Magnet or other institutions encouraging or requiring higher education

CIRQL8 · Jul 3, 2012

I should qualify my statement above and make it clear that I have absolutely nothing against furthering ones education. I am for it. Good for them. I just am not sure what I want for me. I have no desire to go into management or administration. I am not even sure if I'd want to be a nurse practitioner. But if I'm forced to continue on to a masters, I would go for NP. Then I'd have to leave the OR as staff.

Sent from my iPad (so excuse any typos and autocorrects!!) using allnurses.com

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Jul 3, 2012

I know exactly how you feel. My institution has not actually put in place any negative motivators, just the positive ones (clinical ladders, extra points on one's eval for pursuing higher education). My institution has also been "Magnet" for several years. There are other "Magnet" hospitals in town that are demanding all their management get their BSN or find new positions (even if they've been in that position for years). Other local hospitals have quit hiring non-BSN nurses into specialty areas. This was concerning to me. When my husband decided to try to climb the management ladder (he's also an RN), he encouraged me go back for my BSN along with him so we could help each other. I agreed mostly because I knew I would really be hurting if I was any older and got put in a position where I had to get the BSN. Thankfully my institution provides a decent tuition reimbursement so I feel they are putting their money where their mouth is.

So I've been at it for about 7 months now. Remember I felt exactly as you did, that I was a darn good nurse, didn't want to climb the career ladder, respected higher degrees, even previously believed that BSN should be the entry level (just not one that was available to me at the time).

Taking these classes has actually changed me. I would never have believed it without actually doing it. Even the non-nursing classes have greatly influenced the way I think. I have even started changing (for the better) the way I deal with patients and families. I've even had crazy thoughts recently of going beyond the BSN.

Just relaying my personal experience.

I wish you the best!

I just noticed this is from the OR nursing area, which is not my area, but we are both in specialty areas. Y'all that work in OR have my respect, it's so different from what I do!

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 3, 2012

Throughout history, the educational standards have gone up for most disciplines, not just nursing. It's pretty much inevitable that nurisng was/is going along with this trend. Don't take the trend personally.

On one hand, we should all be up-dating our knowledge base on a regular basis one way or the other. As society moves on, so must we move on if we expected to be afforded respect and entrusted with the care of others. However ... at some point, we all have to decide how far up the ladder we want to go. We don't all need PhD's.

Like everyone else, you need to objectively evaluate your current situation -- your likely professional prospects without the BSN and the future opportunities you might lose if you don't get the BSN (or higher). Make you decision based on that assessment and be prepared to deal with the consequences of that decision either way. Please don't base your decision on pride or stubbornness. ("I won't do it because I don't want to be forced to do it.") Decisions made on such emotions are often not very good ones.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

adnrnstudent, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2012

Unfortunately a BSN or MSN in nursing isn't about nursing, it's about papers and statistics.

CIRQL8 · Jul 3, 2012

Nice thoughts. Thank you. Yes, I sound childish (don't wanna-can't make me). I hope to use this as motivation to go back sooner rather than later, just to challenge myself,and to keep prospects open. As I stated I have been thinking about going back for some time.

The day may come when I cannot physically be a staff nurse; then I will need a BSN to do something higher up the nursing continuum.

But i maintain: I will not go into hospital management or administration.

Sent from my iPad (so excuse any typos and autocorrects!!) using allnurses.com

vmariek · Jul 4, 2012

Call the "Wambulance". I, too, at one time thought that I was just as good as any BSN nurse. However, now that I am into the meat of my rn to bsn after 22 years and several starts and stops. I can say this from direct observation: my classes have taught me to think more critically and the public health component has made me a better problem solver at work and to better address the diverse cultural needs of my patients with confidence and competence. Don't diss it. Embrace it. I am 51 with a full plate and feel energized when I think of all of the doors this will open. Anything worth having requires effort, time, and dough!! We all know that Magnet is a marketing tool, however, Magnet Hospitals DO produce better patient outcomes and you gotta love the "evidence based practice". When I was a traveler, I often heard crazy reasoning, I.E. "thats the way we have always done it....." No rationale. So, get un-stuck. You can do it!!!!!!

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 4, 2012

My facility is not requiring a BSN per se, but they have changed the laddering structure effective this year that to meet the highest level, one must either be certified or degreed. There are a lot of those on the highest level that will be docked a level (and $1/hr) if they don't get certified or finish a degree in a few months. Many nurses are starting to be concerned about a potential requirement for BSN in a few years, and are currently completing online programs. As they still have a tuition reimbursement program, many are taking advantage of it (including me, although I already have a BSN). I say, take what you can while the taking's good.

FLOBRN · Jul 4, 2012

I am 58 and until this year was doing fine as a diploma RN. Now I know I will not want to stay at the bedside for another 10 years.

My decision is financially, would I make back that 25K it will likely cost. My last 2 managers have said how they don't make what a staff nurse does. In the end is it a trade off, more pay for those who can do the bedside care but if you can't or don't want to do bedside anymore you will make less?

Is it better to just put that 25K in my retirement?

PS always had to chuckle at tuition reimbursement. Yeah they give you the money back but you owe them time in exchange - sort of like being indentured.

I know exactly how you feel. My institution has not actually put in place any negative motivators, just the positive ones (clinical ladders, extra points on one's eval for pursuing higher education). My institution has also been "Magnet" for several years. There are other "Magnet" hospitals in town that are demanding all their management get their BSN or find new positions (even if they've been in that position for years). Other local hospitals have quit hiring non-BSN nurses into specialty areas. This was concerning to me. When my husband decided to try to climb the management ladder (he's also an RN), he encouraged me go back for my BSN along with him so we could help each other. I agreed mostly because I knew I would really be hurting if I was any older and got put in a position where I had to get the BSN. Thankfully my institution provides a decent tuition reimbursement so I feel they are putting their money where their mouth is.
So I've been at it for about 7 months now. Remember I felt exactly as you did, that I was a darn good nurse, didn't want to climb the career ladder, respected higher degrees, even previously believed that BSN should be the entry level (just not one that was available to me at the time).
Taking these classes has actually changed me. I would never have believed it without actually doing it. Even the non-nursing classes have greatly influenced the way I think. I have even started changing (for the better) the way I deal with patients and families. I've even had crazy thoughts recently of going beyond the BSN.
Just relaying my personal experience.
I wish you the best!
I just noticed this is from the OR nursing area, which is not my area, but we are both in specialty areas. Y'all that work in OR have my respect, it's so different from what I do!

PMFB-RN, RN · Jul 4, 2012

Call the "Wambulance". I, too, at one time thought that I was just as good as any BSN nurse. However, now that I am into the meat of my rn to bsn after 22 years and several starts and stops. I can say this from direct observation: my classes have taught me to think more critically !!

*** I am jelous. I did my BSN at a well known (in the state) and respected state university. I think I got dumber for the experience. The (low) level of discourse was appaling to me. Good for you!

PMFB-RN, RN · Jul 4, 2012

Sorry. Not sure how to word the subject. My institution is moving in the direction to obtain magnet status (or so we're told). Part of this pathway is pay for performance type of raises.

*** That's interesting. I have worked at six Magnet hospitals in 4 states, two as staff and 4 as a traveler. Not one of them had pay for preformance. Nobody got raises unless everybody got raises.

shodobe · Jul 4, 2012

So, you think your better as a nurse with, let's say 5 years as opposed to an ADN nurse with 25 years? In most cases, NO! This is the total fallacy of this thinking. Don't get me wrong one should go for a higher education because that is the way of the nursing world. But one should never forget that experience always trumps education in many ways.