Nursing makes me nuts!!!!

[ksc0723]

I have a question for all of you out there.

Why don't all nursing programs adn/bsn/NP/CNS/CRNA etc have the same requirements for admission? For example, medical school has the same requirements for everyone and a universal, one stop shop admission process for every single program. Literally the same process for every single program that exists from application and prereq requirements, to essay and MCAT, secondary essays, interviews and so on. No surprises. PA program application is just about the same.

Yet every program from associate's to doctorate level for nursing is completely different in every way possible from school to school and program to program.

I have an AAS in nursing and wanted to shoot myself when I was applying for schools in different states and even different schools in the same city with all the different requirements. To me this makes it seem like nursing education from an admission standpoint on all levels is very disorganized. Why is it set up this way and not more streamlined like medical school and PA school admissions?? Since competition is steep and only getting worse, one would think you would apply to more than one program in an application cycle at all nursing degree levels from programs in different cities and different states. Yet, one program or two or five could require 8 different things to qualify for admission whether it be extra classes, experience, entrance testing letters or rec etc.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

An ADN is not a PhD

An MD is an MD

A PA is a PA

[Guest717236]

You have discovered one of the many wonders of nursing school education.

Money, is one of the major considerations I have run into. Then, once

you meet the requirements, things change yet again. So you need to

invest more money.

I hope I live to see the day that a uniform, but fair with no games

admission process is streamlined from university to university

and from state to state.

[ksc0723]

Yeah I'm aware of that I am talking about within the degree itself. Applying to ADN programs and BSN and MSN and PhD have differing requirements for admission.

For example. When I was applying to ADN programs I looked at 3-5 programs in my city and 3-5 in other states. Every single one had different requirements for admission. The same goes for BSN and MSN programs I have been researching for future education purposes. ALL of them have different requirements for every program. Nothing streamlined. So I could apply to BSN program X, Y, and Z but not BSN programs A, B, and C because they have extra or different admission criteria.

Does that make sense? It makes it hard to apply to more than one program whether you are going for ADN, BSN, MSN etc. Why aren't the requirements for admission the same???????

[ksc0723]

Yes. that is what I don't get. No uniform admission process at any any degree level for nurses. I don't get it.

[ksc0723]

That's fine. Make them the same.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

That's fine. Make them the same.

That follows the line of thinking that we need to dumb down schools for kids, so all pass. Turn out a bunch of subpar kids, just to keep everybody "the same".

Should the College of Yahoos have the same requirements as say, Northwestern? Or, more likely, ask Northwestern to drop down their expectations of excellence by admitting anyone with a birth certificate?

I want some folks out there who went to schools that require more than the minimum

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

And if the admission process makes you nuts? HA! Just wait !!

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

The technical colleges in WI have joined together to make it the same. It's so nice because you can take on online theory course through a different tech school if you can't get in the one at your home school. I was so happy to see this taking hold. I agree that is should be universal. I'm happy to say that maybe it's getting there.

Years ago I couldn't understand why a school couldn't have a pm clinical for those that work or are parents. Now its pretty common to see. So there is hope

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I'm kicking around getting my BSN and have noticed the same thing. It makes no sense to me.

[blackbird singing]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm working through them now, too...and the goals statements for each even have different prompts (talk about your preferred specialty versus just talk about nursing in general).

Buuuuut. I think it is important to have more rigorous essays or portfolios or parts to the application based on the prestige of the school. And, for the record, just because the med school apps have the same primary application, doesn't mean they are easier. You have to fill out a secondary application (which is fairly different from school to school...the content of other essays, or lack there of). So, in actuality, it is like twice the work...almost like 2 applications, and when it comes down to it, they are different from school to school.

I think the differences are important to be able to tell if the applicant has what it takes... even though it's a MAJOR PIA. I appreciate being judged on more than a GPA, statement and resume (or that's what I'd like to think anyway........)

[ksc0723]

I am not saying dumb down the process to make it easier for anyone to get in. I am saying make the requirements as hard, impossible,difficult as nursing wants them to be that's fine. But, make the requirements the same for every program. You want the highest quality applicants, students, graduates, practitioners? Then make the admission criteria more grueling. Just make it universal and equal across the board so there is no question about what to take, what to write, entrance tests, and letters and essays. It's ridiculous that programs from city to city, state to state have such polar opposite requirements. Why spend the money to take an extra chem or bio class for one program application if you are applying to 10 schools and 9 of them have the same admission criteria but number 10 wants the extra class. It's just stupid.

As far as the secondary app process for med school, you only complete that process if you have passed the first round of application cycle. If you apply to 20 med schools, you aren't filling out 20 secondary apps. You fill out maybe 5 or 7 depending how far you got in the first round because of the competition. And if you do end up filing out that many you should already know that is a possibility based on the number of schools you applied to. Nursing should adopt the same policy as med schools. Whatever classes, GPA, letters of rec, statements, entrance exam scores blah blah is required to submit then submit and if you pass the first round of applications, fill out an in depth secondary app that goes past just the numbers and what you look like on paper plus the interview process.

Am I the only one who sees this makes sense? Nursing admissions are flawed and stupid.