Is it true that a BSN will be mandatory soon?

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An instructor of mine (I'm in another state) stated that she recently went to a national educators conference and that they were saying that within the next several years in NY it would be mandatory to have your BSN. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks

Specializes in OB high rish low risk PP antepart..

They have been trying to make BSN the minimun entry into nursing for the past 25 years or so. At one point ADNs were going to be 'technical' nurses while BSNs were 'professional' nurses. i am an ADN and am just as professional as the BSN nurse next to me. A degree doesn't make a nurse better or worse and while I am a firm believer that no education is wasted until ADNs and BSNs and Diploma nurses take dfferent state boards I don't think mandatory entry levels will work.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I just read a post a page or so back and had to reply. I am in an ADN program, and we take the HESII also! It's not just for BSN programs....

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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.
They have been trying to make BSN the minimun entry into nursing for the past 25 years or so. At one point ADNs were going to be 'technical' nurses while BSNs were 'professional' nurses. i am an ADN and am just as professional as the BSN nurse next to me. A degree doesn't make a nurse better or worse and while I am a firm believer that no education is wasted until ADNs and BSNs and Diploma nurses take dfferent state boards I don't think mandatory entry levels will work.

Hi,

I think you misunderstood... I wasn't saying that an ADN nurse was unporfessional or less professional than a BSN nurse. I meant that when I asked the question of what is the value of the BSN program, a teacher said that we would be better prepared for a variety of nursing roles (ie administration, research etc) The question I was asking in the post was am I going to be less prepared for hand's on nursing when I graduate than someone who took a different program. Sorry, sometimes I am not clear in what I mean.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I am still amazed at the number of people that say that mandatory BSN will never happen. I think we said that here in Ontario too....

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I am still amazed at the number of people that say that mandatory BSN will never happen. I think we said that here in Ontario too....

It's not that BSN entry COULDN'T happen.

It's that, given the polarity of the debate combined with powerful lobbyists that do NOT want to give nurses the pay and respect so many say could come from BSN - these things make it less likely.

Besides, and don't take this the wrong way, but since Canada has national care, the gov't essentially holds a monopoly on nursing salaries. This allows them to make whatever mandate they want without considering the cost. Canada might have mandatory BSN, but ADNs in the States make more money and have more real power. There you go, THAT's why Canada was able to do it - it didn't cost more to do so.

That btw is NOT the rationale that many put forward for this move: the issue is most often cached in terms of salary and respect.

Hospitals in America would LOVE to have higher educated staff that cost no more in terms of money and power. THAT is why Stateside hospitals strongly encourage BSN in every measure but the ones that counts: salary and respect.

As long as nurses remain divided on this issue, it will be decided for them. Currently, it is decided by vested powers that do not wish to grant nursing anymore then it grudgingly must grant.

In order to reach a consensus that could move this issue forward, instead of complaining about each other's status, nursing will need to both respect and accomodate all stakeholders throughout a transition.

There are no signs that such respect is forthcoming and so, there is every reason to suspect that the next 40 yrs of effort on this issue will fail, just as the last 40 yrs have.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

This thread has been going on just about as long as the mandatory BSN debate....

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Hello:)

I am currently in my second year of the BSN program. I live in Ontario and it is now required here to have a BSN. My instructors tell me that the BSN program better prepares students to be professionals, but it seems to me that there is far more emphasis on writing papres etc than on learning the skills I will need to succeed in my career. My question is this, what am I gaining by taking my BSN? Does anyone have an opinion either way on which program better prepares a student for 'hands on' nursing (I want to work with PATIENTS in a HOSPITAL)

If ya gotta have it by law, that's life.

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Hmmm:idea:....the day nurses actually stand up and EMPOWER ourselves will be the day hospital ceos and other vips over hospitals and healthcare become frantic enough to FINALLY shut up and listen to nurses about how to REALLY operate a hospital, retain nursing staff, lower patient/nurse ratios to SAFE levels, AND..........shall I go on?????????????????? :uhoh21: :lol2:

It's actually Hezikaia Walker, who sings that song.

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Specializes in All ICU, TBI, trauma, etc..

Where I am here in Arizona, I have seen many 2 year and 4 year nurses starting out and the 2 year program here prepares the students with more hands on. It is still true here but maybe not in other areas. If you want to see some real differences go to China. All IV's are in the hands and they can't go for anywhere else and push so many IV antibiotics it is insane.

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If there is really no difference between the knowledge base of an ADN and BSN prepared nurse and no difference in the pay between the two, then why do so many ADN nurses go back to school to obtain their BSN? Surely not that many people desire management positions.

Almost every ADN nurse I've ever met has told me, "I plan on going back for my BSN someday." If there was no value to obtaining a BSN (as so many people's posts imply) then why do so many people want to get one?

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Perhaps because they want the self satisfaction of earning a bachelor's degree. Also, there are more non-bedside positions open to BSNs than non-BSNs. I don't mean necessarily management positions. For positions outside of a hospital, having a university degree (BSN) is often a big benefit. For example, public health nurses where I am need to have a BSN.

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If there is really no difference between the knowledge base of an ADN and BSN prepared nurse and no difference in the pay between the two, then why do so many ADN nurses go back to school to obtain their BSN? Surely not that many people desire management positions.

Almost every ADN nurse I've ever met has told me, "I plan on going back for my BSN someday." If there was no value to obtaining a BSN (as so many people's posts imply) then why do so many people want to get one?

Many of us go back for personal satifaction, because the place of employment pays for it (why spend mine when I can spend theirs). I have no problem getting management positions. All I have to do is take on course a semester. That qualifies. All of the positions I have taken in management have been because of my experience that I have built through nothing more than hard work , continued education such as CEN , CCRN etc.

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