Why is BSN required for CRNA?

Nurses General Nursing Nursing Q/A

I'm working on my RN and plan to go to CRNA school. I've noticed that a few CRNA schools will allow you to have a bachelors in other science areas, as long as you are an RN. But the best school seem to require a BSN. Why is that? Why is an easy, relatively useless, easy to obtain degree required over something like a bachelors in chemistry?

The general ed like fine arts and other classes are really irrelevant to obtain a BSN, I hate some of my classes but still do them. ?.

I was doing well in hard sciences and math to apply for the BSN. Just saying this that I can read about Gilgamesh on my spare time. Perhaps, the students should learn more about their chemistry and pharmacology classes prior to an admission, not while in nursing program then a practical application of pharm in the program.

Specializes in Critical Care.

I agree. And I really don’t know why at a minimum survey of organic chem and biochem are not requirements. As well as a basic physics or kinesiology class. PT OT aren’t the only disciplines that get our patients up. And I still see MANY RNs not know the basics of body mechanics (not having the patient scoot to the edge of the chair or put their feet under them before trying to help them up etc)

Nope instead I had to take theatre. So useful ?

You do know that you will need a couple years of critical care experience. I’m not sure where you’re from, but getting right out of nursing school into a critical care role is rare, especially without a BSN. Good luck.

18 hours ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

Exactly. I had never learned APA prior to RN to BSN. I was taught MLA. I was told my analysis of articles was “doctoral level” but made 88-90 on my papers. So I decided to look at other students papers that were making 98-100 and saw that while formatted properly, the actual content of the essay was NOTHING. Merely restating what the writer of the original papers had said in their own words without analyzing the perspective, bias, purpose etc of the paper. I took an afternoon and really dove into the APA manual and saw the difference in case usages, etc.

Since I was also taking physics and gen chemistry at the college for premed at the same time (about 18 hours a semester of college total) on top of working full time, I said “well if thats all they want, fine.”

I couldn’t believe the literacy of some of the papers fellow classmates online were writing. They were using first person, the wrong to/two/too their/there/they’re... I was shocked. And they passed because C = BSN ?

This isn't a problem associated only with the BSN. It is a problem of US education in general. What you are complaining about can be observed across all disciplines. I follow several message boards that have a generally well educated membership. The poor writing you referenced isn't unique to BSN graduates. Name the bachelor's degree-the degree holder is just as likely to be guilty of poor writing, spelling mistakes, and incorrect grammar as any BSN grad. I know medical doctors whose writing is embarrassingly bad. They will even admit to it. They explain that they focus on the "important things," like the hard sciences. As long as their meaning is conveyed, they couldn't care less about too or two, their or there.

I don't know when teachers quit teaching basic English grammar in elementary and secondary schools in the US, but at some point it seems they did. If our students cannot master such simple concepts as when to use there vs. their vs. they're and your and you're, what in the world would make us imagine that they could churn out coherent and cogent term papers and research articles in college?

By the way, while I usually get the basics right, I occasionally spot a typo or other error in my writing when I go back and read my prior posts. There may be one or more in this very post. It can also be observed in the writing of those who can deliver "doctoral level" papers while still in undergrad. Your post above contains several errors. I always find it amusing when people make errors in a post complaining about the writing errors of other members.

The arrogance you display in your posts here will not serve you well in life. The degree one holds (or does not hold) does not necessarily reflect the actual raw intelligence of the individual. Once you have completed your MD program and residency requirements, you won't necessarily be the smartest person in the room at any given time. For all you know, the transport fellow or the housekeeper emptying your trash may actually have a higher IQ than you do. Life circumstances don't always allow the best and brightest to obtain formal education. Respect the contributions of the people around you and don't listen to that inner voice that apparently keeps telling you how superior you are.

It’s a good thing. It increases barrier to entry for the profession. The BSN requirement (most schools) and doctorate mandate that is.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
21 hours ago, Megarline said:

The school wants money. Lol. Jk. It depends really in each institution. In some nursing school in universities, general chem, biochemistry, and other kind of chemistry are required. They even required maths that are beyond college algebra. So, it depends what they prescribed. Not all schools are the same but almost identical general education with other disciplines.They did accept an ample of my courses from a non nursing degree. Classes I needed were pretty much all about the human body, biochemistry, nutrition, and other relevant courses.

Why classes like sociology and fine arts are requirements to graduate?

Because it is a LIBERAL ARTS education. It separates trade school from acollege degree. Are we over-educating nurses? I do wrestle with that question sometimes, but if we want to call ourselves a "profession" then a bachelor's degree is a baseline requirement. The practices and cultures of healcare are changing faster than we can keep up. If we can't produce nurses who are leaders rather than followers, things will never improve. The forces of the medical industrial complex will simply run over us because we don't have enough people to react to the forces which diminish us. That's why we study things like sociology - it's all a part of the big picture.

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
41 minutes ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

Is it? I went straight from school to a step down unit with a diploma degree.

Certain areas and facilities this may happen. In others, you can’t even get an interview without a BSN. Just because it happened for you doesn’t make it a universal experience.

2 minutes ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

I guess we’re spoiled where I am. I don’t know of any jobs outside of travel or the military that require a BSN. I got mine solely for the medschool requirement.

It's very location specific. In some areas, not having your BSN is absolutely no impediment whatsoever to working wherever you want. In other places, you're working in the nursing home and can just forget about your cath lab (or other hospital based) aspirations.

4 hours ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

Is it? I went straight from school to a step down unit with a diploma degree.

Step-down doesn’t get you into CRNA school. But yes, where I am from new grads usually don’t get into the ICU, even with a BSN. Not saying it’s not possible, but it can be a long road is all I’m saying. I work with CRNAs and many aspiring CRNAs, you need minimum 1-2 years critical care experience (preferably very high acuity). Some of the best nurses I know with a strong critical care background haven’t gotten into CRNA school with great grades and a strong knowledge base. But again, it depends on location and need.

Most CRNA programs worth their salt require at least a year's worth of critical care nursing experience just to apply. A BSN is not, um, easy to obtain. Have you not noticed how hard it is just to get into a BSN program? A degree in chemistry doesn't require clinical rotations. A degree in biology doesn't require clinical rotations. Many would argue that these science degrees are definitely easier to obtain than a BSN (I would argue this). I know in my program, professors never drop tests and a 75 test average is required to pass the class; you get one retake chance, if you don't pass the class, you are out of the program. On top of that, they don't curve the tests. It's a "learn it, or else" mentality. I don't know of many chemistry courses like that... and I've taken about 8 of them from two different respectable universities.

Specializes in Critical Care.

I guess experiences vary. I found it very easy and the coursework very easy. The classes I’m taking now seem much more difficult than any I took in nursing school.

7 hours ago, ArmyRntoMD said:

Where I live it makes more sense to go diploma and Rn to bsn. It’s .50 an hour less, and you and do Rn to bsn working easily. The coursework is laughably easy, almost all discussion forums and response posts and quizzes.

I went to a brick and mortar well regarded state university for my BSN. I would not rank my experience with that of an engineering or physics major, but it was not "laughably easy." It was a pretty rigorous program. While it appears that some of the online RN to BSN programs are simply degree mills, do not assume that every BSN degree holder got their education online, doing "discussion forums and quizzes."

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