How do you feel about ADN nurses?

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2005

this whole post below is just wrong!! people do not need bachelor degree's in order to communicate with other healthcare members. and why should entry level be a masters , the only thing that could accomplish is a bigger nursing shortage. nurses need good clinical skills, not more theory. i am going to take a stab here and guess you went straight through a bsn program and never had the experience of being an adn. i have run across this better than thou attitude from bsn's before, all the while they couldnt even set up suction or o2 for a patient:doh: . now im not saying all bsn's are like this so dont slam me. it is my personal opinion that all nurses should start right at the bottom be a cna, lvn, adn, bsn, then msn if one desires. this way you have a complete idea of the nursing picture from all aspects, and you dont forget where you come from. ........

" i don't think a bsn is necessary, but i do feel a nurse should have a bachelors degree in some field so they are educated enough to converse intelligently with the other members of the healthcare team (doctors, administrators, pts, ots, rts, other nurses, etc.).

i am one of the rare individuals that believes a bachelors should be required before admission to nursing school, and nursing school should award a masters degree. the only problem is that no one would want to work at the bedside then.

where i work, you don't know which nurses are adns or bsns because it's not on our name badges. but in reality, as soon as you talk to someone on the floor, you can tell whether they've had two years or four years of education." posted by veridican

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2005

Some BSN grads' attitudes give us all a bad name. :)

In my opinion, a nurse is a nurse - whether they be diploma, ADN, or BSN trained. We all take the same boards and we all do the same jobs. I'd prefer an ADN/diploma RN with years of experience over a new grad BSN any day (and I'm in a BSN program)! :)

As far as what degree to pursue, I'd say it depends on your career goals. Do you want to be in management? Go to grad school? Even these things do not exclusively require a BSN (I know there are many ADNs who work in management, and many grad schools that offer MSN-upgrade programs).

I personally am in a BSN program because I had already completed 3 years of courses before I decided to apply to nursing school (so I could complete a BSN just as quickly as an ADN), this university ended up costing me less (they are very generous with scholarships), and I hope to go to grad school eventually. :)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 10, 2005

I just meant... well... persons with certain accents are looked at as being not quite as intelligent.

And to those that think this way, i say "look in the mirror". "Accents" are a matter of perception.

If someone's going to look at me as less intelligent because i don't sound like THEM, then, hell, don't look at me, simple as that. I pronounce words correctly, which was the way i was raised, but then again, i was also raised not to judge a book by the cover as well.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Mar 11, 2005

Jeepgirl,
That class, "Grunts and Hand Gestures" was only offered to those of us with a diploma and ADN! :rotfl:

I believe it was my ADN capstone class!!!!!

unknown99, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2005

I'm an ADN and for my own personal satisfaction and goals I'm going for my BSN. I think it's an individual decision whether or not ADNs should go on. I think it will also enhance my practice as a nurse since I'm getting a little burned out after 15 years, and it might give me some options beyond the bedide as I age.
I'm a fabulous nurse with an ADN and feel pretty good about it! Good luck to you in all you do.

Tweety,

You have said about yourself exactly what I feel. I was an LPN for 19 years prior to getting my ADN/RN, which I have had for less than a year. I love being an ADN, but decided to get my BSN so I can become a wound care specialist.

Like you, I am not getting any younger!

unknown99, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2005

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Puleeeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never heard such a comment. I have been an RN for 6 months and an LVN for 12 years and not once has anybody ever mentioned that they could tell how much education I had by the way I talked. Doctors and staff who do not know me personally have always assumed I was an RN and I never tried to hide the fact I was not. However, I can tell you I was able to tell a couple of nurses were BSN's at the last hospital I worked at. They were all from the latest batch of grads and the four letter words that came out of their mouths showed me that a four year degree does not guarantee class.
Enough said.

I could not have said it better myself!!!!

