SeasonedRN

Patty makes the point that her particular bridge program, that allows non nurses to become practicing NP's in a period of 2-3 years requires that after ONE year, they are eligible to sit for the RN boards and obtain an RN license. Then they get to work if they choose as an RN until the next year when they can become NP's. I see this as incredibly scary, and unsafe. WHY is it OK for someone with a BS in accounting [or other non nurse career] to require only ONE year of RN training before they sit for the boards & practice? In addition, I think this is program specific. This is not an across the board requirement. My bet is most programs do not have this work as an RN after one year provision. I am going to contact a few of my colleagues in the nursing education and advocacy community and ask them how we can find out. If anyone else can take the time to contact their local bridge programs and ask them to provide them with program requirements, contact, etc.-and give us the feedback, it would be a great research project for us. And Patty, you are right-the "general community" [AKA poor innocent unsuspecting patients] may not know about the difference-as we did not-but is incumbent upon those of us who now do to educate them accordingly.

Dear Chris and others like you: Those of us who are REAL Nurses by degree, licensure, and practice-have little if any respect for those who come into the profession as an afterthought and try to profit off the hard work of the REAL RN's who have come and gone long before you. Indeed, we are recognizing now that those that come into our profession with a BS or MS in other non nursing fields are gaining these delusional credentials through our hard work professionally, and legislatively. Do you think you got those prescriptive rights you so superiorly wave around by an act of a magic wand? No, Chris. they are bought and paid for by the REAL NURSES who have been paying dues to ANA, and others SNA's and specialty NURSING organizations for YEARS to promote our profession and advance us legislatively. You should be THANKING us for your job and the wanna be physician glory you seem to basking in, not trying to convince [yourself?] that you are among the same caliper as those who have advanced themselves via legitimate nursing practice and education, or better than those who choose to continue to provide clinically based nursing care. And yes, Chris-RN's DO indeed utilize the entire nursing process in assessing and intervening on our patients behalf-take a peek into any critical care unit or ER from behind your desk and watch real nurses in action saving lives based upon their critical assessment and interventional skills. To actually suggest that RN's do not have an understanding of physiology, pharmacology, diagnosis, etc., is so pompous and WRONG I shall end here because I just realized educating you is not my problem. More appropriate would be PRAYER for the patients entrusted to the wanna be MD's who call themselves NP's.

