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

That's a real good idea to be fair to everyone.

Although I hate too how we argue over this and it's so volatile. I didn't realize how much we attack one another! I'm transfering to another department due to backstabbing, gossiping, rude, noncooperative and lazy coworkers. And I can't stand the superior to you egos people have. Maybe it's not even superior it's you have to be detailed and exact in nursing and people I feel who really do have low self esteem perk themselves up by bickering with other nurses maybe not even realizing they are doing it. It's not everyone but a lot it seems. I'm kindof going off track here! You have issues anywhere you go but most of our full time staff have transfered to other departments and all our new hires state after their first several weeks they don't like our floor. I work on a Respitory/Med surg floor. We occasionally get surgical pts (we have a main surgical floor elsewhere), lots of resp isolation, dementia pts and anything left over. That is a factor as well. We've had huge issues with our staff and people not cooperating with one another, not working together. We used to and I don't know what happened and then many of the main staff started leaving.

You can make the Rn go back to get a BSN but you will not stop the backstabbing, gossiping, rude, noncooperative and lazy coworkers with superior egos they are every where in every unit

You can make the Rn go back to get a BSN but you will not stop the backstabbing, gossiping, rude, noncooperative and lazy coworkers with superior egos they are every where in every unit

And every profession.

4 x 10 = 40 12 x 2 = 24

40 + 24 = 64.. Could this be your problem with chemistry..LOLLL :idea:

Just couldn't resist......................LOL

Well.... that's certainly a possibility and you may right on target.

I did have to take remedial algebra before chemistry because I never was very good at math in high school.

Nonetheless, I still couldn't add up all those hours you worked but it sure sounded brutal! LOL!

If this hasn't already been answered, maybe I can provide some info. This was a topic of discussion in my final (ADN) nursing course recently. Our instructor (MSN) confirmed what many of us had been told, that if this proposed law were to be implemented, it WOULD "grandfather in" those who are already RNs.

It is proposed for those entering ADN programs beginning in the Fall of 2008.

For what it's worth, since recent statistics show 32,797 applicants to BSN or graduate nursing programs being turned away in 2004 nationwide because of insufficient faculty, clinical space, etc, it hardly seems like a prudent action :rolleyes:

I'm not going to argue the merits of ADN vs BSN, but rather, what the heck this would do to the number of nurses eligible to practice in the US? Seems to me like a very poor judgment call at this time, anyway.

A degree means nothing; Experience is the only thing that counts. Anyone who thinks their degree makes them a better nurse scares me.

I work with a great bunch of nurses. There is no way to tell what degree they hold. Good nurses don't need a piece of paper to make them feel good.

Look at all of the nurses in management with all of the silly abreviations after their names. Many of them have attended class after class, but couldn't function at the bedside if their life depended on it.

I'm sure it is one of those nurses with all of the feel-good abreviations after their name at the Board of Nursing that is trying to make the BSN requirement in NY.

A degree means nothing; Experience is the only thing that counts. Anyone who thinks their degree makes them a better nurse scares me.

This is one reason I say that nursing is a "stupid" profession. That "nothing" degree means that you have taken the effort to interact with other learned people and hopefully increased the number of your functional brain cells. Then you go get the experience. Experience without "book learning" results in a trade school grad.

I'm sure it is one of those nurses with all of the feel-good abreviations after their name at the Board of Nursing that is trying to make the BSN requirement in NY.

No, they might just be trying to elevate our status since most other professions require the same, even when they are not responsible for keeping people alive.

I must be a really scary nurse to you...Randy Sexton, RN, MSN, MBA, Dipl. ABT(NCCAOM)...LOL!:lol2: :uhoh3:

What ever happened to bedside nursing ?? We do not need any more paper pushers. I think it should be up to the individual to get a BSN if they want to .

This is one reason I say that nursing is a "stupid" profession. That "nothing" degree means that you have taken the effort to interact with other learned people and hopefully increased the number of your functional brain cells. Then you go get the experience. Experience without "book learning" results in a trade school grad.

No, they might just be trying to elevate our status since most other professions require the same, even when they are not responsible for keeping people alive.

