I am taking classes towards my BSN because like other nurses with a diploma or ADN I am being "forced" to return to school for my BSN. I have had my ADN for 9 years. My question is HOW is statistics, critical inquiry, and the other classes going to make me a better nurse? Isn't hands on training the best way to learn? I feel like they are requiring BSN now and in 10 years want MSN so that we wont need doctors working on the floors, because nurses will do their own orders!!
I am 42 y/o and rally don't want to do this, but I have a minimum of 23 years left of working and had to be forced to stay where I am due to not having a BSN. Sure they say we may be "grandfathered" in, but that limits us to stay put.
Anyone have any input on this, as to what am I going to learn getting my BSN and why the requirement now?
I am unable to read the paper only the abstract. It seems to me that hospitals with a higher percentage of BSN prepared nurses also have a lot of other things going for them. Does the paper show that it is in fact the higher percentage of BSN prepared RNs that result in the better outcomes?[/quote']
I only have a hard copy that I will have to pit me hands on and read again. Off the too of my head they controlled for hospital size, acuity, RN staffing ratios, and a few other things I can't recall off the top of my head.
The only real difference I see is that we were doing it in (depending on school) about 2.5-3 years and not 4.
Funny story (I think it is anyway)...I had a great-aunt who graduated from a hospital-based diploma program. She was a community health nurse in rural WI and retired at age 76!! She was awesome.
She told me once how the "college-educated" nurses would look down their noses at the diploma nurses' inferior education. She said, "I beg to differ. I learned the same nursing knowledge as you did. The difference is you got your summers off."
There is actually no reason for the nurses with 20+ years of experience to act like this is a big surprise. ADN vs BSN is definitely not new. Back in the 1980s the BSN legislation was a big deal. But, the nursing shortage helped get some of the Bills defeated or overturned. But, it should have planted the seed for these nurses that the day might come when the BSN was a reality. When the debates in legislation were happening in the 1980s many were just starting out or still looking for a nursing program.
As for a comment about no policy makers care, I do differ with that also. If you look at just about any BON website you will see pieces of legislation happening in your state and at the Federal level. Not all might be about initial education but many do have some impact in an area of nursing which could affect you or your patients. Maybe Home Health, School and Public Health RNs are most aware of what is going on since they have had some changes which has impacted their specialty and patients.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I only have a hard copy that I will have to pit me hands on and read again. Off the too of my head they controlled for hospital size, acuity, RN staffing ratios, and a few other things I can't recall off the top of my head.
I would be interested to know. Thank you. I have worked at small community hospitals as well as big university teaching hospitals. Leaving aside nursing, it has been my exerience that the qualiety of the medical staff varied greatly. Certainly nursing and physicians both have an impact on patient outcomes. I am wondering if qualiety of medical staff is controlled for as well.
3- it's easy. Program is on-line, i write papers & participate in discussion boards.
4- not a lot of classes, 8 nursing classes to be exact after the transfer of everything else from my prior bs in another field & nursing school.
That said, let me weigh in on the education piece from a slightly different perspective. While there is no arguing what experience does for a nurse, a bachelors degree provides (generally speaking) a more well rounded individual. The liberal arts elective classes, esp the philosophy, sociology and anthropology can open windows in the mind and broaden perspective.
Early in my prior career, i was in a position that required hiring clerical staff. Over the couple of years in that assignment, i discovered/learned that i had higher performing workers when the person had a bachelors degree versus an aas or hs diploma. Not a scientific study, but anecdotal based on my observations. Plus, if grooming for management, a bachelors was mandatory. Hmmm, there's that advancement thing again & in another field.
The one exception is management skills, i believe that while theory can be taught, managing people must be learned by actually doing it in the real world.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
That said, let me weigh in on the education piece from a slightly different perspective. While there is no arguing what experience does for a nurse, a bachelors degree provides (generally speaking) a more well rounded individual. The liberal arts elective classes, esp the philosophy, sociology and anthropology can open windows in the mind and broaden perspective.
I think there is very little doubt about the value of a good education. However it is not a bachelors degree that is valued. The ADN and BSN program provide essentially the same nursing education. If what was valued was a well rounded individual and a person with broader perspectives, then an ADN and a bachelors degreed RN would be the equal of a BSN. Both have pretty much the same nursing education, both have the philosophy, sociology, anthropology liberal arts education. They are not considered equal. Half to two thirds of each ADN class of the college that does clinical in my hospital already have a bachelors or higher degree according to the associate dean.
My ADN program did not include philosophy or anthropology. It did have one 3 credit sociology class required. The funny thing is that my BSN program didn't require them either. Many don't. A BSN is not a good indicator of a person's liberal arts education.
I think there is very little doubt about the value of a good education. However it is not a bachelors degree that is valued. The ADN and BSN program provide essentially the same nursing education. If what was valued was a well rounded individual and a person with broader perspectives, then an ADN and a bachelors degreed RN would be the equal of a BSN. Both have pretty much the same nursing education, both have the philosophy, sociology, anthropology liberal arts education. They are not considered equal. Half to two thirds of each ADN class of the college that does clinical in my hospital already have a bachelors or higher degree according to the associate dean.
My ADN program did not include philosophy or anthropology. It did have one 3 credit sociology class required. The funny thing is that my BSN program didn't require them either. Many don't. A BSN is not a good indicator of a person's liberal arts education.
Do you reccomend someone that's wants to be at the bedside forever or doesn't want to work in acute care(like myself) get a Bsn?
I don't have any desire to be the big boss nor any desire to leave home health.
I think there is very little doubt about the value of a good education. However it is not a bachelors degree that is valued. The ADN and BSN program provide essentially the same nursing education. If what was valued was a well rounded individual and a person with broader perspectives then an ADN and a bachelors degreed RN would be the equal of a BSN. Both have pretty much the same nursing education, both have the philosophy, sociology, anthropology liberal arts education. They are not considered equal. Half to two thirds of each ADN class of the college that does clinical in my hospital already have a bachelors or higher degree according to the associate dean. My ADN program did not include philosophy or anthropology. It did have one 3 credit sociology class required. The funny thing is that my BSN program didn't require them either. Many don't. A BSN is not a good indicator of a person's liberal arts education.[/quote']
Wait, you first say both adn & bsn programs have the liberal arts component, then you say they don't. I'se confused.
As for the large number of prior degree folks in that adn class, well, it'll be that much less work for them to go rn-bsn.
And i was speaking generally, a bs or ba in and if itself doesn't automatically equate to a well rounded liberal arts education.
Do you reccomend someone that's wants to be at the bedside forever or doesn't want to work in acute care(like myself) get a Bsn? I don't have any desire to be the big boss nor any desire to leave home health.
I was wondering the same thing. It seems this BSN argument is directed mostly at acute care.
I would like to, actually. But since I do not have "recent acute care experience" I suspect that I will be looked over, regardless if I get a BSN. I live in a rural area and all the nurse managers I have worked under only have ADN and BSN doesn't seem to matter when it comes to promotions, ect.
BostonFNP, APRN
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