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Discussion

Mandatory BSN in the future?

I am currently an LPN (x9 years), in school for ADN/RN. I worked in the local hospital for 3 years right out of school but due to taking time off for kids, etc., etc., now I'm in LTC. My goal is to work ED/Trauma/ICU. I live in a rural area with a few small-medium sized hospitals and a couple large hospitals a hour or 2 away. After I get my RN, my expectation is to work in a small hospital for a few years and then maybe get some further education/certification and go to a larger hospital.

I keep hearing that "eventually they will require a BSN to work in a hospital." I'm wondering if I should start taking some extra pre-reqs toward BSN now.

I've also been entertaining the thought of getting my EMT certification and doing that on the side/volunteer to get my feet wet in emergency/trauma and to satisfy my need for the adrenaline rush. (The nursing home is making me restless....and crazy.)

This coming summer will be my last free summer before clinicals. I can either 1)take it off entirely, 2) do EMT classes, or 3) take summer classes toward BSN. I also have a part-time job, a husband (who is a business owner and a volunteer firefighter), and 2 boys ages 4 and 8.......

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this! What would you do?

Thanks!

~Carrie

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    • Author

    Also posting in another topic. :)

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    It all depends on who you think "they" are (eventually they will require a BSN to work in a hospital). There is research-based evidence (The Future of Nursing: Focus on Education - Institute of Medicine) that more highly educated nursing staffs produce better patient outcomes. Based on this, the IOM has recommended a goal that RN staff be at least 80% BSN - this is the same standard that is required for Magnet designation.

    Across the US, most large urban hospitals have already adopted the IOM goal. They are no longer hiring non-BSN nurses, or may be phasing in the change by only hiring BSN new grads. At any rate, no matter what the licensing boards say, this decision has already been made by employers. There has been a long-standing push toward BSN entry level, but it didn't get far with state licensing boards. Who knows if this will change now that employers are pushing.

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    • Experts

    Right now hospitals are posting job requirements as BSN only especially if you are a new grad......as you browse the forums you will find this to be true. while your LPN experience will give you an advantage....if your hospital experience is older than 5 years it will be considered outdated. https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/cnn-article-nurses-808314.html and https://allnurses.com/first-year-after/new-grad-nurses-807138.html

    The is a inciative backed by the ANA (American Nurses Association) and the NLN (National League of NUrses) for the BSN in 10......BSN IN 10

    Getting a position as a tech/EMT in an ED will be beneficial......new grad positions are hard to come by period .....as a new grad in an Emergency department.....even harder.

    I wish you the best.

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    Here are my thoughts and many people are probably going to disagree with me. I think you should plan for a BSN in the future but getting your EMT now may be benefical on a couple of fronts. If you can't find a job immediately you will have a job to fall back on (private ambulance company for instance or volly fire dept). Just an FYI for you urbanites, EMT-B's are utulized much more frequently in rural communities than in the city. This will lead you to exposure to the local ER staff and give you desirable emergency experience. If you do a good job, ALWAYS look and act professionally get to know the staff and look for learning opportunities (we call this networking) there is a good chance you will be hired into one of those ER's and your career will be launched. You can bang out those pre-reqs on-line or 2 classes at a time while working either as a nurse or an EMT.

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    • Author

    Thank you HouTx and Esme12!

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    • Author

    Those were my thoughts and that's what I'm leaning toward. EMTB would be 1 semester over the summer and I am going to a school with a large amount of classes online that I could take anytime. I don't think I would ever NOT want to pursue BSN (especially after a couple comments on the other thread I posted in) but it can wait a few years...I need some excitement...lol Thank you!

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    BSN...use the emt classes for electives toward the BSN...

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    As of 2002, in my province, all RN programs were required to be 4 year BSN programs. No more "diploma" RNs (a 2.5 year program)

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    • Experts

    Threads merged.....

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