should the education requirements change for nurses?

[Nursetobe25]

do you think that all LPN programs should become an associates degree rather than a technical one and RN's should all become a Bachelors minimum?

I've heard people say its ridiculous that nurses are educated on three different levels (ie, technical, associates and bachelors).

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum here on AN. There is not a clear cut concensus. IMO as long as employers are still willing to hire from all 3 disciplines, not much will change.

[firstinfamily, RN]

You could do some research on line on this topic which has been at the bones of nursing for at least the last 30 years. I do not see how with an impending nursing shortage any official agency can condemn the current methods of nursing education. The diploma nursing schools were mostly completely closed about 15 years ago so that level of RN is gone. Forcing students to start at a BSN level, which by the way isn't always affordable, will eliminate another level of nursing. LPNs are still effectively employed in the nursing field, so why would we eliminate them?? Nursing is trying to advance itself through positions such as the NP, CNS, these positions are needed in the shortage of PCPs, so why would we cut the available clinical nursing field by eliminating another level of nurses?? No, it does not make sense, nursing should be allowed to graduate from one level to another, not just limited to only one entry level. There could be clauses written where an LPN needs to obtain their RN within so many years after graduating from LPN, but this would still eliminate a level of nursing that is very much employable. Let nursing settle and find its own way to balance out the work demand/work supply and then see what is needed.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I think our present model of practice allows the input of all levels, but I really believe acute care will probably trend to BSN entry level in the future.