NY State may require nurses to obtain 4-year degrees

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

Published

But some worry that an already severe shortage will become worse.

New York is mulling over a requirement that would force all RNs to earn a bachelor's degree in order to keep their RN certification-a step that critics worry could serve as a body blow to a profession already facing a severe shortage.

Under the state Board of Nursing proposal, RNs with associate's degrees would have to earn bachelor's degrees within 10 years, or their RN certifications would be downgraded to that of licensed practical nurse. That would make nursing somewhat like teaching in New York state; certified K-12 teachers need master's degrees or must obtain one within three years of starting a job. It would also add years and thousands of dollars to the difficulty of becoming an RN...

Full Article: http://www.rochesterdandc.com/news/0413BA3TIOG_news.shtml

On-line bsn-msn etc. are great ideas but theyre not cheap..U of Phoenix is over 400 dollars a credit hour...and add to that pretty expensive textbooks...online or not you could easily be looking at 20,000 dollars to bsn from diploma rn...plus 15,000 a year for two more college tuitions..plus the 45,000 just spent on one done with college!!...my point is, at my age, 20,000 dollars just is too much money for a bsn degree...that's all ...i would love the learning...and i read every nursing journal i can get..and study things that come up at work online all the time...but at this point in my life to the end of my career...i cant see that money expenditure!!...

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
That is what on line programs were designed for. I wish that they were available when I went back to school 25 years ago. And nurses can push for on site BSN programs. They had that in the hospital I worked at in California. Nurses took classes in the hospital. The professors were from Cal State Long Beach.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, WA

That won't solve it either. Clinical experiences are still a problem---they are still tied w/community colleges not just universities......and space, always a problem.And not everyone can learn well in the online format. And many cannot afford this, either, as mentioned above; they are way too pricey for many.

Online education won't solve it, either, Linda.

Also, ADN is actually 4 yr. degree, 2 year prereqs, and 2 years nursing school. I know some of the general education isn't at as high a level as at 4-yr school, but still. Do you know anybody who can get a 2 year ADN degree in 2 years?

Specializes in Critical Care.
Also, ADN is actually 4 yr. degree, 2 year prereqs, and 2 years nursing school. I know some of the general education isn't at as high a level as at 4-yr school, but still. Do you know anybody who can get a 2 year ADN degree in 2 years?

If you go to school full-time and take the recommended number of credits per semester, it's a 2 year program. BUT, how many people do you know who have the luxury of doing it this way?

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I've been hearing this rumor since I first became an LPN in 1976, just like the rumor that all LPN's will be grandfathered in as RN's. I waited 26 years :rotfl: , got tired of waiting and went back to school ! :)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

The way my AD program was set up, it was simply impossible to do it w/the co-requisites in the so-called "two year degree" format.

IMPOSSIBLE.

They (the nursing department) rated your application w/points for entry based VERY much on how many pre-requisites you ALREADY HAD DONE----if you had none, you did not get in. Simple as that. There were so people many applying, that they let in NO ONE who did not have all their science courses (bio, A/P chem, etc) psychologies (soc, psych dev psych) and English Comp. They wanted you to "prove" yourself in these courses---it was rare to get in unless you earned an "A" in these classes, as well.

Now, seeing as all these added up to well over 25-30 credits (or more I can't remember any longer)--- WHO could do this in 2 years???? Most everyone in my class and the one ahead of me had done ALL the pre-requisite work, and some (like me) had already earned first-time associate degrees waiting to get in. Going BSN was not possible for many of us, due to the fact the nearest BSN program was 90 mi one way from home! You do what you have to I guess......if you can drive 180 mi a day for classes and clinicals, more power to ya.....I could not with a familiy to care for.

I always said, many AD programs, tweaked a bit, could/should be BSN ones. I still do believe this. But that won't happen, trust me, for most of them. Just too much logistical work.

And again, online education is not for many people----if you are a learner who needs a classroom setting, or you have distractions at home, like kids, obligations to deal with that won't go away when you are there----or you don't have a LOT of money to spend, it's not for you. NY may be shooting itself in the foot, if it indeed does see this all-BSN requirement through, unless it's done very carefully.

Specializes in LDRP.

OMG!

Do you know how long it has taken me to get a freakin' ADN? I started at 29-with 69 credit hours under my belt (had been working on a BA in psychology). Between waiting to get in (2-3 yr waits now for school), taking a zillion pre reqs, entance tests, etc, I am just now in my second semester of clinicals. Yeah, I'll be 35 when I graduate with an AA! How do ya like them potatos? And I TRIED to get into a BSN program-HAAAAAAAA! I am an A student w/ a 3.44 GPA and no one would take me. I have had to beg my way into nursing school. I just dont know what the h&*^ is going on with this profession...

And guess what, I am supposed to be moving to NY right after I grad so dh can get his masters at a school there. Will I be able to get a job???? I am not holding my breath. Thank God for God or nursing school would have driven me to drink! :rotfl:

i got my associate's degree in 2 years full time.

university of pennsylvania hospital will not hire any rn without a ba, bs or a bsn.

Did mine in 6 months so yes It can be done.

Also, ADN is actually 4 yr. degree, 2 year prereqs, and 2 years nursing school. I know some of the general education isn't at as high a level as at 4-yr school, but still. Do you know anybody who can get a 2 year ADN degree in 2 years?
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

university of pennsylvania hospital will not hire any rn without a ba, bs or a bsn.

That's interesting. As a traveler, I worked there in 2003, and I don't have a BSN/BS/BA. Several of the longterm traveler (2 years) also were not Bachelors degree holders. In addition, several of the regular staff, were diploma or ADNs. On a critical care level floor.

In fact, the hospital had a great deal of Canadian traveler nurses, that had neither a Bachelor's degree (grandfathered in prior to the newer Canadian nursing requirements) nor had they taken the NCLEX (not a requirement in PA at that time).

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You did an ADN IN 6MONTHS???? where?

You did an ADN IN 6MONTHS???? where?

Yeah, I'm curious too . . . .

steph

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