lowering standards R/T shortage

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been hearing many stories lately about how nursing instructors/nursing programs are being asked to lower the "scales" to pass more students directly due to the nursing shortage.

Has anyone else heard of this? If so, what is your take on this subject?

"The ADN degree is probably sufficient for a bedside staff nurse. That causes a problem for the those who want to see nurses respected and paid on the same level as those whose careers require a bachelor's degree. How would you resolve that dilemma? What do you suggest?"

llg-

Agreed. However, how does having a BSN automatically qualify for increased respect? (And this also implies then that the ADN does not deserve respect). I am speaking specifically on the level of the bedside staff nurse. We give the same bed baths, etc. And I certainly can critically think my way through lab results, diagnoses, etc. So on this level, what difference is there in nursing skill/organization/prioritization, etc? I am sincerely asking this - how does a BSN bedside nurse practice better than the ADN? I totally agree that management, research and other areas are better served by bachelor prepared nurses. So then what is the answer. ADN's perform the tasks, and BSN's perform the critical thinking? I guess I can't fully grasp this concept in the bedside arena. Thanks for your insight.

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Specializes in cardiac ICU.
Originally posted by Susy K

Hmmm, I think I'd like to argue that. I collect vintage books, nursing books being one of the various categories I collect, and the texts from then versus now I think are drastically different, in the the books from 1920 basically show you how to follow physician's orders. The books of today do not.

Today's texts with pictures and graphs are a response to how people of today learn. What difference does it make if a textbook contains lenghy paragraphs, or the same content, but in a chart? If it's the content you're arguing about, fine, but delivery? I don't see how that is dumbing down anything if the content is the same.

My personal preference are graphs and charts, versus wordy sentences. Just the facts, mamam. I can think for myself. ;)

I was talking about books from 20 years ago, not the 1920s, if you'll reread my original post.

Granted that there is some material that can be presented both graphically and with text, but more complex information cannot be presented graphically. And I fail to see what glossy color photographs of nurses in action adds to one's education.

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I returned to school in 1999, at the ripe old age of 52, to get a bachelor's in behavioral science. :D I graduated from nursing school in 1982, so I'd been away from college for a long time.:cool: Everything has been dumbed down; I couldn't believe it.:eek: Not only were the textbooks filled with glossy pictures and diagrams, the students themselves had no concept of English grammer, couldn't spell "cat" if their lives depended on it, and whined repeatedly about "tough" assignments. It was disgusting!:(

I had been a "B" student in nursing. :D I got straight "A"s this last time.:rolleyes:

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I think schools are making it easy to get into the program but I don't think they are making it easier to pass. I think, in regards to my school, that it is easy to get in but difficult to STAY in. You need a 77 to pass, plus you have to pass clinical, which includes care plans and all that jazz. My class started out with 30 and now as a senior, we are down to 11. I think that schools are accepting more students in the hopes that they will retain at least half of them and that that half will turn out to be good nurses. I feel a little offended as a student by the insinuation that schools are lowering standards to GRADUATE nurses. The schools need a certain number of students to pass the boards, or else they lose their accreditation. So if they floated people through they would be helping no one.

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Kara from Philly- which nursing books have glossy photos of nurses in action? CERTAINLY not mine. AND mamabear, speaking of cats...could you be any cattier? I certainly don't consider my curriculum as being " dumbed down" . In fact, it is quite challenging and I was a college educated person before I even started nursing school. And I am pretty sure that all of my classmates can spell cat and follow a textbook without the help of glossy photos and graphs.

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Re: the glossy photos of nursing in action. I agree with Flo; my texts didn't have much of that. The only book that did was a PHOTO atlas of nursing skills. Does anyone have the title, year, etc of this book they are referring to? I'd like to know, as we'll be starting Curriculum Development soon and it might be a good thing to discuss.

Besides, there's a shortage of advanced degree nurses as well, and no one really seems to appreciate the nurse in academia, so who's gonna write new textbooks?

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We have a photo atlas also, but that is in ADDITION to the 15 other textbooks. It is merely a supplement.

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I hate to admit it, but my program has been dumbed down. Only five years ago, an 80% was needed to pass both clinical and theory. Now, it is 75%. Crazy, I dropped out during my first year due to pregnancy. When I came back, I got a 78 in clinical. I would have failed. Now, I make A's in clinicals. But anyways, I do wonder at times at some of the people they let into the program. I have an aquaintance who badmouths the program because it is not fair that we are "forced into critical thinking" because not all of us can think this way. Also, I do agree with previous posters who said they train us to pass the NCLEX. I have had instructors who have said, "this stuff will be on your boards, and that is why I am teaching it" Our exams are NCLEX type, but they are not easy! I have to think! I actually struggle more with multiple choice than with essay or any other format.

I too also find illustrations informative. It supplements my learning as well as the text.

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Forgot to mention that at my school over half of the original students from my class have not continued with the program for one reason or another and the program is getting crap from the school to lower standards or to be more selective in picking students. My program has accomodated by being more selective. They are taking students who have no parallels to take or students with very few. In my class, it was not uncommon for students to be taking 2-3 parallels on top of nursing.

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I am sorry...what is a parallel? I don't think it is wrong to prepare you for the boards. I think schools would be doing theselves and their students a diservice if they did't prepare students for the boards. Wha is wrong with formatting test questions the way they would be seen on the boards? It's not as though they give you the test beforehand with all of the answers. Is it any different that an SAT review or MCAT review? I can't speak for any other program, but I have to say I do believe that mine is challenging. Unless of course, I am a dummy.

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Originally posted by kimmicoobug

I have an aquaintance who badmouths the program because it is not fair that we are "forced into critical thinking" because not all of us can think this way.

Wha? It's not fair? Does she understand that it's "not fair" to the patient if she can't do critical thinking?

Yikes. You're scaring me, kimmi. Please tell me this person isn't passing. :o

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