BSN and Obamacare

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Big hospitals are very rich, they do not know how to spend money so they require all nurses to go back to school for BSN and they pay for tuition. But all hospitals expect to lose money since Obamacare in full effect. Hopefully hospitals will stop to pay for BSN programs, nurses will not be able to afford to pay for this ridiculous "bachelor's" degree and that idiotic goal - 80% BSN nurses by 2020 will never be reached. Any way I am not going to waste my money and particularly my time on all of those stupid fluff courses adn-bsn students have to take.

1. Not all *big* hospitals are swimming in money. Yes, some are others may be so on paper but have heavy current and predicted future debt burdens.

2. Nurses are employees of hospitals, and not every employer pays for workers to obtain advanced/higher education. Yes, many places do offer full and or partial tuition reimbursement, but that is more of a benefit not an absolute right.

3. Not all facilities will "loose" money under "Obamacare". Theory was that in accepting lower reimbursement rates from Medicare hospitals would reap those funds in back from the expanded pool of insured and those signed onto Medicaid. The places that are likely to be in trouble are in states where governors have refused to expand Medicaid coverage. This means places in those states are still going to loose funding, but may face difficulty in recouping that money as the potential pool of Medicaid patients will not increase. Low to middle income persons may suffer if states refused to opt into the healthcare exchanges, but IIRC the federal government will step in if that becomes a problem.

As for the balance of your post, wouldn't be too sure about not reaching "80%" of BSN nurses in some areas. Do not forget aside from undergraduate four year schools there are ABSN/second degree programs that seem to be increasing every year. In many parts of the USA *both* programs are full to capacity with a surplus of applicants in often >2:1 ratios. This does not include the bridge programs that are being flooded not only with new (ADN and diploma) grads that cannot obtain an interview much less work without those four letters, but experienced RNs with similar backgrounds that are going for their BSN either by personal/professional choice, and or out of employer mandate.

Most likely they will still make everyone get or already have a BSN and not offer to pay for it. There is a glut of nurses with BSNs already and no nursing shortage so they can just pick and choose. If they want Magnet Status they will just pick the BSNs and the others will have to pay for their own or get fired or not hired. Unfortunately most hospitals will do what they want for themselves and not the employees when it comes down to $$.

Some large religious oriented hospitals are in debt up to their eyeballs. Some hospital systems are making money. Health care is a business and the ones in charge (CEO, CFO, CNO) have figured that out. ADN, Diploma, BSN we are all nurses. I have known good and bad nurses all levels of education. It may come down to those of us that are ADN or Diploma prepared can not find work, even with experience. When that happens you can bet we all will run out to get a BSN on our own dime.

Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.
Hopefully hospitals will stop to pay for BSN programs, nurses will not be able to afford to pay for this ridiculous "bachelor's" degree and that idiotic goal - 80% BSN nurses by 2020 will never be reached. Any way I am not going to waste my money and particularly my time on all of those stupid fluff courses adn-bsn students have to take.

Well I for one hope the hospitals do NOT stop paying for BSN or MSN programs for that matter. I am glad that facilities are encouraging nurses to increase their knowledge base. The ADN to BSN is not for everyone and it sounds like it is not for you, however there are many out there who would like the opportunity to go to school.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Well I for one hope the hospitals do NOT stop paying for BSN or MSN programs for that matter. I am glad that facilities are encouraging nurses to increase their knowledge base. The ADN to BSN is not for everyone and it sounds like it is not for you, however there are many out there who would like the opportunity to go to school.

Not that long ago, every facility I know of paid at least some portion of an RN to BSN, now I don't know of a single one that does.

Although this has nothing to do with Obamacare, and Hospitals don't actually expect to lose money due to Obamacare, hospitals that were failing to meet their charitable care requirements will, but it's not a general rule.

Obamacare just means spending on wasteful things like "Magnet Status" will cease. It was a marketing ploy for hospitals at 1st and they now know there is no pay-off.

I've said it on plenty of other posts, I wouldn't be so opposed to getting my BSN if it was more than mindless paper writing. I simply don't write papers.

To the OP, seems you need an excuse to not go back to school. Anyway, there is no nursing shortage. There are thousands of nurses graduating with BSN every semester. I'm going back for my bsn mainly for job security. In Houston, late 2008 hospitals started actively getting rid of lvns. Most of the lvns were more than sure the hospitals couldnt get rid of them. They were soooo wrong. Same trend is happening now, MOST major and some rural hospitals are requiring bsn's. I hope you change your mentality soon.

Also, hospitals so pay for some of your education, you have to be proactive and bug HR. I'm eligible for 2500 per year without signing a contract or everything paid for a 2 year comittment after I graduate.

I was taking my pre-reqs with an LPN who was back in school for her BSN because she was let go and replaced with a nurse with a BSN.. I don't know the whole story - just did not want that to happen to me..

Specializes in Med Surg.
Hopefully hospitals will stop to pay for BSN programs,

Are you outta your tree? The only good thing about the online RN-BSN program I am in is that my employer is paying for it.

Sheesh.

Specializes in Emergency.
Are you outta your tree? The only good thing about the online RN-BSN program I am in is that my employer is paying for it. Sheesh.

This. I'd be very unhappy if I had to pay out of pocket for something my hospital told me I needed.

I am a diploma RN and currently enrolled in a RN to BSN program, which I pay for. One ofthe many great aspects of nursing is the opportunity to continually advance your knowledge. As our knowledge advances so does our profession. A disadvantage to advanced nursing knowledge is that your salary does not always reflect your level of education. I believe a RN earns enough to pay for their education if needed. However, tuition reimbursement by a hospital that requires their nursing staff to obtain a BSN is another story. Just like most facilities pay for our ACLS BLS PALS CPR certs. and other certification required by a particular arena of nursing, if the facility requires you to have a degree and you were hired prior to the requirement tuition assistance should be offered.

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