ADN's being pushed out

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

Published

I work for a large Magnet hospital. As nursing becomes more popular, and nurses not in short supply, I have noticed something ominous has being going on lately. Several of our older and very seasoned ADN nurses are being fired. The excuses for firing are ridiculous. I have sadly seen some excellent nurses lose their jobs. I am wondering if they want to get rid of the ADNs so they can look "better" with an all BSN staff. Or perhaps they want rid of older nurses who have been there longer because they are higher on the pay scale. Either way, it is very scarey. I myself am BSN, and i am not ashamed to say that what I know does not hold a candle to these fired nurses. Any thoughts?

Avenging spirit is passionate in his attitude. I thought you may be able to tell I'm a guy by the way I write. I only know one way; full force, head on and not being afraid to speak up. It's what got me through nursing school.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Sorry, I ASSumed you were a chick! LOL!

Sorry for not responding sooner. After having various schools review my transcripts, depending on the individual school, I was told I would still need between 33-47 credits. When I asked why I would need to take courses that I already had, their answer was that "our program requires it". I was told that there was nothing anyone in administration could do.

Now I'll translate what they were really saying. "We won't make as much money by having you come in and take only the upper level nursing courses and giving you credit for what you've already done."

I am not a naive kid. I am 50 and have spoken to colleges professors who readily admitted it's a business and that padding degree requirements is just one of the many ways four year schools scam students. I just glad it's starting to get national attention now with pressure put on government to stop pumping globs of money into four year schools. Every time they do, schools raise tuition.

avengingspirit1, in your earlier posts you asserted you had already completed all the BSN nursing courses via your previous RN schooling. In this post it appears that you haven't completed all the BSN nursing courses as you stated "We won't make as much money by having you come in and take only the upper level nursing courses and give you credit for what you've already done." If the schools have determined that you haven't completed all the upper level nursing courses based on your diploma nursing program, I don't see what they are doing wrong in telling you that you still need to complete them. Of course, if you have already taken all the general education courses in your previous business degree, i.e. a comparable college statistics class, and are also being told that you need to re-take them, then I understand why you feel that is unfair. But regardless, if you need a BSN it is your choice as to whether you do what is required to obtain one. I don't see any way around the situation.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

LAMAR UNIVERSITY in texas will no longer have an ASN program, only BSN! and RN to BSN programs, the ASN current students will complete their program and be the last ASN graduates at that university. I learned this while applying in my RN to BSN program. :angrybird12:

Thanks for your input but I have to follow my heart on this one. I have spoken with too many nurses as well as those who teach in 4 year schools and am convinced 100% that the BSN push like the pushes for higher degrees in other fields is one big money making scam for schools as well as healthcare institutions. A major network has expressed an interest in the story and if it goes ahead, they will also be doing their own investigations.

The latest research put forth by a certain academic elitist from the Univ. of Penn. was so rife with bias and self-affirming validity that she cites herself as a reference in four of the first six footnotes. And this was supposed to pass for scholarly research! It is a insult to every working nurse's intelligence that this science fiction has been allowed to have been published.

Excuse me? I took my competency exam 20 years ago when I became a nurse. No way, no how should I be required to get a BSN or take another competency exam to remain a nurse. Grandfather ADN"s in period. Anything else is ridiculous.

Absolutely. I'll take it one step further. All these academic elitists (who still want to believe most nurses are too naive to through their true intentions) who haven't treated a patient in over 10 years and have been spending their time spewing flawed and bias propaganda and trying to pass it off as scholarly research for their own gain should be required to take a competency exam to keep their licenses. In her latest published so-called research which came out last week; "More BSNs Means Lower Mortality Rates", Linda Aiken cites herself as a reference in 4 four of the first six footnotes. And this is supposed for scholarly, unbiased research? Talk about self-reference and elitism!

I have been a nurse for 28 years and the research has always shown that lower nurse to patient ratios deliver better patient outcomes. If I have 8-10 patients on a night shift I can only do what I can do. Some patients will get neglected in some ways. It doesn't matter what degree I have. Our employers know this and a large percentage of them don't care. Go to a smaller community hospital and see what is being practiced there. BSN or no BSN the ratios are generally high. Where is the research proving or disproving this?

