Catch 22? Why does WGU demand that I be working half-time for ADN > BSN?

[42pines]

A common question for the WGU ADN to BSN program:

Why must I be a practicing RN to begin my studies?

"As you move through your program, there will be instances where practical application is needed. This practical application cannot be applied if you are not working at least 20+ hours or more per week as a Registered Nurse."

My question: For those with WGU experience please explain exactly what this "practical application" is. Examples would be helpful.

Why do I ask this question?

My job ended August. My last job was as Occupational Health Nurse Manager at a company that grossed four million dollars per day. I was sole nurse and managed an Occupational Health Clinic for 700 employees. It was an amazing experience and my skills grew more in the 18 months that I worked there than I had in the prior decade. My skillset and experience in this sub-specialty is good (if interested see my linkedin link on my profile) and I thought it would be fairly easy to find my next job.

Since I work in industry, and there's not much industry left in America, most of my jobs come via head-hunters. I've been a bit surprised to repeatedly hear these words: "Oh, you only have an Associate's degree, I'm sorry but my client requires a BSN." Several times I've come very close to obtaining a great full-time job only to be discarded, why? The only thing missing is that BSN. Just last week a bill was sent to the New York Governor's office to be signed into law. Senate Bill S6768 which "Relates to requiring that all RPNs either have or obtain a bachelor's degree within 10 years of initial licensure." Frankly not having a BSN is the kiss of death, at least in my field, regardless of what you or I might think how it would really affect our practice. It feels like my ADN is perceived as an embarrassment.

When given a lemon, make lemonade:

I worked in MA which has what is known as Section 30 grant. This allows a person collecting unemployment benefits an extension in benefits to obtain necessary, updated or missing skills to obtain re-employment. Also the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Grant) might pay for tuition. "Wow," I thought what a perfect opportunity to grab a BSN considering that it is possible that I could complete it in one six month term or at most, two terms, so I applied and submitted transcripts. Eighty plus credits would transfer-nice. I'm excited.

Then, alas: WGU tells me: "No, you are not eligible, you must be working at least half-time."

Being the enterprising fellow that I am I thought, "no problemo" ("no hay problema" to be linguistically and perhaps politically correct). So I made some phone calls. But I found rather quickly that hospitals don't want me. "We must pay based upon experience, and you have quite a lot of experience." Let me translate that: "We don't want you, why would we pay $40 an hour for your experience when we can hire someone who can do the job for $26 an hour." "Rot row!" Yes, I've said: "I'd be happy to take considerably less," to no effect.

So off to plan "B." Plan B is to find a job that has a low(er) "threshold of entry." Such jobs might be elder care, Alzheimer's Units or...aha, here's one: "foot care nurse." There is a huge demand for foot care nurses as some patients cannot reach their feet and diabetics are at risk for foot problems. "Oh yes, we have 450 feet to care for every month," and "sure we'd love to hire you". So I apply, and interview.

And get rejected. "This job is very physical you know, there's a lot of bending." At the interview I mentioned that I had spinal stenosis. I have a lift restriction of forty pounds. Actually I have severe bi-lateral spinal stenosis and picking up something last year not particularly heavy landed me in hospital for five days, and unable to walk without a walker for a few weeks. I see their point. I do post-hire physicals and I'd be nervous about the stenosis.

So there you have it. I'm over-qualified for local jobs in my area (now NH) and under-qualified for appropriate jobs for my skill-set due to a lack of the BSN.

I have not considered myself disabled but perhaps I need to modify that point-of-view. A medical-surgical nurse, an elder care nurse, even a home health care visiting nurse needs to be able to assist a fallen patient up or assist a "falling" patient, and I can no longer do that without pretty severe risk. I am quite able to perform all the essential elements of my Occupational Health RN role but I now find myself locked out of education needed to move along my logical career path because most available jobs in my area that I'm eligible for I can no longer do because of my stenosis. (And yes, I can and did do CPR this year, simple: "I'll ventilate, you compress." And no the person did not survive but was given a good fighting chance, in my role as Occ Health RN I always have a trained fast response team.)

So I'll ask WGU for accommodation under ADA. Now I do know a bit about ADA and the law does not require "fundamental changes" to any educational program and the work requirement might be a fundamental element, or not. So I'm breaking "new ground." Thus my question about just what is this practical application.

A few years ago (my recent job moved me to MA) I was Director of Governmental Affairs for NHAOHN (an NH Occ Health RN group) and I know a lot of practicing nurses in my sub-specialty. I'm thinking perhaps I can accommodate WGU by finding someone who can offer "practical application" when necessary. But I need to know just what this "practical application is." If you've done the program I'd love to hear your take on this.

[elkpark]

I don't expect it to be any comfort to you, but just to clarify, plenty of BSN completion programs require you to be working in nursing in order to be considered eligible. That's not unique to WGU. In my experience, the reason is that some of the written assignments and projects call for students to complete projects in their workplace, write about topics as they apply to their workplace, that sort of thing.

[smartnurse1982]

I am a private duty nurse working shift work and I did not have to do anything related to my workplace.

I am not sure why,rankly. I barely could be considered working in nursing,because there are not much of any nursing critical thinking skills utilized.

Then again,I wonder i that is why I am struggling with the Rn to Bsn program at WGU whereas others just breezed through.

I actually think WGU needs to revise their admission standards because just someone is working as an Rn does not mean they are working at full title capabilities.

[42pines]

Thank you elkpark. I pretty much expected that to be the case but, of course, not all RN's that work have a workplace, per se. For instance if you are a telephonic case worker, in that case you really neither can see clients or even request non-pertinent data. I do understand the concept but wonder since I have plenty of RN's that would mentor or work with me in my sub-specialty (Occ Health) and since much of the case load relates to public health I certainly could do something in my community. We'll see how it works out.

And thank you smartnurse. It's interesting to see a comment from someone "inside" WGU and I hope to get a few more. As far as struggling--online or not, many of those classes require a LOT of work and time. Truck on, you can do it!

[caliotter3]

I am a private duty nurse working shift work and I did not have to do anything related to my workplace.

I am not sure why,rankly. I barely could be considered working in nursing,because there are not much of any nursing critical thinking skills utilized.

Then again,I wonder i that is why I am struggling with the Rn to Bsn program at WGU whereas others just breezed through.

I actually think WGU needs to revise their admission standards because just someone is working as an Rn does not mean they are working at full title capabilities.

Some of us in extended care do little more than change an occasional diaper. While that activity brings in the nursing paycheck, such as it is, it doesn't seem to meet the standards sought by these programs. I would be hard pressed to convince someone that what I do qualifies under any other criteria, than being employed, and being a nurse, in title. And as one client used to say, "the babysitter".