Should BSNs be paid more?

Nurses General Nursing

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I know ADNs and BSNs both sit for the same NCLEX exam, both have approximately four years of education, and at best have negligible differences (over time) in their nursing skills. BSNs take courses than broaden their overall knowledge; however, ADNs have more clinical experience prior to entering the workforce. Should there be a differential for BSNs, or should the reward for obtaining a BSN lie in the ability to advance one's career?

I'm not trying to start an ADN vs BSN bashing, I'm just curious to see what you all think.

I think a pay differential would encourage more nurses to seek a B.S.N., which would be very benificial to them. I also think B.S.N. programs should be readily available to all A.D.N. and diploma nurses. Some hospitals offer B.S.N.s through major universities, which is excellent. Others pay for nurses to continue their eduaction. Would B.S.N. education being more readily available and more affordable encourage more people to pursue it?

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I understand your confusion. What I am saying is this...ADN's and BSN's sit for the same exam...so ultimately a BSN choices to learn what an ADN learned in 4yrs vs the 2yrs, speaking theothetically here...because we all know they take more classes. But if it was of such an importance as to the new grad. I believe the BON would revamp the NCLEX to included a more difficult exam for them...if that was the case...pay them more period.

I believe pay should be based mainly on experience and clinical skills. The later of the two is more difficult to measure....of course.

Now my point regarding rewarding a ADN who went for her BSN being rewarded...I say this because IMO an ADN and BSN start at the same level because they are both new grads and both take the same NCLEX...in reality what determines our capabilities to be nurses? The NCLEX...should be made harder for BSN's if they want the constant recoginition and pay. Now if there was a BSN who went and got her MSN, def. she should be payed more...but from the get go, no...again the same exam the same entry level into nursing.

Hope that clarifies

Annette

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I think a pay differential would encourage more nurses to seek a B.S.N., which would be very benificial to them. I also think B.S.N. programs should be readily available to all A.D.N. and diploma nurses. Some hospitals offer B.S.N.s through major universities, which is excellent. Others pay for nurses to continue their eduaction. Would B.S.N. education being more readily available and more affordable encourage more people to pursue it?

Ali gator,

Maybe on a small scale, but I feel alot of nurses choose ADN because it is quicker...esp. ones with families..we need those nurses. A while back I mentioned about a shortage of nurses if entry level was BSN, a reply I can't remember who, please forgive me stated that there would be a grace period. But the shortage would exist from lack of people entering into nursing.

I think the ADN is a good thing to have and should continue. If BSN nurses want the recognition or pay or respect(assumtion it is automatically given with a degree) then I think they should lobby for a much more difficult NCLEX to take...than taking the same one that an ADN can take.

I will support that 100%, cause nobody is pushing people out of jobs or hurting dreams, making nursing as a career much more difficult to obtain, a group of nurses wants whatever the BSN level will give them, then I say step up to the plate and lobby for a more difficult NCLEX or at least one that includes all of that additional information you learn compared to the 2yr ADN.

Just my .02

Annette

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Ali gator,

Maybe on a small scale, but I feel alot of nurses choose ADN because it is quicker...esp. ones with families..we need those nurses. A while back I mentioned about a shortage of nurses if entry level was BSN, a reply I can't remember who, please forgive me stated that there would be a grace period. But the shortage would exist from lack of people entering into nursing.

I think the ADN is a good thing to have and should continue. If BSN nurses want the recognition or pay or respect(assumtion it is automatically given with a degree) then I think they should lobby for a much more difficult NCLEX to take...than taking the same one that an ADN can take.

I will support that 100%, cause nobody is pushing people out of jobs or hurting dreams, making nursing as a career much more difficult to obtain, a group of nurses wants whatever the BSN level will give them, then I say step up to the plate and lobby for a more difficult NCLEX or at least one that includes all of that additional information you learn compared to the 2yr ADN.

Just my .02

Annette

Granted, many nurses begin with an ADN or hospital diploma because that is what is physically available to them. Many universities (like UCLA) only offer BSN programs to people who are already RNs. Right now, I'm attending a women's college in L.A., working on my BSN. I understand that many people do not have the luxury of attending a four year school, due to family, finances, etc. The point I was trying to make is that BSN education should be more readily available to RNs who wish to pursue it. More hospitals should offer on-site BSN prorams, or pay for nurses to continue their education at a university of their choosing. I suspect that if higher education is made more readily available, more nurses will choose to pursue it.

Although higher education is a reward itself, I believe there should be more incentives for nurses to seek higher education.

There are valid arguments on both sides of the ADN vs. BSN debate. It should also be mentioned that this issue really doesn't effect LPNs, as it is geared towards those who hold an RN title. North Dakota requires a BSN as entry into practice, and they do not suffer from a more severe nursing shortage than any other state. This is, however, beside the point. Again, there are valid arguments on both sides. It would be nice if people on both sides of the debate could exchange ideas in a civil manner.

