Across Ohio, and the nation, the drive is on to require a BSN to secure...or continue...employment in acute and critical care settings. While the research data shows improved outcomes in these settings with a high level of BSN staffing, there are problems with this push. Some systems are giving experienced ADN's as few as two years to secure their BSN, yet these healthcare systems are failing to meet the commitment expected of these ADN's with a commitment to these experienced ADN's in securing their BSN. Tuition reimbursement plans consistently fail to meet the cost currently incurred in returning to school.
I saw the hand-writing on the wall, and secured my BSN before it became mandated. But my employers tuition reimbursement plan at work covered, at best, half the cost of one semester. This lack financial commitment to the educational advancement of experienced ADN's leaves these nurses angry and upset..feeling hospital administration are trying to get something for nothing, perhaps in order to let attrition thin the ranks of ADN's in acute and critical care settings. This attrition will, in turn, allow healthcare systems to hire in new grad BSN's at a lower starting salary than the experienced ADN's they will be replacing.
Until nurses stop being doormats, start acting like the professionals we are, and demanding the respect and benefits that derive from that professional status...nothing will change.
IF there was a convenient way to complete a BSN that took into consideration full time employment, that to keep a roof, food and bills you could still pay for it "out of pocket" and lets face it, for a number of us--myself included, my parents couldn't AFFORD to send me to college. So I needed to go to work. When I could afford to, I went on in my career. That I was absolutely 200% happy in. That they were happy to have me, I was well regarded, good at what I did, took pride in what I did. Then in the course of one month, this "BSN in 10" rumor began--and now is a requirement. To do the same job that I, and many like me have been doing for years.
I am older, do NOT want to take on any more debt, and I am sure I am not the only one. To do the same thing that last month, I was doing just fine at.
But there ARE programs that you could pay for out of pocket. I just did WGU while working full time, and although my experience was not typical I paid about $1100 after the tax credit. If you need to take two semesters, straddle semesters so you could take tax credits both year and it would be around $2200. ULL is about $8500 for a BSN and takes about a year.. I've seen at least two more that are 'affordable'.
Yes, there are lots of papers in all of these RN to BSN programs, but it was kind of fun to go back to school, believe it or not. And now I do have a BSN should I ever need one.
I'm glad to know there are schools like WGU that are somewhat affordable! But I agree with Jadelpn, if I was forced to get my BSN to stay at the hospital, I would choose an RN-MSN and go for an NP instead. At least then I would get a better job out of it and better working conditions with less stress on my body! It isn't worth it to me to get a BSN just to stay a floor nurse! Frankly most of the BSN RN's that work at the hospital are going back to school very quickly to get away from the hospital working conditions! Others are planning on travel nursing to see the country, staying at the hospital is not on their list! My hospital has become a paid residency for all the nurses going for NP! There is a small core of staff that have no plans to leave, but we are a minority!
I applaud the VA that actually provides meaningful tuition reimbursement and actually will pay for an RN-BSN for its employees, not just a token amount with all sorts of strings and traps attached, like if you have a written warning no tuition reimbursement a year to the day, then lots of petty write ups over being late with the many educational items required on a monthly basis!
I think it is ridiculous and insulting to demand current experienced RN's be forced to get a BSN just to keep the same job at the same pay. It certainly may happen and I've heard it's already happened in some places. This is not the same thing as forcing LPN's out because we pass the same boards, both ADN & BSN pass the same boards and we are both already RN's!
But let's not pretend these demands are anything more than a way to get rid of senior nurses so they can hire more new grads at the bottom of the pay scale with lots of student loans to pay off. They are simply cheaper and considered to be more pliable and agreeable to demands to do more with less! But even the new grads realize they must get their NP if they want good working conditions and want to save their back and body from floor nursing! In the meantime, hospitals that get rid of their senior experienced staff are endangering their patients as all the new nurses are learning on the job without experienced nurses available to teach them all that the books didn't!
I just did my BSN at WGU for about $3600 - and then I was able to get a large tax credit to offset most of that. There are quite a few sub 10K programs (ULL is another) out there so you definitely don't have to spend $30K for an accredited RN to BSN program. I paid for my degree myself. I didn't NEED it, but it's nice to have just in case I do. =)
Wow,that is a steal! Did you have most of the pre reqs?
I think i might have to go live in the hood while i get the Bsn.
