I hold one post graduate degree working on a second and two Baccalaureate degrees. Yes, I like school a whole lot. I have taken online courses but find them to be relatively easy compared to in-school classes. When I earned my BSN from my RN the ease of earning the degree was simple. The coreqs were difficult when compared to the nursing classes. The Masters was even easier then the "upgrade" to my BSN.
I have had a few friends earn "pay for" online degrees. I assisted them on many occasions with their studies over the last few years. I found the online classes to be even simpler then the in school classes. My point of all this is I think with the abundance of online nursing schools it down grades our professions educational system.
THis is based on the supply and demand model. Meaning more schools same customer base means lower standards. If they did not lower standards then they would have "empty seats" in their "classes rooms." It seems with the eruption of online classess these company's that "chase" the LPN, RN and BSN perpared students do it for the money.
Well this is all well and good for the company that is making the $$$$$ but not for our profession. Look at PT, Pharm D, MD and DO schools they are there to make money but they limit the number. MD and DO schools make up about 140 school in the USA. Just how many nursing schools are they in the New York and California let alone the the other 48 states.
There are many reasons for the limited supply of the above professionals. But if any one has a copy of todays WALL STREET JOURNAL the bottom right under the "Inside Today's Journal" section look at the Home Improvement Made Easier. The contractors are now offering discounts because the "hot" market is cooling. In other words there is more supply (contractors) then demand. So what do they do lower their standards meaning how much $$$$ they will take to do the job.
This I can compare to many things but to remain on topic all the online schools and their continued rise to recruit new LPN's, RN's and BSN's. Standards must go down.......................................
I still don't see how you can compare the two. The RN's responsibilities are
different than that of an LPN. An Rn can get out and pass breakfast trays and put people on a bedpan just like a CNA, she can give meds just like an
LPN, but who else besides the RN is responsible for assessing and reporting
changes to the Doctors, calling doctors and making sure all the orders on all the patients are carried out- where I work these are all RN functions that can only be carried out by RN's
I'm not trying to say that you are incorrect in any way, your statements may be true for your particular state practice act and/or facility policies.
But as someone who has worked in several different parts of the U.S. I can honestly say that all of the RN functions that you listed, are definitely not "RN only" in any of my experiences.
Daily routine assessments (not initial admission in all cases), calling doctors, reporting changes in condition, and making sure that orders are carried out, are most definitely LPN functions in my experience.
You might provide a better arguement for your point of view by listing things such as functioning as a charge nurse in acute care settings, initiating care plans, initial admission assessments, administering blood products, and IV push meds in states where LPN's are not allowed to give push meds, or perhaps pushing particular classes of drugs.
But even my list can differ by state and facility, but it's a list of much more commonly seen "RN only" functions.
Hi Everyone ... this is just my opinion on the subject ....... we live in a changing world with different avenues that we can lead to obtain our educaion .... whether you are an LPN or RN studying for a higher degree. As far as the LPN getting her RN lthrough a long distance college ... I would rather have a seasoned RN from Excelsior than a new RN with no prior experience .... expertise in your skills including patient safety issues comes from years of experience ... yes, in a traditional school you are taught safety issues ... but those that attend a non traditional nursing school are already seasoned in patient care .... for ex: I seen a new graduate RN 9 Traditional School )give atenolol (sp) with out first taking the pulse ... as one with experience ( LPN ) know that you count the pulse before administering .... so a traditional student can also jeopardize safety .....Thank-you
online schools give people the oportunity to go if they don't have TIME to go to a traditional school. times change. change is good. the more opportunity the better off we all are. if you grad from an online school when you go to work you will be expected to be as competent and safe as any other nurse. nursing school is mostly about safety. you learn technique on the job.
LETS NOT FORGET ONE VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL HERE..... WHETHER YOU DID YOUR PROGRAM ONLINE OR THROUGH A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, WE ALL HAVE TO SIT FOR THE SAME BOARDS.....
NURSING, WHICHEVER ROUTE YOU TAKE, YOU HAVE TO STUDY HARD, BE MOTIVATED AND LOVE IT.... IF YOU DON'T IT IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO REFLECT ON YOUR WORK...... SO WHY THE BIG DEAL? EVERYBODY HAS THERE OWN WAYS OF DOING THINGS DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE LIFE THEY HAVE. SO, AS A NURSING COMMUNITY, WE SHOULD ALL RESPECT WHATEVER CHOICE EACH INDIVIDUAL MADE ACCORDING TO THEIR EDUCATION..... I APPLAUD ANYONE THAT HAS THE COURAGE AND HEART TO BE A NURSE. TRADITIONAL, ONLINE, WHICHEVER WAY..... AND SO SHOULD ALL OF US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I study online and I hate it. I did study in classroom and it was much worse. Whichever way I go, I still abslolutely whorheartedly hate it. Most teachers are incompetent, most clinical instructors are incompentent, most books are full of flaff and lack reasonable info. I would love to be a nurse. I do like the job. I am not sure I can put up with all the other utter nonsense.
So here is my 5cents. Online or in classroom, without good books and teachers, I quit. I can put up with that anymore.
Can enyone advise my od decent book for OB, or Peds? Mine are ..... I lack the right expression. Worse than terrible.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
I study online and I hate it. I did study in classroom and it was much worse. Whichever way I go, I still abslolutely whorheartedly hate it. Most teachers are incompetent, most clinical instructors are incompentent, most books are full of flaff and lack reasonable info. I would love to be a nurse. I do like the job. I am not sure I can put up with all the other utter nonsense.
