Hospital work - RN vs. BSN?

That was pretty much it. It was fall of 2005 I think that one of our instructors mentioned the nearly losing accreditation at an end of the semester get together. I heard from a coworker this past year that she heard about the lawsuits. Like I said, rumors. I don't know about any sort of fast track BSN program, but for the main class, that I've heard from many people that they teach in 6 week segments, fail a segment and you're out of the course.
Also, I have an acquaintance who graduated ahead of me telling me I had to take Kaplan (the NCLEX prep course) after I graduated because that's what she was doing because a friend of hers at the hospital where she was working managed to get straight A's at St. Kates and failed the NCLEX.

As for me, I didn't get straight A's, didn't take the Kaplan and passed the NCLEX on my first try.


I haven't been through their program, it could be fantastic. These are just things I've heard. And I think it's strange that I haven't heard a whiff of anything about any other school's nursing program.

Like I said, lots of rumors. Do some research. Talk to people who've been through the classes. And if you go to an information session ask how many students that start the program make it to the end, and of those, what's the NCLEX passing rate. Don't spend a fortune on a lousy education.

I'd be curious to know if there are any current post-bac St. Kate's students out there to offer a rebuttal...

Thanks jnsk99...I was wondering if that information was public. Interesting that it's only for the associate degree programs, though. I might do a Google search to see if I can find the pass rates for their post-bac or traditional BSN.

Thanks. Ouch. Well, it's not clear if the numbers are for the post-bac or for the traditional bac, but still, ouch.

But, as my husband said last night, ultimately how you do on the NCLEX is up to you. So, I might have to study a little harder. Fine with me.

I went to St. Kate's AD program. I didn't get straight A's....but did quite well. I passed NCLEX on the first try without taking Kaplan or any other program. I was hired before I graduated at a major hospital. Also worked full-time through the entire program. There was also a student in my class that took boards more than twice before she passed. She was an excellent student and I would be happy to have her care for me or any of my family members. Passing rates are not the only way to judge a program. I also heard rumors of St. Kate's passing people that shouldn't have passed because they threatened to sue or petitioned. The program is definately flawed. But it is a good program and I feel I got an excellent education. I think you could find rumors like this at any school.

I have an ADN from St. Kate's Minneapolis campus. I have worked at a level 1 trauma center in Minneapolis since graduation 4+ years ago and there is a large mix of BSNs and ADNs working here. I have observed that you need a BSN to get into most positions above staff nurse, and definitely to get into management. In fact, my manager is now being required to get her masters. There is definitely a preference at some of the other hospitals in town (based on their job postings) and in this down job market, I would think it would definitely help you to stand out.

I did not want to go to St. Kate's "just to go to St. Kate's," and the cost was absolutely ridiculous, especially considering the Minneapolis campus is really run down and all the amenities are in St. Paul. I only chose this school because it had an evening program and was convenient to my full time job in downtown Minneapolis. I did think my education prepared me adequately, but I also worked really hard and got As. There WAS the constant threat of flunking out after each exam, and also if you failed the math test. I really hated nursing school because of the constant stress. I passed my boards on my first try w/75 questions. I did go to Kaplan because I'm the "belt and suspenders" type.

As far as BSN options, there is almost no chance I'd go to St. Kate's, primarily due to cost. Metro State has a good program that is the least expensive one I've found, but it takes 2 years. I also checked out Mankato State, which seems like a reasonable option as it's mostly distance learning. I'll probably end up doing one of these programs when I decide to go back and finish my BSN. In the interim, I don't see a whole lot of difference in my workplace for staff nurses w/ADNs and BSNs, and the pay difference is at best $1/hr.

This might seem like a picky distinction, and it's sort of been covered, but I want to state it in plain terms.

You are not comparing RN to BSN. You are comparing ADN to BSN. Both the ADN and the BSN are RNs.

Best wishes in your quest.