Nursing was a second career for me. I have a previous 4 year degree and had a career in that area. Now I'm middle aged, 3 years out of nursing school with ADN, almost 3 years of experience in critical care peds.
I'm being strongly encouraged to get my BSN. They will not fire me if I don't but I won't be able to transfer within the hospital very easily and my prospects should I seek employment elsewhere are probably not great.
I am, with much reluctance, applying for some on-line programs. I am just resentful that I will be writing papers and spending precious time away from my kids, my personal time, and I am a very busy mom with the family activities. Frankly I'm burned out with school. Have a bad attitude about going back.
So if I am to do an online program that takes things slowly, say one class at a time, how many hours will this require per week? How much will it take away from family? I would like to hear from those who are in a similar situation.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Frankly I RESENT the implication that a ADN nurse with experience is LESS than brand new BSN and I am sick of the behavior towards perfectly capable RN's forcing them to an "online program" and I use the term program loosely...believing it adds anything to their career. You want letters of the alphabet behind the name? PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it is disgusting to FORCE nurses with >20 years experience at the bedside go back to school and add nothing to make them a better nurse except that they might not be so verbal because they have more debt...or use this as an excuse to force older....MORE EXPENSIVE nurses from the workplace to save a few bucks. I simply DO NOT believe that making a bedside nurse with a ADN degree go to classes online will improve patient care and outcomes.
For the record I do beleive that one level of entry is necessary as we go forward. I also believe that some of the newer ADN programs that cropped up....like Mary Janes school of nursing...yes this place exists...be re-evaluated and improved or closed.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I think that any hospital that is requiring/strongly encouraging BSN for their nurses should grandfather in every nurse over a certain age, maybe 50. I also think it's fair for employers to say "You have an ADN and don't want to go back to school? That's fine, you can keep your job, but any new hires to any unit in the hospital from this time forward will only be BSN nurses." That way, you're certainly able to choose to not go back to school and continue working in your job, but understand that your options for lateral moves and promotions will be severely limited.
I also don't think ANYONE is arguing that an ADN with several years experience is safer or more knowledgeable than a new grad BSN. Whenever this discussion comes up, that is the argument people seem to jump to, but those are not the only two scenarios, and that's not comparing apples to apples.
I have a Bachelors in psychology from the University of Connecticut and I have my ADN. I was considering getting my BSN , but I feel that would be like going backwards and wasting time and money. I am going to work for 2-3 years in my current job in ICU and then get my RN-MSN APRN and then get my teaching certificate. I would feel a lot better about the situation if I did this because I would feel like I am moving forward. I feel like I am more educated than a BSN because I have a bachelors plus ADN. I dont think having an extra year of paperwriting-classes online is going to make you any more qualified than you are now. Also, my hospital only pays 50 cents more an hour for BSN. If they want me to get my BSN, they better make it worth it!
I also have an attitude about getting my BSN. However, I know it is necessary and will only enhance my career. So I'm biting the bullet and pushing my way through. I'll be done next spring and it would have taken 2 years. I take breaks, and take one class at a time so that is why it is taking me so long. I don't care, slow and steady wins the race. And, I have time to have a life. I probably spend 1-2 hours a week on my classes and so far I've passed my classes. I'm sure I'll have to put in more work once I get to more intense classes though. I go to walden by the way.
Our hospital began with ADNs can keep their positions but not move up and we are only hiring BSNs now. Then it became everyone that has an ADN needs a BSN by 2020 or will need to look for other employment opportunities. Recently, there were lay offs and they closed a whole unit. Care to guess which nurses were chosen for the lay offs? That's right it was the ADNs that were chosen for lay offs. Now the problem is solved and the facility doesn't have to wait until 2020 to make these choices. It may not be what you want to do but may be the thing that keeps your job if lay offs come your way.
Frankly I RESENT the implication that a ADN nurse with experience is LESS than brand new BSN and I am sick of the behavior towards perfectly capable RN's forcing them to an "online program" and I use the term program loosely...believing it adds anything to their career. You want letters of the alphabet behind the name? PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it is disgusting to FORCE nurses with >20 years experience at the bedside go back to school and add nothing to make them a better nurse except that they might not be so verbal because they have more debt...or use this as an excuse to force older....MORE EXPENSIVE nurses from the workplace to save a few bucks. I simply DO NOT believe that making a bedside nurse with a ADN degree go to classes online will improve patient care and outcomes.
For the record I do beleive that one level of entry is necessary as we go forward. I also believe that some of the newer ADN programs that cropped up....like Mary Janes school of nursing...yes this place exists...be re-evaluated and improved or closed.
Thank you I feel better.
For what it is worth, I think seasoned nurses with decades of experience should be grandfathered into the system.
To the people who stated that the game is changing and people over a certain age should be grandfathered in, it has been changing for years now. This is nothing new. The talk of making the BSN the new standard over the ADN has been going on for decades. While I sympathize with the OP, the fact of the matter is, she is competing with younger BSNs with just as much experience and more education than herself. The OP isn't a seasoned nurse with boatloads of experience, so allowing people to be grandfathered into the system simply because of their age and not nursing experience is not fair to the younger ADN nurses either who have just as much bedside experience as the OP.
I do think it is sad that nurses want to be seen as professionals but so many are against earning more education. I don't hear nowhere near as much complaining from other healthcare professionals about higher education as I do from nurses.
