Does this bother you?

[Gods child]

I read an article in the local paper about a proposal from a prospective governor to create a five-year high school plan in which a student could graduate from high school in five years with an associate degree. In the article it made mention of how nursing could "lend itself" to the five year program, and that being an RN is great if you want to work. For some reason when I read that it really bothered me, and I don't understand why. I don't want to say that it cheapens the title of RN (the proposal was for RN, not LPN), but if this is something one can graduate from high school with, it seems like it would cause our profession to be looked down upon even more so. It just makes me think about all of the people who struggle to get in an RN program at the CC or university explaining to others how competitive it is to be accepted in a program (and how challenging nursing can be), just to have them open one up at a local high school. To top things off the only profession they mentioned was nursing, they made no mention of other associate degree programs being "added" to high school curriculum. Is it unreasonable to feel this way? Am I making a big deal about nothing? I can definitely see the benefits of this type of program, but somehow it seems to take away from "something" (can't put my finger on it).

I actually wish that sort of program was available when I was in school. I could have possibly been in CRNA School by age 21 (with ICU experience and everything). It would have been great to graduate at 18 or 19 and start out making 30-40,000 a year. Maybe I'm just jealous. :)

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I dont like the sound of that at all. They have CNA programs in high schools here and not many that actually do finish are mature enough to deal with that job, let alone be in a position of responsiblity for peoples lives. I would hope they would reconsider this one. I dont know what state this is in but hopefully the public will put this person running out to pasture before he gets started.

[fla orange]

Hey God's Child, to be honest this really doesn't bother me. I went to vocational school while in high school and graduate with my HS diploma and Lpn diploma. I took state board and starting working as a lpn the following year at a near by nursing home. The graduating class that year was only 6 people and only 4 of us passed state borad the first time we took it. That is a great program for those individual who are willing to buckle down and and get through it. Not too many high schooler will be intrested in the program due to the fact that alot of time will have to be spent reading nursing books, drug book and preparing care plans. Along with summer school that is mandatory for the program. I'm glad I went through it , it helped pave the way to my Rn.

[DeLySh]

I don't know ... I like this idea for other professions like auto mechanics or some computer careers but not to be an RN. Could be a good way to keep kids in school while making productive citizens out of them before they get bored and drop out.

Just a thought.

DeLySh

[HARRN2b]

Heck, why not start an MD program for 16 year olds. They could be fully functioning physicians much earlier.

[catlady, BSN, RN]

I dont like the sound of that at all. They have CNA programs in high schools here and not many that actually do finish are mature enough to deal with that job, let alone be in a position of responsiblity for peoples lives.

That's exactly the thought I had. I graduated from high school at sixteen; despite my academic successes, I can't imagine having been mature enough to be a 17-year-old RN, even if that were legal (is it?).

When I was commissioned as a Air Force officer at 20, most of the people I encountered were horrified--probably rightly so. Those couple of years that mean nothing to your development when you're 35 or 45 are huge when you're a teenager.

I wasn't required to take any of the prerequisites I hear about now (other than English, sociology and psych, which I'd had in college), so maybe those HS students could be getting college credit for those. I just don't see how they'd do well in clinical. Think about those developmental tasks of adolescence. They're somewhat incongruous with the needs of nursing.

[PANurseRN1]

Heck, why not start an MD program for 16 year olds. They could be fully functioning physicians much earlier.

True, LOL!

This idea needs to go in the circular file.

[LoriAlabamaRN]

I find this very hard to believe. Although it's true that the majority of Associate's degrees can be earned in two years, your RN degree requires several semesters of prerequisites before the two year program even begins. Surely they are not dismissing the prereqs! I imagine the nursing program to which they are referring is an LPN program, not an RN. Otherwise it would not make any sense at all.

[KellNY, RN]

Fla Orange--but there is a big diff between a 17 year old LPN and a 17 year old RN.

You can be an RN at any age, but they usually require you to have gotten your HS diploma or GED before taking the boards. If you can graduate by then, and take the program....well....it'd take a certain type of person to not only accomplish that, but to be ready for it as well.

[casi, ASN, RN]

It sounds a bit odd. In MN it seems that you hae to be 18+ to work in a job where you deal with medications.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Heck, why not start an MD program for 16 year olds. They could be fully functioning physicians much earlier.

We're actually already not too far off. There are several six-year BS-MD programs in the US.

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

I like it. Standards would have to be reinforced to assure high quality, but nursing is no less a trade than electronics and computer science, both AD programs which HS vocational offers. European countries already do this type of real preparation of students for good jobs in high school. We are sorely lacking in the U.S. and young people are so far behind upon graduation as we waste good years the way we educate now.