Diploma Nurses

[Wsmith16]

Any info on this would be helpful.

My situation is that I have a BS in Communications. I've applied to several nursing schools and got in to 3 but they are a few hours away. Now their is this one school who happens to not be too far from me but they offer a diploma in nursing. My question to you is are diploma nurses as respected in the hospital as ADN? [by no means am I putting down diploma nurses down but the truth is their is alot of B.S, on the floor from our fellow nurses in terms of education even if we do not want to admit it.] My aunt has been a nurse for 16yrs and received a diploma at the time--she said don't apply to this program because folks don't hold the term "diploma" in high regards. WHen I mention to other friends about the "diploma nurse program" they all crinkle their nose like its' a dirty word as if diploma stands for a generic certificate.

So, if anyone has applied or recently graduated from a diploma program please let me know what your experience has been negative or positive.

Thank you

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Thats cool! I knew you were from NC. When I first started this board I was actually living in MD, trying to get in to Univ. MD. But then the Army sent me a friendly letter saying " I know we just discharged you a year ago but would you mind dropping your life and going to a fantastic vacation spot where its 120 degrees (Iraq btw)?":uhoh3: So off I went, I've got no kids, not married better me than someone with responsibilities. Now I'm in the triangle, before it was bragg.

Yup, I REALLY didn't know about any nursing program here in NC, I applied my last month in the army just to the diploma program (was honestly going to do a bachelors in Clininical Laboratory Science). But in the back of my head wanted to know if nursing was still there for me. Plus some people I heard talked about it, did research on the school and decided I wanted to be apart of it.

So what school are you going to UNC or Duke?

Duke. The first nursing class graduated from Duke in 1931 in a 3 year hospital program. Nurses could earn a BS from Duke with two additional years at the university. UNC's School of Nursing wasn't founded - believe it or not - until 1950, but it was the first baccalaureate nursing degree program in the state. Duke's BSN program began in 1953.

[blueheaven]

I graduated from a diploma program in 2001 and have never gotten anything but respect from my coworkers regardless of their own educational levels. When i started in the ICU along with several other new grads some who had diplomas and others who had BSNs, it was quite obvious who had better clinical skills. I had spent twice as much time in the hospital setting compared to my bachelors prepared colleagues. However if you ever want to move away from the bedside and work in management or administration you must have at least a BSN so that is something to think about.

When it all comes down to it though, nursing is not something that is learned in the classroom. You can know everything in the world about A&P and nursing theory and still be a terrible nurse.

AMEN!! and a big DITTO!

I am an ancient diploma nurse and the school that I went to still has the highest NCLEX passing rate of any school in the state (this includes the universities). I think the extra time we spent in the hospital and doing those god-awful careplans etc helped me in learning to prioritize, organize and to holistically look at the patient. Even though some rotations at school were hellacious it helped me to to grow and develop into the nurse I am today. Do what feels best for you. I am currently in school now for a BSN-MSN and wish I would have completed it when I was younger and absorbed information better!!!! Good luck and God bless!

[suzy253, RN]

AMEN!! and a big DITTO!

I am an ancient diploma nurse and the school that I went to still has the highest NCLEX passing rate of any school in the state (this includes the universities). I think the extra time we spent in the hospital and doing those god-awful careplans etc helped me in learning to prioritize, organize and to holistically look at the patient. Even though some rotations at school were hellacious it helped me to to grow and develop into the nurse I am today. Do what feels best for you. I am currently in school now for a BSN-MSN and wish I would have completed it when I was younger and absorbed information better!!!! Good luck and God bless!

And I will DITTO you as well. A proud diploma grad.