Phasing Out ADN?

[Candi Williams]

Should We Hire ADNs? or Phase It Out?

The national nursing shortage has caused a crucial call for nurses. Nurses are a core part of the healthcare industry. They are the largest professional sector within the healthcare workforce and are essential to patient care. One solution to the nursing shortage is to hire Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) graduates, but will the growing trend pushing for all nurses to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for hire, phase out ADN programs? Let's bring to light the nursing shortage and the advantages and disadvantages of ADN and BSN degrees.

The growing trend in the healthcare industry pushing for all nurses to have a BSN degree for hire will not phase out ADN nurses anytime soon. The demand for nurses is too high. Approximately 40 percent of new nurse graduates earn their degrees from associate degree programs. An advantage of ADN programs is bringing new nurses into the workforce sooner. ADN programs prepare students to take the NCLEX-RN exam and become Registered Nurses (RN) in two to three years versus four-year BSN programs.

Why ADN?

ADN programs are more appealing to many because of the low cost and shorter time frame it takes to become a Registered Nurse; it grants them the opportunity to start working as a nurse sooner. Being introduced into the nursing workforce sooner affords them income as a nurse and a chance to gain experience while pursuing a BSN degree. In 2010 the Institute of Medicine (IOM), now the National Academy of Medicine, recommended that 80% of registered nurses earn a BSN degree by 2020. As a result, medical institutions prefer to hire nurses with a BSN degree or higher. Some institutions require a BSN degree for hire, and if they hire a nurse with an ADN, a condition of employment is earning a BSN degree within a certain length of time.

Why BSN Degree or Higher?

Better Pay

Nurses with BSN degrees have the possibility to generate higher income compared to those with ADN degrees. They can obtain positions offered to nurses who hold BSN degrees or higher. These positions come with more responsibilities and higher pay—positions such as managers, administrators, and educators.

Improve Patient Care

Research has shown that medical institutions that have a higher percentage of qualified BSN nurses on staff deliver quality patient care. They contribute to decreased medication errors, better patient outcomes, lower hospital-acquired infections, decreased mortality rates, and a decline in failure-to-rescue rates.

Magnet Certification

Healthcare organizations have begun seeking nurses with higher education and aspire to Magnet Certification. A major requirement for earning certification is the educational level of the nurses on staff. The higher the percentage of nursing staff with a BSN or greater, the better their chances are of Magnet certification. Magnet Certification yields outstanding nursing processes with notable quality, safety, and patient satisfaction.

Ramifications of Nursing Shortage

Discussions about concerns over the nursing shortage were taking place prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted a shortage of over one million registered nurses by the year 2022. Cutbacks in nursing are attributed to one of the reasons for the shortage. Nurses fall victim to reductions in labor costs because they make up the largest labor force in the healthcare industry. Those reductions are decremental to the safety of patients and nurses. Another cause for the shortage is not enough educators. Nursing programs routinely turn down applicants because they have a limited number of nursing educators to train them. Other causes for the shortage are nurse burnout, an increase in the aging population, and an aging workforce.

Covid-19 escalated the nursing shortage. Covid caused an increase in patient volume, a rise in nurse burnout, early retirement from nurses who were close to retirement, and nurses leaving the profession altogether.

Nursing shortages give rise to medication errors, patient falls, increased morbidity, and increased mortality rates. When organizations lack appropriate staffing levels, the patient-to-nurse ratio is higher. This leads to nurse burnout and discontent. A suitable amount of nursing personnel reduces errors, increases patient safety, improves patient satisfaction, and enhances nurse retention.

Healthcare organizations, nurse leaders, and government officials must devise solutions to the nursing shortage. They must strive to engage and keep nurses. Retention of nurses brings about quality nursing care, improved patient care, and patient satisfaction.

---

References/Resources

ADN vs BSN Debate: These Are the Real Differences Between ADN and BSN Prepared Nurses: Nightingale College

The Staffing Shortage Pandemic: Journal of Radiology Nursing

Are ADN & ASN Programs Needed to Meet the Nursing Shortages at Hospitals?: Advocate Search Group

Nursing Workforce Challenges in the Postpandemic World: National Library of Medicine

Nursing Fact Sheet: American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

Nursing educators: Stress the importance of a BSN in nursing, your students will thank you: Wolters Kluwer N.V.

Nursing Shortage: (Stat Pearls) National Library of Medicine

Reaching beyond 80% BSN-prepared nurses-One organization's journey to success: Nursing Management

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

londonflo said:

How could she have something that did not exist (BSN) at the time?

I'm not going to keep beating a dead horse but you're missing the point. There's more to a nurse than their level of education.

[londonflo]

MaxAttack said:

you're missing the point.

You  never found any  facts to rebut my Florence Nightingale facts ....  Time  for you to say goodbye. 

 

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

londonflo said:

You  never found any  facts to rebut my Florence Nightingale facts ....  Time  for you to say goodbye. 

 

Are you serious? What facts? You yourself provided a link that she did not attend university. 

At this point this is some impressive cognitive dissonance.

[londonflo]

MaxAttack said:

There's much more to someone's nursing practice than their degree

I agree.

MaxAttack said:

Exactly my point. All of those accomplishments and EXPERIENCES were without a university degree. 

 

Once again, how could Nightingale complete a BSN degree when  the degree  didn't exist in her life time??? 

Are you even reading what I write????

 

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

londonflo said:

I agree.

Once again, how could Nightingale complete a BSN degree when  the degree  didn't exist in her life time??? 

Are you even reading what I write????

 

Obviously there were no BSN degrees. You do realize that universities existed during her time, right? Critically think. The point was and has always been that Nightingale is one of the most - if not the most - historic nursing figures and did so without a university degree. Is that not what this entire thread is about? Singing the praises of a four year degree? That nurses without a four year degree are basically trash?

Even your initial little rant about Nightingale and how you spoke at Oxford and basically knew her personally was all in response to Hannahbanana saying "Florence didn't have a uni degree" which is absolute fact, even according to you. You're arguing for sake of arguing and I'm apparently bored and getting a kick out of it.

[londonflo]

MaxAttack said:

Obviously there were no BSN degrees. You do realize that universities existed during her time, right

 I am glad you have finally acknowledged that Florence Nightingale was not eligible for a BSN. Took a long time for you to face that fact.

MaxAttack said:

Even your initial little rant about Nightingale and how you spoke at Oxford

Tell me where and when you were a respected speaker who "knew their stuff at a top tier university"

 

MaxAttack said:

You're arguing for sake of arguing and I'm apparently bored and getting a kick out of it.

Glad you're getting a kick out of your ignorance and inability to comprehend facts presented several times on a discussion board. 

Best wishes as you slog through your nursing career, dismissing facts and a refusal to consider another's point to view. 

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

londonflo said:

 I am glad you have finally acknowledged that Florence Nightingale was not eligible for a BSN. Took a long time for you to face that fact.

Tell me where and when you were a respected speaker who "knew their stuff at a top tier university"

 

Glad you're getting a kick out of your ignorance and inability to comprehend facts presented several times on a discussion board. 

Best wishes as you slog through your nursing career, dismissing facts and a refusal to consider another's point to view. 

It worries me that someone would consider you a respected speaker. Your posts speak for themselves ?

[Snatchedwig, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Wash, rinse, repeat. I've been in nursing 25 years. Guess what? This ADN vs BSN argument was going on then.  It was likely going on well before then but not being in the field I didn't know or care about it. Now being in the field I know about it, but still don't care about it. 

Just like 25 years ago, in some markets a BSN is preferred to the point of being near a necessity while in other markets having that BSN makes no difference in the ability to find a  job or the salary that job pays.  

[SuzanneRNLA]

You're right. I graduated in 1977, passed Boards (the 2 day tests) and they were talking about BSN being the point of entry back then. But, there were very few BSN programs available at that time.

[Tommy5677]

Googlenurse said:

Do you think of Long term care "as less " than acute care? 

I guess I should clarify. It's only a bad thing when you have been relegated to it. ADN nurses can rarely find positions anywhere else, including case management. Definitely not school nursing and even then it wouldn't matter if I had 20 years ER experience.

[SuzanneRNLA]

I'm sorry to hear that. I have had my ADN since 1977, and have been offered a job/hired at every job I've ever applied for. Maybe I've just been lucky.