NY State may require nurses to obtain 4-year degrees

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

Published

But some worry that an already severe shortage will become worse.

New York is mulling over a requirement that would force all RNs to earn a bachelor's degree in order to keep their RN certification-a step that critics worry could serve as a body blow to a profession already facing a severe shortage.

Under the state Board of Nursing proposal, RNs with associate's degrees would have to earn bachelor's degrees within 10 years, or their RN certifications would be downgraded to that of licensed practical nurse. That would make nursing somewhat like teaching in New York state; certified K-12 teachers need master's degrees or must obtain one within three years of starting a job. It would also add years and thousands of dollars to the difficulty of becoming an RN...

Full Article: http://www.rochesterdandc.com/news/0413BA3TIOG_news.shtml

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
EXTRA!! EXTRA!! Read all about it!! The wheels are turning now......(ain't I a stinker!) :)

http://www.nysna.org/departments/communications/publications/report/2004/may/initiative.htm

Please remember that SD (or was it ND) required a BSN....and has since had to retract it. It hasn't worked the one place that it has been tried.

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Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.
Then why are they all coming down here to work?

Perhaps people are broke and cannot afford to go for a BSN right off the bat, like most people in this country. So they come down here......I suppose..... :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Perhaps people are broke and cannot afford to go for a BSN right off the bat, like most people in this country. So they come down here......I suppose..... :rolleyes:

These are BSN holding Canadians that do not want to work in Canada

Obviously, Canada doesn't have it all together.

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Good gosh darn thing I'm moving out of NY state after I graduate.

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See????? already so little real thought going into it.....

this is bound to cause some outrage among the ranks........relegate RN's w/o BSN within 10 years to LPN status................niiiiice.

And now you see why I am so concerned, I hope. They will make it happen, but will NOT make it happen in a way that is smart.

ANY NYNSA MEMBERS HERE???? weigh in please?????? If this bothers you, you better get really vocal about it or the powers that be are sealing your fates as diploma/AD graduates.

I agree Deb..if you look at the article the reasoning behind making the BSN mandatory states nothing about elevating our profession rather it is thought to be necessary due to the increasing complexity of nursing and that BSNs tend to be able to advance further. I am not sure how additional general ed classes would make a new nurse more able to deal with the complexities of nursing pratice and I think we have all agreed that those that have just graduated have only the basic knowledge, BSN and ADN alike. Are they going to change the curriculums to teach more about nursing/ critical thinking and the like? Also as far as advancement, although it has brought up over and over, in my experience I have been able to advance to whereever I have wanted without the BSN..If we all aspired to climbing the ladder who in the he** is going to actually be a nurse in the traditional sense? Advancement is a personal choice and if additonal schooling, classes or training is needed ti should be left up to the individual to attain the necessary skills etc to go where they want. Eventually I would like to do case management independently..in order for me to do so, I will need to take the CCM exam. I am also doing the life care planning year long course and will sit for that exam....if I had the BSN I would STILL have to do these things in order to achieve my goals so please tell me HOW the BSN would benefit me???

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Then why are they all coming down here to work?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Most of them (like me:)) come back and it isn't all of us:).

But, just to dispell some myths... In Canada, the Diploma was 3 years, the BSN was 2 more semestres. It wasn't way more expensive and in most programs in BC (like UVIC where JMP is getting a degree) the 2 programs were identical, except the BSN students did an extra year of courses and clinical (so it wasn't about liberal arts or management it was about CLINICAL time!). I graduated with my degree six months after my friends who bridged out with a diploma. That's why it made sense to have it as the minimum here.

It will not result in a huge shortage, it is not insulting to diploma nurses (since they are grandfathered), it only affects new nurses, it will get rid of this stupid argument, nursing education is still as accessible. There are really no downsides to the BSN in Canada. We have it together in this matter.

The US is another story altogether as the education system is different.

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Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Most of them (like me:)) come back and it isn't all of us:).

But, just to dispell some myths... In Canada, the Diploma was 3 years, the BSN was 2 more semestres. It wasn't way more expensive and in most programs in BC (like UVIC where JMP is getting a degree) the 2 programs were identical, except the BSN students did an extra year of courses and clinical (so it wasn't about liberal arts or management it was about CLINICAL time!). I graduated with my degree six months after my friends who bridged out with a diploma. That's why it made sense to have it as the minimum here.

