together we can

BrandyBSN · Jul 15, 2001

Janice, you are not naive, not in the slightest.

Unfortunately, I am not sure it can ever truely be set aside until there is only one avenue to go down to become a nurse.

We are all very passionate about patient care (atleast I hope), and equally passionate about our educational choices. We all went into our respective programs because we believed it was the best route to go. We all took the same test, yes, but we are not the same.

I try my hardest not to get defensive, and not to call out sides. But I will be honest and say that when someone claims that they are more clinically prepared than I am, when in my mind and opinion tells me that with two years less of formal education, that can not be so. However, most of what I have learned about nursing has been in the past year, and the coming year. That is two years. I had nursing classes my first and second years of school, as freshmen and sophomores we did head to toe assessments, blood pressures, temps, bed making, pan placements, Historical Nursing, and a lot of nursing informatics. The then spent last year, and senior year doing extensive 24 hour per week clinicals. We already have the skills, now we are just to refine them. Have we learned everything? Not at all! Learning is a lifetime process.

I look at an ADN nurse as my nursing equal, because all of the nursing skills and classes that I have taken can easily be done in 2 years instead of 4. No, I do not think that the Western Lit class that I had to take will help my bedside manner, My African Music study will not make me a better nurse. None of the classes that I have taken (besides my nursing classes) will make me a better nurse from a skill and theory stand point.

I chose to go for my BSN because a four-year college degree was important to me. I wanted to expand my knowledge base, and learn more about my world, and what it offers beyond my profession. I wanted to learn about Art, multicultural music, I wanted to be able to speak french, read latin, and write music scores.

Do all of these new found things that i can do make me a better nurse? Heck NO! I well rounded person? Possibly.

ADNs who have as many clinical hours, and the experience I do are just as good as I am. I do not believe they are better, more prepared clinically, or more advanced in their clinical skills that I am, or atleast will be. But, i do not think that I am better for it either. We are just different. Our reasoning may be different, and our routes to get there many be different, but we ALL wanted ONE thing, to be a nurse, by the best route we believed in.

Life is too short to always try to be better than our peers. We are all nurses, with the same focus, and love for taking care of people. Proper care can't be achieved if we are spending, even just a little bit of our energy trying to keep our different educational levels in different planes. We ARE ALL NURSES. We both help bring life into the world, we both hold hands in death. So what if I am a BSN, sure im proud, but I didnt choose this career to be able to write extra letters after my name, I only wanted to be a nurse.

Isn't THAT, being a great nurse, what we are all after?

No Janice dear, you are not naive, are you wise. The class discrimination is only holding us back. None are better than another, as long as we all apply ourselves, have a big and open heart, and are willing to be taught, and to teach.

Brown Suga · Jul 15, 2001

I agree with what you are saying. The nurses truly are the backbone to the hospital because they care for the patient's mind, body, and soul. The nurse are the means of communication between the patients and their doctors. I believe if the hospital's were paying the rates the regiseries are paying and included benefits we would not be having experiencing the nursing shortage. Well I just wanted to put in my two cents.

Thanks

:cool:

kcsun3 · Jul 15, 2001

Hi everyone :)

I read alot here (love this forum), rarely post - mostly a lurker...but I just wanted to throw my two cents in here (for what it's worth LOL).

Sidestepping the whole LPN/ADN/BSN issue, I think there is a bigger reason nursing professionals do not command the same type of respect doctors, PTs, OTs, and other healthcare professionals do. These other professionals all bill for their time...nurses do not. Nursing salaries are part of the administrative budget, and as such, they can be cut to help fix budgetary problems.

Most professionals "bill" for their time, at an hourly rate - accountants, doctors, lawyers, etc. It is a reflection of their level of education and expertise in the field. In the healthcare setting, separate billing for services applies to not just MDs, but PTs, OT, Speech therapists, radiology professionals and so on. As long as nurses are paid out of the administrative budget, they will not receive the same type of respect an independent licensed healthcare professional in another discipline will.

Well, I don't know if that made sense or not, and what do I know? Not much LOL It's just something I have been thinking about. Is it practical? Does it matter? I dunno...just something to consider. :)

Steph

The Student Nurse Forum

http://kcsun3.tripod.com

CEN35 · Jul 16, 2001

I re-edited this post..........since I can't delete it...... whatever

CEN35 · Jul 16, 2001

502Nurse · Jul 16, 2001

KCSUN3:

I TOTALLY agree with you that the reason nurse's don't get professional status is because they don't charge for their services. I learned last semester that a nurse's pay is billed to the insurance companies under the category of "room charge." This means that a nurse's service, education, knowledge, skill, and compassion are also included with clean sheets, night gown and a call light :eek: This is so unbelievable! Especially since the health care professionals who do bill directly for their services (ie. OT, PT, etc.) also have 4 year college degrees - the same as BSN's. I began nursing school because I love to take care of people. I have heard numerous times that you "don't go into nursing for the money," but there is nothing wrong with wanting to be seen, treated, and reimbursed as a health care professional!! :)

Just my two cents...

502Nurse · Jul 16, 2001

Just wanted to clarify my previous post. Nurses do "charge for their services" - what I meant to say was they don't bill directly for their services!

Sorry for any confusion! :cool:

janleb · Jul 16, 2001

Thanks for all the feedback. Rick where are you I value your opinion and love reading what you write. I am learning so much, about the profession I am walking into!!

AgidaeRN · Jul 16, 2001

Janleb,

I have learnt so much since I log-in to this forum that I think I am ready to take on the world. I am going into this with the intention to do well and this is how it is going to be. I want to take the 4 years to do my BSN why? because I have plans to do a PHD. I respect all nurses of all categories because they all have to go to school to be what they are today, and there are always space for improvement, so one has to just do what she has to do.

I really have to put in my two-cents. Have a great night guys.

CEN35 · Jul 17, 2001

sorry jan i edited it to nothing since i can't delete it......based on a misunderstanding. i was just trying to prevent a problem i thought. cya