I am a new RN, graduated from one of the toughest nursing programs in the country.
I was lucky enough to land a job in this economy, even better in the department that I love the most!
Life is great, seriously..What could go wrong?!
Its another day in nursing orientation, a handful of us new nurses listening to lectures, performing skills, participating in work shops. FUN!
One day, for the head to toe assessment, a nursing instructor from a private school sits in with her clinical group to listen to the head to toe lecture.
She starts off by saying..
Congratulations you all have jobs!!!
Its because you all have your bachelors... be sure to tell that to all your friends who have their associates.
I was the only one in the group with an associates in nursing.
So I said, I have an associates, and last I checked I have a job.
I SOOOOOOOOO wanted to go on.
I wanted to ask her, with a genuinely dumb look on my face..
The nurses with their bachelors, do they take a different board exam from those associate nurses?
Wait for a response, then come back with EXACTLYYYYY!
I felt about 2 inches tall, but whatever. The school I went to had 1500 applicants, and I was the lucky person to be included in the 150 to get accepted ...of those 150, i was the lucky 70 to graduate on time (we had 90 something at pinning but we had about a dozen of LPNs and the rest were students who had to repeat a course)
Needless to say, I felt small. Was unable to concentrate, but I reminded myself of the little things..and began to feel better.
No student loans to pay back!! So my first paycheck, Im going to blow it and go shopping!!!
I am only making a whopping...drum roll please...50 cents less per hour than those with a higher degree.
I saved a ton of money by taking the NCLEX once and passing it on the first try, with 75 questions baby!
I am going back for my bachelors, my masters even (i would love to have that clinical instructor work for me one day) this time the place I work for is going to reimburse me for my tuition.
This post is not an invitation to flame and debate some more on why one is "better" than the other
This was an opportunity to share my experience, hopefully lift the spirits of someone who had a similar story.
Pitt's is 2 regular semesters and a summer. I didn't think I could do well, with it that accelerated, lol. Plus some of my prereqs are over 8 years old and would have to be repeated.
e=DonaldJ;4687649The average is one year of pre-req's.
Here in Wisconsin none of the public technical colleges have any college class pre-req's. You need HS graduation or GED, CPR, CNA, background check, and high school chem. The very idea that a 2 year ADN program would have pre-req's that you MUST complete before being allowed to start the two year nursing program means a lot of nursing students are being taken advantage of by their schools. first let me clear up all the confusion. I was a CNA, Then LPN, then San and now I have my bsn. From lpn to asn is a breeze! From Asn to bsn is very hard!! Matter of fact a lpn can run circles around an asn. They have much more on hands training than asn. This is a fact. I should know. I've been it all:nurse:
Was just browsing VA jobs and read that in some states, the VA considers an ADN prepared nurse with a bachelor's degree in a related field and no nursing experience to be equal to a BSN prepared new grad in terms of the applicants education and experience requirements.
At the community college I completed prerequisites at, if you completed biology, chemistry, and algebra in high school (and had graduated no more than 10 years ago), you could apply directly to the nursing program, taking anatomy/physiology, micro, psychology, etc as co-requisites and completing the program in 2 years. If you didn't have those classes in high school, you had to take biology, chemistry and algebra before applying to the program (all of which could be taken at the same time), but since admissions was once a year, that would tack on a full year to your time in school. The anatomy/physiology, micro etc could still be taken as co-requisites but you were encouraged to take them while waiting. I'd be surprised if this community college is unique in considering those classes co-requisites rather than prerequisites.
I've also seen accelerated diploma and ADN programs, where you complete a year of prerequisites and then a year of nursing school, to finish in 2 years.
The school I completed my Accelerated BSN program at has a traditional BSN option that is a 5 year program.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
At the community college I completed prerequisites at, if you completed biology, chemistry, and algebra in high school (and had graduated no more than 10 years ago), you could apply directly to the nursing program, taking anatomy/physiology, micro, psychology, etc as co-requisites and completing the program in 2 years. If you didn't have those classes in high school, you had to take biology, chemistry and algebra before applying to the program (all of which could be taken at the same time), but since admissions was once a year, that would tack on a full year to your time in school. The anatomy/physiology, micro etc could still be taken as co-requisites but you were encouraged to take them while waiting. I'd be surprised if this community college is unique in considering those classes co-requisites rather than prerequisites.
*** You are right, it's not unique. Here in Wisconsin all 16 of the Technical college ADN programs are designed to be finished in two years. All you need is high school chem. if you didn't take it in high school you can take a 2 credit online chem instead. Most all the schools have a waiting list from one semester to 5 years. However many high school students get on the waiting list while still in high school and are able to enter nursing school as soon as they graduate and be finished in two years. Plenty of 19 & 20 year old RNs graduating that way, though there are many, many older people as well and many people take longer than the two years. Either because they had to wait on the list or for their own reasons. There is no biology or algebra requirement at all, though you do have to pass the schools math test.