I must be a really scary nurse to you...Randy Sexton, RN, MSN, MBA, Dipl. ABT(NCCAOM)...LOL!:lol2: :uhoh3:

Nursing is not a "stupid" profession just b/c only an ADN is required. You can be a very good nurse even if you're an LPN and you can be a very bad nurse even if you have your PhD. Also, there's nothing wrong w/being a trade school grad. There are many intelligent people who have graduated from trade schools. I'm also wondering, what do you do when you find out one of your co-workers on your floor has only his/her ADN? Would you be comfortable working w/that person? I'm not trying to be wise, I'm honestly wondering. I'm working on my BSN right now and I really don't feel that differently towards my co-workers who have decided to stay w/their ADNs.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Nursing is not a "stupid" profession just b/c only an ADN is required. You can be a very good nurse even if you're an LPN and you can be a very bad nurse even if you have your PhD. Also, there's nothing wrong w/being a trade school grad. There are many intelligent people who have graduated from trade schools. I'm also wondering, what do you do when you find out one of your co-workers on your floor has only his/her ADN? Would you be comfortable working w/that person? I'm not trying to be wise, I'm honestly wondering. I'm working on my BSN right now and I really don't feel that differently towards my co-workers who have decided to stay w/their ADNs.

My experience is that this debate rarely translates into reality. In reality, I couldn't tell you whether most of my RN co-workers were ADN or BSN - unless they tell me or made an effort to put it on their badges, I would have no way of knowing.

This is a theoretical debate that happens more here in a BB format because it's easier to make assumptions in theory than in practice. It's easier to make generalizations than it is to apply it to specific situations.

Never fear - BSN-entry is but a pipe dream. Nursing already has a minimum entry: ADN. BSNs just exceed that standard. Congrats to you all. IF NY actually goes through with this, something I doubt, in a few years, they will follow ND's example and repeal such folly.

~faith,

Timothy.

Nursing is not a "stupid" profession just b/c only an ADN is required. You can be a very good nurse even if you're an LPN and you can be a very bad nurse even if you have your PhD. Also, there's nothing wrong w/being a trade school grad. There are many intelligent people who have graduated from trade schools. I'm also wondering, what do you do when you find out one of your co-workers on your floor has only his/her ADN? Would you be comfortable working w/that person? I'm not trying to be wise, I'm honestly wondering. I'm working on my BSN right now and I really don't feel that differently towards my co-workers who have decided to stay w/their ADNs.

I'm comfortably working with any level. That's not the point. The point is that we "fight" to have the lowest entry level in spite of the fact that we often are the last line of defense between life and death. For that you should have even more education than the person who teaches your kids yet who does not have to make life or death decisions. We also do not realize the value of booklearning. When you finish your BSN you should, if you stay awake in class, have more knowledge to translate into better care at the bedside.

Almost every course you take should increase your knowledge level and have some bearing on nursing. For example, in ocean kayaking class I learned I had better be prepared; that if it was outside my kayak why worry about it; sometimes I had to work hard and fast, other times I could just cruise; I needed to conserve my energy if I wanted to finished; sometimes you have to relax to survive; and sometimes you just have to take a leak no matter where you are, LOL! Get my point?

I'm comfortably working with any level. That's not the point. The point is that we "fight" to have the lowest entry level in spite of the fact that we often are the last line of defense between life and death. For that you should have even more education than the person who teaches your kids yet who does not have to make life or death decisions. We also do not realize the value of booklearning. When you finish your BSN you should, if you stay awake in class, have more knowledge to translate into better care at the bedside.

Almost every course you take should increase your knowledge level and have some bearing on nursing. For example, in ocean kayaking class I learned I had better be prepared; that if it was outside my kayak why worry about it; sometimes I had to work hard and fast, other times I could just cruise; I needed to conserve my energy if I wanted to finished; sometimes you have to relax to survive; and sometimes you just have to take a leak no matter where you are, LOL! Get my point?

I guess I can see your point re. classes that seem to have nothing to do w/nursing. A class I took about fish made me suspect a patient's problem might be parasitic in nature and the stool for O&P I sent to the lab turned out to be positive! Kind of a gross example, but you get my point! I hate to admit it, I do fall asleep in class, though!

I understand that MI, CT, NJ, and PA have proposals to follow the NY initiative to require RNs to get a BSN within 10 years after initial licensure. I have not found any information about it online so have been unable to verify. Anyone have information about other proposals?

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