I have been a nurse for 28 years and the research has always shown that lower nurse to patient ratios deliver better patient outcomes. If I have 8-10 patients on a night shift I can only do what I can do. Some patients will get neglected in some ways. It doesn't matter what degree I have. Our employers know this and a large percentage of them don't care. Go to a smaller community hospital and see what is being practiced there. BSN or no BSN the ratios are generally high. Where is the research proving or disproving this?

IIRC there is research out there and may have posted links that address the realtion between nurse/patient ratios and outcomes or adverse actions. Methinks this research is used to support mandated staffing levels by those pushing for such things. Unions representing nurses in many recent labour disputes/contract renewals also cite staffing ratio research in their push to have that issue addressed.

Safe Staffing | Nursing Practice Issues | NYS Nurses Association

Specializes in Emergency.

Yes, all those history, linguistics, world music, and politics classes I took for my bachelors degree is going to make me a MUCH better nurse

I can't speak for other people but in my BSN program I didn't take world music, history or politics - I took thanatology, world religions, childhood development and interpersonal communication - all courses that would benefit and enrich my practice as a nurse. And you are wrong - having more education is ALWAYS beneficial to your patients - multiple studies have shown improved patient outcomes for patients cared for by BSN prepared nurses.

Specializes in Emergency.

I became an RN 20 years ago. I met all the requirements and have kept my license current. I should not have to do anything further.

I don't think that you should have to do anything further either! No one should have to. I decided to get my BSN in 2007 - (finished my ADN program in 1992 and have been continuously employed as an RN since) Well,I dropped out of my BSN program in 2011 with 10 credits left to go, Why??? Because I thought my 18 years of acute care experience and my national certification in my specialty were worth more than the letters B, S and N. (and I didn't want to finish 3 liberal arts credits so that I could take my last nursing class and graduate!)

The sad truth is that all of the experience and certifications you hold are worthless in today's market if you live in an area that is trending toward BSN preference and riddled with Magnet hospitals. You quickly come to realize that education is what sets you apart from other nurses applying for the job you want.

I never felt that anything I learned in my BSN program was not necessary, and honestly - EVERYTHING I have learned has helped me (in some way or another) to be a better nurse. Those who say they have received an equivalent education in an ADN program are myopic - and can not make that statement truthfully as they have not completed a BSN program and have no way of comparing the two.

I "caved" in January and CLEP'ed a sociology course and am now enrolled in my final nursing course and will have my BSN at the end of this semester. And I guess someone must has slipped me some kool-aid as well - when I re-enrolled in January I entered as an RN-MSN student and will stay put until I have completed that degree as well!

The bottom line is - if you do not want to go back to school - don't, especially if you are content and secure in the job you hold now and plan on staying there until you retire. But in the same regard please realize that you can not expect that nursing is any different than any other career - if the normal and expected education for the job you hold changes and you don't change with it - you will be left behind. All if us with the initials RN after our names have passed the NCLEX exam - no one can ever take that away from you - but we live in a free market society and no one HAS to employ you if they desire a candidate with more education.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
In her latest published so-called research which came out last week; "More BSNs Means Lower Mortality Rates", Linda Aiken cites herself as a reference in 4 four of the first six footnotes. And this is supposed for scholarly, unbiased research? Talk about self-reference and elitism!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a scholar building current research on his/her own previous studies. That is how the much of the world's greatest knowledge is developed and it is common, respected scholarly practice. Yes, it is great when other researchers in other locations obtain similar results with other populations (which is, in fact, what is happening with Dr. Aiken's work) -- but to say Dr. Aiken should not be citing her team's previous studies shows a serious lack of understanding of the knowledge development process. An experienced researcher SHOULD build their current projects on the results of past projects.

The only thing it builds upon is previous flawed and biased research that was shown to be mere propaganda at best which they tried to pass off as scholarly research for their own notoriety and personal gain. According to this logic, we should all be able to walk into a potential employer's office and tell them what great worker's we are and then cite ourselves as job references.

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