What Is The Deal With All The Highly Educated & Professionals Becoming RNs?

Nurses General Nursing

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So I pretty much always have nursing students with me. I have senior BSN students who are doing a critical care class (six 12 hours shifts), ADN students from 2 different programs doing their preceptorships (eight 12 hour shifts), ABSN students doing clinical (six 12 hour shifts), and direct entry MSN students who shadow me for a shift. In addition I come into contact with a variety of other students who are being taught by my RN co-workers. My hospital also has a "student nurse technician" program where they hire nursing students to do CNA type work. So I regularly talk to 5-10 nursing students a week and nearly always have a student with me each shift.

What I am so shocked about is the level of education of these students who are in nursing school. I can't even remember the last time I had a ADN student who didn't already have a bachelors degree with me. Of course the MSN and ABSN students already have bachelors degrees, but what is surprising to me is that so many are already professionals in others areas. I had a student who already has a bachelors and masters in architecture and worked for a well known local firm, I have had lawyers, police officers, scads of teachers, and a few engineers among others. Even a guy who is an MD in Russia.

Why do all of these people want to be nurses? Have any of you experienced this?

Back when I was in nursing school there were plenty of 2nd career types in my class but they tended to be factory workers, truck drivers, farmers, military vets who were moving up to become RNs. A few had bachelors degrees but not like now.

I actually find it frightening and a little sad. Frightening cause I suspect this is a symptom of a very bad economy and terrible job market. Sad cause I know so many of the will struggle to find work after making huge sacrifices to get through nursing school.

Some of them are SHOCKED when I tell them it's a tough job market out there for RNs and they will have to work hard and keep on their toes to find any job. Some simply refuse to believe me (nearly all the direct entry MSN students, ironic since they will struggle in our local market more than the others). Others already have this figured out and are already bitter about it.

I have NEVER had a patient care why I wanted to be a nurse. They have however cared if it took too many sticks to start an IV. I have had tons of nurses be curious as to why I left social work. I sort of giggle wondering why they care or what answer will be "OK" for them. If I say A,B or C vs X,Y, or Z, do they sleep better at night? What answer are people looking for?

My favorite is CNA's asking if I was a CNA before nursing school? Almost like if you weren't a CNA you don't know the "struggle" and youre automically lazy and only here for the money. So the fact that I didn't take temperatures or give bed baths for X amount of months before nursing school makes me "not worthy" to you. Sigh. I can't even go there with people.

YES IM HERE FOR MONEY. You think I just showed up to give enemas and bandage up gangrene? Or maybe I just decided, today is a good day to be exposed to MRSA and cdiff. Heck, let's throw in AIDS too. And maybe if I'm lucky I can insert a foley into a 300 pound patient whose parts I struggle to find, all while not trying to hurt their cellulitis leg. AND FOR FREE. No Mam. No Sir. Everybody works for my money. And if you don't.. you clearly have a trust fund.

But truthfully, I wanted to have a job that pays decent and still be home with my kids a lot. I can work 3 12's as a nurse and still have a fulltime salary. I can work nights, and come home before my husband gets off and though I'll be tired, we won't need daycare. I couldn't do that in most other fields. When I was 18, wanting to be home with my kids? Was not even in my mind. (If it was, people would have judged me for that as well). Nor did I know I'd marry an Airman and move all over the world, often to places where social work jobs were slim pickings. Hospitals and medical buildings? Are everywhere, however. Yes, I like helping people. Yes, nursing is interesting to me. Yes, if nursing doesn't work for my family in 10 years, I will find another job that does. And if that doesn't work, I guess I'll be in clown school, or serving tables or doing whatever works. I work for my family to have food, shelter and clothes. I get in where I fit in as long as theres a check, it's legal and I can look myself in the mirror and not feel shame. If you don't get that, please make a donation in my name to Sallie Mae, Southwest Toyota financial and AT&T mobility the 1st of every month.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

And, I forget which post it was, but honestly, AN is the only place where it's ever discussed whether you have ADN, BSN, etc. I don't go to work every day and think about who is bachelor-prepared and diploma-prepared. People are not comparing their degrees/nursing schools/certifications at the nursing station.

It is where I work, By my colleagues,who are worried about the future of their jobs at an ADN program, and by my graduates who are having trouble getting jobs, and my students, who have to find the fastest route possible to achieving a BSN so they can get a job.

It is REAL where I live, work and practice. I know it may not be for some areas of the country, but it is for me.

Yes, there is already a severe student debt crisis in this country and a BSN is, in my opinion, not needed for bedside practice.

In many ways I think we are looking at the issue from the wrong direction.

If we consider the following points true, and while some may dispute them, there is supporting evidence for each:

1. There is not a nursing shortage, in fact there is a surplus. New nurses are graduating faster then positions are opening.

2. Nursing and the health care system today, and looking toward the future, is different from nursing ten, twenty, and thirty years ago.

3. In aggregate, there is a benefit to the patient population to have new nurses with more education.

If you consider these (fairly factual) statements then there is a solution that addresses all three: slowing down the number of nurses entering new practice by increasing the base education level for the profession assuring new nurses are prepared for modern nursing and ultimately benefiting the entire patient population.

Is there a flaw in that perspective?

