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 Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

I just did a search and found out that like nursing, you have to have paperwork showing you graduated from a accredited Law School to sit for the Bar.

I think you have missed the whole point regarding to have a BSN as an entry point into nursing...

If an individual can pass the NCLEX and perform adequately, who cares if the individual holds a BSN, ADN or a diploma. I don't think nursing is such the disenfranchised profession in healthcare because the perception is that a nurse brings 1 year of school preparation. To help the profession there has to be more pragmatic challenges to tackle that will actually result in improved conditions, treatment and respect of nurses throughout healthcare. What's interesting is how difficult it is to enter and endure law school to become a lawyer and yet any one without a law degree or any other educational preparation can sit for the bar exam and if passed can practice law.
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Specializes in Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

I can't not agree more, and I don't think you will find anyone on this board who is for the BSN as the entry point into BSN would disagree with yuor comment. Having your BSN does not make you a better nurse. But it would standardize the entry point into nursing. MANY professional Org's have done this in the past without problem.

I suspect it has just come down the pipe. The Director of Nursing in our program was informing our class just last week. There has been movement afoot for years about the issue. In my area having your BSN makes a difference in your salary, and allows for more lateral and upward mobility. My hospital will pay me to get my BSN, and then increase my salary, so it's a win-win. I don't think having your BSN makes you a better nurse than an ADN nurse. Only your passion and your heart can do that.:heartbeat
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Specializes in Emergency.
I for one support entry level RN's being BSN. I went from CNA to LPN to RN ADN and now almost an RN BSN. Having gone through every level of nursing so far I can see the benefits to all my levels of education. I think uniting all RN's under one degree will only further unify the profession and give us more ground to advance our practice but also there is a lot I have noticed that was missing in my ADN program that my BSN program is now filling in. I think all ADN programs should be allowed to have some sort of time frame to allow them to partner with 4 year university to offer their programs as BSN programs so we dont loose critical nursing school programs. Hopefully that will happen in Washington state but like anything change is hard!

What about 2nd career folks who already have a BA/BS in another field? How do they get managed?

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I just did a search and found out that like nursing, you have to have paperwork showing you graduated from a accredited Law School to sit for the Bar.

I think you have missed the whole point regarding to have a BSN as an entry point into nursing...

"Reading for the Law', is only available in a few states, Washington State being one of them. They are tutored by licensed attorneys, and must pass vigourous tests at regular intervals. It is not the cake walk that you think it is.

Lindarn, RN, BSN

Spokane, Washington

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

This is simple there are many bridge programs out there that allow folks with other undergrad degress to get thier BSN as well as MSN's in the same amount of time as getting their ADN. Look at www.UCSf.EDU for more info on this. They are the leader in this type of program.

What about 2nd career folks who already have a BA/BS in another field? How do they get managed?
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Sure, a diploma or ADN with a bachelor's degree in another field could get an MSN, but I don't think that's what emtb2rn was saying. Shouldn't an RN who's completed a four-year liberal arts education, complete with science courses and often research and management courses, be recognized for completing an education akin to a BSN? I'm not saying it's exactly the same, but looking at the courses I'll have completed as a BA + RN, it's very, very similar to a BSN education (the differences are very slight. For example, I won't have a "Research Methods in Nursing" course, but I have taken "Research Methods" -- I can apply those same skills to nursing)

It seems to me someone these students shouldn't have to complete another 30-40 credits just to get a BSN; I'll have earned 200 credits as a BA + RN and acquired critical thinking, research and leadership skills through this education. Doesn't it seem that nursing should have a way to recognize education and skills acquired outside of the BSN?

I personally will probably go on for my MSN, but there are plenty of diploma/ADN nurses with bachelor's-and-master's degrees in other fields who may not. I just wish the nursing profession would recognize the value of the education they received.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

if you go to the following link it will explain everything.. http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/ix-ps.shtml THis is the next wave of programs for people who have a undergrad degree who wants to go into Nursing...

Sure, a diploma or ADN with a bachelor's degree in another field could get an MSN, but I don't think that's what emtb2rn was saying. Shouldn't an RN who's completed a four-year liberal arts education, complete with science courses and often research and management courses, be recognized for completing an education akin to a BSN? I'm not saying it's exactly the same, but looking at the courses I'll have completed as a BA + RN, it's very, very similar to a BSN education (the differences are very slight. For example, I won't have a "Research Methods in Nursing" course, but I have taken "Research Methods" -- I can apply those same skills to nursing)

It seems to me someone these students shouldn't have to complete another 30-40 credits just to get a BSN; I'll have earned 200 credits as a BA + RN and acquired critical thinking, research and leadership skills through this education. Doesn't it seem that nursing should have a way to recognize education and skills acquired outside of the BSN?

I personally will probably go on for my MSN, but there are plenty of diploma/ADN nurses with bachelor's-and-master's degrees in other fields who may not. I just wish the nursing profession would recognize the value of the education they received.

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Yeah, I understand. I wish there had been a Master's-Entry program near me when I was applying (the first one is just opening later this year). A lot of people still find there aren't ABSN/Master's Entry programs hear them or the programs are too competitive or they can't afford to spend $55-75,000 to become an RN.

All I'm saying is that there are a lot of second-career nurses out there with education that's equivalent to a BSN, but without the credential. I wish there were a more formalized system for recognizing that education.

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Specializes in Emergency.
if you go to the following link it will explain everything.. http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/ix-ps.shtml THis is the next wave of programs for people who have a undergrad degree who wants to go into Nursing...

My undergrad gpa was 2.77, so I wouldn't qualify for that program. Which would leave me unable to enter nursing without doing a 4 year program, which would then give me 2 bachelor degrees.

It may be a wave, but luckily it's not the only one in the ocean.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

There are other programs out there, I was using the UCSF as info. Here on this forum there is a education forum you can look at.

My undergrad gpa was 2.77, so I wouldn't qualify for that program. Which would leave me unable to enter nursing without doing a 4 year program, which would then give me 2 bachelor degrees.

It may be a wave, but luckily it's not the only one in the ocean.

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Specializes in Emergency.
There are other programs out there, I was using the UCSF as info. Here on this forum there is a education forum you can look at.

I'm sure there are other programs out there, but my point remains the same - my gpa from when I was a kid in college is lower than what Accelerated BSN & grad programs want. So, if ADN and diploma programs were not available, I would not be starting my nursing career.

Plus, having a BSN qualifies you for management???? Please. I can't tell you how many fresh MBAs I saw in the corporate world that couldn't manage their way out of a paper bag. Not all, but more than a few.

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Nursing seems to be one of the few professions that doesn't recognize skills well, but seems to have some tunnel vision on the DEGREE. For example, you can get a business degree and go into a TON of fields (marketing, public relations, management, finance, etc.) for which you may not have specialized training. However, your degree gave you the SKILLS you needed to succeed in that particular field. I personally went into public relations with a Communication degree and zero training in PR -- I had the skills I needed to succeed, though, and I was quickly promoted to management.

I think nursing should also recognize SKILLS instead of just focusing on the specific degree. Does my Communication degree relate to nursing directly? No. Will the critical thinking, research, management, communication, business, ethics and all the other skills gained through a very extensive core curriculum help me to be a better nurse? Absolutely. Taken all together, my total curriculum will be almost identical to the curriculum for a BSN (I've researched this).

With the vast number of BA or BS (non-BSN) RNs out there, I think it's important to remember that the BSN vs. diploma/ADN discussion isn't about a 4-year degree and a 2-year degree. I'll have had 8 years of college and accrued over 200 credits when I become an RN. I think that education is worth a lot.

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