Degree or Diploma- the difference

madwife2002, BSN, RN · May 15, 2006

Yes there is a difference and yes doing a degree does help your career. Eventually if you wanted to climb the ladder it would be an advantage to have a degree, you dont really need to have one you can do specialist courses later on. But I would always advocate a nurse to do a degree straight off if they are capable and are able to manage financially because once you are working as an RN then it is harder to access the degree program-not impossible but you may have to wait in line. Plus study on the side as well as working full time. Degree's dont make better nurses when working on a ward doing hands on nursing-but you will need one eventually.

sweetpealoubylou · May 16, 2006

Hi lisa i saw your post regarding degree and diplomas.

There are several differences Degrees are more academically focused, plus when you qualify for a degree you get a higher grade as a nurse than those doing the diplomas. This can be funded by a secondment if you are in the NHS if not you may have to pay for the degree yourself via loans or funding. Also with degrees there is a better chance to progress the career ladder into specilist areas depending on the branch you want to do.

Diplomas are more practical focused basically more hands on, You end up one grade lower for pay than a degree but i have been informed it takes about a year to get a higher grade for pay whilst working in the NHS. The diplomas are paid for by the nhs and you also get a Bursery of about 400 pounds to cover travel costs a nd books needed.

Also i learnt last week through college that some branches of nursing are now asking nurses who did diplomas to do the degrees as it is apparently more cost effective and everyone will end up on the same pay as such.

This concerns adult nursing and peadiatrics more so.

If you have any other questions i will try answer feel free to leave a msge.

Hope it answers your question

sweet pea lou

mabel u.k · May 16, 2006

Hi lisa i saw your post regarding degree and diplomas.
There are several differences Degrees are more academically focused, plus when you qualify for a degree you get a higher grade as a nurse than those doing the diplomas. This can be funded by a secondment if you are in the NHS if not you may have to pay for the degree yourself via loans or funding. Also with degrees there is a better chance to progress the career ladder into specilist areas depending on the branch you want to do.
Diplomas are more practical focused basically more hands on, You end up one grade lower for pay than a degree but i have been informed it takes about a year to get a higher grade for pay whilst working in the NHS. The diplomas are paid for by the nhs and you also get a Bursery of about 400 pounds to cover travel costs a nd books needed.
Also i learnt last week through college that some branches of nursing are now asking nurses who did diplomas to do the degrees as it is apparently more cost effective and everyone will end up on the same pay as such.
This concerns adult nursing and peadiatrics more so.
If you have any other questions i will try answer feel free to leave a msge.
Hope it answers your question
sweet pea lou

I dont know that I would really agree with this, I became a H grade specialist without either a degree or diploma. Thats not to say it isnt desirable but I think we need to keep sight of the fact that nursing is essentially a practical role. Yes our practice needs to be evidence based but there are many very academic nurses that I know who have very poor bedside skills. (It works the other way too before I get comments).

sweetpealoubylou · May 16, 2006

Hi mable thats very true that nursing is pratical I was only writing what i had been told by the career and guidence centre at my local college with regard to the re-training and the nature that one is more academical amd the other is more pratical. the rest of the information I was told by my local Uni at open day. I do know that they both involve alot of practical work.

Sweet pea lou

madwife2002, BSN, RN · May 16, 2006

I dont know that I would really agree with this, I became a H grade specialist without either a degree or diploma. Thats not to say it isnt desirable but I think we need to keep sight of the fact that nursing is essentially a practical role. Yes our practice needs to be evidence based but there are many very academic nurses that I know who have very poor bedside skills. (It works the other way too before I get comments).

I feel you are very fortunate to have become a H grade nurse without a diploma or a degree, I think that the majority of nurses nowerdays will have undertaken or been in the process of degree level studying before becoming a higher banded nurse. My ward manager was expected to have been in the process of her Masters to reach band 7. I found having a degree helped me help the students in their research and to direct them in the correct way to study.

I agree that many academic nurses dont have bedside skills and visa versa. But I think you will find many nurses in your position will have had higher education.

jjjez · May 18, 2006

The ACTUAL difference between degree and diploma nurses is marginal in their training. The difference is actually the adition of a few more modules and a very very small dissertation for extra credits. There is no difference between assessment criteria and all nurse qualifying need to have exactly the same skills.

There is no advancement in terms of one being more anythig than the other and this is a crucial misjudgement of people entering nursing in the UK. A degree is almost certainly NOT guaranteed to get you your post second or even third as merely possessing a BSc is not a measurement of a nurses worth

Degrees are sometimes necessary for a promotion to Sister or Charge Nurse level, but before then they make absolutely no difference in terms of patient outcomes or nursing knowledge and skill.

Owain Glyndwr · May 18, 2006

plus when you qualify for a degree you get a higher grade as a nurse than those doing the diplomas.... Also with degrees there is a better chance to progress the career ladder into specilist areas depending on the branch you want to do.
Diplomas are more practical focused basically more hands on, You end up one grade lower for pay than a degree
Also i learnt last week through college that some branches of nursing are now asking nurses who did diplomas to do the degrees as it is apparently more cost effective and everyone will end up on the same pay as such.
This concerns adult nursing and peadiatrics more so.

What are you talking about? Have I logged onto http://www.NursingFables.com by mistake? Should I go and get a drink and when I come back we'll all be talking sense?

OG

Owain Glyndwr · May 18, 2006

I was only writing what i had been told by the career and guidence centre at my local college with regard to the re-training and the nature that one is more academical amd the other is more pratical. the rest of the information I was told by my local Uni at open day. I do know that they both involve alot of practical work.
Sweet pea lou

Did they dust off a copy of the "Guide To Nurse Training 1983" manual and use it as reference? Absolute rubbish.

Cheers

OG

letina · May 18, 2006

What are you talking about? Have I logged onto www.NursingFables.com by mistake? Should I go and get a drink and when I come back we'll all be talking sense?
OG

Aw, c'mon Owain, don't frighten the poor girl off :chair: :lol2: She's only telling us what she's been told.......of course some of what she's been told is nonsense, we know that don't we? :wink2:

madwife2002, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

I think Owain is on a power roll Belinda is obviously not around lol.

Did you get my email Tina?

letina · May 19, 2006

Did you get my email Tina?

I did Kay. A reply on its way to you as we speak. You'll have to excuse me, my head is all over the place at the moment, think you know why