So here is my 5cents. Online or in classroom, without good books and teachers, I quit. I can put up with that anymore.
Can enyone advise my od decent book for OB, or Peds? Mine are ..... I lack the right expression. Worse than terrible.
Wow. Those are pretty harsh statements about instructors, etc. Are you sure you want to be a nurse?
PS. I'm not sure what your last question is- can you re-word it?
I study online and I hate it. I did study in classroom and it was much worse. Whichever way I go, I still abslolutely whorheartedly hate it. Most teachers are incompetent, most clinical instructors are incompentent, most books are full of flaff and lack reasonable info. I would love to be a nurse. I do like the job. I am not sure I can put up with all the other utter nonsense.
So here is my 5cents. Online or in classroom, without good books and teachers, I quit. I can put up with that anymore.
Can enyone advise my od decent book for OB, or Peds? Mine are ..... I lack the right expression. Worse than terrible.
It doesn't sound like you'd be satisfied with anything no matter how it was presented to you.
I study online and I hate it. I did study in classroom and it was much worse. Whichever way I go, I still abslolutely whorheartedly hate it. Most teachers are incompetent, most clinical instructors are incompentent, most books are full of flaff and lack reasonable info. I would love to be a nurse. I do like the job. I am not sure I can put up with all the other utter nonsense.
So here is my 5cents. Online or in classroom, without good books and teachers, I quit. I can put up with that anymore.
Can enyone advise my od decent book for OB, or Peds? Mine are ..... I lack the right expression. Worse than terrible.
I understand what you're saying (I think) But there are many competent clinical instructors and teachers and there are some excellent textbooks. In my LPN class, I don't think the best textbooks were used (my teachers agreed), but I found other books that I thought were better and used them to supplement my learning. I personally prefer non-traditional learning versus classroom because of the kind of student I am, but I see advantages to both.
What books are you using that you think "worse than terrible"? I like books published by Lippincott or Mosby.
I am thanking GOD for the online RN to BSN programs available. I can't believe it's taken me this long to sign up. I had looked at several programs that were available at schools somewhat nearby (45min drive away is closest.)and contemplated them. Then I discovered that I don't have to waste time and gas driving to a classroom where I learn a whole lot of "stuff". I can log on in my PJ's and learn that way.
I don't think an online program cheapens our profession. If anything it enables people the opportunity to receive a degree that normally is not available due to lack of schools. In the area that I live in there are 4 different nursing associate programs within an hour drive. There is one BSN program. Especially for people that are already RN's, we know that you learn more in day to day work, then you ever learned in school. Hands on, in the clinical world is where you apply what you learned, and the rest is forgotten. C'est la vie! As we used to say in nursing school. "RN is RN. It doesn't matter what your grades were or where you went to school. If you pass the boards- R.N.";)
Wow. Those are pretty harsh statements about instructors, etc. Are you sure you want to be a nurse?
PS. I'm not sure what your last question is- can you re-word it?
And
It doesn't sound like you'd be satisfied with anything no matter how it was presented to you.
And yes there are also people in the school who refuse to think and just repeat what they are told to.
So it is me and the head of the nursing in my school against the rest. She has old nursing books, those do make sense. The crap I have to put up with does not. Prentice Hall, Maternal-Newborn & child Nursing by London. Most people, just like those two quoted above just go with the flow.
What I am saying is that book with the correct information may be terrible textbook. If I have to read 100 pages to get info which should be on 10 pages, and I have hard time to understand it(and so has the head of nursing in my school) than the book is bad. The book is waisting my time and not hepling me. Than, all instructors are good nurses, but not all good nurses are good instructors and teachers. Again just like books. Teach someone takes more than just know the subject.
So that we have many nurses who memorize all that info, pass NXCLEX, only to forget about it the next day and cut corners in hospitals. Because they luck the understanding of the principles. That is what I think the school should teach us. But no, we get tested on : is this medication PO or IM. In real hospital anyone can see if the doctor prescribed and the farmacy gave you pill or vial.
But just as above quotes, from most people I get the ussual: "stop complaining, you are so negative".
So I am not looking for Maternal adn Newborn Nursing book, I am done with this subject. And I am failing this semestr. Is it my foult, maybe. But I refuse to be tested on my ability to memorize, I want to be educated.
And I am failing this semestr. Is it my foult, maybe. But I refuse to be tested on my ability to memorize, I want to be educated.
And now we get to the bottom line. This tends to be a very common characteristic of people who are not succeeding in nursing school (as well as other disciplines, I imagine). It is the fault of the teachers, the teaching material, the school, the hours of school operation, the janitors, the janitor's step-sister's first cousin's ex-husbands uncle...the bottom line is that if we fail it is not someone else's fault. It is not something else's fault. Granted, everyone goes through hard times, and maybe the time isn't right for a person who fails to go through nursing school. But it is not anyone's doing but your own.
No one ever built a reputation on what they are "gonna" do, or "coulda" done.
We go with the flow? You're darn right. You are a student. The school is not going to change because you want it to. You aren't going to come in and wow the school by causing a fuss. Now is not the time to be a "pioneer."
You fail nursing school you blame no one but yourself. And when you accept responsibility this will help you pull yourself up by the boostrings and do what is necessary to get through next time. Wallowing in self pity will only make you sink further.
Jo Dirt
3,270 Posts
I guess whaen a thread goes on and on like this one has it's bound to get off track somehow.