emtrn2k1

What requirements do you have in your state regarding ceu's or continuing ed? How is it set up and how does it work? Is it beneficial?

They are talking about doing something similar here--I don't like the sound of it--my program 3 years ago had 200 people competing for 45 slots--you had to be the best of the best--now this year they accepted everyone because there weren't even 45 applicants. Our second semester we lost 8 people and fourth we lost 2 more. We will graduate propably 32 out of an original 45 or better. The local hospital started an LPN program last year - accelerated in conjunction with the technical school 12 months instead of 18. The first group of grads were strong--but the reqs were you had to have at least 1 years svc with hospital--they all had much more than that. I don't even think they had a group this year. Now they are talking about doing an accel. RN program--and I'm worried. If you read the posts on BSN min. req. the profession as a whole needs more education, not less!!!! I wouldn't think it to be acceptable to cut it back any further. I am an AD grad- but I don't see how you could possibly learn enuff in less time than that to be an RN. Everyone says why do you need Eng Comp--we need to be professionals--you need english to be professionals, etc. Does any one who makes this legislation, we as nurses need to stand up and retaliate--the old Diploma programs gave you tons of clinical, the BSN mixes clinical with higher ed, the AD mixes clinical with some higher ed--I just don't see how we can maintain quality and professionalism in nursing if we allow these accel programs to let anyone in the door By the way, if I am not mistaken, I don't believe you are talking about a lateral degree transfer like the prior poster was talking about--this sounds like a great program. I understand you to be talking about just an accel prog without any prequals--

SHAME On you sheripa -- we understood what you originally said--giving a reply just allows him to get to you--everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and no one can degrade you if you don't give them your permission--this just gave the permission.

SHAME On you sheripa -- we understood what you originally said--giving a reply just allows him to get to you--everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and no one can degrade you if you don't give them your permission--this just gave the permission.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ THIS POST__IT IS LONG BUT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!! Let's hit on this issue--Docs go to what 8 years of school, and then internship and all that hoopla--how about this . . . Doc prescribes x med for y pt. Z nurse notes that x med is contraindicated and calls d. dr. who then gives another med, or asks z nurse what she thinks--depending on if you are in a teaching hospital or not. Now ask a NP to prescribe a med, I'll bet you run into much less occurance of this happening, because generally NPs have practiced, and worked in nursing field and are more conscientious. Further, lets look at PA's. They go to school for 1/2 the time as a doc, but make twice the money as an RN--what is wrong with this picture. Our profession is falling to pieces because we let it. My original post said that we would be cutting our noses off to spite our faces--that is so true, right now we can't afford to make BSN the minimum requirement. I got my AD so I could support my family while I improve my own education. Period. I have every desire to obtain my BSN, MSN and whatever I might want to pursue after that. I am a member of multiple organizations, and plan to become certified in multiple related specialties. I am excited!!!!! We should encourage every one to want to be. First lets encourage mandatory education credits nationwide, or worldwide-- lets start by pulling ourselves up and trudging on faster and harder than any other profession has done before. Let us not only demand higher wages, but show the intelligence and quality that prove we are professionals. Let's stop eating our young, and stabbing each other in the back. Nurses unfortunately have an insatiable need to degrade one another--not all - generalization there. If you give personality testing to nurses across the board, there will be variations, but a general concensus emerges that is caring, supportive, people sometimes needy and co-dependent, sometimes independent. There is a commonality among us that we want to help. PERIOD. Let's help each other, ourselves, and the profession. FIRST LET'S BE PROFESSIONAL!!!!! Maybe now is not the time to make entry level BSN--there is too much demand. But we can start by making education mandatory. We can start by emailing, writing, calling (whatever)our legislators and having our voice heard. We can join together, unite and begin to revamp this profession that was once an unacceptable choice for a woman of knowledge--anybody who has read the history of Florence Nightingale will find this-- Is this what we want others to see of us--fortunately this is a nurses website, but anybody can read. How many of you tell your kids to STOP FIGHTING. . .well, my point exactly. Can't we just all get along--I know that is colloquial--but isn't it true. To Ms. Burns AMEN to you for wanting to improve the profession. Let's go for it!!!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ THIS POST__IT IS LONG BUT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!! Let's hit on this issue--Docs go to what 8 years of school, and then internship and all that hoopla--how about this . . . Doc prescribes x med for y pt. Z nurse notes that x med is contraindicated and calls d. dr. who then gives another med, or asks z nurse what she thinks--depending on if you are in a teaching hospital or not. Now ask a NP to prescribe a med, I'll bet you run into much less occurance of this happening, because generally NPs have practiced, and worked in nursing field and are more conscientious. Further, lets look at PA's. They go to school for 1/2 the time as a doc, but make twice the money as an RN--what is wrong with this picture. Our profession is falling to pieces because we let it. My original post said that we would be cutting our noses off to spite our faces--that is so true, right now we can't afford to make BSN the minimum requirement. I got my AD so I could support my family while I improve my own education. Period. I have every desire to obtain my BSN, MSN and whatever I might want to pursue after that. I am a member of multiple organizations, and plan to become certified in multiple related specialties. I am excited!!!!! We should encourage every one to want to be. First lets encourage mandatory education credits nationwide, or worldwide-- lets start by pulling ourselves up and trudging on faster and harder than any other profession has done before. Let us not only demand higher wages, but show the intelligence and quality that prove we are professionals. Let's stop eating our young, and stabbing each other in the back. Nurses unfortunately have an insatiable need to degrade one another--not all - generalization there. If you give personality testing to nurses across the board, there will be variations, but a general concensus emerges that is caring, supportive, people sometimes needy and co-dependent, sometimes independent. There is a commonality among us that we want to help. PERIOD. Let's help each other, ourselves, and the profession. FIRST LET'S BE PROFESSIONAL!!!!! Maybe now is not the time to make entry level BSN--there is too much demand. But we can start by making education mandatory. We can start by emailing, writing, calling (whatever)our legislators and having our voice heard. We can join together, unite and begin to revamp this profession that was once an unacceptable choice for a woman of knowledge--anybody who has read the history of Florence Nightingale will find this-- Is this what we want others to see of us--fortunately this is a nurses website, but anybody can read. How many of you tell your kids to STOP FIGHTING. . .well, my point exactly. Can't we just all get along--I know that is colloquial--but isn't it true. To Ms. Burns AMEN to you for wanting to improve the profession. Let's go for it!!!!!