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

So you're saying that BSN nurses should have to prove themselves worthy of a pay differential by passing a much harder version of NCLEX? What extra information would this test contain? Then why couldn't an ADN nurse choose to challenge the "harder" test? Come on. A small differential to recognize extended education (so what if it's voluntary) shouldn't be too hard for people to swallow. The difference between ADN and BSN shouldn't be condensed down to some test.

It's not about who knows more, or who's better. It's simply a matter of recognition of effort and education.

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Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.
Annette,

I agree that nurses must stop eating their young and mistreating eachother. Don't get me wrong, those of us who advocate for a B.S.N. as entry are not under any misguided impression that this will solve all our problems. Nurses certianly must start being more assertive. (Personally, I think every nursing student recieves a course in Codependency 101.) Until nurses stop tolerating mistreatment, it will continue.

Allow me to clarify: Advocating for a B.S.N. as entry does not mean that the current nurses who hold an ADN or diploma would no longer be able to practice. It would only be a requirement for new nurses. North Dakota made a B.S.N. the minimum, and seems to be having few problems.

There are valid arguments on both sides.

I'll post more in the morning.

Hi, just wanted to say that I live in North Dakota and I am a LPN student who will have my associates degree May 06. Anyways, because of the nursing shortage around the country and in North dakota, North Dakota is now using associate degree RN's in their hospitals:)

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Again they both enter as new grad RN's. If this change was to take place, I think it would affect LPN's...because I look at LPN's as the entry level into nursing...so would LPN's still exist? what capacity? would they still be a "nurse"?

We too perform nursing functions like nurses, we too are nurses...the bottom of the chain is an LPN, before you leave things such as assessments/critical thinking/more invasive tasks...things that MA's don't perform or CNA's.

So if we speak as entry level then it would be the LPN.

If the NCLEX is just a test...why is it that it can bar you from working? Or becoming legally licensed? Seriously, after school...what school leads to is the NCLEX. You can have a BSN but until you pass the NCLEX, then you are not a RN, same for ADN. That is why the NCLEX is there, that is what school gears us too...so as entry level nursings want differentials for different education then I say a different exam. Give a little take a little...jusy my .02

Annette

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

But the NCLEX isn't the be-all, end-all. Passing the test only means you have enough basic knowledge to function safely as a graduate nurse. It doesn't define your entire education.

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So pricklybear, the NCLEX states to you the basic knowledge to practice nursing at a graduate level...so in essence you just proved my statement...new grad whether that be ADN or BSN, same pay...after all it is just the basic information...to enter nursing, so why a different pay.

To me IT is the be all end all...without you can't work...if you can't pass that test...you can't work plain and simple. Again I think each go into nursing at an entry level. If ADN can pass it, obviously something is going right. I am not minimizing BSN's, I think that additional knowledge is beneficial to several areas of nursing, but I think along with any nurse it takes some experience to apply it. I also think that additional information, should be tested on a NCLEX for BSN's. Then we can really know the difference. I would love to see statistics on ADN vs BSN amt. passing the NCLEX, it would be interesting to study.

To me for this to make sense I would need to see statistical reviews, nurses making errors, who are they LPN, ADN or BSN...nurses envolved on a neg. level with the BON, again who are they? Also what nurses after leaving school stay in nurses, the majority is it LPN, ADN, BSN...this would determine how well each educational system orientates to the reality of nursing.

So North Dakota, is changing it's view I see due to nursing shortage...that is interesting but I would really love to see any kind of documentation or process of their decision making. I just want to see a rational other than more respect from public(IMO will never happen till we unite and educate the public on our roles). Being considered as a "professional" Which I disagree with that term...professional is the work ethnic and clinical skills, not a degree.

So if anyone has any of that information...please share it with me...cause I would love to hear it/see it and have my views challenged.

Does anyone have a link to share? Are there any North Dakota nurses here who can shed some additional light on this situation?

Annette

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Specializes in Psych.

To those of you who get a premium for BSN: Do you ever wonder who will get the shaft if staff cuts are in order? As a BSN, I would love to be given premium pay for my degree. If for no other reason, because I had to SPEND more $ to get a BSN vs ADN. Then again, I wonder if I would be pricing myself out of the market. It seems that in this part of the country, most dr's offices/hospitals/clinics will hire an LPN over an RN due to the $ they save in wages(All other things being equal).

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

You're just arguing that BSNs shouldn't get any differential because they aren't 'any better' than ADNs. Nobody said a differential should be given because someone is better than anybody else. Just a TOKEN RECOGNITION of a higher degree earned within the field.

Why does it bother you that someone might get a dollar more an hour than you simply because they hold a higher degree? A dollar. Not 50k a year. A dollar.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Hi, just wanted to say that I live in North Dakota and I am a LPN student who will have my associates degree May 06. Anyways, because of the nursing shortage around the country and in North dakota, North Dakota is now using associate degree RN's in their hospitals:)

Yep. I meant to address that but wanted to look up information before responding to that poster.

The one state that decided to make BSN the entry level for RN status failed. For a multitude of reasons, but they failed.

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