I completely disagree that an associate's degree doesn't mean anything. It surely does to all who have earned and passed the same NCLEX a BSN takes. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with more education, until the pay and NCLEX are noticably different there really is no difference. So the people in the BSN program take a few extra gen ed programs. The fact of the matter is, nursing school itself is 2 years long whether you are an ADN or BSN. I can certainly understand people's frustration with this.
I think that any hospital that is requiring/strongly encouraging BSN for their nurses should grandfather in every nurse over a certain age, maybe 50. I also think it's fair for employers to say "You have an ADN and don't want to go back to school? That's fine, you can keep your job, but any new hires to any unit in the hospital from this time forward will only be BSN nurses." That way, you're certainly able to choose to not go back to school and continue working in your job, but understand that your options for lateral moves and promotions will be severely limited.
I also don't think ANYONE is arguing that an ADN with several years experience is safer or more knowledgeable than a new grad BSN. Whenever this discussion comes up, that is the argument people seem to jump to, but those are not the only two scenarios, and that's not comparing apples to apples.
This is pretty much what was said to me, almost word for word.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
For what it is worth, I think seasoned nurses with decades of experience should be grandfathered into the system.
To the people who stated that the game is changing and people over a certain age should be grandfathered in, it has been changing for years now. This is nothing new. The talk of making the BSN the new standard over the ADN has been going on for decades. While I sympathize with the OP, the fact of the matter is, she is competing with younger BSNs with just as much experience and more education than herself. The OP isn't a seasoned nurse with boatloads of experience, so allowing people to be grandfathered into the system simply because of their age and not nursing experience is not fair to the younger ADN nurses either who have just as much bedside experience as the OP.
I do think it is sad that nurses want to be seen as professionals but so many are against earning more education. I don't hear nowhere near as much complaining from other healthcare professionals about higher education as I do from nurses.
I don't think that having a ADN makes one less professional. You don't hear of it from other professions because they ahve not been told go back to school or you can't work anymmoe. TRUST ME...if CEO's physicians, lawyers and politicians had to further their education to maintain their job.....there would be a ruckus!
While this has been proposed for YEARS it has taken a bad economy and a plethora of nurses in the job market that has promotes this transition AT THIS TIME!
I don't believe for ONE minute that the nurses laid off was based on their degree. In reality it has EVERYTHING to do with how much they make....the senior nurses. Since the MAJORITY of the working nurse population at the bedside are ADN nurses with experience it goes to say that those are also the senior nurses. It is against the law to discriminate against the nurse for her age...it is NOT however against the law to lay off nurses with downsizing and education as a the "guideline" so they not only decrease that amount of nurses but the amount of pay that is paid to the nurses that are left.
I have sat in on these meetings and I have heard the strategy personally..... their motives behind the moves are illegal. While they talk about professionalism, education, and patient outcomes..... it is seen as a way to weed out the most expensive and the most verbal.
This is a dangerous precedent....for 29 years from now you too will be laid off for not getting your MSN.
I don't think that having a ADN makes one less professional. YOu dont hear of it from other professions becasue they ahve not been told go back to scholl or you can't work anymmoe. TRUST ME...if CEO's physicians, lawyers and politicians had to further their education to maintain their job.....there would be a ruckus!
While this has been proposed for YEARS it has taken a bad economy and a plethora of nurses in the job market that has promotes this transition AT THIS TIME!
I don't believe for ONE minute that the nurses laid off was based on their degree. In reality it has EVERYTHING to do with how much they make....the senior nurses. Since the MAJORITY of the working nurse population at the bedside are ADN nurses with experience it goes to say that those are also the senior nurses. It is against the law to discriminate against the nurse for her age...it is NOT however against the law to lay off nurses with downsizing and education as a the "guideline" so they not only decrease that amount of nurses but the amount of pay that is paid to the nurses that are left.
I have sat in on these meetings and I have heard the strategy personally..... their motives behind the moves are illegal. While they talk about professionalism, education, and patient outcomes..... it is seen as a way to weed out the most expensive and the most verbal.
This is a dangerous precedent....for 29 years from now you too will be laid off for not getting your MSN.
I agree it's really about money. However, the lay offs were the best time to say it was based on education and not money. It's a move to save face by the facility.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I agree it's really about money. However, the lay offs were the best time to say it was based on education and not money. It's a move to save face by the facility.
It an effort to NOT be sued with a class action lawsuit.
Continuing education is absolutely critical for all (real) medical professions.
Now ill concede that an RN > BSN program is probably not going to cover the most interesting or pertinent information. But an associates degree (of ANY kind) doesn't mean anything these days. Nursing should be no different.
You may want to rethink that blanket statement..
I got my 75K job with a Fortune 500 company with an Associate degree.
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Frankly I RESENT the implication that a ADN nurse with experience is LESS than brand new BSN and I am sick of the behavior towards perfectly capable RN's forcing them to an "online program" and I use the term program loosely...believing it adds anything to their career. You want letters of the alphabet behind the name? PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it is disgusting to FORCE nurses with >20 years experience at the bedside go back to school and add nothing to make them a better nurse except that they might not be so verbal because they have more debt...or use this as an excuse to force older....MORE EXPENSIVE nurses from the workplace to save a few bucks. I simply DO NOT believe that making a bedside nurse with a ADN degree go to classes online will improve patient care and outcomes.
For the record I do beleive that one level of entry is necessary as we go forward. I also believe that some of the newer ADN programs that cropped up....like Mary Janes school of nursing...yes this place exists...be re-evaluated and improved or closed.
Thank you I feel better.