what is your opinon on ADN degrees?

redwinggirlie · May 19, 2005

Never heard of it. The doing away with rumor.

The day I hear a patient or a doctor ask me which degree I have before I give care or assist with a procedure, well, to be honest, that day will never come.... You might check out the millions of previous threads regarding ADN/BSNs. Do a search here.

suzanne4, RN · May 19, 2005

There are already hundreds of debates on this topic on this forum, if not thousands. Please just do a search. Everytime this is brought up, it opens up a big can of worms.

GrnHonu99, RN · May 20, 2005

I was thinking more along the lines of an educational standpoint, for me that is, all the other threads concerning ADN/BSN are just posters arguing about which one is better, that is NOT what I am trying to get at. I need some concrete ideas and positions that I can include in my debate. If any one knows of any professional articles or has a standpoint that I can use IN CLASS that is what I am looking for. This thread is NOT intended to be another one of those which degree is better threads.

I have some ideas already but what are the pros of requiring nurses to have a BSN or higher, what are the cons? ie if we did not have ADN degrees the nursing shortage would become even greater...I can not think of any cons but I have to present both sides as the assignment is a DEBATE..These have to be ideas I can present in an academic setting, I CANNOT use emotional responses like what has been included in most of the other threads and that is NOT what I am looking for here either. SO before anyone replies keep in mind I do not want a war on what degree YOU think is better, I cannot use that in my presentation, IF you have some concrete points for me that is great. I have 11 classes this and would appreciate some help from many nurses who Im sure have had to do a similar project! I have never done a debate so any feedback is appreciated. Keep in mind that emotional responses cannot be used, i would only like responses aimed at an academic standpoint, something that I can use in my debate. Also I think that the topic is saying in the future, not at this moment...in 20 years from now to be a nurse you will be required to have a BSN or higher, why would this be a good idea, why would this be a bad idea. I know that there are some teachers out there who could give me some pointers on a good debate as well...im not a great public speaker either...

My prof. relayed to us that this is a huge debate in the nursing world, i have not heard of it but then again I just started nursing school so I prob. wouldnt have.

live4today, RN · May 20, 2005

I am an Associate Degree graduate -- 18 years since I finished that degree -- and it has served me EXTREMELY WELL! No regrets whatsover for going that route. I've made close to $60,000 a year working various jobs over the 18 years since I graduated. Being a registered nurse has afforded me the opportunity to be a travel contract nurse in states I wouldn't have got to visit and work in without having the "RN" license to stand on............degree had nothing to do with it. :)

Those are the pros................the cons are:

Now that I'm an older experienced nurse wanting to slooooooowww down and do something lighter with my nursing career, I sometimes wish I had the BSN that would allot me more "foot in the door" opportunities in areas such as public health education, school nursing, research, clinical education, taking one step towards a masters degree instead of two in order to be a college professor and teach others to become nurses in the healthfield, and so forth.

Knowing what I know today.........I wish I could have returned to school before now to obtain a BSN and MS degree.

It doesn't matter where you start as long as you don't stop for long. Keep going with your education as far as you can go. It is better to have more under your belt than less when those days come that offer opportunities that require more than you got under your current belt of schooling. :)

Bottom line............I am NOT opposed to BSN being the entry level to nursing. If this happens, all RNs who have their diploma or associate degree shall be grandfathered in...........and need to return to college for the degree required UNLESS those nurses have been in nursing over fifteen years or more and are on the downside of retiring in the field. This should be an option for those who fit this process of thought.

Students who are in school now........keep going and stay educated in the field. It is changing, and you must change with it to keep up.

That's all I've got to say. :bow:

