Consistency across the nursing spectrum

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Specializes in Home Health Care, case management.

I think the nursing profession would gain a lot more respect if we were a bit more consistent within the profession. There are too many avenues to becoming a nurse. Entry level should be standardized for RN's and the level of education should be the same across the board. The difference in the educational levels of the RN's is killing us.

Does anyone know what the abbreviation MN stand for? is a Master's in Nursing?

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

How many of the same ADN vs BSN/reformation of education levels/etc. threads do we need to have here? With the same arguments over ...and over .......and over.......and over..... that never change.

There is another current one, plus the usual thousands of past ones. I thought that this issue had been addressed by the mods and there was supposed to be streamlined into one.

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Specializes in Addictions, Acute Psychiatry.

herding cats. go with the government system where you can't be promoted without x education beyond x level. some systems work well, others have pay compression. The magnet grants help change that but private hospitals are turning a buck...keeping it a job, not a career.

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Specializes in ED, Med-Surg, Psych, Oncology, Hospice.

ALL RNs take the same boards. If you are in administration or advanced practice then I'd expect you to be in administration or a postion to use all your credentials behind your name. If you are a staff nurse working the floor you are the same as the next RN. A BSN doesn't make a better "butt-wiper" than an ADN prepared nurse. Both nurses have virtually the same patient care abilities. General ed classes do not improve upon that. Time to move on.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
A BSN doesn't make a better "butt-wiper" than an ADN prepared nurse. Both nurses have virtually the same patient care abilities. General ed classes do not improve upon that. Time to move on.

So ... you think that staff nursing is just glorified "butt-wiping?" If that is all it is, then I agree with you. There is no need for higher education. In fact, I would go further and say that RN's wouldn't even need an ADN. A good CNA course would be all that is necessary. (No offense intended, CNA's. I know you do more than wipe butts, too.)

However ... I think that nurisng is more than just wiping butts. The higher education is needed for the additional things that nurses do.

I DO agree with you that not every nurse needs a BSN. I am fine with the practice of my ADN and Diploma colleagues in staff nurse roles. However, I think we need to clarify the expectations for different jobs and levels of nursing practice. We need to start sorting out the mess caused by the different levels of preparation, degrees, and certifications. And that process needs to include a sorting out of the the differences between the ADN, Diploma, BSN, and MSN entry levels. It's absurd that they all take the same boards and have the expectations. If we would separate them and clarify the differences, then a clear career pathway and ladder of professional advancement that made sense could be created.

The fact that all new grads are hired into the same role with the same expectations does not mean that the education is wrong and should be changed. We should also be looking at the reverse -- that there are things wrong with the job market that does not acknowledge the different levels of education. Both the education and the job market need to be modified to fit each other better. Neither side of the fence is without weakness that should be improved.

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
I think the nursing profession would gain a lot more respect if we were a bit more consistent within the profession. There are too many avenues to becoming a nurse. Entry level should be standardized for RN's and the level of education should be the same across the board. The difference in the educational levels of the RN's is killing us.

Does anyone know what the abbreviation MN stand for? is a Master's in Nursing?

I've argued against this position on numerous other threads, but after further consideration, I've changed my mind. Ideally, we probably should have just one entry route. Unfortunately, Diploma nursing programs are few and far between in most parts of the country, and I doubt many facilities would be willing to undertake the expense of starting them. So I think for the forseeable future, we're going to be stuck with ASN/ADN and BSN programs as a matter of practical necessity.

There is a lot more to nursing than butt wiping. I can write you a five-hundred word essay in APA format on the importance of perianal hygeine, but most of my patients would prefer just regular toilet paper--even the institutional-grade stuff.

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A butt to be wiped is a butt to be wiped whether the person doing the wiping is a CNA or holds a nursing doctorate degree. There's something about a clean butt that helps a patient feel better.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Does anyone know what the abbreviation MN stand for? is a Master's in Nursing?

MSN: Master of Science in Nursing

MN: Minnesota

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Have not seen MN, masters in nursing, in a long time. There are few institutions that offer this degree. A search on the site should turn up past discussion about the MSN and MN degrees.

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Specializes in ED, Med-Surg, Psych, Oncology, Hospice.

Curious that we all pick up on the "butt-wiping" expression and ignore the essence of the response. Obviously, I know there is more to nursing than cleaning bottoms. My point is a floor nurse is a floor nurse regardless of how many initials are behind the name. Someone prepared at college level as opposed to associate level does not improve nursing skills. I, too, am tired of the differentiating of a nurse based on RN vs BSN. As I said ALL registered nurses are registered nurses and we all got here by passing the same boards!

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meriwhen- It does indeed stand for Master of Nursing....it also stands for a multitude of other things according to the Medical and Pharmaceutical Abbreviations site, such as: MN- a blood type in the MNS Group System, Malignant Nephrosclerosis, Master of Nursing, Meganewton Melena neonatorum, Membranous Neuropathy, Mesenteric Node, Midnight, Minimal,Mononuclear, Moto Neuron, Multinodular, Myoneural. Now would it be any wonder that there could be a screw-up with interpreting an abbreviation written on a chart?!

I only wish I could remember how to copy/paste to give you the site- it is unbelievable how many things an abbreviation can mean!

And Minnesota.

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Here we go again...

Yammering ad nauseum AUUUGGGHH

BSN vs ASN = same nursing skills...I think so

tell that to management - So many seem to be hiring BSNs not associate graduates.

Sigh

My old job at a LTC/sub acute has BSN preferred in it's job posting.

Nursing has a real identity crisis and it is detrimental to the profession.

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