I have been a RN since 1989, graduated with a ASN. Since that time I worked in ICU, Open heart surgery, PICU, Med/Surg and Behavioral Health. I have had the pleasure to have worked as a Nurse Executive only to be told after 25 years to get a BSN. I have a BS in Public Policy and Organizational Leadership and Master of Arts in Theology/Counseling. I asked my employee why after working 13 years a their Executive Nurse on Med/Surg/Peds that they thought I needed a BSN. No answer just demands or lose my job. I told them to stuff it! At 57 I was not going back to school for a BSN when it would only achieve increasing my debt ratio.
Since then I haven't been able to hire on anywhere but a Nursing Home. Let me tell you it is a blessing to work in geriatrics, yet the BSN's that work there are clueless, needing alot of training and retraining which I don't mind doing. It just saddens me that at the end of my career Nursing still has its quirks like they did in the 80's. Remember the period when medical assistants where hired to work in ICUs? That fiasco lasted less then a year.
God bless all of you who have had to face this new fiasco of BSN only apply. I am wondering who agrees with BSN only need to apply?
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Seems to be heading that way. I guess I just don't understand why really.
Can I ask, how long have you been a nurse?
35 years.
Why? well....it's complicated. There are many arguments an opinions about this and both sides are very passionate about their beliefs. Some believe they are "better" nurses with improved outcomes for patients. Others don't feel that a few extra non nursing subjects...history, world civilizations, an art class...makes a better nurse. Use the search box on the upper right hand side of the page and type....ADN/BSN and you will get an education.
The fact is nurses spend less time in school than all the other professionals we work with...most of them require a minimum of a bachelors. While this has never present a problem in the past...as other professions increase educational requirements...nursing should "keep up" as well. It this a GOOD reason to push for the BSN...I personally don't think so. However, others do believe that it is where nursing needs to work towards.....keep up with the next guy. I, personally, don't think this is the case.... I'm more for more clinical time to better prepare/educate the new grad for working the floor and with patients. so...if they want a bachelors degree get rid of some of the Gen ED requirements and give more clinical. But, I don't make the decisions.
The question is more...why now? Well frankly...because they can. There is a hard push right now because of the bad economy people flocked to the profession in drives. Programs with less quality in the program cropped up like ants to a picnic. So we have a bumper cop of nurses...many areas of the US are experiencing an over abundance of nurses for jobs available. Hospitals are reluctant to hire new grads because of the proliferation of the advanced degree programs, NP and CRNA, new grads are looking for the one year and out scenario and the hospital are tired of hiring someone for them to leave in a year. Orientation is expensive (or so they say...they aren't really orienting anymore from the reports on here) if you continue to put that money put every year and not able to recoup your expense with stability and experience...you are losing money. With a plethora of nurses out there right now they can choose whomever they wish...the nursing shortage, at least for now, is not what they say it is.
Will it ever be again...only time will tell. But if you are looking to be working in 10 years from now get the BSN....it will give you better security.
Congrats on going back and getting your BSN. I only have my ASN and have been debating whether its worth it or not to get the BSN. What are your thoughts? Has it been worth it for you?
I obtained the BSN for several reasons: extra credits left over after obtaining the ASN, hospital performed a survey of the number of its nurses holding a BSN, and the BSN domino effect (I believed, and still do, that it will hit my area before I reach retirement age). So, I made it a personal goal before it became a requirement that would have me in the same boat as the OP. That way, I obtained the degree under my own terms and timeline.
As Esme said, at the time that I started and even now, I still have more than 10 years (15 to be exact) before I can begin to look at retirement. Even then, wanting to and being able to retire (financially) are entirely different situations. If I could, I would leave nursing for a front porch rocker today. In 15 years, I will have been nursing for 43 years.
As as far as it being worth it, if you mean financially, the answer is no. Neither one of my jobs have offered, nor will they, one penny more for this degree. They say that salary-wise, they don't distinguish between ASN and BSN pay. Years of experience and area in the facility determines an increase. However, one of them will offer $1000 for any certification obtained that is not a requirement of my position...and even that is a one-time deal for the duration of the first certification. Any certifications after that first one, well, an honorable mention in the facility circular is all you get.
Oh, but wait, Guys! That's not the end of it! You now need to make sure that your degree is a BSN and not a BSn. Yep, that's right! Since BSN is the going thing these days and some of us did or are going back, the infamous 'they' have decided to complicate things even further. It seems that there is a difference between a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing. Someone started a thread here on this a few weeks back and I decided to just lurk on that thread because I figured "really"? But then a couple of days ago, I got a call from a potential employer who wanted to clarify that I indeed had a BSN and not a BSn.
Whoever is attacking the nursing profession like this really should be removed from position. Are they doing the same thing to those with other Bachelor of Science degrees? With the three or four doorways into nursing, are they now trying to split one of those doorways as a means to force even those with a BSn to go back and take a few more courses? If it's money that 'they' seek, why not just cut to the chase and say, "unless your BSn cost $$$$$ dollars, we're not going to accept it as the BSN.
FWIW, mine is a BSN and if it's the other one that you seek, I'm happy to report that I'm not interested in working for you as I choose not to work for anyone who insists on continuing to divide this profession. What difference does it make! I took the same NCLEX a as every single RN in this country. Is the NCSBN being questioned as to why an ASN, BSn, and BSN are all delivered the exact same exam? I don't think so!