GrnHonu99, RN · May 20, 2005

I am an Associate Degree graduate -- 18 years since I finished that degree -- and it has served me EXTREMELY WELL! No regrets whatsover for going that route. I've made close to $60,000 a year working various jobs over the 18 years since I graduated. Being a registered nurse has afforded me the opportunity to be a travel contract nurse in states I wouldn't have got to visit and work in without having the "RN" license to stand on............degree had nothing to do with it. :)
Those are the pros................the cons are:
Now that I'm an older experienced nurse wanting to slooooooowww down and do something lighter with my nursing career, I sometimes wish I had the BSN that would allot me more "foot in the door" opportunities in areas such as public health education, school nursing, research, clinical education, taking one step towards a masters degree instead of two in order to be a college professor and teach others to become nurses in the healthfield, and so forth.
Knowing what I know today.........I wish I could have returned to school before now to obtain a BSN and MS degree.
It doesn't matter where you start as long as you don't stop for long. Keep going with your education as far as you can go. It is better to have more under your belt than less when those days come that offer opportunities that require more than you got under your current belt of schooling. :)
Bottom line............I am NOT opposed to BSN being the entry level to nursing. If this happens, all RNs who have their diploma or associate degree shall be grandfathered in...........and need to return to college for the degree required UNLESS those nurses have been in nursing over fifteen years or more and are on the downside of retiring in the field. This should be an option for those who fit this process of thought.
Students who are in school now........keep going and stay educated in the field. It is changing, and you must change with it to keep up.
That's all I've got to say.

good point!!!! this is EXACTLY what I am looking for!!! Also I just want everyone to know I am not opposed to ADN degrees at all...just dont want anyone to think that....i do however have to present the other side to the argument in my debate.

If that did happen in the future and all the newer ADN nurses were grandfathered in that would mean that the hospitals or gov. would technically have to pay for their bridge program right? that could be a good pro point?

cons so far...

make the nursing shortage even bigger

BSNs more expensive

Also does any one know or have used a prof article on this subject, ie one from a prof nursing journal> I have one article but need as many as I can get! thanks!!!

PamRNC · May 20, 2005

go to OJIN - the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing at the ANA website. I know they have position statements about advance degrees, BSN requirements, and I believe there was a recent article about requiring doctoral preparation for NPs instead of the current MSN requirement. Also google for articles from Linda Aiken, she has done some research on the subject. Don't forget to check out the NOADN website for their position paper, and the ANCC website. This should give you a start on the issue. Try to keep in mind who the stakeholders are in this issue: new nurses, old nurses, hospitals, academia, etc. Looking at the needs of the stakeholders may give you some ammunition for your arguments.

Lukestar · May 20, 2005

Hi!
I am taking a class in nursing school called Professional Roles and Issues. We have to do a debate and my groups topic is: In the future nurses will be required to have BSN's or higher.
Apparently some nurses in the field feel that we should do away with ADN degrees, I have not ever heard of this issue before today so I would really like to hear some other nurses ide on this subject! What do you guys think? I would appreciate views on both sides as it is required for my debate!
thanks~

There are a couple schools of thought here. 1) If nursing ever wants to be thought of as professional they need to be degreeded. You don't hear of engineers or Lawyers with or associated degrees. 2) With the nursing shortage there is no way our profession could ever do without AD or Diploma nurses. I personally am a BSN nurse. With that being said some of the best nurses I know are AD or Diploma nurses. With the title of BSN you do get more diadactic and more background but I believe the AD and Diploma nurses get more clinical background coming out of school. My experience is that AD or Diploma nurses have a leg up coming out of school but BSN have the advantage down the road. I do believe to advance in the nursing world a BSN or Masters is a must.

truern · May 20, 2005

Elk, I wrote a paper for English class about BSN vs ADN degrees....if you'd like, I could email it to you.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · May 20, 2005

This debate will continue as long as ASN continue!

A AM ADN! Associates Degree In Nursing! And so far so good! I appreciate my efforts...and although I got a grant..FULL GRANT for this from my state...I feel that I owe my state the best of what I can be....BSN if I choose after that on my dime!

I don't find a reason to go on to my BSN in my current situation...my DON is ADN from my same college..and she is awesome! I am ADN..and I am going to take over her job when she retires in 2 years! So..hmmmmm...

A BSN...Lord Bless Ya! Good job, wish my situation could have given me that choice..but less of a nurse...NO! Only because I knew so many BSN's...and they were kind enough not to turn their noses at me, and taught me what to learn that I didn't in school..and get this..I already saw the gap in what I WANTED to know..and studied it already....but without the cost for the piece of paper saying such...unsung!

Do away with ADN...hello BSN..welcome to our WORKLOAD that we can do~!

fab4fan · May 20, 2005

I think a simple google search will provide you with more than enough info.

shodobe · May 20, 2005

I think this dog was dead along time ago! It is like rubbing salt into a wound. Do the search and you will find out more than you ever wanted to. This subject is so old it should be buried and forgotten. Sorry, this subject ticks me off time and time again. Your teachers should never send you out into the world of veteran nurses with this subject, it will bring you nothing but a headache. This is my 2 cents worth.