Nursing shortage???

Eru IlÃºvatar · May 15, 2015

[h=1]A New Accelerated BSN Program launched to Meet Market Demand[/h]This program is "Designed for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field, the ABSN aims to produce future nursing leaders.... The degree program takes as little as 15 months to complete.... Enrollment is currently open, with the first cohort of students set to start in May."
The "programs are being implemented to keep up with the latest healthcare trends, including market demand for bachelors-prepared nurses and the growing need for nurses nationwide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor forecasts a shortage of more than 580,000 registered nurses by 2018."
To view the whole article: Gwynedd Mercy University Launches New Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program to Meet Market Demand | Business Wire

I wish the ANA wasn't so much about patient safety and protection and more about advocating for the nursing profession, in the same way that the AMA looks out for the MD profession. There are already plenty of agencies that take care of protecting patients, but who is gonna take care of nurses? All these pop up programs should be shut down, there is no real need for them, we should control more the supply of RN like the AMA does for MDs so we as a professionals can be more respected by employers, there are so many new grads every cycle from nursing schools, that we are dime a dozen.

Perhaps to prove my point I should open my own accelerated MD program. Anyone can apply, be an MD in 24 months. Give me your money!!

It would probably be imposible to open such a program, and the AMA would be all over it in 2 seconds.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · May 15, 2015

That is what is scary, not only does it create a new surge of new grad nurses.....but the program is pumping them out in 15 months!
This program is saying that someone with an English degree - just picking one at random - is ready to be a nurse after 15 months of classes! The clinical rotations RN's are 4 semesters.....16 months...so how are they doing satisfactory clinical rotations and then also teaching patho, pharm etc on top of this??

I have seen shorter LPN programs.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · May 15, 2015

Here's a link to a thread that claims to crank out an RN in 10 months.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/any-tips-advice-986746.html#post8480755

Home Health Columnist / Guide · May 15, 2015

Gwynedd has stopped it's associate degree program because employers in this market are driving nursing education requiring BSN for new hospital employees in 95% hospitals in Philly 5 county area. They've created Accelerated BSN program due to # persons with current BS/MS degrees desiring to move into nursing career.

The Philly market is SATURATED with nurses and oversupplying new nursing grads now. Expect need to move outside 5 county Philly area to land a coveted hospital position.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · May 15, 2015

Same trend in education. I got the equivalent of an ABSN in teaching several years ago but the outcome was a masters. Good luck getting a job as a first year teacher with a masters. I finally found a job and then wasn't renewed (as were MANY other teachers) when it was time for tenure. They push the older, more expensive teachers out because there are 5 new grads to replace them.

There is no nursing shortage, it is a money issue

WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 16, 2015

Same trend in education. I got the equivalent of an ABSN in teaching several years ago but the outcome was a masters. Good luck getting a job as a first year teacher with a masters. I finally found a job and then wasn't renewed (as were MANY other teachers) when it was time for tenure. They push the older, more expensive teachers out because there are 5 new grads to replace them.
There is no nursing shortage, it is a money issue

My cousin did something similar and ended up with a M.Ed from a private university but has yet to get a teaching job in 5 years because they wpuld have to pay her more in her state because she has a masters. She's working at a day care who won't even give her full-time starus.

Whispera, MSN, RN · May 16, 2015

I think there's a shortage of nurses, since staffing is so ridiculous. There is also a terrible shortage in hiring those who are needed, whether they're available or not. Ye olde budget doesn't allow hiring!

flyersfan88 · May 16, 2015

That is what is scary, not only does it create a new surge of new grad nurses.....but the program is pumping them out in 15 months!
This program is saying that someone with an English degree - just picking one at random - is ready to be a nurse after 15 months of classes! The clinical rotations RN's are 4 semesters.....16 months...so how are they doing satisfactory clinical rotations and then also teaching patho, pharm etc on top of this??

Hold your horses. I graduated from an Absn program and am doing just fine, practicing nice and safe. A lot of my colleagues did as well. We work at one of the best hospitals in the country and have great patient outcomes. So....slow your roll just a tad.

The problem lies in there not being a need for a new program in this region. We don't need more new grads. Some of my classmates are only JUST getting jobs now....and we graduated over a year ago.

turtlesRcool · May 16, 2015

That is what is scary, not only does it create a new surge of new grad nurses.....but the program is pumping them out in 15 months!
This program is saying that someone with an English degree - just picking one at random - is ready to be a nurse after 15 months of classes! The clinical rotations RN's are 4 semesters.....16 months...so how are they doing satisfactory clinical rotations and then also teaching patho, pharm etc on top of this??

Look at what you just wrote. The ABSN students in that program go for 15 months, and the traditional BSN students have 16 months. Do you really think there's that much difference there?

I went through a highly respected ABSN program in 12 months. And not only was I an English major in my first undergrad experience, my degree is a BFA because I was principally there for theatre. Before starting the ABSN program, I spent about a year and a half doing prereqs - and got As in all of them.

Regular nursing school takes 4 semesters spread out over 2 years. In my program, we went through the summer, too. So basically, we had 3 semesters to do 4 semesters of work. My school also has a traditional BSN program, and we do the same number of clinical hours as the regular BSN students. The difference is that we pack more in per week. We also pack in more classroom hours per week. More chapters to read per week. Take tests more often. It's basically the same program, but in a more concentrated time-frame.

Our first-time NCLEX pass rate was 100%. And we are definitely getting jobs, too, even though there is NO nursing shortage here.

It sounds like the problem here isn't that the program is an accelerated BSN. The problem is that new programs are churning out too many new grads, and the market can't absorb them all. Totally different issues.

martymoose, BSN, RN · May 16, 2015

ok , flame me if you want, but why do we need more BSN nurses when all we do is wipe people up , babysit them, and try to prevent them from falling???? we need STAFFFFFFFF!!!!!!! not BSN's .

Cheap jerks. Does it make sense to pay for "the privilege" of BS- BSN and incur the costs of the " college" , and still not make anymore money than an ADN?

This certainly brings to mind the term "sheeple" oh , if only the BS people knew.......

ixchel · May 16, 2015

ok , flame me if you want, but why do we need more BSN nurses when all we do is wipe people up , babysit them, and try to prevent them from falling???? we need STAFFFFFFFF!!!!!!! not BSN's .
Cheap jerks. Does it make sense to pay for "the privilege" of BS- BSN and incur the costs of the " college" , and still not make anymore money than an ADN?
This certainly brings to mind the term "sheeple" oh , if only the BS people knew.......

Maybe that's all you do, but I, and countless others, SAVE LIVES, educate, advocate, organize, perform the occasional invasive procedure, and empower people to become active participants in their own care. Maybe I didn't need a bachelors for all that but frankly I wanted a leg up on my competition. Higher degrees are going to be valued by any employer, not just in healthcare. It may seem pointless, but it is what it is. I'm sorry you only wipe people up and babysit. That's a waste of any degree.

Nursynursenurse, ADN, RN · May 16, 2015

I dont know anyone from my nursing school that had any problems finding a job in Chicago suburbs. Many hospitals are hiring new grads because they can get away with paying them less. The hospital I used to work at (not as a nurse) offered early retirement packages to the older nurses and were hiring new grads left and right. I find it hard to believe there are new grads out there in other areas that cant find jobs. Maybe they cant find their dream job but not being able to find any job after a year??? Are they actually trying or are they not willing to work LTC or nights? I was offered the first 2 part-time jobs I interviewed for.