I'm not talking about other nursing students, but the general public. Heck, even patients!
I have had a patient ask me was I in nursing school (obviously). She then asked how far along I was and how long was the program. I told her it was a 4 year degree with 3 years of nursing classes (at my school). She said "What?! For a nurse?" Granted, she was out of it and in pain, but it was just the way she said it. The general public is really uneducated on what nurses actually do and their schooling. We need to work on improving that so people don't just think we are all assistants who work under the doctor.
Then there are the people who call themselves nurses, or have others call them nurses, when they are medical assistants and such. I'm not going through all this rigamorue in school to be compared to someone with a certificate who went to school for a few months. I'm sorry but that's not a good look.
Nurses might as well be aliens because apparently who we are and what we do is a mystery covered by the CIA.
I definitely am happy with my decision, and this has nothing to do with anyone else or their opinion.
However, BSN-prepared nurses must put in a lot of effort in nursing school that is not reflected on the NCLEX, and certain topics are not covered in ADN programs. If we are expecting BSN-prepared nurses to be the leaders in hospitals or communities, they deserve their own exam with their own standards, instead of expecting one exam to accurately determine nursing knowledge for two entirely different programs. That's one way that we can begin to give credit where credit is due, and to foster more respect for the different levels of education in the nursing world.
There's nothing wrong with an ADN nurse at all - but they are not a BSN nurse. We need to accurately reflect what people are doing with their educations and career. If ADN = BSN, then there would be no reason for nurses to continue education. I do believe that there is a difference, and that difference needs to be made clear. If we are denying ADN-RNs promotions on the basis that they did not have the leadership/research classes of their BSN-RN equivalent, that shows me that we need to do a better job of differentiating what it means to be each type of RN.
I think BSN is oriented toward a leadership position, and for that there should be no test. We'll, for example, have a course in leadership/management, and then there are the research methods programs that somewhat relate to that and the academic arena. I think another course typically only included in BSN programs is public (or community) health. Just because we make take pathophysiology, a more in depth pharmacology, or health assessment I don't feel there should be a culminating exam over that. Just my thoughts though.
To answer a question from an above poster, I went the bachelor's route because after having already obtained a B.S. years ago, as well as some graduate courses, I wasn't going to regress to an associate's degree.
I decied to go for my BSN because of quite a few reasons. First the time-frame for me is actually the same for either routes, the school I go to is slightly more expensive but I get more scholarships and grants there, I love the prof. at my university based on my past cc experience, I plan to possibly go for my master's and want to keep that open, if I don't go for my master's its a personal goal for me to at least have my bachelor's, and last but very important I want to make myself as markertable as I can in this economy. Those are my reasons :)
I've been in patient rooms as a student where the Attending or Resident introduces medical students to patients as Dr. so-and-so. But nurses are still on a first name basis!
weird. I know a Nurse Practitioner who goes by Misses ________. She doest pretend to be a Doctor even though she is a primary care physician much like PAs are.
To answer a question from an above poster, I went the bachelor's route because after having already obtained a B.S. years ago, as well as some graduate courses, I wasn't going to regress to an associate's degree.
Hah, I'm surprised you didn't offend anyone by saying an Associate's degree is regressing. Some will argue that ADN nurses are better prepared because they take more nursing oriented classes, or just as good nurses because they take the same NCLEX and have the same RN. I went to a 4 year college with the plan of Pharmacy school and decided I wouldn't be happy with it. I decided to take up the schools BSN program. I could have gone to the community college for the ADN(would have been cheaper too), but I agree with what you said. The associate's degree nurses who are just now graduating tell me they have done hardly any clinical. One network of hospitals here in town has actually started to require you have a BSN to even be considered for employment. Others who do hire ADN nurses still, require you go back to school within a year to get your BSN.
Hah, I'm surprised you didn't offend anyone by saying an Associate's degree is regressing. Some will argue that ADN nurses are better prepared because they take more nursing oriented classes, or just as good nurses because they take the same NCLEX and have the same RN. I went to a 4 year college with the plan of Pharmacy school and decided I wouldn't be happy with it. I decided to take up the schools BSN program. I could have gone to the community college for the ADN(would have been cheaper too), but I agree with what you said. The associate's degree nurses who are just now graduating tell me they have done hardly any clinical. One network of hospitals here in town has actually started to require you have a BSN to even be considered for employment. Others who do hire ADN nurses still, require you go back to school within a year to get your BSN.
