RN90

I totally understand. Everyone has their way of learning. I am a very independent learner and always hated "blanket" close supervision. Not that I don't need focussed supervision at times- but at this point I was already an RN with a diploma and several years of experience, including in clinical instructor in an LPN school. All I needed is a path to hold the degree- and I got much more than that from Excelsior, including motivation for further studies! I'm glad you found a fitting program for you as well- that is the whole point, right? I didn't mind the cost- I really had no comparison, plus was in Canada on work permit and wasn't allowed to go to school here with this Visa status. Before I moved to Canada, I had started taking pre-requisites via tests affordable tests instead of getting into school as an international student - of which 39 credits were accepted by Excelsior and I had to complete the rest while here before staring the actual program. All these situations add to my appreciation of the program for adapting so well to my circumstances...

I was an internationally trained Diploma RN, initially registered for RN-BSN, but changed my mind and went for BSN with Excelsior College. I had moved to Canada by then, and have since completed an MA in medical anthropology and I will be completing my 2nd Masters in nursing, double focussing in health research and health promotion. Excelsior program was the blessing that opened my doors- it was perfect for me!! I understand there are people who need more mentoring and this school may not be for such- otherwise it is a great program for more independent learners!

Lots of nurses around the world still wear the old uniform, with or without the cap..and with or without pantsuit options

I enjoyed reading your story, and so glad you came back with a feedback!! So happy for you, you are such an inspiration..

Oh, so glad you did! Welcome, hope you benefit from it!

I suggest you join the facebook group "Teachers transforming Nursing education!" Excellent support and all...

JKL33 said it all- I have no children and nurses in all the 4 countries I have worked do lots of compromises for their kids' schedules- we who do not have kids do not judge them- why are people so eager to judge others when they ask for accommodations to practice their religion? It can be done, OP is not saying doesn't want to work, or doesn't care about patients or other nurses who do not have such needs- stop judging- y'all know there is a way around such needs- be they academic ambitions, religious commitments, kids etc -why is religion so frowned upon by some who are free to not be religious? Be as nice to people as you expect them to be nice to you..

Good for you. If you can afford financially, absolutely noble decision to take care of yr kids while they are young and needy. Many women do take off to raise young children and return to work at some point later. There is a lot you can do to keep abreast professionally while away from work if you intend to come back to the nursing career later. Best wishes to you and your family! I don't have kids but I am the breadwinner at the moment and do support kids in my extended family. If I could afford it, I would have long left what I do to pursue a different line of interest...

Hugs to you. Nothing to describe the pain of losing a loved one. It sucks. You were blessed to be able to say your goodbyes. Cherish those memories...and be strong, for now...

Ooops! My bad. I am only realizing this was about CCRN Vs CMSRN. I was thinking ANCC-not CCRN- which certifies multiple specialties including med-surg. I am considering med-surg certification as soon as I complete my masters, and I am debating between ANCC, CMSRN or the Canadian CAMSN. So the topic as I (mis)read it resonated and I found myself responding.Sorry about that- shouldn't be posting in the tired state I was in, lol.

I think there is some prestige to CCRN...I have no reason for thinking that way except its better known because it certifies multiple specialties. However, I prefer CMSRN because its specific to med-surg and I like its affiliation with the academy of medical-surgical nurses. I don't know if there is any practical advantage on the job, but I personally plan to be certified for my own personal needs for professional development. I also don't think its wise to do both- they are considered equivalent to each other.

Is "Qualitative" a level of evidence, though, or am I misunderstanding this? Qualitative methods have their own place and are not inferior to RCT or other quantitative studies. Rather, they can often work collaboratively to help understand and resolve many human health issues, including responses to RCT -evidence based management regiments that are obviously imperfect-or we would not still be dealing with "revolving door" issues to date. I find one of the weaknesses in our profession is failure to appreciate the social side of the recipients of our biomedical approaches- for example, the reason why great life saving medical triumphs like antibiotics are now failing so many populations. More RCTs may lead to a substitute for that in another 100 years, depending on priorities of funders- but qualitative studies could lead to solutions that can help avoid the pitfalls to this problem sooner for some populations.

Quote from Truth-be-told This dis-ease knows no bounds. I have seen LPNs turned RNs look down on LPNs more than original RNs have. My motto- know who you are and be happy. Know what you want and get it. Claim what you have and respect what others have. Its process, not intelligence. There are many CNAs with enough brains to be physicians, but they are not, because there is a process to stuff, and a million reasons for not attaining it. I am sure I can make a good US president, but I will never be. Process is order. Order is standard. Should an intelligent CNA with 2 other degrees in history and Geography challenge the NCLEX-LPN? Full disclosure- I am an original RN who has been an instructor in LPN-level school and always advocated for LPNs and dislike the unnecessary rivalry..We are a team!

