NYS Board for Nursing New Resolution

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What do people think about the NY State Board for Nursing Resolution, passed December 7, 2003 to implement a requirement that future nurses with an Associate's Degree must earn a Bachelor's degree within 10 years of entering practice or be demoted to a Licensed Practical Nurse?

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I'm an RN that graduated with an associate's. I wish that there had been a requirement for BSN's when I went to school but of course now I'm not too highly motivated. I think it would raise the image of Nursing.

Having said that. . .I've seen several of these movements to "force" advancement to BSN in the 11 yrs I've done this and read about several more from years past. I think this movement will go the way of all the others. . . As the time approaches, unless something dramatic has happened to increase the population of working nurses they will go back on their decision and "grandfather" everyone in. Course, it's going to take up to 10 years to see if I'm right.

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Education is a good thing and I'm all for it. I'm a Masters prepared nurse. Pay is still not where it should be and service rarely makes a distinction based on education. This mandate will require that people who wish to enter the profession will have to double the time/expense it will take for their preparation with no guarantee that there will be any difference in their pay. Will our hospitals pick up the cost or assist all these nurses as they return to school? Who will replace them? Unlike teachers, nurses won't be able to go to school during the summer or at night. Nurses don't work an academic calendar. They work mandated overtime, 10 and 12 hour shifts, all shifts and weekends. I've heard that North Dakota lost some 200 people who left the state to become RN's in another state where the Associate's Degree was recognized and that North Dakota is reversing their decision requiring the BS for RN. Will all the schools that have closed reopen their programs? Will they all have clinical courses as part of the BS degree or will the courses be primarily theoretical as many of the RN to BS programs are now? With the shortage of nursing faculty and the average age of that population around 51, who will be teaching all those forced to go on? When will the NY State Board for Nursing be notifying nurses and health care agencies in the state about their resolution so that they can assess impact and implementation issues?

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Can you tell us how you heard this info??

I looked at NY SBON website, NYSNA webiste and did google search but unable to find any info/link.

Historically, once someone has obtained a license they are licensed forever with that license title as long as properly renewed. Educational requirements can be changed for that license for future applicants.

Would like to review this proposed regulation.

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Fascinating info, if true.

I'm going for my ADN because hospitals in my area prefer the additional clinical experience that ADNs acquire versus BSNs. The ADN program in my area also has a 10 percent higher NCLEX pass rate than the BSN program.

I don't know if it's the same for other programs across the country, but they probably should look into these kinds of factors before adopting such a requirement.

Having said that, I also plan on getting my BSN online in a program specifically designed for working nurses.

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Originally posted by NRSKarenRN

Can you tell us how you heard this info??

I looked at NY SBON website, NYSNA webiste and did google search but unable to find any info/link.

Historically, once someone has obtained a license they are licensed forever with that license title as long as properly renewed. Educational requirements can be changed for that license for future applicants.

Would like to review this proposed regulation.

Well, I guess it's true.

This isn't a link from the New York board, but the community colleges who are opposing it:

http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/HotIssues/Nursing/New_York_Table.pdf

Interesting. It says the proposal wouldn't affect existing licensed RNs, at least directly.

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Yes it is true. The NY Board of Nursing is going forward with a plan to the NY Legislature. The proposal states if an RN has either a Diploma or an Associate Degree they must obtain a BSN within 10 years after graduation. If they do not obtain the BSN they will no longer be an RN.

Truthfully, I don't know why they are trying something like this, especially in the mist of a nursing crisis. Plus, it did not work in North Dakota, requiring a BSN for entry into practice, so why would this work in NY.

I do not know how they can take something away from an individual once it has been grants. They fail to see the NCLEX-RN is a national test, taken by Diploma, Associate Degree and Bachelor degree graduates. If you pass the exam you have the competencies necessary to practice as a Registered Professional Nurses.

I hope the nurses in NY will join together, call their legislators and get this taken care of before it goes to the floor for a vote. Nurses are powerful and they need to let their voices be heard!

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Makes sense to me and is a good compromise with ANA position paper for BSN as entry into practise. By the way most states do this for teachers also, but if they don't get their Mastersd they loose there teaching certificate.

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I applaud this new resolution and think it is a fair way to gradually change RN licensure requirements to a BSN. Either the staus quo continues with multiple educational tiers permitted to sit for N-CLEX, or we gradually begin introducing the BSN and raise the status of professional RNs to a level more in keeping with that of other similar professionals.

BTW-I am an ADN.

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I heard about the proposal from the New York State Associate Degree Council. I teach in an ADN program in NY. If approved by the legislature, future nurses (key word here is "future" since this would not affect current RN's) prepared at either the Diploma or Associate Degree level would receive a provisional license. When the Bachelor's degree is earned that license would then be permanent otherwise the nurse would be granted LPN status.

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BSNs may be a good idea. But I'm puzzled about something.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't NY a state where naturopaths, chiropractors, etc. with little clinical nursing experience can become RNs through the Excelsior distance learning program?

If so, it seems a bit contradictory to me, that is, if they're trying to raise education standards.

Just my opinion. :rolleyes:

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They are going to face lots of opposing "discussion" from other nursing organizations on this. Achieving their resolution could take years.

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