If a professional organization is forcing someone to gain an education to meet THEIR needs as an organization, then YES they should accommodate their staff in attaining such credentials. Sure, I agree that it is the responsibility of an individual to take initiative in higher learning, but that's only if someone wants to and when they are ready to do so, not because an employer feels its time or to fill some quota they have. Everyone doesn't want a BSN or MSN or PhD, some are happy with ADN/LPN and just want to be happy doing patient care. If a company offers tuition reimbursement, then yes an employee has a right to look forward to that assistance especially if they are being forced to go back to school to satisfy the employers wishes. Slowly but surely they are taking away the right to choose..................!!!
Wow,that is a steal! Did you have most of the pre reqs?
I think i might have to go live in the hood while i get the Bsn.
No, that price included most prereqs - I had to retake quite a few. It's $3250/semester, the tax credit per year is up to $2500 depending on income.
That said, I don't think forcing veteran RN's who are already in a job to go back to get a BSN is really necessary. I did mine because it was convenient and because it is becoming a requirement out here. Should I need a NEW job, I think it may come in handy. Certainly can't hurt!
I have no desire to be a NP, and here in NYS there really are no options for 'cheap' NP programs, online or not.
I know the title says "Adn" but what are the requirements for Lpn's?
Do they have to get a Bsn too,or could they remain Lpn's?
I know it sounds strange,but if I decide not to go the Bsn route and its the 10 yr mark,I wondered if i could "fall back" on my old Lpn license?
Ah, nope. As a LPN multi year with the ability to work within my scope at bedside nursing, one needs to go LPN-BSN, which is a great deal of general ed courses. WELL over 10 grand. And with my 25 more cents an hour, I can't see taking on that kind of debt nearing my 50's.
And as someone who assists 2 kids with their higher education (a parent loan I was also not prepared to take on) there is a cap on how much one can write off on their taxes. Plus, tuition re-imbursement is just that--YOU pay up front, the facility decides what it is that they will re-imburse. To a cap, and not everything they will pay you back for.
If you live in a remote area, and don't have any schools within a do-able radius, there's a cost for travel. You can't do a number of general education classes online (ie: A&P). Some require that you come to the campus. There has been some fellow LPN's who took a tremendous amount of time and money to do general ed to figure out that then the credits do not transfer. Even more who "tested out" of courses to then find out it was useless for a BSN.
There are more and more schools that are "pushing" the BSN/MSN route to go from an ADN to NP. Out of the 10 or so nurses on the unit, 7 of them are in pursuit of an NP. 2 have gotten there and waiting for boards.
And just a vent in general--if a facility has a nurse educator, would it not make sense to see where people are at in their education, and offer some courses that would help?
If everyone who says they're going for NP actually did that, they will be way too many people able to go through an easier program and these schools are sooo anxious to take your tuition.
Ah, nope. As a LPN multi year with the ability to work within my scope at bedside nursing, one needs to go LPN-BSN, which is a great deal of general ed courses. WELL over 10 grand. And with my 25 more cents an hour, I can't see taking on that kind of debt nearing my 50's.
And as someone who assists 2 kids with their higher education (a parent loan I was also not prepared to take on) there is a cap on how much one can write off on their taxes. Plus, tuition re-imbursement is just that--YOU pay up front, the facility decides what it is that they will re-imburse. To a cap, and not everything they will pay you back for.
If you live in a remote area, and don't have any schools within a do-able radius, there's a cost for travel. You can't do a number of general education classes online (ie: A&P). Some require that you come to the campus. There has been some fellow LPN's who took a tremendous amount of time and money to do general ed to figure out that then the credits do not transfer. Even more who "tested out" of courses to then find out it was useless for a BSN.
There are more and more schools that are "pushing" the BSN/MSN route to go from an ADN to NP. Out of the 10 or so nurses on the unit, 7 of them are in pursuit of an NP. 2 have gotten there and waiting for boards.
And just a vent in general--if a facility has a nurse educator, would it not make sense to see where people are at in their education, and offer some courses that would help?
So the bsn in 10 only includes Rn's?
I am an Rn who was an lpn long ago.
I was thinking,if i do not get the Bsn,could i then use my old lpn license?
featherzRN, MSN
1,012 Posts
But there ARE programs that you could pay for out of pocket. I just did WGU while working full time, and although my experience was not typical I paid about $1100 after the tax credit. If you need to take two semesters, straddle semesters so you could take tax credits both year and it would be around $2200. ULL is about $8500 for a BSN and takes about a year.. I've seen at least two more that are 'affordable'.
Yes, there are lots of papers in all of these RN to BSN programs, but it was kind of fun to go back to school, believe it or not. And now I do have a BSN should I ever need one.