BTW, I still don't know what the difference is. Is one prelicensure and the other is not? I think I will google this...
Actually, you have it backwards. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing is actually a more difficult pathway and, thus, holds more weight for some than the traditional BSN.
To the OP, learn to like it. Complaining about the new standard for nursing (BSN) is not going to change anything nor is it going to advance your career. I get a kick out of all of the ASN's complaining about this whole BSN only thing. It's really simple, either go back to school and get the BSN (most employers offer tuition benefits, so the cost should be marginal) and have the opportunity to work in most any area of nursing, or stick with the ASN and work in a nursing home (and continue to complain about how you can't get a hospital job).
I figured out the BSN deal 45 years ago when I saw it written up in some nursing textbook, so I really fail to see how it has taken this long for people in the field to get their feathers in a ruff. There is absolutely nothing new about this concept. The only thing "new" is that employers, in an employers reality, are now using this as an excuse to change their HR practices. They could just as well have done it 45 years ago, or five years from now.
Actually, you have it backwards. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing is actually a more difficult pathway and, thus, holds more weight for some than the traditional BSN.
Where can I find this information, and if it's a more difficult pathway, why are they wanting the BSN as opposed to the major in nursing? I've been searching high and low and can't seem to find these answers anywhere....just questions about the two.
I am wondering if anyone can rationally explain what makes a 25 years RN Veteran who has a BS in another field and a MA in another field less qualifed than a new grad with a BSN or even a 5 year Vet with a BSN. My position is any BS or MA will prepare a person to research and write white pages as well as manage other.
I'm sorry this has happened to you however BSN is hardly a new thing. This was the topic of my issues in nursing class in 1974! Where I work, a MSN is required to be at the nurse exec level.
Why is a new grad BSN always compared to an experienced RN without a BSN? Which is better, an experienced RN with a BSN or an experienced RN without a BSN.
Almost every other discipline I health care requires at least a bachelor's degree. Why do we fight this so in nursing?
Facilities who choose to go with the BSN only have opted to do so....it's not mandatory. As such, facilities have allowed ASN nurses to hold upper level positions for years without any indication that the position would ever be contingent upon higher education. Some, if not all, of these nurses were promoted away from the bedside for so long that they cannot return without an enormous amount of difficulty and anxiety. So, to snatch an upper position away, knowing that these people can't return to the bedside is just plain heartless in my opinion because these folks have to relearn skilled care all over again, not to mention the new documentation systems, IV equipment, etc.
Did these facilities give any warning to professionals such as the OP? Or were they completely blind-sided? My friend, for example, was given 5 years to get an ASN/RN degree, which her job would pay for. Yet she is still not going to meet that deadline. With her being older with the responsibilities that one acquires over the years, I can understand not wanting to return to school. However, she had a 5-year heads-up that the company would no longer employ LPNs and she still did nothing, not even look for other employment. So, her situation is her fault especially since every penny was going to be reimbursed.
If the OP had no other warning than a call into the office for an 'it's been nice but it's time to go', how else should he feel but used, unappreciated, and insulted? He was not an interim manager; he was the manager for a number of years. Now, suddenly, he is no longer capable of doing the job today that he did yesterday? That would be a hard pill to swallow for anybody.
Now, that being said, (obviously I'm not taking sides here), a person in management should be keeping up with evidenced-based 'trends'. As soon as the BSN move began, a person in his position should have, at the very least, had a discussion with his superiors to determine the organization's position regarding this particular trend if for no other reason than to have time to get his ducks in a row. After all, his 25 years of expertise would be on the line should the organization fell in line with current trends. I'm no expert on this by any means, but even I heard about the BSN trend immediately after passing the NCLEX-RN in 2010. During my >20 years as an LPN, I never heard about any of this or maybe I did and subconsciously blew it off as not pertaining to me since, at the time, I had no plans to even return for an ASN.
For the OP, I say look into Western Governors University. Lots of nurses obtain a BSN there in 6 months or a little more, with determination, with a cost of under $4000. With your prior educational background, it really shouldn't take a year for you to complete this 100% online program.
There are many positions, other that hospitals, that are begging for experienced nurses.. with an ASN.
Search this site and major job boards.Case management, utilization management, utilization review, concurrent review.. the biggy... disease management.
I live in Ontario Canada, and in 2005 they required that all RN education must be a BScN, They changed it from a 3 year Diploma program to BScN. BUT, they allowed all RN's prior to this to continue to practice and they still continue to be hired despite not having their BScN. My thought on this BScN is all BS and not the degree kind .. I know in the US it is a requirement from your governing board to take CE to maintain competency and improve practice and skill set. That has always been part of nursing, you never stop learning. I have a hard time understanding how they can simply throw all those years of experience out the window! I find it so unfair and can't imagine how horrid it must feel for someone to basically say, after all these years of service, "its not good enough anymore", I think had they done this in Canada, they wouldn't have had any nurses left! .. They pay their nurses crap in Canada as it is, so they would have lost nurses and then our "shortage" would be a crisis! ... I'm so sorry that this happen to you, shame on them ... I know we also have a HUGE shortage in nurse educators .. there goes one more, highly experienced and knowledgeable nurse that could have been utilized to teach the newbies, down the drain .. what morons!
Kelly_Christine
3 Posts
Seems to be heading that way. I guess I just don't understand why really.
Can I ask, how long have you been a nurse?