able to write our exams at the same time (which we did infact because I saw her at the exam!) anyway , I was treated like part of the staff, had a lot more learning opportunities given to me, kind of dove right into things, the other pregrad student seemed to lack the confidence that comes from being thrust into the clinical setting early (like we were in college) and that cost her plenty of opportunities including a job offer at the same facility...

anyway its not a debate between one or the other, I am a proponent of the same level of entry to the profession , and I do believe it should be a degree......

I never believed this until this september when I started my BSCN at university .. I think it would do wonders for our profession to have everyone come from the same type of prgoram with the same knowledge base and to be recognized the same way worldwide for our education and experience...

[Q.]

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Yes, standardized education...I don't argue that. but if it's all to be BSN- only make it available to all who seek to enter nursing.

That would be ideal, but do other career paths guarantee this? For example: is obtaining an MBA accessible to all? Is going to med school, law school, becoming a chemist, a vet, a biostatistician, engineer or any other career accessible to all? Should it be accessible to all?

Do we really want people to enter a field because it was the closest school around, or the school that happened to be next door, or do we want people to enter because they'll do anything (drive 30 miles, take a city bus [like I did] take out a loan, etc) to be a nurse?

I keep thinking of my would-be child, who say was excellent in music and had the opportunity (meaning she was accepted) to attend Juliard. Should I discourage her because we don't live next door to Juliard, and tell her to go to the nursing school here in our area because it's closer?

[Pretzlgl]

Originally posted by MishlB

Why is everyone so concerned about their degree and title on their nametag? To impress patients and family? NEWSFLASH....most patients and their families don't know the difference between CNA, LPN, RN, and NP. They only want a knowlegable, caring, and respectful person to care for their loved one in their time of need.

Isn't that what nursing is all about???

EXACTLY!