Should BSNs be paid more?

Nurses General Nursing

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I know ADNs and BSNs both sit for the same NCLEX exam, both have approximately four years of education, and at best have negligible differences (over time) in their nursing skills. BSNs take courses than broaden their overall knowledge; however, ADNs have more clinical experience prior to entering the workforce. Should there be a differential for BSNs, or should the reward for obtaining a BSN lie in the ability to advance one's career?

I'm not trying to start an ADN vs BSN bashing, I'm just curious to see what you all think.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Do any hospitals pay someone with an ADN and a BA in something else a higher rate??? Just wondering. It's like having a BSN+. I'm about to start an ADN program now because I'm older and can't stay out of the workforce for very long (and no accelerated BSNs that work for me nearby). Anyway, I HOPE this whole discussion will become moot within a decade as everyone moves to BSN.

No t where I work. It says "BSN". This is for staff nurses jobs.

Other jobs like educators, managers, etc that require BSNs don't get a diff. for BSN as that's the standard, but might perhaps for a masters, but I can't say for sure if other degrees count in those jobs.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
............. these classes are filled with much inane fluff.

if someone is willing to work prn agressivley, they can make 100k in nursing. and it's not incredibly hard work.....

........what would you rather have working when someone codes.... a bsn or someone who had acls certification?

Such statements disappoint me as much as someone saying "ADN education is just technical nursing and they teach no critical thinking skills". BSN is not inane fluff, in my opinion. But I respect yours. That's all I'll say about that.

Nursing is not incredibly hard work????? After the day I just had, I'd beg to differ with that presumption. :rotfl:

(P.S. Someone without ACLS certification, BSN or ADN should not be running a code situation. So you're question is moot to me. Nurses, presumably have been told by the institution what to do if their patient codes if they don't have ACLS. )

Back to the original topic. :p

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But of course they should!!!! They, the BSN nurses, label their IV tubing in such a fashionable manner. Give me a break with this nonsense!!!

HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF they ahve even had the experience of working with IV tubing while in school!

Pardon my rant, but it just bugs me so to see some of these nursing students who have so little hands-on experience.

We had a clinical nurse intern the other day who happened to spend a day in our nursery! First, she was grossed out by a wet diaper and then the RN doing nursery that day asked her to take a rectal temp. She didn't know how to do that! This is a soon-to-be SENIOR BSN student!

Do you guys get my point?

I,too, agre with paying more for experience and advanced certifications. I have a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Does that make me different from a BSN grad? I also have my NRP (required for my position), RNC, and my IBCLC. Those certifications qualify me far more than a BSN with none of those.

I do like the concept that the college degree would change the image of nursing in the public eye. That's a point I had not thought of.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

BETSRN, you're so judgemental of students. Perhaps this student did in theory know how to take a rectal temp. But it's a baby, and perhaps was nervous and needed a little support. When you're not used to poop, as I wasn't in school, it's an "eeeeww" process to get used to it.

Why not take this student under your wing and take her from patient to patient, nurse to nurse and have her do things and offer her the experience?

One thing you will never here me say to a new grad "Didn't they teach you that in nursing school"?

But, as Deb says it varies the amount of hands on a person gets from program to program. I'm all for hands on, but also students need support. I wouldn't expect a Senior student to not need guidance in things and who am I to judge what guidance they need. I should offer it and give it.

Would you have been so harsh had this person been an ADN student about to graduate??

You're certifications are awesome and I think you should get differentials for them. Why not? I'm totally against diff's for BSN education only.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

I just don't know why both ADN and BSN programs couldn't be completely revampted to more accurately reflect what we nurses need to know. Seems like they both fall short in certain areas, but why should they have to fall short?

Change all of them, call it whatever you want, and make THAT the entry point.

Sorry I strayed a bit OT. Carry on.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Truly, I do think we ought be paid commensurate our education AND background/experience. I think there OUGHT be an incentive, of sorts, to advance one's education. WHY THE HECK NOT? What is so wrong with paying people with more education better? Why is nursing so "hung up" here???? If someone chooses to gain a baccalaureate degree or higher, well then, PAY THEM FOR IT. Maybe more of us will advance our education and improve the overall educational status of our profession. Why should it be so different than making cert. differentials?

I say the time for education differentials is long overdue. Pay people well for their education and experience, and overall, you will have a MUCH stronger, better and competitive nursing workforce! It only makes sense.

Agree. Well said. :)

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Specializes in ICU.

Equal pay for equal work.

Otherwise I could say I deserve more pay because I got a Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science before going to school to become a nurse. I have an AA, a BS, a minor in Chemistry, and am finishing my ADN.

We all pass the same NCLEX. We all do the required clinical hours.

Equal pay for equal work.

P.S. All nurses deserve more pay!!!

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Many of your bigger police depts. strongly prefer a four year degree, preferably in criminal justice. This is especially the case for the State Police.

Hi Roland..........I have a neice and nephew who are Atlanta Police Officers.

The neice has a bachelors degree in criminal justice, the nephew does not. He is prior Navy, and no he was not a military police when active duty. My neice chose to get a degree in criminal justice because her goal is to work for the FBI.:)

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I think BSN's should get paid more than ADNs. Even though ADNs and BSNs do the same things as far as bedside nursing goes....BSNs have a higher education than ADNs and should be rewarded for that.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Equal pay for equal work.

Otherwise I could say I deserve more pay because I got a Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science before going to school to become a nurse. I have an AA, a BS, a minor in Chemistry, and am finishing my ADN.

We all pass the same NCLEX. We all do the required clinical hours.

Equal pay for equal work.

P.S. All nurses deserve more pay!!!

I understand your point.

Equal pay for equal work. Then you get into the arguement that Fergus brought up. If a staff nurse starts the same job as a staff nurse with 20 years experience, who should make more money if they both passed NCLEX and are in the same position?

As one who supports differential for BSN and other certifications. I support keeping the differntial in nursing, rather than other degrees and certs. You have to draw the line somewhere.

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Thanks Tweety. I mean honestly, do you think the nurse with 20 years experience takes a blood pressure better than me? No. But we reward her financially for her experience. No one can answer me: why should education not be treated the same?

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Originally Posted by fergus51

I don't know why people have a problem with a BSN differential or a differential for certifications. Yes, we all do the same job but, I am doing the same job as a nurse with 20 years experience yet she does get paid more because of her experience. I don't see why education should be treated differently.

You might have the "same" job as a more experienced RN, and have the same patients, but I promise you, you are not doing the same job that a nurse with 20 years' experience is doing her job-20 years experience makes a huge difference in the skill level and the way that the job is done. That nurse is able to process information, "read" the patient, communicate with the physicians, and facilitate care on a completely different level than a newer nurse. I work with critical care nurses with 10-25 years' experience, and they can read a patient like a street sign, they understand the disease process on a higher level due to the experience, and the docs trust them if they say "something's just not right here because (fill in the blank)"-they do not do the "same" job that I do-think about it-that's why that nurse would be paid more (ADN or BSN)

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