BN vs. Diploma Program

Are there even diploma RN programs around anymore?

Are there even diploma RN programs around anymore?

Sure are, thankfully. I just graduated from a 3-year diploma program and I thank my lucky stars every day I'm on the floor as a new RN. The preparation in clinical, theory and management is the best. A very intense program, no doubt about it. The last 6 weeks of the program we have an NCLEX review--100% NCLEX pass rate for last 5 years.

Yep graduated from one last May (of 05) :) I personally think that they are harder than most regular ADN programs. At least when comparing with other students when I was in school - extremely intense.

Diploma grad, 3 year ago also.

Diploma programs produce the best nurses. The clinical training is superb, and diploma new grads can hit the ground running in their first job.

My mother graduated from a diploma program and had no trouble transitioning into her first job. I have a BSN, and was grossly underprepared. BSN programs place a huge burden on hospitals to train new BSN grads. We come out clueless, and suddenly have an enormous amount of responsibility and expectations we're supposed to fulfill - all with minimal clinical training. I feel as though we're almost set up to fail - and that's why many BSN nurses leave nursing within the first year. I almost did.

The worst part is diploma programs are dying away. More and more hospitals are demanding all their nurses have BSNs - my hospital only hires BSNs. Another hospital I worked at demanded that their existing LPN's, ADN's, diploma nurses get their BSN by a certain time, or they would be terminated. (Both of these are Magnet hospitals.)

They say that in the long run BSN nurses are supposedly better - we're just a handful our first year (or two). But, I'm not sure about that. It seems to me that the diploma system much better suits the educational needs of nurses, and those diploma grads just come out stronger. However, could being a diploma nurse limit your job opportunities if more and more hospitals are only hiring BSN's? If so, it would be a shame because patients would be missing out on some great nurses.

I was very much expecting to enter this thread and see the old debate popping up but am very happy to not see that today. What an informative thread about diploma nurses. I love it!

Diploma grad here! Yes, there are still a few programs around. Hard to find....but worth it when you finally do! :blushkiss

I had no idea there were diploma programs left. What is the difference in the classes taken between the diploma and the ADN and is it true that diploma nurses can not go right into a BSN and enter a 4 year college as a junior? Isnt one program just as long as the other? If so what kinds of classes do diploma RN programs give? I am only asking because I am curious, not putting anyone down. I am just a bit suprised that there we any diploma programs left? Are those still taught at hospitals?

2005 diploma grad here ... there are 8 diploma programs within a 50 mile radius of me.

Our classes were taught at the school campus adjacent to one of the hospitals within the system. Core academic courses (30 credits) were taught by university faculty from a local university (same courses offered to the BSN students at that university). If I were to enter a BSN program today my standing would be on par w/students who have an ADN.

Our clinicals were at the hospitals within the system, a regional children's hospital, a state psych facility, a child/adolescent inpatient psych facility, and multiple other community-based agencies. After graduation about 1/2 of my class stayed within the system, the other 1/2 moved on elsewhere. All of those who actively sought jobs before graduation had job offers, often multiple offers.

An interesting note: the largest academic hospital system in my region includes 2 diploma schools within its facilities. The same system which advertises many positions as BSN preferred also produces, and hires, many diploma grads.

I graduated from a 3 year diploma school. It was hospital based for the nursing theory but our chemistry, A&P, micro, english, prob and stats etc etc etc ad nauseum were taught by the university with which we were affiliated.