GREAT CRITICAL THINKING GLORIA- NOW DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR BSN TO THINK OF THAT--OR DOes it come natural--is that possible that some people just have a natural ability to connect things without having someone put a 'real degree' behind their name --as opposed to a AS (must not be a real degree-whaddya think--sorry but some of this stuff just infuriates me--particularly the point that everyone wants a quick way out--I didn't want a quick way out--I wanted to be a nurse. I fully intend to get my BSN not because I don't want to do the care but because I want success for myself. Nothing more, I don't want to be a clinical coordinator--I'm too much of a people person. But I also want to be able to feed my children while I am pursuing my self-improvement. Nurses UNITE--support each other, and watch the profession grow. Bicker and watch it FALL even further apart.

GREAT CRITICAL THINKING GLORIA- NOW DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR BSN TO THINK OF THAT--OR DOes it come natural--is that possible that some people just have a natural ability to connect things without having someone put a 'real degree' behind their name --as opposed to a AS (must not be a real degree-whaddya think--sorry but some of this stuff just infuriates me--particularly the point that everyone wants a quick way out--I didn't want a quick way out--I wanted to be a nurse. I fully intend to get my BSN not because I don't want to do the care but because I want success for myself. Nothing more, I don't want to be a clinical coordinator--I'm too much of a people person. But I also want to be able to feed my children while I am pursuing my self-improvement. Nurses UNITE--support each other, and watch the profession grow. Bicker and watch it FALL even further apart.

"AMen!!!!!!!". Instead of discussing how differently each one prepares a better nurse, whether to think or to 'be at the bedside'--why don't we all try to stregthen the profession and learn from each other. If we divide ourselves--how can we expect others to respect us as a profession. Remember a house divided against itself cannot stand--promote the profession, lets shoot for education promotion not necessarily letters behind a name. Question, how many states have mandatory education requirements--if so basic info. Thanks Nurses Rule!!!

"AMen!!!!!!!". Instead of discussing how differently each one prepares a better nurse, whether to think or to 'be at the bedside'--why don't we all try to stregthen the profession and learn from each other. If we divide ourselves--how can we expect others to respect us as a profession. Remember a house divided against itself cannot stand--promote the profession, lets shoot for education promotion not necessarily letters behind a name. Question, how many states have mandatory education requirements--if so basic info. Thanks Nurses Rule!!!

Jacci Don't know where you are in VA, but here a CMP is a Panel 12, which contains glucose, lytes, bun, cr, and ca--I think.

Jacci Don't know where you are in VA, but here a CMP is a Panel 12, which contains glucose, lytes, bun, cr, and ca--I think.

I have worked in healthcare for 4 years while attending a AD program. Let me say--I don't know how it is where you are, but here our AD grads come out with a broader knowledge base than any of the 3-yes 3 BSN programs in our immediate area. Our program required us to do lots of critical thinking--much more than the BSN does. Not to mention you tend to get an older, often more mature, and wiser person in an AD program compared to some BSN programs. Don't get me wrong, I'm already working on BSN--and for those of you who went right to college knowing your hearts desire was to be an RN, and have 'what it takes' and can critically think - alot of people can't- I am not bashing you. I'm just saying our program required us to do teaching projects about legislation and political action, critical thinking exercises out the wazoo--and with the nursing shortage if the states required everyone to have a BSN before practicing we would have to shut down hospitals because the units couldn't function without nurses, and those wonderful souls who have been holding the profession together for the last twenty years while 'progression' has totally changed the role of the nurse- some for good some for bad--couldn't honestly be expected to function in that way. There is current legislation to promote LPN programs because our current shortage won't peak until 2003, and then there will be a short decline, but in 10-15 it will reach an all time high, because all those nurses with twenty some years service now are going to get tired of putting up with all the new grads who come in and think they know more than a diploma grad from 1974--and they are going to retire. I learned more working with a diploma RN, an LPN and an LPN-RN thru an AD program with a combined total of 57 years experience than any book could ever teach--AD or BSN!!! In fact most of the coordinators I have talked to say that the AD program was much harder than getting their BSN and even MSN because so much is independent!! Just to say, lets promote the profession and education--but we would be stupid to cut our noses off to spite our faces.

I have worked in healthcare for 4 years while attending a AD program. Let me say--I don't know how it is where you are, but here our AD grads come out with a broader knowledge base than any of the 3-yes 3 BSN programs in our immediate area. Our program required us to do lots of critical thinking--much more than the BSN does. Not to mention you tend to get an older, often more mature, and wiser person in an AD program compared to some BSN programs. Don't get me wrong, I'm already working on BSN--and for those of you who went right to college knowing your hearts desire was to be an RN, and have 'what it takes' and can critically think - alot of people can't- I am not bashing you. I'm just saying our program required us to do teaching projects about legislation and political action, critical thinking exercises out the wazoo--and with the nursing shortage if the states required everyone to have a BSN before practicing we would have to shut down hospitals because the units couldn't function without nurses, and those wonderful souls who have been holding the profession together for the last twenty years while 'progression' has totally changed the role of the nurse- some for good some for bad--couldn't honestly be expected to function in that way. There is current legislation to promote LPN programs because our current shortage won't peak until 2003, and then there will be a short decline, but in 10-15 it will reach an all time high, because all those nurses with twenty some years service now are going to get tired of putting up with all the new grads who come in and think they know more than a diploma grad from 1974--and they are going to retire. I learned more working with a diploma RN, an LPN and an LPN-RN thru an AD program with a combined total of 57 years experience than any book could ever teach--AD or BSN!!! In fact most of the coordinators I have talked to say that the AD program was much harder than getting their BSN and even MSN because so much is independent!! Just to say, lets promote the profession and education--but we would be stupid to cut our noses off to spite our faces.