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!
I have my ADN as well as bachelors and masters degrees ( The hospitals I worked for after I received my ADN paid for me to continue in school.) Honestly, the best classes I took were in my ADN program. I think it was the instructors (small school, personalized attention). I do agree, for professional reasons, that we should raise the bar and have the bachelors as the minimum and current ADN and Diploma nurses should be either grandfathered in or have an efficient , accessible program for them that gives credit for experience. I know there are several examples, but recently here in Florida audiologists raised their standards to a doctorate being the degree to obtain so they are not confused with people who simply sell hearing aids. They gave current audiologists a time frame to get their doctorate and set up accessible distance learning programs for them.
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.
BTW -- as someone who is studying copywriting right now, don't discount emotion. Sales folks (my late father--who was a well-regarded Optometrist for 50 years--used to say "there is one profession we are all in: sales"--whether it's products, ideas or ourselves...). What the sales pros say is that people buy for emotional reasons but need rationale to back up their emotions! Just a thought!
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
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.
see the the online journal of issues in nursing (ojin) series of articles:
I am an ADN with 22 yrs experience. I'm working on my my Bachelor's in Healthcare Management. I work in Risk Management. I always have kept my options open so I look at job opportunities. Most management positions or anything outside the clinical realm require at least a 4 yr degree. I worked 18 years in critical care and various other "sideroads". At first 6 years ago, my experience was a real plus. Unfortunately now, that's not the case. It helps some when it comes to $$$ but as far as furthering my career, I'm as far as I can go without getting a bachelor's or masters.
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.
Big debate that I went over when I thought about which school I was going to apply to. I was going to go wherever I got in but I definately knew that I was going to keep going. I have to say reading some of the things on this website and listening to so many different nurses point of view has made my decision to not only go with my BSN but also with my master's because you are right about the fact that we have to be prepared for the future and where nursing is going to take us. I keep hearing about all the nurses becoming burnt out from working in the hospitals. Luckily, I am in the position to keep going through school before I decide to have children or take a class here and there around that time, but I am definately keeping my options open and looking down the road twenty to thirty years.
I understand what the original poster is saying (I think): if we do away with the ADN level of education, what will happen in the nursing world?
Pros:
1. One entry level of education.
2. Everyone would start out on the same footing.
3. Less confusion in the non-nursing world.
4. No more ADN versus BSN arguments.
Con:
1. You would negate many people's aspirations to become nurses if they do not have four years of time.
2. There would be a need for more financial aid since four years of education costs more than two years.
3. More support would be necessary for the four year programs in the way of child care and general financial assistance in order to live.
4. Higher level of education would need to be maintained by the instructors of the four year programs and there is still a shortage of MSN-prepared instructors.
I understand what the original poster is saying (I think): if we do away with the ADN level of education, what will happen in the nursing world?
Pros:
1. One entry level of education.
2. Everyone would start out on the same footing.
3. Less confusion in the non-nursing world.
4. No more ADN versus BSN arguments.
Con:
1. You would negate many people's aspirations to become nurses if they do not have four years of time.
2. There would be a need for more financial aid since four years of education costs more than two years.
3. More support would be necessary for the four year programs in the way of child care and general financial assistance in order to live.
4. Higher level of education would need to be maintained by the instructors of the four year programs and there is still a shortage of MSN-prepared instructors.
To the OP - is this what you wanted?
yes yes this is exactly what I was looking for!! Thanks so much! there are atleast 4 things on your lists that I hadnt even thought of yet!
Thanks to all those who gave me some academic advice...to those who are taking this thread to be another ADN vs. BSN argument that is not what this is intended to be!! Doing a search on this website will only pull up those kinds of threads...totally unuseful to me! I am taking a prof roles and issues class and the point of the class is PROFESSIONALLY discuss different issues in nursing no matter what our personal stance is on them, the point is to promote critical thinking, which is why i asked for non emotional responses...although I do understand the poster who said not to discount emotions, i'm sure i can put that in my speech somewhere...i just need to make sure i do well on this debate it is worth 300 points!!!
Thanks for those who gave me sites for nursing journals, those are VERY helpful, my undergrad was in Pscyh so im familiar with getting academic psych journals but I haven't taken a stab at nursing journals yet!
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.
this is not that kind of thread, im sorry if I offended you in any way, I am looking for academic info or help with my debate. This thread is NOT intended to be another one of those ADN vs. BSN threads, doing a search on this sight, I agree, will pull up allll those other threads which are basically useless to me....I think the idea my professors had in mind was to promote critical thinking, they did not tell us specifically to ask veteran nurses but I thought who better to know the subject? Besides no matter how dumb my questions are there is always someone on here that knows the answer!!! please anyone else who decides to post, please do not make this one of those threads....i appreciate any ideas you have for my debate or where to find prof. articles or research but other than that like the above poster said, there are other threads for that.
I think a simple google search will provide you with more than enough info.
unfortunetly I need professional resources, every time I do a google search I can't find anything "acadmenic", so to the posters who gave me links to journals I am sooo greatful!
mjem
2 Posts
I have my ADN as well as bachelors and masters degrees ( The hospitals I worked for after I received my ADN paid for me to continue in school.) Honestly, the best classes I took were in my ADN program. I think it was the instructors (small school, personalized attention). I do agree, for professional reasons, that we should raise the bar and have the bachelors as the minimum and current ADN and Diploma nurses should be either grandfathered in or have an efficient , accessible program for them that gives credit for experience. I know there are several examples, but recently here in Florida audiologists raised their standards to a doctorate being the degree to obtain so they are not confused with people who simply sell hearing aids. They gave current audiologists a time frame to get their doctorate and set up accessible distance learning programs for them.