Concerns about WGU

[BJB6]

I have been seriously considering WGU's RN-BSN program, especially after reading all the positive comments on here. I have spoken with a counselor several times, and he has sent me a lot of information. But one line in a link to a WGU program guide jumped out at me: "Graduates are eligible for military, U.S. Public Health, and VA appointments as well as roles in school health, community, occupational, and other non-acute care settings." [italics mine]

I questioned why a BSN from WGU would only prepare me to work in a non-acute setting. Since I had been out of the workforce many years when I graduated nursing school, I had a hard time finding a job. I had to take jobs in non-acute settings (a nursing home, then transitional care unit) to gain experience, then finally got a job on a med/surg unit. One of my dreams is to work in a NICU, and I have been told that getting a BSN would help me. So I didn't understand why WGU's BSN would only qualify me to do what my ADN had.

When I questioned the counselor, he didn't know, and even suggested that maybe "non-acute is better than acute." He asked his supervisor, who also didn't have an answer. The last time I spoke with him he assured me that the Acedemic Advisory Team was looking into my concerns, and were probably going to revise that whole page of the website since I had brought it to their attention. He told me someone would be contacting me within a few days either by phone or email. That was 2 weeks ago, and I have not heard from anyone with WGU in all that time. Before that, he was calling every few days trying to speed me through the process and get me enrolled.

Has anyone else noticed this statement on WGU's website? Has anyone had trouble getting an acute-care job with a WGU degree?

[AlphaM]

I have an MSN through WGU, never had an issue with acute care settings, I'm a flight nurse and also my aeromedical's Educator.

[pixiestudent2]

It's just because typically community, school, and those other types of nurses are BSN only.

It's opening more doors, not closing them on acute care.

[featherzRN, MSN]

I agree. I think WGU sees this statement as a positive thing, meaning you can move out of acute care with your BSN - as with most BSN programs, the focus is on community health, management, leadership, etc.

I don't work acute care by choice - but my workplace has no issue with WGU whether inpatient or outpatient.

[kdunurse]

What the others have said. Often ADN or diploma nurses aren't eligible for non-acute nursing roles. The BSN is designed to prepare you for those. I'm surprised your counselor wasn't able to explain this to you clearly.

[FocusRN]

What the others have said. Often ADN or diploma nurses aren't eligible for non-acute nursing roles. The BSN is designed to prepare you for those. I'm surprised your counselor wasn't able to explain this to you clearly.

Exactly. Most nurses wish ASN or Diploma nurses often find difficulty getting non acute positions. I also don't work in acute care, as I feel that I better serve in QI, management, and education (I've been told I'm the best in these roles, by many different clinicians and supervisors ). But I have an ASN. I know for a fact that it stopped me from getting a position a few months ago, that would have put me at a 100k salary (in the south). The director was exited, so was the team and recruiter, them she dropped the bomb that per the medical systems guidelines I had to either have a BSN, or 2 more years of experience in the specialty.

If I would have gone through WGU 3 years ago like I had initially planned. that position and others, would have been mine for the choosing.

And if you are going after an acute position, BSN prepared nurses are supposedly higher level thinkers, giving you an edge with those also. So yeah, it's a good thing.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I think you are reading into the wording too much. Many of us earn BSNs to open the doors of opportunity to the prized desk jobs in non-acute settings (hospice, case management, school nursing, employee health, infection control, etc).

I don't know about you, but I'd rather not bust my butt in med/surg, telemetry, stepdown, or oncology to sling bedpans and transfer heavy patients. Acute care is not the exalted prize everyone makes it out to be, and some of us recognize this.

[featherzRN, MSN]

Yep, I just used my WGU degree to start as a CDS (clinical documentation specialist) - no patient contact at all, M-F hours. BSN required.

[nsue]

I know several WGU BSN grads that work in a hospital, some are in management and working on their MSN at WGU. I would ask the place you are interested in working how they view a BSN from WGU.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I know several WGU BSN grads that work in a hospital, some are in management and working on their MSN at WGU. I would ask the place you are interested in working how they view a BSN from WGU.

Yep, my BSN is from WGU and I work at a specialty hospital, although I'd honestly much rather have a cushy desk job far away from a hospital setting.