It wasn't meant to be offensive. By regressing, I meant that it would be regressing (going backwards) to get lower tier degrees after holding higher ones. I think the ADN track here has one or two fewer nursing courses, and I can't help but think that stand alone health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology courses augment the nursing curriculum particularly when those elements are still integrated into the curriculum as they would be for those pursuing the associate's. The community health, research, issue and trends, and informatics (gag) classes are probably not that immediately helpful.
Academically, I want a master's degree. In what, I don't know, but that's been a goal of mine for about five years now.
Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
I've been in patient rooms as a student where the Attending or Resident introduces medical students to patients as Dr. so-and-so. But nurses are still on a first name basis!
This is actually intentionally done on the part of medical schools, so that way when the students are newly-minted interns, someone can yell "Dr. Smith!" at them and they'll respond rather than think the person's referring to someone else.
Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
I also think, and I greatly apologize for the offense taken by any ADN-prepared nurses, that the fact that we have 2-year and 4-year preparatory RN programs and how that plays out is greatly confusing to the public, to employers, to regulating agencies etc. I think it's a real problem that exists that just keeps getting swept under the rug. What is the real point of two different programs that are preparing you to take the same test? IMHO, I think that we need to decide whether the 2-year program is too weak to adequately prepare nurses in the field, or the 4-year program is superfluous for staff nurses.
Personally I believe that we don't have a clear picture of what it means to be a nurse at the moment, and that's why people don't realize how hard it can be for us nursing students. Whenever someone tells me that "You're wasting your time getting a 4-year degree when I/myfriend/mydaughter/myuncle/mywhoever is getting their 2-year RN and will make only 60 cents less an hour than you," I can't help but feel a lot of resentment. If my 4-year degree is pointless, why is it even offered? However, I DON'T think my degree pointless. I think that nursing is so desperate for employees that they've allowed the 2-year program to go on for so long despite the fact that the scope of practice for nursing has changed and, in my opinion, needs 3 years of nursing school to adequately prepare good nurses with critical thinking skills. Just my opinion.
Personally, I think the ADN students get the short end of the stick on this. In many cases, ADNs still need to take at least a year of education, if not two, before they even start on their "two-year" Associates in Nursing, and the depth of their education is not recognized in their degree title
THANK YOU! I thought I was the only one to feel this way. And again there is nothing wrong with ADN but I jsut feel like I desserve the credit for going all 4 years. On name tags at hospitals have you ever seen RN-ADN and RN-BSN? Or do nurses sign things like RN-BSN? anything like that?? Plus if there wasn't any difference then why are there soooo many bridge programs for RN to BSN...why are those nurses going through all the extra work for such a small difference in pay? I don't know..it bothers me. I am so glad that I will have a Bachelors if not just for my own self-esteem..and I wouldn't change that decision for anything. And I find it extremely frustrating that the general public is like "oh you got into NS..thats nice dear." Like it's nothing...THen I'm like "YEAH I did...and I bet incredible odds to get there with 40/280 applicants getting in!" Then they are like "OH, wow you must be smart then huh?" NOOOO I just passed all those rediculous science classes with flying colors cause nurses are dumb...wow.
Maybe you can elaborate..why do others of you prefer to go for the BSN rather the RN?
The main reason I decided to go for the BSN is because I know eventually I want to practice as an advanced practice nurse, for which a BSN is required. As well, many major hospitals in my hometown and the city I am attending nursing school in are only hiring BSN prepared nurses. At one of the hospitals where I have had clinicals, the ID badges do say BSN or ADN. But that hospital too will soon hire only BSN prepared nurses, starting next year.
ImThatGuy, BSN, RN
2,139 Posts
I think BSN is oriented toward a leadership position, and for that there should be no test. We'll, for example, have a course in leadership/management, and then there are the research methods programs that somewhat relate to that and the academic arena. I think another course typically only included in BSN programs is public (or community) health. Just because we make take pathophysiology, a more in depth pharmacology, or health assessment I don't feel there should be a culminating exam over that. Just my thoughts though.
To answer a question from an above poster, I went the bachelor's route because after having already obtained a B.S. years ago, as well as some graduate courses, I wasn't going to regress to an associate's degree.