A&P 1 & II and micro and the 2 credit online chem are all the sciences you need.
It's always gonna be a debate. Nurse leaders want to make BSN the standard minimum entry level for nurses, but in reality, at least in my area, a lot of ADN's are getting all the nursing jobs because it seems as though hospitals can pay them less than those with BSN's. And here I thought having a BSN would make me more marketable! I regret spending thousands of dollars for a BSN that seems like it worth less than the paper it's printed on. Sorry if I sound bitter, but the truth is--I can't help it.
Nursing needs to get it together!!! Making the BSN the minimum entry level degree in nursing has been a hot topic since.......wait for it.......1980!!! We are now 31 years later and still talking about it.
Personally, I have seen GREAT clinicians who have ADNs and great clinicians who have BSNs. I am not aware of many places around where I live paying an ADN less than a BSN. *That is, unless you climb the ladder, which is easier if you have a BSN.
PS......WE ALL (still) TAKE THE SAME EXAM FOR OUR LICENSE!!!
i would like for them to mandate entry level bsn for rn's for the sole reason of it will correct supply and demand more in our favor, way too many nurses and schools out there and the pool is just going to get more diluted. less nurses = more $.
In my area, ADN's are getting paid 50cents to $1 less than BSN. A lot of the hospitals I did my clinical rotations employ a lot of ADNs, and it's not because these nurses school's have ties with the hospital. My ADN friend who just got into a new grad program in a cohort of 15 new grad RN's, aid only 1 BSN nurse was hired and that they were offering her $1 more. I'm not sure why this is happening. I really thought that hospitals who are trying to go towards Magnet status would invest in BSN new grads over ADNs. That's the whole reason why I gave up my spot in an affordable community college ADN program to take up THOUSANDS of dollars in loans for my BSN. As I read my post, it seems as though I'm coming off as extremely bitter, but like I said, I can't help it! I've worked so hard for my BSN and it's not helping me land a job at all...makes me regret not going through an ADN program instead!!!
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
In my area, ADN's are getting paid 50cents to $1 less than BSN. A lot of the hospitals I did my clinical rotations employ a lot of ADNs, and it's not because these nurses school's have ties with the hospital. My ADN friend who just got into a new grad program in a cohort of 15 new grad RN's, aid only 1 BSN nurse was hired and that they were offering her $1 more. I'm not sure why this is happening. I really thought that hospitals who are trying to go towards Magnet status would invest in BSN new grads over ADNs. That's the whole reason why I gave up my spot in an affordable community college ADN program to take up THOUSANDS of dollars in loans for my BSN. As I read my post, it seems as though I'm coming off as extremely bitter, but like I said, I can't help it! I've worked so hard for my BSN and it's not helping me land a job at all...makes me regret not going through an ADN program instead!!!
*** As I have mentioned before my hospital's 7 month ICU nurse residency doesn't hire new grad BSNs. ADNs only. We are a Magnet (whoop-T-do:( hospital. I don't understand why you would think that a hospital working toward Magnet status would want to hire BSN grads? There is nothing in the Magnet that requires this. I am not aware of any hospital here in Wisconsin that pays BSN grads any more money than ADN grads. I also know the VA in Minneapolis also does not pay BSN nurses more than ADN nurse just cause of their degree.
Our newly hired SICU nurse manager doesn't even have a BSN or MSN.
On a slightly off topic area, among many nurses I know, particularly ICU nurses, Magnet certification has come to mean it is probably not one of the best places to work. All other things being equeal I would choose a non Magnet hospital over a Magnet hospital.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
i would like for them to mandate entry level bsn for rn's for the sole reason of it will correct supply and demand more in our favor, way too many nurses and schools out there and the pool is just going to get more diluted. less nurses = more $.
*** The best, and only logical argument I have ever seen for BSN only as entry.
As far as I am concerned we should forget about ADN and BSN entry and make the direct entry masters the sole entry point for RNs. Make nurses study something useful or interesting to them first in under grad (imagine nurse managers with actual training in managment!) then do a two year direct entry masters.
I don't think current RN wages would make such a path attactive but it would drive wages up for the same reason you mention above.
Streamline2010
535 Posts
Pitt's is 2 regular semesters and a summer. I didn't think I could do well, with it that accelerated, lol. Plus some of my prereqs are over 8 years old and would have to be repeated.
Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN | Academics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing