"Don't waste your time getting your BSN..."

[HeartsOpenWide]

People are always trying to tell me that I am going to waste my time by not stopping after getting my ASN. They say that getting your BSN just gets you management positions and that it does not pay more. I am going for my masters so I can be a CNM, so I have to have my BSN anyway but, how could it be true that a person with a BSN gets the same as a person with a ASN? (Aside from the fact that working in different dept can make a difference)

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

if you want respect for the nursing profession, you need to start with respecting your fellow nurses.

whew, my thoughts exactly.

[Jerico, BSN, RN]

Ya coudda fooled me.

I truly apologize to any here IF I appeared to be doing so as am not in the business of being hurtful to others:o.

I have not told ANYONE on the board their degree is not worth LESS. Rather what I am trying to get across is that if nursing boards were to require ALL people called "nurses" to have a higher standard of formal education we would not have any SPLITTING among "the ranks" so to speak.

I suggest we petition the boards of nursing for such a ruling: grandfather those ADNs with greater than two years practice and disallow anything LESS than a BSN to get re-registered NOW.

Actually this whole thread where Caroladybelle is becoming a bit hot around the collar PROVES this very point! If she and I BOTH had the same degrees, be it ADN or BSN or MSN she would not get offended and feel as if am saying she is LESS than I. To suggest we all BACK off to an ADN is ludicrous. Less education in medicine is not in the best interest of medicine, nursing, or patients.

Am not debating: "is this degree better than the other at all. Am trying to get nurses as a GROUP to AGREE a higher degree is better for the FUTURE of NURSING. It is a positive direction to head in order to STOP this disparity between all nurses as a whole and GAIN professional status as WELL as professional respect and pay equity.

Is there anyone, who is a true professional nurse (be they an ADN or otherwise) at THIS juncture in nursing history, who disagrees that:

EVERYONE BEING CALLED A NURSE aka "REGISTERED NURSE" SHOULD HAVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARD OF EDUCATION POSSIBLE?

(Don't even GET me started on everyone from the RN, to the RT, to the lunch line ladies and the housekeeper wearing scrubs...:angryfire)

[Jerico, BSN, RN]

I will say, i know from experience, and not even being an RN yet, that Magnet status is not all it's cracked up to be. It's a nice feather in a hospital's cap, however, that feather was lying in a pile of poo before it was put on the hat.

Am sorry you feel that way about magnet status. I think it is great for nurses. Have studied it, been in facilities with it and it appears to me most nurses LIKE it.

From what I've observed magnet status hospitals don't have nearly the help wanted lists happening. I always ask HR when I am applying if they are magnet status.

I for one would rather work there because it means the nursing administration gives a flip.

And JCH can TELL when "prettying up" goes on. Hence tracing pt records and inspecting processes.

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Am sorry you feel that way about magnet status. I think it is great for nurses. Have studied it, been in facilities with it and it appears to me most nurses LIKE it.

From what I've observed magnet status hospitals don't have nearly the help wanted lists happening. I always ask HR when I am applying if they are magnet status.

I for one would rather work there because it means the nursing administration gives a flip.

And JCH can TELL when "prettying up" goes on. Hence tracing pt records and inspecting processes.

Rocester Mayo Clinic is a magnet status hospital. I never met more professionals who liked their jobs, treated each other with dignity, and truly believed the patient came first. It didn't matter if they were an information booth employee to a specialty Doc. It does matter to WORK towards a magnet status, it's no feather in a bunch of poo. My opinion.

[Jerico, BSN, RN]

...Most of the BSn's that I have precepted really can't hit the ground running! T hey have poor organizational skills.

Yes, agree. Poor organizational skills. What sort of organizational skills does any YOUNG and inexperienced nurse have when she is being precepted?

Most BSNs are younger than ADNs. Average age of BSN is 26 or so I think (think "average"). Average ADN is about 30something. That may account for some of that.

ADNs are usually more mature and have more life experience behind them, therefore handle time management better. As the BSNers AGE I would imagine most get the hang of it in two or three years. At least I HOPE so...

(Then on the other hand, we have people who are time management challenged...such as myself...and I drive preceptors AND BSN instructors totally crazy. Every comment I've ever had on evaluations since 1st grade: "Needs work on time management skills...". ) Yes I KNOW, I am ACUTELY aware...

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

AS long as my liscence reads professional nurse, I am an RN even though the BSN programs call us ADN and diploma nurses ( technical nurses) I was in a BSN program and all they taught was the history of nursing and management classes!

Most of the BSn's that I have precepted really can't hit the ground running! T hey have poor organizational skills.

Sorry, but that's not all there is to a BSN program. My RN to BSN program included 16 classes.

I've never med a nurse ADN, BSN or Diploma that was ready to hit the ground running. As a preceptor to students and new grads I feel confident in this statement. All come out of school beginning bedside nurses and pretty green. Although Diploma nurses with their long clinical hours might have an edge, they still are fairly green when it's actually time to work as a nurse fresh out of school.

This of course could be a regional thing. Where you are BSNs may not know anything or get any training outside of the books, but that's not the case everywhere.

It doesn't help to build up the ADNs and Diploma nurses by tearing down the training a BSN receives.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I truly apologize to any here IF I appeared to be doing so as am not in the business of being hurtful to others:o.

There is no way, and I mean no way to say "the BSN needs to be the entry level for nursings because............(fill in the blank)......" without stepping on a few toes no matter how you phrase it. People even dislike the ANA's version of this statement. No way no how someone isn't going to be offended. This is something you're going to have to accept. State your position respectfully, without apology knowing people are going to feel someone put out and demeaned. The key word being respectful. Saying Diploma RNs shouldn't be considered nurses isn't going to win anyone over to your way of thinking. But you are allow to have your opinions no matter how unpopular in this forum. :)

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

There is no way, and I mean no way to say "the BSN needs to be the entry level for nursings because............(fill in the blank)......" without stepping on a few toes no matter how you phrase it.

Actually, a few people have done that on this thread, maturely even.

My issue stems with those that proceed to insult and downgrade other nursing degrees and even other occupations in order to express their i'm-all-for-the-BSN opinion.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

you know the hospitals in my area that claim magnet status have a "rn's wanted " list so long that if that list were written on toilet paper i could sail right through my social security years never having to buy toilet paper.

am sorry you feel that way about magnet status. i think it is great for nurses. have studied it, been in facilities with it and it appears to me most nurses like it.

from what i've observed magnet status hospitals don't have nearly the help wanted lists happening. i always ask hr when i am applying if they are magnet status.

i for one would rather work there because it means the nursing administration gives a flip.

and jch can tell when "prettying up" goes on. hence tracing pt records and inspecting processes.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Actually, a few people have done that on this thread, maturely even.

My issue stems with those that proceed to insult and downgrade other nursing degrees and even other occupations in order to express their i'm-all-for-the-BSN opinion.

Still 100% of the people aren't going to be pleased as it's definately hard to argue that the BSN education is the superior one without stepping on toes.

I definately agree with your last statement, and I would include the ADNs who claim the BSNs are just a "few more courses in management, and they have no hands on nursing skills" type of posts. Those are equally disrespectful.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

yes, yes, yes

this is my problem with this thread. it's great to want more for your profession, but when you start suggesting that rn's with an adn be reduced to a registered technical nurse is just crazy. i hate to even ask what this particular poster thinks about lvn's.

actually, a few people have done that on this thread, maturely even.

my issue stems with those that proceed to insult and downgrade other nursing degrees and even other occupations in order to express their i'm-all-for-the-bsn opinion.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Yes, Yes, Yes

this is my problem with this thread. It's great to want more for your profession, but when you start suggesting that RN's with an ADN be reduced to a Registered Technical Nurse is just crazy. I hate to even ask what this particular poster thinks about LVN's.

Please let's not be reduced to cross-talking about "this particular poster".

The BSN being the minimum standard of entry for nursing is an opinion held by many people, including the American Association of Nurses. Let's talk about the issue, and not each other please. If you have a question for a particular poster, I suggest you ask that poster directly rather than speculate.