Why aren't there better incentives for obtaining a BSN degree?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm a BSN nurse, and I was just wondering why is it that there are so few incentives for obtaining a BSN degree as opposed to an ADN degree? I know that an RN is an RN, but I feel there should be greater incentives for obtaining a BSN degree. BSN nurses only get paid generally an extra 50 cents to $1 an hour than ADN nurses from what I've seen so far, but it doesn't make sense to me. On top of that, MSN prepared nurses don't seem to make much more than BSN nurses. At various hospitals I saw that their MSN differential is $1300 a year. I 've also seen that certification differentials at these same hospitals are around $1200 (not much different than a BSN or MSN differential).

Why is this the case? I've come across nurses with ADN's who would like to get there BSN but don't because there are no real incentives, given the additional schooling and extra tuition involved. From ADN to BSN to MSN to Doctorate there should be much larger wages as one progresses from one degree to the next. I think there should be at least a $10,000 difference in yearly salary. In many ways, money talks, and it seems that what facilities that hire nurses are saying to us is that they only wan't ADN nurses.

PMFB-RN,

I don't consider nursing a profession either. We aren't treated as professionals, and, as group, we don't act like professionals.

We're skilled labor. Or, a "trade" if "laborer" leaves a bad taste in your mouth. :)

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The whole point of BSN only entry to practice for RNs is to exclude as many men and other non-traditional types of people from the field of nursing as possible as far as I can see.

Where is this coming from?? How do BSN programs aim "to exclude men and other non-traditional types" (whatever a non-tradtional type is, I presume you are talking race) from nursing ?

A staff BSN does not get paid anymore than an ADN when they are both preforming the same duties and have the same job description. Why should they.

I am a BSN (ADN to BSN).

People getting a BSN do it for their own gratifacation and/or to obtain a job which requires or prefers a BSN which is usually in management which in turn they do get paid more.

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PMFB-RN,

I don't consider nursing a profession either. We aren't treated as professionals, and, as group, we don't act like professionals.

We're skilled labor. Or, a "trade" if "laborer" leaves a bad taste in your mouth. :)

This a very offense post to all Nurses, BSN, ADN, MSN, LPN, to state that nursing isn't a profession and to demean it as "skilled labor" I AM PROUD TO BE A NURSE AND A PROFESSIONAL and do not feel I am not treated as one. If you act as a professional you will be treated as one. Unbeleievable that you feel you can speak for all of us " as group, we don't act like professionals" Not all of us act unprofessional I feel that is what you are doing. Why are you in the nursing profession if you feel this strongly about it? Since you consider yourself "skilled labor" perhaps you should go out and find a job building houses etc. That is a "skilled" job. You might even make more money doing it.

This is what a professional is :

The Seven Characteristics of a Professional

Do you consider yourself a regular employee or professional? Have you ever considered the differences between the two? The term "professional" has been bantered about quite a bit in the workplace. It's important to take a moment and consider the defining factors of what makes someone take the leap from being a regular employee to being a professional.

1. Specialized knowledge based on extensive preparation. Being a professional does not happen overnight. It requires many hours of study and preparation. Professionals are expected to maintain a high knowledge level and expertise. Organizations compensate professionals for their knowledge.

2. Participates in ongoing training and development. A professional firmly believes in staying current in their field. This means that a professional is committed to continued training and development.

3. Accepts responsibility. Professionals seek and accept responsibility. They can be trusted and given high levels of responsibility within the organization. A professional is handed tasks at such a high level, that poor performance can reflect poorly on the entire organization not just the individual.

4. Have a sense of ownership of their work. Professionals feel a sense of ownership and pride in everything they do. Professionals work, not to just meet organization standards, but most importantly meet the standards of their own pride in their work. Professionals work for the organization as if they were working in their own business.

5. Maintain a collective networking spirit outside of the organization. Professionals understand that their work is not limited to their organization. They understand the importance of professional relationships outside of work with others in the same field.

6. Maintains high standards of ethics and integrity. Professionals are driven by a code of ethics. They have a strong sense of right and wrong. Their integrity ensures that they adhere strongly to a set of values about how they do their work. Integrity leads management and others to trust the professional. They say what they will do and do what they say.

7. Maintains high standards of performance. Professionals have high levels of expectations both of themselves and others. They are determined to always do the right thing and do it well. Doing a job well is more important to a professional then the number of hours that they log on the clock. A true professional is unsatisfied with poor performance. While money may be important, it is not the driving force behind the professional's desire to put forth exemplary work.

It is clear that a professional is defined differently then an average worker. While not every professional will possess every quality of a perfect professional, they do possess most of the traits as defined.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48951.asp

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This a very offense post to all Nurses, BSN, ADN, MSN, LPN, to state that nursing isn't a profession and to demean it as "skilled labor" I AM PROUD TO BE A NURSE AND A PROFESSIONAL and do not feel I am not treated as one. If you act as a professional you will be treated as one. Unbeleievable that you feel you can speak for all of us " as group, we don't act like professionals" Not all of us act unprofessional I feel that is what you are doing. Why are you in the nursing profession if you feel this strongly about it? Since you consider yourself "skilled labor" perhaps you should go out and find a job building houses etc. That is a "skilled" job. You might even make more money doing it.

Thanks for proving my point.

You post is reactive, lacks reading comprehension skills, and is, frankly, unprofessional.

I never said I speak for all nurses. Had you used your critical thinking and reading comprehension skills, you would have noticed the very first sentence of my post was "I do not consider...."

I'm pretty sure all the skilled laborers are offended that you think of them as being so unworthy that one should leave the nursing "profession" if he or she would dare to think they were in the same class of people as lowly as them. Firemen, policemen, plumbers, electricians, construction workers, and all the other skilled laborers who are lower than low. No, we should not count ourselves among them. How insulting! We are so much better! Is that what you consider "professional?"

One can act professionally regardless of whether or not they are actually a professional.

Now, also, please explain to me how expressing my opinion that nursing is not a profession is unprofessional? Because you disagree with it? You make my point again how nurses need more education. A mandatory course in logic would be a good place to start, in my (unprofessional) opinion. :) Personally, I think it should be required before one graduates from high school, but I digress... again.

I am flattered though that you consider me the spokesperson for nursing.

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This a very offense post to all Nurses, BSN, ADN, MSN, LPN, to state that nursing isn't a profession and to demean it as "skilled labor" I AM PROUD TO BE A NURSE AND A PROFESSIONAL and do not feel I am not treated as one. If you act as a professional you will be treated as one. Unbeleievable that you feel you can speak for all of us " as group, we don't act like professionals" Not all of us act unprofessional I feel that is what you are doing. Why are you in the nursing profession if you feel this strongly about it? Since you consider yourself "skilled labor" perhaps you should go out and find a job building houses etc. That is a "skilled" job. You might even make more money doing it.

Snuggles49,

Stop for a minute and look at what you wrote. Fussing b/c you thought Fribblet was trying to speak for all of us, but you did the same thing. Her post was not offensive to me. For certain, bedside nursing more closely resembles a skilled laborer than a professional. That's just the reality. Even so, if the schedule, staffing, you name it, etc etc were different I would still be there today. I loved working in the hospital doing bedside nursing. I really did.

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