In a few years all RNs will be required to have a BSN?

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Jan 19, 2012

I am in NC and serve on my hospital's Magnet Advisory Committee. Yes this is something that will definitely be taking place. By 2020 all RNs will have to have a BSN. This is a push from JCAHO, and Magnet. By next year, 2013 our hospital will have to have a plan in place to present to Magnet as to how we will get our nurses educated over the 7 years. Hope this helps!

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 19, 2012

I am in NC and serve on my hospital's Magnet Advisory Committee. Yes this is something that will definitely be taking place. By 2020 all RNs will have to have a BSN. This is a push from JCAHO, and Magnet. By next year, 2013 our hospital will have to have a plan in place to present to Magnet as to how we will get our nurses educated over the 7 years. Hope this helps!

That's not exactly correct. The national goal is to have 80% of the RN's to have at least a BSN by 2020 -- though some individual facilities may choose an even higher goal. And that is just a goal to strive for, it is not a regulatory mandate. Employers are allowed to hire RN's with any level of education. It's up to each employer to choose for themselves.

Also, with each re-designation of Magnet Recognition (which gets renewed every 5 years) a hospital must have increased it's BSN percentage -- but it's up to each hospital to choose its exact goal.

The previous poster (Spoiled1) may be working for a hospital that has chosen to aim for 100% by 2020 ... but that doesn't mean that all hospitals will choose that goal.

anniv91106 · Jan 23, 2012

If BSN becomes the entry into nursing, no one with less than a BSN degree can be called a nurse.

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 23, 2012

If BSN becomes the entry into nursing, no one with less than a BSN degree can be called a nurse.

Ok, have heard that comment enough in this thread and it stands correcting.

The original white paper issued by the ANA called for making the BSN mandatory for entry into the practice as a *Registered Nurse* (R.N). Diploma and A.A.N/A.D.N graduates would be *technical* or some other name but none the less still a *nurse*. Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse would still be on the team as well. The idea was that the BSN would act as a team leader planning, evaluating and so forth the care of patients whilst the other members of the nursing team (technical nurses, LPNs, LVNs, Aides and Techs) would implement or otherwise do the actual patient care work.

This is why for many years you heard complaints that BSN programs were too full of theory and far to little practical training. Furhtermore that such graduates were often neither use nor ornament on the floors without much post graduate orientation. Well if one follows the ANA ideal BSN nurses weren't supposed to be at the bedside in great numbers from the first place, so why would you expect them to have the same clincal skills as say a diploma grad.

However as time went on hospitals decided a nurse, is a nurse, is a nurse and used BSN grads at the bedside right along with every other nurse. Now it appears they are saying that four year grads have the skills for such care whilst others do not.

Finally it has to be said the term "techincal nurse" bothered current and or potential future nurses. Having "RN" behind one's name is no small deal, who wanted to be known as "TN" or some other name that indicated a lower rank.

What probably should have been done is how things went in other countries. Registered nurses are those with a BSN and Licensed Practical Nurses (or whatever their equal) are those with less.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 23, 2012

While the BSN may not be formally required for nursing employment, it has become the de facto minimum educational credential needed for consideration for employment in many health care institutions in many parts of the country. In the recent past, many job postings were simply for registered nurses, though often with the qualifier "BSN preferred" added. In many areas, those job postings now say "BSN required", a significant change.

In southeastern PA and the NY metro area, the rate of employment for new grad AAN/ADN's is significantly less than for BSN's. I've seen articles that imply that this is also the case in most of FL, AZ and CA.

The moral of the story is that the marketplace appears to be doing the work for the ANA, which has long wanted to make the BSN the standard for registered nurses.

dzadzey, MSN, RN · Feb 2, 2012

This has been floating to the surface for the last 30 years. And with facilities being able to hire BSN's at the same wage as an ADN, they may as well insist on hiring BSN's. Never mind the additional years and financial expense securing a BSN. Am I bitter? Yes, I am.

dzadzey, MSN, RN · Feb 2, 2012

And this is the rub...JCHAO, ANCC and other credentialing organizations are mandating nurses have their BSN while not stipulating a pay differential between ADN and BSN prepared nurses...and that is the real BS. The organizations claim to be advancing the profession of nursing when all they're doing is making it easier for administrators of health care organizations to get highly trained staff on the cheap.

shodobe · Feb 2, 2012

Yes, this is a subject that has been going on for ages. For me I have no BSN, after 35 years, and do not plan on one. For me it makes no sense because I am really a short timer, not enough time to recupt the investment. Todays programs are just way to expensive and more like a diploma churnning factory. But, for those out there now don't be left out in the dark because there are those that have tried for many years to get something like this passed because they feel that they are being snubbed in the nursing world and want some form of revenge by making you something you don't really need to be a good nurse. These BSN elite will try to convince you that this is the only way you can practice nursing. Well, this is hogwash and they know it. But I do encourage you to continue your education and that way they can't look down on you.

Palliative Care, DNP · Feb 11, 2012

The hospital I work in has already stopped hiring nurses that do not have a BSN. All current staff have been given a future date that a BSN will be required by. The facility is not grandfathering in anyone.

ange09, ADN, RN · Feb 11, 2012

I have to give credit where credit is due. I believe that nurses that have obtained a BSN should be recognized and given a pay increase, whether they are a seasoned nurse or a new grad. As far as it becoming mandatory for all registered nurseses to obtain a BSN, we will just have to wait and see. It is not just nursing, many companies prefer potential applicants to have a bachelor degree when applying for a professional job. It is just the market now. Times are changing and the need for education is increasing along with it. I have my ADN and I am currently working on my BSN. My goal is to obtain my MSN and become a FNP. Now, I have been hearing all about NP's having to get their DNP after the yr. 2015. If thats what I have to do I will keep going and get a DNP. I personally do not see it as a bad thing for the bar to be raised for the education of nurses. It is not just about bedside care and expierence. I am certainly not trying to offend anyone, it is just my personal view.I was a pregnant teenage high school drop out, and I have been trying to make that up to myself for years. Education is so important and I embrace every opportunity to continue my education. I am proud of my associate degree in nursing. I worked very hard to get to where I am, and I do not get offended when I hear that nurses should have a BSN. It just fuels my fire to keep going! So whatever they throw at me, I am up for the challenge!

DoGoodThenGo · Feb 12, 2012

Piggy-backing onto a theme posted elsewhere on this thread, one thinks this push towards the BSN has something to do with the rather poor standards many American youths leave high school with. In short four years of college education can be seen as being the equal in some areas of what many "old timers" had from just high school.

Time was a girl (or anyone else for that matter) could land a job working in an office as a secretary, assistant or whatever right out of high school. Long as one had the required typing, stenography, filing and other office skills (in my area all high schools had these courses, mainly for girls but they had them), one could find *something* at businesses and corporations small to large. If one was really fancy you went to one of the "white gloves and hats" business schools like Katherine Gibbs (are they still around?), but still...

Today at least here in NYC it's almost impossible to land any sort of decent office work from assistant on up without a college degree and or "some" post secondary education.