Biffs25 · Mar 11, 2005

Well, I have my ASN. I have actually taught residents how to insert TLC, and recently passed my CCRN. I can't tell the difference between the two just by talking with them.
It seems that based on their years of degree, 2 or 4 would offer more information to their intelligence level?
I have to disagree with that.
I think there is more to that. Age, years of clinical experience, environmental background, socioeconomic status, etc....
I know someone with two Master's degree that can't put two intelligent sentences together in a social situation, put ask her to spit out a Physics formula and your stunned.
I happen to believe that there's more clinical experience with the ASN program as opposed to a BSN. Alot of new BSN grads I work with have expressed their displeasure in the amount of theory they have had to study. They would have rather had more clinical experience. Most of them have never even inserted a foley, or seen a chest tube.

I think this depends on the program and where the rotations were held. I went to a 4 year program and was given a whole year of critical care classroom and clinical time that most local ASN programs do not get. I feel that after seeing new grads from ASN programs, that I was much better prepared for managing the more acute patients. Having never inserted a Foley or seen a chest tube seems to be lack of clinical coordination. The clinical instructors for that institution need to ensure their students are recieving a well rounded clinical experience.

*PICURN* · Mar 11, 2005

LDRP nurse here........I measure head circumferences all the time. I do not have a BSN.....Oh my, do you think my measurements were all wrong??????

I was being sarcastic.....Veridican is the one w/ADN nurse issues. That was the whole point of "make sure its a BSN nurse"

JVanRN · Mar 11, 2005

In theory it would be nice for all nurses to have a BSN as an entry level requirement...if we all knew we wanted to be nurses straight out of high school and had the money, time, and support to pursue this. But this is not the case with everyone. Many people choose nursing as a second or third career and are very learned in other areas and do not have the time or desire to pursue a 4 year degree. I went to nursing school practically right out of high school and still pursued my ADN. I had to pay for everything myself and work full time...so for me that was the best option. I do plan on going back to get my BSN but that is for my own satisfaction.

I did state that in theory BSN's as entry level would be nice (but unrealistic) because I get sick of people that think because I "only have a 2 year degree" that nursing is a great profession to make the most money with the least education. Many professions have this...but I also know computer programmers with "just ADN's " that make good money. But then on the same token I have never really had anyone ask me what my level of eduacation was (except other nurses) so I don't think it really matters to the general public. The only thing I've ever had a patient as me was " Are you an LVN or RN?" Never "Are you an ADN, BSN , or MSN?"

Okay I'm starting to ramble on here...it's early in the morning...I hope I didn't offend anyone here. I honestly think it depends on the nurse...a degree does not make the best nurse.

unknown99, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2005

I'll just say this...

When any one of us ever has to be hospitalized (heaven forbid), chances are you are going to be glad that it is the ADN/RN tasking care of you!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 11, 2005

Chances are i would be glad that a competent, licensed NURSE is taking care of me. Really couldn't give the flying rat's rear if it's LPN, ADN, BSN, MSN. I want someone who's LICENSED and KNOWS what they're doing!

nurselily3 · Mar 12, 2005

I'm from Kentucky, did a traveling assignment on the west coast....were it seemed people thought I was stupid cause I had an accent....and OMG I WEAR SHOES....Just cause I talk slow doesn't mean I"m stupid!!

I have a BS in another health related field and an ADN. I agree with what so many of you have already said, who cares as long as you pass the NCLEX and know what you are doing. I don't think we get the respect that we deserve as ADN's. I wanted to be a nurse, but the snotty BSN program and the university I was already attending was more willing to accept someone out of high school rather than someone who wanted to change their major. Whatever. I did what I wanted, and that was go to nursing school. And I"ll have to be honest, I worked 100 time harder doing a 2 year program PART TIME (because I had already taken a lot of the extras) than I EVER did the whole time I was going for my bachelors.

And no, neither program offered that hand gestures class. What a hoot. I can't stop laughing at that.

I'm just curious...whoever wrote that statement about how they think we should have bachelors degrees in something else and get our nursing degree as a masters....do you think that by doing that you are going to get more respect from admin? Docs? Other health care professionals?? My vote is NO. The field my bachelors degree is in gets little to no respect. My dad used to joke that he paid $40,000 for me to learn to cook and I couldn't even boil water.