It will not result in a huge shortage, it is not insulting to diploma nurses (since they are grandfathered), it only affects new nurses, it will get rid of this stupid argument, nursing education is still as accessible. There are really no downsides to the BSN in Canada. We have it together in this matter.

The US is another story altogether as the education system is different.

Kinda what I was thinking.....we (US) got a lotta work to do....

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
. We have it together in this matter.

The US is another story altogether as the education system is different.

Yes, exactly. Very different. And the way I read NY's plan, it is gonna be troublesome. They already have a shortage, so they best be smart about it.

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See????? already so little real thought going into it.....

this is bound to cause some outrage among the ranks........relegate RN's w/o BSN within 10 years to LPN status................niiiiice.

And now you see why I am so concerned, I hope. They will make it happen, but will NOT make it happen in a way that is smart.

ANY NYNSA MEMBERS HERE???? weigh in please?????? If this bothers you, you better get really vocal about it or the powers that be are sealing your fates as diploma/AD graduates.

This tactic is to alienate any RN who is NOT a BSN...and thats what it has been about since I was in school 30 yrs ago. I've been hearing this stuff since then. "Soon I will be YOUR boss..I am the BSN'. Trashtalk pure and simple. Educational elitists pushing their agenda.

I also hope NYS are going to attack this head on. My guess is those who are already BSN's will not care what happens to the AD and diploma nurses. Sad but this is what I have seen in my career. It is all about them being better and winning.

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Yes, exactly. Very different. And the way I read NY's plan, it is gonna be troublesome. They already have a shortage, so they best be smart about it.

Yeah, they seem a little out there. I can't imagine any BSN as minimum to practice idea going through here without a grandfathering clause for current nurses. Fortunately, unlike in Mattsmom's case, BSN and Diploma nurses here are actually pretty united in most things thanks to the union (especially cause if you want to be someone's boss, you better have an MSN!). I don't see this working in the US unless and until the education system changes. I've said it before, but the fact that most ADN and Diploma students spend 3 or more years in school and don't get a bachelor's degree is dumb, they are getting ripped off (so are BSN students who have to go to school for over 4 years). I would only support the BSN as minimum if it was like here (4 years MAX if done full time, and no pre-reqs).

BSN as minimum to practice is sort of like universal healthcare... I like them both in Canada, but don't see either as being realistic, practical or welcome in the US.:)

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Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.

I'm probably not going to say anything that hasn't already been said, but as an ADN nurse, I would have no problem going back for my BSN IF the schools would "accept" my previous credits (which I feel is SO dumb anyway), IF it would be affordable (tuition reimb. is only $1000 per year where I work) and IF it would be NURSING related courses. I am all for a well-rounded education, and I do feel that arts, advanced English and History classes have their place in one's education....but if I'm going to go back to "improve" my nursing skills, then I want to spend my money on nursing classes. Unfortunately, in the schools that I have looked at to go for a BSN, I was just so disgusted by the way they wouldn't take credits, and how I'd have to retake classes and how little true nursing curriculum was present that I decided to forget it, for a while at least. It's all ridiculous, and it's all about money.

As for the thought that "BSN=more respect as a profession", I feel that those who actually believe that are really, really naive. So, if we all have BSN's then we will be treated with more respect, not be attacked, yelled at, abused by patients, doctors or management? TPTB will all of a sudden treat us like a valued part of the healthcare team? Our requests will be listened to and honored, and our opinions valued? Because we have a BSN?

Dream on, people.

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As for the thought that "BSN=more respect as a profession", I feel that those who actually believe that are really, really naive. So, if we all have BSN's then we will be treated with more respect, not be attacked, yelled at, abused by patients, doctors or management? TPTB will all of a sudden treat us like a valued part of the healthcare team? Our requests will be listened to and honored, and our opinions valued? Because we have a BSN?

Dream on, people.

You are so correct!!! Shoot, if that was going to be the case, wouldn't nurses be running to the bank to mortgate their houses to get their BSN? :rolleyes: Something interesting, I heard an MD call nurse practitioners paraprofessionals!! What in the world? :angryfire I suppose that we're the only profession ( excuse me career) that a Master's Degree is considered a paraprofessional and not a professional!!!

-Maggie

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