SICK of BSN Pedestal

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2013

Welcome to the club......this is a heavily debated subject here..... images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSdjXbIZr1Dgxbp4xJ3mBomcPjg1JI4mnQuKYh24lV8bHymuT2 .

Universities will not stop the pre-reqs due to money. BSN is advocated for job security by the nurse themselves. Magnet was developed by nurses to prove their own theory...although, technically, Magnet pushes education is doesn't actually require BSN only. The point is to push the BSN only apply so they don't have to pay for your tuition reimbursement for furthering your degree...for Magnet. If you come with it they won't have to pay for it.

The whole nursing shortage was propagated by the facilities/big business to glut the market so nurse no longer was in demand and had bargaining power.....and it worked.

This has brought out some less than desirable nursing programs that are less than stellar in their curriculum and reputations but are high on the price tag and offer almost automatic acceptance to programs that cost $50,000 and up. These schools have ruined the reputation of the 2 year school. I know of many ADN programs, and their exact curriculum, that have become Accelerated BSN programs so the college can charge twice and much.

Free enterprise at it's best.....

cabogirl · Jan 9, 2013

Wow... Bitter much?? I'm sorry - but I'm tired of people trying to dumb down the BSN. How can more education be a bad thing?? Do I think having a BSN makes me a better nurse than an ADN? NO! I was trained by an AMAZING ADN preceptor & work alongside many fantastic ADN nurses. But am I proud of earning my bachelor degree? HELL YES! It makes me angry that this is always such a hot topic for debate. Why judge someone for continuing their own education? And for the record - it was not just "an extra PE class" that earned me that degree! That's just an ignorant statement to make & it's offensive. I have yet to hear a BSN nurse make derogatory comments toward ADN nurses...because quite honestly, I don't believe that most BSN nurses consider it an issue, but damned if I don't constantly see a new thread on AN nearly every week bashing nurses who went for their BSN. It's all so petty and not conducive to the work environment at all! Sorry to come across harsh - it's just frustrating to be made to feel like I need to constantly defend my hard earned degree. I am proud of it, just as an ADN should be proud of theirs.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2013

Just for the record, I got my ASN and then BSN. I went to a private school for my ASN and a state sponsored university for my BSN. The ASN was many times more expensive than the BSN....and I didn't even have to take a gym class.

elkpark · Jan 9, 2013

Ahhhh -- I wondered what a "pedistool" was this morning when I first saw the thread ...

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2013

Ahhhh -- I wondered what a "pedistool" was this morning when I first saw the thread ...

That is another term for infant :poop:. Although standing on it does not sound like a good idea.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2013

I have a BSN and my program had no prereqs- I entered college directly out of high school. I also never once took a gym class in college and took several psych classes (adolescent and child which are completely relevant to me as a pediatric nurse). I also took several years of Spanish and use it regularly working in a major city with a large Hispanic population. Never took a baking class either nor have I ever heard of one offered at a university.

Kaci82 · Jan 10, 2013

Get off the Pedestal with the whole BSN vs ADN thing. A fact this is overlooked is that ADN does the same job as BSN and passes the NCLEX. Everyone then cried ADN is uneducated blah blah. WHY dont we look at the 4 year universities instead? Why doesnt the BSN itself advance? Because taking an extra gym glass doesnt deserve it. Look at all the worthless pre reqs that you BSN's are taking over the ADN. It isnt making you a better nurse its all about the money the school systems are a business. We need to change the education system. SWAP out that spanish you are going to forget the second after the test and take some critical thinking. Be gone with that Open elective to take baking class and replace it with PSYCH. The problem is the ADN is a efficient degree with time/pre-reqs and the BSN is created to give the "big man" money. Sorry if you wasted 100k in debt.
why are hospitals going magnet? because the universities are lobbiest to the hospitals. Universites need there money and they dont like ADNs getting the jobs BSNs are getting for a fraction of the cost. Universities have paid, persuaded, and convinced hospitals to go magnet and it is not because 4 year nurses are better.
IF universities ever decide to stop the worthless pre reqs and uni requirements then maybe one day a BSN nurse would have a true advantage.

Nursing is the only profession where advancing your education is seen as a bad thing. It is so embarrasing for the profession. How are we going to gain respect with this mindset? Also, I'm not sure where you live, but taking Spanish courses is a good thing. I use it almost everyday in Chicago.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 10, 2013

Hmm - so are you going to ignore the increasing amount of research that links > BSN% staff with better patient outcomes? (American Association of Colleges of Nursing | Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce) I realize that this is an emotional issue for some, but critical thinking should not stop at the bedside.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2013

I think the OP is trolling the forum.

That being said, I think BSNs have more academic knowledge about critical thinking and a better grasp of the holistic theory of nursing, which can benefit certain patients and populations, sure. I work in case management where my 2 additional years of liberal arts pre-reqs come into use EVERY day.

Do I think BSNs are "better" nurses in general, across the board? No! Heck no. Part of the trouble in this culture is, we are always taught to see things on a competitive gradient. Who's "better?" Who's "worse?" Who's "above" or "below." Honestly: after years of CNA work and now 6 years as an RN I really believe the field is more level than we want to believe. I know CNAs who kick BSNs butts, and LPNs that are better at managing time and people than the MSN DONs, and BSNs who know nothing, ADNs who don't either! It's the PATIENTS that are on a gradient. Not us.

United we stand, divided we fall. We all need to stop childishly ranking, grading and judging each other as nurses. If you're an LPN, BSN or ADN - WHO CARES? Just do the best darn job you can, and if you want more letters after your name because it earns you more money, well by all means, go get 'em. Crying about it here isn't adding to your transcript or credentials.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2013

AND....I work in L.A. where Spanish is REQUIRED or PREFERRED for almost ALL nursing jobs!

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Jan 10, 2013

The reality is that BSN have better career opportunities, so you can either accept that or accept non-advancement in your career. If you want a career that is good and well paid, you would want that profession to have higher educational requirements.

I do agree that the general electives (language, world history, arts) are not worth the money. Most of them are simply useless but cost $3-4k each. They don't necessarily improve your critical thinking, and employers know this. So many BS grads completely lack writing and critical thinking skills. At the end of the day, those skills depend heavily on the person and not how many elective courses he/she takes. At best, those courses give students a very shallow survey of that topic.

I imagine that the core BSN courses (e.g. advanced health promotion & assessment or evidence based practice) are useful. They might not be entirely useful at first, but will be applicable further in your career.