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 Family Practice and Primary Care.

The need is NOT too great for this.

The only shortage is of nurses willing to work at the current pay and under the current conditions. Improve conditions and raise the pay and I would wager we would see an abundance of nurses willing to work.

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Yes, I realize we've heard this song and dance for decades. I originally graduated from a diploma school and the 1985 proposal was all the talk when I was in school. However, this seemed like (from the article) it may actually have some momentum.

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Specializes in Addictions, Corrections, QA/Education.

I have read this too. I read that nurses that currently hold their ADN's or diploma's would be grandfathered in. It would be new nurses... it's in legislation. *shrugs shoulders*

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Won't happen anytime soon.

The ANA divided nursing on this issue from the very start. Until they repair the breach (their "technical" insult), no sale.

This debate is 43 yrs old. The ANA first mentioned this in 1965. In another decade, it'll simply be 53 yrs old and no closer to being resolved.

The only way to go forward is NOT with legislation but with a consensus that brings all stakeholders to the table. Let me know when the ANA and the BSN programs decide that they actually want to make changes in this area instead of insult their peers.

I've been patiently waiting.

It's a good idea relentlessly pursued for the wrong reasons and failure has been the only consistent payoff.

(Shhhhhh!: When the ANA and the Ivory Tower are ready to respect their peers, I know how to make this happen.)

~faith,

Timothy.

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Everyone talks about the ADN program only taking 2 years. It is meant to be that way, but to my surprise it took 3 years, and I have a BA in Journalism. My minor was history, but the school made me take another history course for nursing and another political science course, even though I had taken 3 political science courses.

Sometimes I think hospitals get paid by the universities to stress the BSN program to their nurses. You know it is a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours kind of world." I don't think ADN nurses have anything to worry about unless the nursing shortage subsides. Universities have a lot ties with the community at large and they do a lot of underhanded stuff to make more money. I know, I am married to a professor. I've heard the stories.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Hospice and Telemetry.

In most cases on the job, it is just the RN that really matters. After a while, the BSN is just as good as "better clinically prepared" Diploma or ADN graduates. More education does bring more opportunity.

I sure wish our profession wouldn't ignore education earned outside nursing.

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Specializes in CTICU.

My opinion is that in order to be considered professionals, nurses need to have professional qualifications: a bachelor degree. Just look at the requirements for immigration to several countries, including the US and Australia. Almost every professional visa requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

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Specializes in Trauma.

I believe one of the very important steps the profession of nursing can and should make is by making a BSN mandatory; and grandfathering in some who have been ADN for a very long time. Nurses still, despite the amount of education and knowledge we bear, are not taken as seriously as we should be. It's a good foundation for moving the profession of nursing in the right direction and getting the "attention" of some that always look the other way; it seems laughable to the AMA that there are so many entries into the profession of nursing. Ie. Diploma, ADN and BSN; just as there are SOOO MANY titles in nursing that confuse both, MD's and patients alike.

A baccalaureate is the lowest entry point any profession should have, imo.

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My opinion is that in order to be considered professionals, nurses need to have professional qualifications: a bachelor degree. Just look at the requirements for immigration to several countries, including the US and Australia. Almost every professional visa requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

If you want to get technical the Bachelor's is NOT professional level.

In EVERY other industry Bachelor's is entry level. Post Bacchelaurate (Masters, PH.D, JD, MD, etc) is usually required.

So if you we all have to have 'professional' qualifications then we should just do it right and make the BSNs go back to school as well...

Somehow I think they wouldn't like that. ;)

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Specializes in CTICU.

Depends on your definition: as mentioned, for immigration purposes, the definition of "professional" for a visa requires a minimum of a bachelor degree. If you want to call it "entry level", okay.

Boils down to the same thing - bachelors as a minimum entry to practice.

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Depends on your definition: as mentioned, for immigration purposes, the definition of "professional" for a visa requires a minimum of a bachelor degree. If you want to call it "entry level", okay.

Boils down to the same thing - bachelors as a minimum entry to practice.

What I am saying is that in industries that are traditionally considered professions, the Bachelor's is not the entry point.

Also, while most professions have stated minimum entry points most have clear exceptions to the rule.

Plus, nursing isn't governed by Immigration. Immigration will ALWAYS have higher standards for people coming in because we can afford to do so. Not because we consider that the minimum necessary for practice.

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

This debate has been going on since nursing education first moved into the colleges. I would like to see all nurses earn a BS but as long as demand continues to push bodies out onto the floor requirements for education are going to continue to fall not increase. (look into how many nursing programs now do not require any chemestry as opposed to 5 years ago). Our society demans more nurses who are as clinically specialized as the doctors that they work with so we are streamlining education, brining nurses from other countries over here and giving out bonuses accross the country to find the right mix of education to task required. It takes an average of 3 years to get through a US community college nursing program due to wait lists (some here in Iowa take over 5 years to complete a 4 semester course of study!!) tag on the requirements for a BS and you are going to quickly run out of candidates who can fincance such a departure from the workforce. It is not an easy problem with no solution in sight except to drop the debate.

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