Quite the opposite of my disposition toward my BSN experience...I was a diploma RN for a long time before I did my BSN. I loved it. It made me fall in love with my career for opening up my world-view of nursing and healthcare in general. I learned to read, understand and do research (thanks to APA), and to appreciate healthcare as a whole- policy, care, research, management etc. My diploma program on the other hand was tunnel-focused into care-giving and doctor's orders and nursing procedures. I disliked it so much, though I must say it really did its job of preparing me for the bedside- nothing beats the Diploma RN in achieving that- you do lots and lots of clinical hours apprentice-style; at graduation you are like a good one or two year experienced nurse, depending on the program! So you actually hit the road running! I had no problem passing the Nclex even though I was schooled outside America and English is not my primary language. However, I could tell even then that it was insufficient for more broad-minded nurses who want to go beyond status quo and improve healthcare beyond one-on-one nursing care. There weren't many opportunities for a BScN in my country, so it was my push factor to immigrate. Cut story short, I enjoyed my BSN- which I did online while working as an RN. By that time I already knew what I wanted to do in my future and selected electives that matched my interests. Later, I avoided an MSN for the same reason, I wanted to see healthcare from a different viewpoint altogether (a personal choice, nothing wrong with an MSN). So I am completing my masters in medical anthropology with a thesis on global health nursing. I am beginning to look at PhD programs that are interdisciplinary and hope to combine global health, nursing and medical anthropology. So I am using anthropological theories to understand the role of nursing in global health. I have learned how robust nursing really is, and the BSN opened this path for me. BTW, I am, and have been a floor nurse in acute care for 2 decades in different countries and on 2 continents! I am studying while working. I am starting on an Independent career slowly, and hope to transition altogether in a few years toward the dawn of my career life. My clinical experience and my education have created a completely new type of nurse in me. Nursing is not only about hospital specialties, it's much more, and a BSN prepares you for all there is. As someone with an ASN, you will only take parts of the BSN not covered in your ASN. Those who take straight BSN from high school take both in one program. So take the BSN as a combo of yr ASN and the rest that makes it up- you are simply completing the BSN! It is necessary for our profession to be considered truly professional and to influence healthcare more significantly that nurses are more widely educated, otherwise you are more like a technician than a professional. You lose nothing, in fact you gain, and advocate for better care for yr patients if you can understand and participate and even initiate research; ask questions instead of only taking orders and following procedure steps; see a patient not only as a disease entity fixable with pills versus a "non-compliant" one, but as one whose health is effected by many other cultural and socio-economic issues; see the weaknesses in health policy and in biomedicine itself, and challenge them. You can even challenge nursing practice, management or education better if you understand better. You can challenge govt policy, and "big pharma." and lobby politicians etc. because they affect yr job and yr patients.That's what a BSN prepares you for. Moreover, it opens you up to so many other new opportunities even if your goal is direct patient care for the rest of your career. So, why not? Nurses make the biggest group of health caregivers in the world, yet our voice is not heard, we are not influencing the WHO or health policy or health disparities in our world because we have been slow to educate ourselves more robustly and are trained to care only for the patient in front of us, and even then, so inadequately, obviously, because we are myopic. Best!

I give painless injections...99.9% of the time everyone who gets an IM or SC from me asks-"are you done?" They say they feel nothing! If you never believed there is something called "a good hand," after 20+ years, 4 countries, 2 continents, same experience...I believe have it! lol

Thanks Brenda, I appreciate your response! Will get in touch via email! Take care.

Great story, Brenda, thanks for sharing! I am also interested in a Nurse authorship/writing career that better be in the near future:yes:... I would be greatly honoured to have a chat with you, if you don't mind! Can I contact you privately? Would be great to have a like-minded person I can throw my ideas at and see if they make any sense, lol. I am at that stage where I feel like a "flight of ideas" and wonder where to begin from! Looking forward to "hearing" from you soon!

Can I like that a 100 times? Such cynical dismissal of nurses or nurses-in-the-making who have real struggles with the profession is the reason many cower from being open about it! There are some perfect nurses who are easily offended by the experiences of those who wander out-side of their perfect nurse box. AllNurses is for ALL NURSES. Thanks Double-Helix. Glad the OP is getting many more understanding responses and suggestions that are more likely to be helpful!

Most Phillipino BSNs are able to register easily in both the USA and Canada. For most who don't, the biggest challenges are the English proficiency tests, and in some states, the CGFNS exam (a nursing exam probably tougher than the Nclex which is used to test/assure ability to ace the Nclex, and therefore a pre-req. for the Nclex in many states). Some, I know of cases for sure in Canada and the UK, have also been challenged when trying to upgrade their education, mainly because, until recently, they had a 10 year pre-college education instead of a 12 year one as most countries globally do. Otherwise, as far as their BSN itself, it does meet the standard of US nursing education.There could also be individual deficiencies here and there, may depending on which courses were taken or omitted during the course of the education where one might need to make up. I personally had my RN Diploma from Africa accepted easily without any remedies needed in both the USA and Canada,

Unless something changed recently, a BScN is not a requirement for working in BC for foreign trained RNs in good standing. However, the best is to apply to NNAS / SNEI, they shd be able to assess your education and direct you.

Absolutely agree with you..and its not just about the internet as some suggest. There are topics you just never dare bring up before your nursing colleagues without getting angrily pounced upon, be it at work in the break room or on internet. Been around 2 decades, 4 different countries, 2 continents, same story. You have to be really selective who to talk to about your personal-professional "heart" issues...there may be few, but they are always there in every group, the "black sheep" of the crop who dare think or feel differently... My thing is being critical of the nursing profession, and also the fact that I have been a great bedside nurse for all this time and still hate it what I do, but it has not been a viable option to just leave as most nurses will ask you to do ASAP as they can't figure out how it is possible to be a competent nurse and still have conflicting feelings about it...plus, yes, because I need it while I chart my next direction, which includes what I like about nursing, and what I have gained from my wonderful experience being one, as well as what I have invested in to this profession thus far, albeit by circumstance rather than by choice...oops, I just committed the unpardonable sin...I know...But these are real issues that many nurses struggle with but they dare not speak out about amongst fellow nurses..sad, for this profession, all successful professions worth their name have had to deal with criticism and difference from within and from without, and strengthened their profession and public reputations from it. A mature profession or group of professionals needs to be "big" enough to tolerate negatives about itself and its own, and to investigate itself...not to build turf walls that shut out so many of its own..its called sweeping dirt under the carpet and its detrimental to our growth as humans who are also members of a distinguished profession...OK now I am ready to be stoned!!!