Does the BSN degree qualify you as a "Nurse"?

suzanne4, RN · Jan 29, 2008

In the US, they cannot use the title RN without first passing the NCLEX-RN exam. If the nurse can get thru their program, they have earned the title BSN, but that does not give them licensure.

Not sure how they think of those that have completed the program in other countries but have not passed the exam, here they cannot even call themselves nurses, as they have not passed the exam. A nurse is one that is legally licensed to practice as one.

yda · Jan 29, 2008

to the thread starter, i don't see anything wrong with that. finishing the degree and getting a license are two different things. BSN degree holders cannot claim to be registered nurses without passing the licensure exam first. a nurse should be able to prove that he is registered simply by presenting the license. graduating with a bs in nursing simply means that the person studied to become a nurse but he isn't a nurse until he passes the boards. an accounting graduate is also conferred a bachelor's degree but he doesn't become a CPA until he passes the exam.

starbin, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2008

I am increasingly disturbed by the number of graduates who, conferred the Bachelor of Science Nursing Degree, cannot pass their national licensure examination in the Philippines or Board of Nursing exams in other counties.
Yet the degree holder can state for the rest of their lives that they are "graduate nurses" without ever passing a licensure examination or board exam.
What do you think of the suggestion that NO BSN degree be conferred until you are successful in passing a national or state board examination? Instead, a 4 year graduate may be conferred a BS Health Studies degree and ONLY UPON passing a qualifying Nursing Board or National License Exam should you be granted the full status of Bachelor of Science, Nursing?
The degree holder of a BSN can mislead the general public into thinking that by virtue of their college degree that they are a licensed nurse!! This is very disturbing and opens the door to an unlicensed practitioner in any health related service by simply displaying a legitimate diploma but without ever passing a qualifying exam after college.
I believe that the BSN should be conferred ONLY UPON getting a license to practice as a nurse.
Hoss

To me, possessing a nursing degree and being a nurse(licensed) are two different things. And, these two titles/certificates come from two different institutions. The former prepares for the latter but does not guarantee it. I don't think a degree without privilege to practice the profession makes any sense, however, if someone has completed the course requirements (fulfilled the degree requirements), why not confer them a degree?

Hoss · Jan 30, 2008

My point is NOT to deny a degree after 4 years of successful course work, but rather to confer a degree title that does not mislead the general public into thinking someone is a licensed nurse by virtue of the degree itself.

The analogy to accounting is a good example, you receive a BA in accounting, but to be conferred with the title of CPA after your name separates the degree holder from a professional Certified practitioner.

My suggestion is to confer the BS Health Studies, or something similar to recognize four years completed courswork, but to ONLY ALLOW BSN title AFTER you pass board reviews or national exam.

It is simply a matter of avoiding misunderstanding by non medical folks who may not understand that a BSN is not a BSN until they have passed their boards.

As I understand it, the 2 year /3 year RN programs do NOT allow you to put RN as a title until you are board certified, is that correct? Or can you claim RN title and never take an exam, just simply finish the course work?

Thanks for your good input!!

Hoss

lawrence01 · Jan 30, 2008

My point is NOT to deny a degree after 4 years of successful course work, but rather to confer a degree title that does not mislead the general public into thinking someone is a licensed nurse by virtue of the degree itself.
The analogy to accounting is a good example, you receive a BA in accounting, but to be conferred with the title of CPA after your name separates the degree holder from a professional Certified practitioner.
My suggestion is to confer the BS Health Studies, or something similar to recognize four years completed courswork, but to ONLY ALLOW BSN title AFTER you pass board reviews or national exam.
It is simply a matter of avoiding misunderstanding by non medical folks who may not understand that a BSN is not a BSN until they have passed their boards.
As I understand it, the 2 year /3 year RN programs do NOT allow you to put RN as a title until you are board certified, is that correct? Or can you claim RN title and never take an exam, just simply finish the course work?
Thanks for your good input!!
Hoss

A non-board passer cannot claim or use the RN title besides her name. In PH, a nursing student doing chart work during rotations, signs her name with BSN-SN (student nurse) to signify that she or he is still studying for BSN. After graduation, he or she is conferred with the degree BS in Nursing but cannot be on the hospital again whether paid or voluntary unless she passes the boards and be a licensed nurse. So, no.

Same with medical graduates that cannot pass the boards after graduation. They are given a degree "Doctor of Medicine" to signify they finished the course but cannot use the title M.D. besides their name if they cannot pass the medical board exam afterwards and they cannot practice at all w/o passing it. Does not matter if they were above ave. or excellent students as well. High grades during school is nothing if they cannot pass the board exam and this happens all the time, esp. with medical and law graduates (BAR exams in PH).

LeesieBug · Jan 30, 2008

I do not find a problem with the degree designation, BSN. Re-naming until passage of a liscensure exam would not be appropriate, as the degree IS in nursing, plain and simple.

The anology you used as far as an accounting degree and a CPA relates very well, I believe, to the current BSN degree and RN licensure. The BSN is simply a descriptor of ones college course of study completed , while the RN licesure is what makes one able to PRACTICE as a nurse.

The general public's potential misconception of a person with a BSN degree is irrelevant to me, as that person is not a nurse and cannot be employed as such, without passing a national licesure exam.

Hoss · Jan 31, 2008

You fine folks are giving me quite an education, and I thank you for your interest and responses. Here is where I was mislead;

Us laymen were under the impression that an RN is a 2 year or 3 year graduate nurse and a BSN is a 4 or 5 year bachelors grad. I did not realize that RN must be added to the title of BSN to indicate a board certified practitioner.

I think my confusion as a non nurse (but father of 3 student nurses) came from reading such threads as "RN or BSN - which is better?" or RN to BSN education...etc.

I now understand that BSN, RN is the true title of a board certified nurse.

Cheers and thanks again!!

Hoss

mssandidge, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2010

RN is the title that makes you a board certified nurse. BSN or not. You could just be an RN no bachelors degree but passed the state certification test to become a registered nurse.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2010

ADN, BSN, MSN are all graduate nurses, yes they are nurses. Once they pass the state exam and receive their license then they're "Registered Nurses". Of course that's in the US and it looks like in other countries as well. What you can't do with out passing the exam and having a license is calling yourself a Registered Nurse.