I just graduated from a very tough ADN program, and the instructors, even at the pinning, were telling us how we need to advance our education. Hogwash!
Surely, I will get nationally certified (CCRN, RNC or something). Surely, I will do continuing education and read nursing magazines and books (I do that now). But I will never go back to school. Not for a BSN, not ever. I have a B.Sc. in Liberal Arts where I specialized in psychology and sociology. In addition, I also took loads of literature and English classes. I think that degree and my ADN make me a very educated person. I will not jump though another educational hoop because academians think I should.
In fact, I've already been hired, and I haven't even passed NCLEX yet--at the hospital and floor that is my very first choice no less! (an ICU step-down cardiology floor at a large county hospital). No one can tell me I need a BSN. What I need is to be a staff nurse until I'm 70. I need to write books about monistic nursing, and I need to learn to paint dog portraits and seascapes really well, so I can supplement my social security income when I leave nursing. But a BSN? Homey don't play that.
I know how you feel. The dean of our nursing program came in a few months ago and stressed that she didn't want us to get ONLY our ADN and not ONLY our BSN, but she wanted each and every one of us to go on to get our masters. Bull pucky! If we all got our masters who would be bedside nurses? I am going to nursing school to be a bedside nurse, not for money or prestige, or the highest degree. Although I probably will finish with a BSN, however, I have no desire what so ever to get a masters.
Your feelings will change I'm sure... I graduated in December and I just registered for classes for my BSN.... I know I don't want to do bedside nursing forever, I'm considering getting into CaseManagement, so I need a BSN.. The thought about going back to school isn't fun.. But MOST BSN programs can be done ONline, which makes it easy..
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
Congrats on your graduation. I too will be a floor nurse untill I am 70, changing my depends along with my patients......
I just graduated from a very tough ADN program, and the instructors, even at the pinning, were telling us how we need to advance our education. Hogwash!
Surely, I will get nationally certified (CCRN, RNC or something). Surely, I will do continuing education and read nursing magazines and books (I do that now). But I will never go back to school. Not for a BSN, not ever. I have a B.Sc. in Liberal Arts where I specialized in psychology and sociology. In addition, I also took loads of literature and English classes. I think that degree and my ADN make me a very educated person. I will not jump though another educational hoop because academians think I should.
In fact, I've already been hired, and I haven't even passed NCLEX yet--at the hospital and floor that is my very first choice no less! (an ICU step-down cardiology floor at a large county hospital). No one can tell me I need a BSN. What I need is to be a staff nurse until I'm 70. I need to write books about monistic nursing, and I need to learn to paint dog portraits and seascapes really well, so I can supplement my social security income when I leave nursing. But a BSN? Homey don't play that.
I'm kind of back and forth with the issue myself. I don't want to put forth the energy to advance my degree and career, but not sure I can manage doing this until I'm 70 (I'm certified, a charge nurse, make great money, and am currently quite happy and have an aversion to management/administration type jobs). Having options for the future would be nice.
You know the old saying- Never say Never- you may have to eat those words!! I said the same when I finished my ADN since it was my second associate degree but I have had to eat those words multiple times, went back for BSN, went back for MS (anesthesia), and went back for Doctor of Nursing Science-DNSc. But I am not saying I'm done this time (even though I think I am!) :rotfl:
I too said NEVER right after graduating, from LVN school no less. Exactly one year to the date of graduation I went from a total aversion to the idea of school to a major itch to start back. One of the nurses I work with said it is much like childbirth. It takes awhile, but then you forget how painful it was and do it all over again! Congratulations on graduating!
I thought the same thing. I am now in graduate school, so it is clear I changed my mind. The important thing is to find your niche. Congrats on graduating!
I agree with one of the other posters... never say never.
Of course, I'm one of those goofy people who value higher education for education's sake alone, I'd probably be a professional student the rest of my life (if I could afford and my brain could tolerate it), so maybe I'm not the best person to be giving that advice. :chuckle
Jen2
931 Posts
Monist
I know how you feel. The dean of our nursing program came in a few months ago and stressed that she didn't want us to get ONLY our ADN and not ONLY our BSN, but she wanted each and every one of us to go on to get our masters. Bull pucky! If we all got our masters who would be bedside nurses? I am going to nursing school to be a bedside nurse, not for money or prestige, or the highest degree. Although I probably will finish with a BSN, however, I have no desire what so ever to get a masters.