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Yes, there is already a severe student debt crisis in this country and a BSN is, in my opinion, not needed for bedside practice.

Nurse salary is more than sufficient to cover the loans accrued for a bachelors degree, wouldn't you say?

No, I wouldn't say that as a blanket statement.

BostonFNP, increasing the base level of education did not slow down the number of nurses entering new practice in Canada. During the past 15 years, Canadian provinces changed their entry to practce requirements. A BScN is required to enter registered nursing and a 2 year diploma to enter practical nursing. When the education changed, the nursing schools did not shut down or decrease their number of seats, they increased them. We have a surplus of new grads similar to the US.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

He didn't say he didn't believe you, just that it sounds somewhat unbelievable. There's a difference.

It's pretty darn close.

There are some people that I roll my eyes at who say "I've wanted to be a nurse since I was an infant", but it has nothing to do with their age or their past career choices. It has to do with the lack of effort I see them putting into pursuing their lifelong dream (either applicants to the program or current students).

Some people are not in a position to put their hopes and dreams first. And if, for some reason (no money for college, no family support, had kids young, need to take care of sick/elderly relatives), they couldn't do it, it becomes about 10 times harder to do it later in life.

I was fortunate enough to have family support, not have to work, and didn't have family members that depended on me. But as a professor, I see many students who are not as fortunate.

Or, there are students who are not supported (by their parents or spouses/SOs in their pursuit to become a nurse. In some families or cultures, nursing is not an acceptable career. I know many students whose parents had higher aspirations for them. So, they were forced into a less rewarding profession and needed to wait until they could do it on their own.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
This!!.

Were I the nursing czar, nursing education *would* be a BSN program but would look nothing like what many of them currently do.

I'd model it off of my engineering education at one of the country's best engineering schools. It would include a much more rigorous math and science foundation and would have students in labs and clinicals from the second week of school... learn by doing. Each student would be required to have gone through first aid, CNA, and EMT prior to starting the program... or else would do these classes in their first semester along with an intro to nursing class.

My nursing program would have much less emphasis on writing papers (outside of the required writing classes) and much more emphasis on hard science and patient assessment.

Traditional lectures would be replaced by scenarios and testing would primarily be scenario based. We'd certainly include atypical situations where students were required to 'make due' with what they had available.

We'd spend a bit of time on NCLEX style prep under the belief that most students, if properly prepared through the foundational material, could pass the test. Perhaps in the final semester, we'd offer an intensive NCLEX prep course but probably we'd push that out to the community.

It would be all about adult learning... no hand-holding.

To help these nurses think of themselves as 'hard science' folks, we'd get rid of that stupid APA format (we're not psychologists) and use the same style requirements as do the medical journals (and even many of the *good* nursing journals).

While holding it to nominally a 4-year program, we'd recognize that some students might not be able to handle the pace and would have a 5-year structure, as well.

In my model, every graduate would be able to do basic college math and basic college chemistry.

Some of the texts might even be medical texts (thinking of Guyton, specifically).

I'd be pushing toward a model wherein RNs aren't spending much time on ADLs and the puff 'n buff but on higher skilled activities. This isn't because I devalue ADLs (believe me, I can brush teeth and wipe butts with the best of 'em) but simply because increasing complexity and acuity should require experts to monitor and intervene. I would staff with RNs for the 'hard nursing' stuff and CNAs for the ADL stuff.

^ there are programs like this in my area.

My program had us in clinics, HH, group homes...they gave us nursing in acute care and in the community...they stressed that nursing is very multifaceted. I choose this particular nursing program because of this. I am aware that many may not have this opportunity, which is even MORE unfortunate.

If you become a nursing czar, sign me up to help you...you as well PMFB-RN...I would love to overhaul nursing education! There is a need for a reality check on "real nursing."

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Nurse salary is more than sufficient to cover the loans accrued for a bachelors degree, wouldn't you say?

*** Maybe. If one does the first two years at a community college then transferred to a moderate cost state university or college.

Prof, I clarified that I am speaking about the people who had past professional careers that go back to school for nursing and say "I am doing what I really wanted to do to begin with." Not the stay at home moms or people who for whatever circumstantial reason they couldn't.

Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

*** Maybe. If one does the first two years at a community college then transferred to a moderate cost state university or college.

I don't see why people can't get an ADN - start working - and then while they are working get into an online school and earn the BSN. That way they can pay as they go, and be gaining clinical knowledge to go with the book learning. They could make an agreement with their employer to earn the BSN within a specified period of time.

Over on the AZ forum they are saying that the largest healthcare employer in the state - banner health - is only taking BSN applicants. Fine - I just hope that students in ADN programs and potential students are getting adequate warning.

Specializes in LTC.

My community college offers a summer bridge, you take summer BSN coursework at the cc and you can graduate with a BSN through the U they partner with. You don't have to spend a lot to get a BSN, you just have to do your homework.

I'm one of those 2nd career types. I want to be a CDE, and the absolute most efficient way to get there is nursing. I have a lot of reasons behind why, which I won't go into, however, I've never stressed getting a nursing job after graduation because I've got other skills... Even if that means I have to be an RN dealing cards lol. That's one of the advantages to being a non-traditional student.

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