Can a hospital legally force you to get your bsn if you are an adn

[lv2brn]

Can a hospital legally force or require an RN who only has their adn to become a bsn or be fired??? That is the rumor at our hospital.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

I think they could , im sure there would be a generous timeline

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

When I worked in a hospital, we were encouraged to get our BSN and given incentives to do so, but it wasn't required.

[itsmejuli]

One of the LPNs in my class is being forced by the hospital she works at to get RN. The hospital gave the LPNs 3 years to complete it.

[OC_An Khe]

I can't think of a reason why it would be illegal. All they are doing is setting a minimum education level for a professional position.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Of course they can.

[Flo., BSN, RN]

Yes. My Hospital did it. On the upside they paid for the degree.

[jennybean14, BSN]

There presently is legislation in NJ called "BSN in 10". I for one am behind it, although I'd be grandfathered in.....I am getting my BSN anyway to expand my knowledge and opportunities. I believe it will only help the nursing profession :)

http://www.nj-ena.org/BSNin10.pdf

[chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Most professionals such as nurses are considered "at will" employees and so employers are free to do nearly anything they'd like - up to and including dismisal at any time for virtually any reason. Thus employers are well within their rights to set the standards for employees educational level retroactively. If the nurse has signed an individual contract or is part of a union with a collective agreement however, the employer (in most, but not all cases) must adhere to the terms of the contract.

Most employers phase in things like a higher educational requirement gradually and often provide financial assistance to help their employees get to the new minimum standard so as not to cause a huge disruption in their workforce. In my area (greater Phila), at least one hospital group (Main Line Health) appears to be applying this retroactively and requiring all ADN-RNs to get BSNs as condition of continued employment. My understanding is that they are phasing the requirement in over a period of years and providing enhanced educational assistance as well. I also understand that a number of other large hospital groups are considering similar changes.

Many health care organizations are taking advantage of both the economic downturn and the growing numbers of qualified nurses (new BSN grads, returning nurses and those delaying retirement) available to increase their minimum educational and experience requirements. From what I've seen, this is a growing trend and I think that anyone planning on a nursing career would be well advised to enter a BSN program rather than ADN or diploma program. Not suggesting that ADN or diploma RNs are in any way inferior to BSNs (I am an ADN-RN) just that the reality of the marketplace is that the BSN - with the active assistance of the ANA and other nursing organizations by the way - is rapidly becoming the entry level credential.

[actioncat]

I guess I'm confused as to why you would question the legality of this.

[NurseCard, ADN]

Quite honestly, it is really no different than a hospital requiring ICU nurses to take and learn ACLS, or PALS, or... practically ANY other added education/classes that a hospital may require of their nurses.

The only difference of course, is the time it takes. Hopefully the hospital a) gives its nurses plenty of time to get this done and b) offers generous compensation.

If the hospital DOESN'T compensate for the education... heck, they probably still aren't doing anything remotely illegal.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

If they mandate it as part of your employment requirements I believe they can.