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.
I want to point out that hospitals are not the only place that you can work. Also, there is considerable evidence that supports the fact that BSN nurses have better patient outcomes as a whole. Idk why but it is true.
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.
Oh,i thought that price was for the whole program,not per semester?
My question exactly!!! I was just told by a RN to BSN program that I must be a working RN to complete it! Well, if no one is hiring ADN's then we're SOL??? Not fair!!!
My question exactly!!! I was just told by a RN to BSN program that I must be a working RN to complete it! Well, if no one is hiring ADN's then we're SOL??? Not fair!!!
That depends on the type of RN to BSN program right? One local hospital offers a bridge program through a university (which I hear various things about) that is supposed to.take 1 class per week, witn no addition core educational classes (no additional sciences LOL) and you finish in one year. Not sure how that supports higher-level nursing...but I haven't take that route either.
Other State university program offers RN to BSN bridge with traditional BSN 300+ core classes (O-Chem etc) plus NUR 300+ Classes in traditional/hybrid settings.
Honestly, the ADN graduates are doing better than the BSN graduates in terms of thinking critically and managing the patients in my ICU. I am lucky that my hospital is not aiming for magnet status yet. I also will save an arm and a leg by doing a community college instead of going to an expensive university and then going through Ohio University. One BSN graduate was pushing to go to nights and I am cringing at the thought of working with her.
One thing is that people are not truly comparing the curriculum of a BSN and an ADN. There is very little difference in my area besides the fluff. In all honesty, I wish we were more like other countries that did not make people take the BS GECs to get the equivalent of a BSN. But then people would be out of a job if we streamlined our college education system to limit wasting students' time. I took Dance History because I didn't want to dance, sing, play an instrument, or create an artwork. It was a useless class and it wasted my time. Sure it was interesting, but maybe that cost of the class could have been better spent taking a science-based class like genetics or another chemistry. I'm pretty sure my patients in the ICU won't care that I took a class about dancing. If I want to do something artsy, I'll do it on my own time like learning to play a violin.
If I had gone through a university, I would have had the same amount of nursing education and only more fluff GECs. In fact, doing an RN to BSN program enables me to receive more nursing education than someone who did a traditional BSN. Does this mean that I will be a better nurse because of it? I really wonder if someone has taken the time to separate out the RN to BSNs from traditional BSNs when comparing the benefit of practice.
However, the more seasoned nurses talk about the diploma programs and how they truly prepared nurses to think and act like nurses. I do wish that there was a diploma program still around in my area because I may have gone through it.
I did my program in one semester, so for me that was the whole program. :)
Wow!! My RN-BSN program required Stats, Medical Ethics, and Professional Writing (I don't remember about Stats, but the other two were 300 level) as prereq's, plus a bunch of general eds. Some of my generals were satisfied by the music degree I started working on before I decided to become a nurse, but I still had a few and one more to go. Then the actual program is five semesters, one night a week, 2-3 classes per semester, mostly in hybrid format. Semester #4 has a community health practicum. It's a boat load of work and I wouldn't be able to do it if my in-laws didn't help with my kids, or if I had to work full-time.
[ QUOTE=feathersRN] The whole program was one semester
Wow!! My RN-BSN program required Stats, Medical Ethics, and Professional Writing (I don't remember about Stats, but the other two were 300 level) as prereq's, plus a bunch of general eds. Some of my generals were satisfied by the music degree I started working on before I decided to become a nurse, but I still had a few and one more to go. Then the actual program is five semesters, one night a week-3 classes per semester, mostly in hybrid format. Semester #4 has a community health practicum. It's a boat load of work and I wouldn't be able to do it if my in-laws didn't help with my kids, or if I had to work full-time.
Not sure I understand these programs either, although I keep hearing about them. If the BSN "difference" is the higher-order thinking, and its application toward increased patient care, through higher learning in university settings; where does one semester of online classes duplicate that? I'm not knocking you or it, I just don't understand the equivalence.
Not sure I understand these programs either, although I keep hearing about them. If the BSN "difference" is the higher-order thinking, and its application toward increased patient care, through higher learning in university settings; where does one semester of online classes duplicate that? I'm not knocking you or it, I just don't understand the equivalence.
Didn't mean to threadcrap (again), but had to clarify. The program at WGU is NOT one semester, as designed, however it is self paced so some people can complete it that quickly. I had to take 50 units - including stats, biochem, research, community health, etc. It was around 20 classes. It's not just a few classes and you are done - most people take around a year to 18 months to finish, but if you do nothing but work and study you can finish much more quickly. :)
I only mentioned it because in all of these RN to BSN threads it seems the $30K number keeps getting mentioned and there are now plenty of considerably less expensive programs out there that are both accredited and doable with a full time work schedule.
I have a friend getting her masters in math education right now at WGU and she loves it. She has more time than I do and can get through the classes pretty quickly so it works for her. I would like to do that and am going to try to, but it may be more cost effective to go to another school when I try to get my BSN.
I did mine through Indiana University, didn't need any gen eds since I had a previous BA from there in another field. Took 3 classes per semester for 4 semesters, worked full time, graduated with a 4.0. The program cost me $12k not including books.
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THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN
1,381 Posts
I want to point out that hospitals are not the only place that you can work. Also, there is considerable evidence that supports the fact that BSN nurses have better patient outcomes as a whole. Idk why but it is true.