In case you missed it: posted February 25, 2001 08:11 PM by RNcountry- [Helen Cook from MNM] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julie I am trying very, very hard to control what I write here. Why, why, why continue to bring up the past? It is obvious that I did miss the posting from the Ohio UAN rep, does it mean that it cannot be revisited? Of course it does not. I do thank you for bringing it to my attention. It has to be noted that in Mid-November it seemed that the MNM was going to just fall apart didn't it? Why? Because the goal of unity was not being adhered to. There were those that truly felt that this was going to be turned into a UAN event, and it did turn many off. We lost people at that time because of that issue. I said once that there is no use crying over spilt milk and I met it. So why are you persisting in going into events that happened before there was truly an organization that was worthy of the name? It was not the UAN that was opposed to at the time, it was not the ANA, it was specific individuals that were making statements that were inappropriate against other nurses that did not share their point of view. From the beginning the MNM wanted to be able to gather support from various groups with nurses, the goal being to unite ourselves into a voice that would be heard, and heard loudly. The problem came when one person said that they felt that this was turning into a UAN event, that person was vehemently opposed to that. This came on the heels of others who left the group because one of a nurse that were taking a lead in organizing had made a post regarding crossing picket lines, that nurse was also attacked via email. It made everyone feel that if that was the way some were going to behave we would be better off without them. If nursing is going to get better we have to be able to stop thinking it is ok to utilize horizontal abuse against one another. The goal here has to be to move forward. We want that, we are working for that. What happened in the past is called growing pains. A full blown organization that is going to be effective does not grow overnight. And what was in place during the time frame you are referring to could not be referred to as a true working organization by any stetch of the imagination. I do not wish to continue to argue worn out old points. It is a useless waste of time, for me for you. The only thing that the MNM is going to reject is those that feel it is appropriate to attack others with opposing viewpoints, an honest and open dialogue is welcome. We have members that are part of unions, associations and yes, even the ANA. It is not like they are some dragon in the basement. Please quit presenting as if that is the way we feel. We don't. One of the things that must be opening and honestly talked about is nursings use of horizontal abuse against one another, and we have to be able to take a stand and say it is not acceptable. To stand up to others that use it, instead of burying our heads in our chest and acting as if we don't see it. To present what we see in a way that brings attention to it not being appropriate, and attention to those that are doing it. If enough finger pointing occurs against those that are doing it, maybe it will shame them into stopping. That was the point of the letter I wrote back in Dec. I will not shy away from standing up for what I believe is right. And I believe that no change in staffing ratios, mandatory overtime or whistleblower legislation is going to matter a whit if nurses cannot stop doing hurtful and nasty things to one another. That issue is truly the one that is the dragon in the basement. It pulls us apart at a time we need desperately to stand together. Shall we slay the dragon together Julie or will we continue to argue points that have no meaning to what needs to be done? You and I have shared many emails before this all happened and you know and I know that we shared many viewpoints and had a good dialogue for some time, it was only when I felt the line had been crossed in regards to attacking another whose viewpoints you did not share did I end that dialogue. A spirited debate does not need to degenerate into verbal abuse of another nurse. Feel personal animosity towards me if you need to, but please quit attacking the MNM. I cannot say often enough that the march organization is not going to reject anyone, unless they feel that the agenda of their own group must come in front of what is truly a NURSING agenda. One in which all of us should be able to get behind because it addresses issues that are adversely affecting the career field and our patients care. We want to be able to provide a vehicle in which different groups are able to put aside their own animosity towards one another to work for common cause. By requesting that specific groups or members of those groups not put their agendas ahead of the very basic one the MNM has we hope to be able to unite many behind what we are doing. Do I have to keep saying that over and over? I hope not. Some of us belong to the ANA, most do not. Some of us belong to a union, most do not. Shall we reject those that do not belong to either? Shall we reject those that are vehemently opposed to the the ANA or unionization of nurses? We are not going to do that any more than we are going to reject those that do belong to ANA or unions. How silly to do it any other way. It will be counterproductive, when what needs to be has to be productive to be successful. Its like instead of working together we somehow feel a need to have our own group be the one that changes nursing, that changes the way patient care is delivered. It is a stupid struggle for power that has harmed and continues to harm our field. It is not something I wish to participate in. What I want to see is nursing putting aside tired old arguments that have little meaning today when we have patients that lack basic care in our nations hospitals, when we have vulnerable elderly patients literally dying in nursing homes of dehydration, all in the name of the almighty dollar. Bottom line health care is immoral and unethical and grates upon me. I am willing to shout it from the rooftops, and I willing to say that nursing has to get its own house in order as well. Too many times we lose good people because of the politics and nastiness we inflict on one another. Go through the posts right here on this site and read how it affects us and our career field. Do you truly want to perpetuate it? I don't. That is why I am answering you Julie. If you truly do not feel you can support the MNM so be it. But taunting me is not going to change its mission, it is not going to stop us from continuing to organize and reach out to those we hope will be able to feel comfortable in endorsing what we are all about. And that includes the ANA and the UAN when the time is right. As a representative of the Million Nurse March I will continue to say that. I cannot stop you from putting out misinformation in regards to what is happening with the organization now, I can state what we are all about and I can say with confidence that what happened in the past happened because we were a loosely knit group that at times were working at cross purposes until we were able to formulate an effective organization. I don't feel that is anything to be ashamed of, it is the truth. Things needed to gel before we could do much of anything that had any real meaning, but it is useless to continue to revisit the point any further from here. It matters not a whit anymore. So say what you feel you must. We will continue on dedicated and committed to our vision and mission statement.

Helen, You are what some of us have come to refer to as a "Horizontal Hypocrite." A self righteous attacker hiding behind the veil of "horizontal violence" -a term coined by a few insecure nurse hiding behind computers who cant accept direct confrontation or challenging of their own opinions, and so call it abuse. That "finger pointing" you did in December maliciously slandered some very strong patient/nurse advocates-and without just cause-just your own misinterpretation, misinformation and response to gossip. So it is OK for you to attack and publicly professionally defame others, as long as YOU think you are right? When you get appointed as a Supreme Court Justice, let us know. Until then, all our opinions are as good as yours, whether we agree to them or not. I saw the MNM was noted in the CNA Revolution magazine. Good for you. Maybe they will jump in and save you and your organization. You sure need the help.