Diploma vs degree

BestXNurse · Mar 6, 2005

I need help. I am a ADN student and I have a research paper due distinguishing an associate degree from a diploma in registered nursing. I know all about the associate degree, but I don't know much about the diploma. Can anyone help me?

I'm a dipolma nurse graduating in 1973. I have since gotten a BSN. When I graduated we got the jobs first and the AD and BSN's got what was left over. Most of us went into management positions right away or shortly after our jobs started. That's what we were trained to be. We had mostly hands on training and only 60 credit hours of college in English, Bio, Chem, Micro, Psy, Sociology. We took care of patients starting in our sixth week of school. We went for 36 months. I was in the first class at my school that had summers off. Before that the students went 36 straight months with only 2 weeks off in the summer and a few holidays.

We learned basic things like bathing, BP's bedpans, enema's, douches etc.and psy at the same time because we started in a psy hospital.

WE did med surg second half of the first year in a community hospital with specials in surgical care, ortho rotation, medical care like diabetes, etc. Second year was OB/GYN, Peds, we actually did 16 week OR training. Third year we did ICU, Home health, formal PSY, IV starts and blood draws, ER, and for the last 3 months we shadowed the nurse managers or head nurses as they were called then. We were prepared to go out and take charge of units which I did on eves after a 2 week orientation on days.

We also recieved a stipend of 30.00 a month for the first year for caring for the patients. It was supposed to be for the whole 3 years we were there but govenment spending needed to be cut so we lost the money.

My program cost 650.00 for the whole 3 years. That included all books and uniforms, dorms, and meals. and I made 300.00 back in the first year with the stipend. It wouuld have totaled about 950.00 back at the end of the schooling.

Our boards were given over 2 days and we took separate tests in Med, Surg, OB, Peds and Psy. If you failed one test you just retook it. Much nicer than todays testing. And you could go back and change answers if you wanted because it was all done on paper.

I got my BSN in 1980. I got straight A's and churned out a bunch of papers. I took more liberal arts courses and sciences. I didn't learn much new as far as nursing care at all. Clinicals were mostly leadership based. I did so well because of what I learned in my diploma program.

Hope this helps you.

Pam E

begalli · Mar 6, 2005

:yeah:

Yay! Pam!

You represent the nurse for whom I have so much respect and look to for professional growth.

:bow:

fab4fan · Mar 6, 2005

Please tell me that the ADNs haven't decided to start asserting that they are better than diploma nurses. :rolleyes:

zenman · Mar 6, 2005

I need help. I am a ADN student and I have a research paper due distinguishing an associate degree from a diploma in registered nursing. I know all about the associate degree, but I don't know much about the diploma. Can anyone help me?

I'd look up some diploma school and ADN websites and make a comparison of the curriculum.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 6, 2005

:) Nothing to add. Just a big ol' SMILE.:)

Good luck with your paper.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 6, 2005

Nothing to add here either. this is one old BEATEN HORSE.

I echo Prn, good luck.

naynay592 · Mar 6, 2005

thanks for everyone's help. I got it now