First year diploma student looking towards the future of a BSN

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 31, 2013

It's a bit off topic, but I'm interested in your motivation for choosing a diploma program. Tx doesn't really have any of those any longer, but I understand that traditional diploma programs are significantly less expensive due to subsidies from the hospital with which they are associated. Is that the case for your program also? Does the hospital also employ most of your program's graduates?

As far as finding a 'bridge program' for your BSN - your choices aren't limited to "either -or" when it comes to online versus bricks-and-mortar since most traditional programs also have either hybrid or online options now. The resulting (BSN) diploma does not reveal which method you chose. So, you can have all the convenience of distance/online classes and your resume will have the same prestige & name recognition as graduates from their traditional program.

Best of luck on your nursing education! Stay in touch with us here on AN.

LRoth · Jul 31, 2013

From what I understand, the RN to BSN online programs are great as long as they are tied to a brick and mortar school. Like Jefferson has an online RN to BSN bridge program online for working RNs. They are only "frowned upon" if it's an online only school or a for profit school. I do hear repeatedly to get the BSN because it's going to be required.

elkpark · Jul 31, 2013

I am a diploma graduate who completed a BSN at a nearby state uni years later (all of this was long ago, though). I had no difficulty getting accepted into the BSN completion program, and had no difficulty getting into a graduate program as a diploma-grad-with-later-BSN.

caseydavin · Aug 3, 2013

Well I guess what motivated me to choose a diploma program was the time it took. My program is 28 months long and that was what I was looking for. I applied to this program straight out of high school and while I was in high school I knew I did not want to go to a four year university. I wanted to go somewhere that was quick and really directed towards a career. Plus, cost was a big factor for me too. Granted my program is not cheap by any means, no school is. But, it is more cost friendly than doing what most of my friends are doing and blindly joining a four year university with no clue what they want to do in the end. And, to answer your other question the hospital in the past does higher a few people from the program but mostly they just fill in the turnover positions i.e. people retiring. Thank you very much for responding to my question I appreciate it!

caseydavin · Aug 3, 2013

I have heard about the BSN "requirements" by 2020 also and the Nurse Administrator of our hospital has said that they put that out about every 10 years that soon they are going to require BSN's only, but mostly she says it will be more of a favorable education because many diploma programs do offer certain hands on and patient oriented practices that BSN's do not since they don't have the freedom to work and orient themselves to a hospital that loves to teach them. Since we go to school at this hospital they really stress how you present yourself because you represent the hospital itself. Not only because you are doing clinicals there but because the patch on you arm states your being taught by them. And I am not trying to say BSN universities aren't as good or don't teach as well as diploma's because I have never been to one nor do I know how they do clinicals or patient practice care. But, I like being taught how to be with patients from day one of school it gets you used to it quicker.