Should BSNs be paid more?

Nurses General Nursing

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I know ADNs and BSNs both sit for the same NCLEX exam, both have approximately four years of education, and at best have negligible differences (over time) in their nursing skills. BSNs take courses than broaden their overall knowledge; however, ADNs have more clinical experience prior to entering the workforce. Should there be a differential for BSNs, or should the reward for obtaining a BSN lie in the ability to advance one's career?

I'm not trying to start an ADN vs BSN bashing, I'm just curious to see what you all think.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
And, no, conditions do not magically improve because one legislates more educate.

Excellent post. I've said the same thing several times myself. I don't think requiring BSNs is going to magically improve anything or gain us any more respect in the publics eyes.

I still think a differential is in order.

I still think in this day of sicker and sicker patients and more complicated patients, nursing is much more than the tasks of cleaning up poop, starting IVs and foleys, and a good education, continuing ed, certification, etc. etc. should be encouraged. Even though all the degrees in the world isn't going to stop the dirty hands on work.

Requiring a BSN, I agree with the idea, but understand it's not going to happen, so I just stay on the fence about it. Rewarding a BSN is not a bad idea.

Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

my 2 cents. In my hospital, most of the nurses that obtain thier BSN get away from bedside nursing, and any with a master is definetly not at the bedside.

We have a clinical ladder, staff nurse 2 you meet certain criteria and get 5% wage increase, staff 3 you must have a BSN and meet certain criteria and a get another 5%. So we do in effect reward nurses for advancing thier education. we are also trying to obtain magnet, and they are all for bsn.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
my 2 cents. In my hospital, most of the nurses that obtain thier BSN get away from bedside nursing, and any with a master is definetly not at the bedside.

This is true. Almost all of the BSN students that do clinicals in my hospital say that they ultimate goal is to move on past the BSN to a higher degree. I myself am getting a BSN to eventually as I age get away from the bedside.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Yes, nurses must unite and stop backstabbing eachother. Tribalism should be more strongly encouraged within our profession. If nurses don't take control of their profession, hospitals and insurance companies will.

Educating patients (and the public in general) starts with getting trash like Grey's Anatomy (which depicts nurses as brainless handmaidens) off the air.

People will never value nursing if they don't understand it. People will never understand nursing if negative media images are allowed to persist.

Check out www.nursingadvocacy.org

If i want a united front, NursingAdvocacy is not where i'll turn. They've made their stance on the LPN QUITE clear, which is kind of a contradiction to what they're supposedly all about.

And i'll still feel the same way as an RN.

If i want a united front, NursingAdvocacy is not where i'll turn. They've made their stance on the LPN QUITE clear, which is kind of a contradiction to what they're supposedly all about.

And i'll still feel the same way as an RN.

I agree about NursingAdvocacy . ... . and I watch Grey's Anatomy. :)

Ali Gator - A united front in what way? Just hanging around allnurses.com you will see that we are a diverse group of folks with differing opinions . . heck, just this little thread here shows how diverse.

I like what Tweety has been saying though . . . ..

steph

Marie_LPN,

I was looking at that nursingadvocacy website, can quiet find a clear picture on LPN's...could you possibly direct me in the right direction?

Thank you

Annette

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
my 2 cents. In my hospital, most of the nurses that obtain thier BSN get away from bedside nursing, and any with a master is definetly not at the bedside.

We have a clinical ladder, staff nurse 2 you meet certain criteria and get 5% wage increase, staff 3 you must have a BSN and meet certain criteria and a get another 5%. So we do in effect reward nurses for advancing thier education. we are also trying to obtain magnet, and they are all for bsn.

Ah, not all of us. 24 years at the bedside with my BSN. Now getting a masters on a 5 year plan, so I can teach, but that will be a side line, no plans to leave the ER.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I work with a LOT of BSN's who choose to remain at the bedside.....

nothing wrong with that.

I still think they should be paid more than the AD nurse is.....

I still believe we need to put a premium on education in nursing, for it to have much respect or value.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Marie_LPN,

I was looking at that nursingadvocacy website, can quiet find a clear picture on LPN's...could you possibly direct me in the right direction?

Thank you

Annette

Look through the archives. I won't provide links, because that would require me to visit the site, and i refuse to do that anymore.

Look through the archives. I won't provide links, because that would require me to visit the site, and i refuse to do that anymore.

Why not, Marie? Did you find the content offensive? (Just wondering.)

Wait, nevermind, I read your above post. I had no idea they were like that. I've found some of the content on their site helpful...I didn't know they were disparaging LPNs.

i could not agree more with you! well said! factual, respectful and spoken likw a true professional! wish we have more in the league.... I believe, "there will always be better and lesser person than yourself" that's what i always say to myself. And EQUALITY IS TREATING EQUALS EQUALLY, UNEQUALS EQUALLY ACCORDING TO THEIR DEGREE OF INEQUALITY!

Generalizations of ALL kind are hurtful, as well as ignorant. Whether we are dealing with race, religion or professions, generalizations are wrong. Common sense tells us that not ALL of ANYTHING is one particular way. There are good nurses, bad nurses, considerate nurses, selfish nurses, etc. at all levels. Just as with people, just as with individuals, there are all kinds.

Having said that, we don't automatically like a physician because of the degree that they hold, that comes from their manner. However, there is a level of respect that comes and SHOULD come to that physician because of the position that they hold. Keeping that respect is up to that physician. Get it? We automatically give respect because of the education and time and dedication that went into getting that title. Keeping the respect is up to that Dr. by him being a good doctor. Being a physician does not make you a good one. Being a BSN RN does not make you a good one, and being an ADN RN does not make you a good nurse. That is up to you. But in our profession as nurses, it is just the opposite. Because we have so many entrances into the profession, and your nurse could be a diploma grad, an Associate Degree nurse or a BSN nurse, we are not automatically given the same respect. We have to earn it FIRST. There's nothing wrong with earning your respect first, but we are the only healthcare discipline that is like that. How would you feel if you had an associate degree physician as your doctor? Right now, we know that our docs had to have at LEAST 8 yrs of schooling, so SURELY he's learned something there, right? Now, instead of schooling we have a AD doc, thats learned his on the job. Is the AD doc a good doc? That remains to be seen. Is the 8yr. of school doc a good doc? Once again that remains to be seen. But right off the back I have more confidence in the doc that went to school for 8 yrs. Could that doc disappoint me? Sure!

What I am saying is that schooling, education is not going to be the end all, be all of the makings of a good doctor or nurse. However there is an air of respectablility and confidencen that automatically comes in knowing that your healthcare professional has studied, and diligently completed the requirements of his chosen profession. Period. To say that the BSN nurse should be paid more, or should be the entry level into the profession is not the same as saying that the AD nurse is not a good nurse. If a person hears that in those statements.... I think they should really look into themselves and ask themselves why do they really feel that way. To say that another person is nice looking does not take ANYTHING away from me!! So, for the BSN to be the entry level is not saying that the AD nurse is not good at what she does, it is not saying that the BSN nurse is a better nurse than she is, its saying simply that.... For the "professionalism" of our profession, for the respectability of our profession, we need to be at least on the same playground as the other members of the health care team.

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