53 Yrs Old, No BSN and Feels Helpless

[londonflo]

1 hour ago, MissPiggy8 said:

MA in Clinical Psych and haven't looked back. 

I respect your education, am asking how your achievement of  your MA in Clinical Psych impacted your future?. We have a lot of MAs in Clinical Psych coming into nursing for reasons such as low pay, poor job prospects, etc. Please do tell your secrets!

[londonflo]

1 hour ago, MissPiggy8 said:

I already had a BA when I went to nsg school - of course, it mattered nothing

Surely your Bachelor's of Arts had some courses that would be general education courses. If you had hardcore sciences such as Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology..those would have counted as well. Psych courses such as, intro to psych,  growth and development (lifespan)  would have added to your pre-requisites. 

 Spanish is becoming a common pre-req. Anthropology or Sociology are currently required in the nursing curriculums.  English (2 courses) are also required. 

To really understand your 'bone' of contention' I would need to understand your BA major and the courses you took...

 

[MissPiggy8]

My BA was in French with a Psych minor - the upper tier school was new so they wouldn't accept ANY of my psych courses.....go figure!  Doesn't make a bit of sense.  Aw well, their loss.  

[Guest 1152923]

6 hours ago, Googlenurse said:

In my area, you need the BSN to work at the bedside and not the other way around.  Around here,it looks like the entire nursing workforce will consist of BSN and Lpn,with the ADN left out. I guess you can either change your license or go back to school. I personally do not think it is fair.

I wonder when MSN  will be required? 

 ^^^Not sure where this is (BSN for bedside)??  As permanent and travel staff, I've worked over much of the country (Midwest, East, South, Southwest, West Coast; no one asks, cares, or even knows that I have my BSN.  Personally, I can't recommend in good conscience, nurses, not aspiring to managerial roles or NP/CRNA, returning for their BSNs.  I'm a thirty year career RN who was threatened by my hospital system (no BSN/BSN completion within three years=employment terminated).  After spending $25,000 (even with tuition reimbursement), and countless hours of study, frustration, and BS, I finally graduated in 2017 and returned to the same job I've done for many years. A small bump in pay was my only advantage but it definitely was not a favorable return on my investment after age fifty.  Also the BSN is a total FLUFF degree, it will not enhance your clinical skills or knowledge base.

[Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN]

On 4/29/2022 at 8:25 AM, morelostthanfound said:

 ^^^Not sure where this is (BSN for bedside)??  As permanent and travel staff, I've worked over much of the country (Midwest, East, South, Southwest, West Coast; no one asks, cares, or even knows that I have my BSN.  Personally, I can't recommend in good conscience, nurses, not aspiring to managerial roles or NP/CRNA, returning for their BSNs.  I'm a thirty year career RN who was threatened by my hospital system (no BSN/BSN completion within three years=employment terminated).  After spending $25,000 (even with tuition reimbursement), and countless hours of study, frustration, and BS, I finally graduated in 2017 and returned to the same job I've done for many years. A small bump in pay was my only advantage but it definitely was not a favorable return on my investment after age fifty.  Also the BSN is a total FLUFF degree, it will not enhance your clinical skills or knowledge base.

What? 

Hospitals in my area won’t even hire an RN if he or she does not have their BSN. Even the VNA ads say “BSN only.” Trust me, I’ve tried for years with just my ADN and hospitals would not look at me. I had experience btw, just not acute care experience. I heard the same from other nurses too. Now that I have my BSN, hospitals are falling over themselves to hire me. 

I stand by what I said.  I am in the in NYC/ Philadelphia area. Maybe that’s why my experience is different from yours. 
 

[Guest 1152923]

3 hours ago, Googlenurse said:

What? 

Hospitals in my area won’t even hire an RN if he or she does not have their BSN. Even the VNA ads say “BSN only.” Trust me, I’ve tried for years with just my ADN and hospitals would not look at me. I had experience btw, just not acute care experience. I heard the same from other nurses too. Now that I have my BSN, hospitals are falling over themselves to hire me. 

I stand by what I said.  I am in the in NYC/ Philadelphia area. Maybe that’s why my experience is different from yours. 
 

   My experience was gleaned from working multiple hospitals in multiple states, but granted, NYC/Philadelphia are two parts of the country I've not worked.  That said, after the COVID mass exodus, it's been my experience that in just about every other part of the US, any Carbon-based life form RN with an unencumbered license, (BSN/no BSN), can line up multiple employment opportunities.  Unlike pre-COVID, 'BSNs' are preferred (not required) by employers who are now tripping over themselves to keep the unit doors open and you know what they say about 'beggars'!

[Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN]

On 4/30/2022 at 2:35 PM, morelostthanfound said:

   My experience was gleaned from working multiple hospitals in multiple states, but granted, NYC/Philadelphia are two parts of the country I've not worked.  That said, after the COVID mass exodus, it's been my experience that in just about every other part of the US, any Carbon-based life form RN with an unencumbered license, (BSN/no BSN), can line up multiple employment opportunities.  Unlike pre-COVID, 'BSNs' are preferred (not required) by employers who are now tripping over themselves to keep the unit doors open and you know what they say about 'beggars'!

I think with the Philly/ NYC area, there are so many schools that employers can be choosey. But since Covid, you are right.  There are some places hiring Lpns that would had not hired them before.

[K. Everly, BSN, RN]

On 12/4/2021 at 5:05 PM, MissPiggy8 said:

True, plus I have the background pharmacology knowledge, which is always helpful too.  Actually, the combination is a great one; another RN, LPC told me one time that one could write their own ticket with those 2 liceneses alone.  There are drawbacks, though; the lack of physical labor results in weight gain, ;-).  

Basically, when you have lemons, you know the rest.  

Your story is an interesting one, as is what you said about the “RN, LPC” licenses behind one’s name. 

My sister and I both have BA’s in psych, and she went back to school for her MA LPC, and I went accelerated nursing school for my BSN. 

I don’t hold much stock, if any, in traditional psych theory, the DSM, or psychotropic meds, and I strongly follow the work of Dr. Peter Breggin, psychiatrist turned anti-psychiatry. But the prospect of being able to work from home and coach/counsel people struggling is very appealing to me.  It’s unfortunate that to get insurance reimbursement, at least in my state but I’m guessing everywhere, that the counselor must give a DSM diagnosis. That is my one hang up and the hill I’m willing to die on. 

But I do agree that your BA, RN, MA in psych are doing to serve you well as move toward semi retirement! It sounds like a dream boat ?

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:25 AM, Guest 1152923 said:

 ^^^Not sure where this is (BSN for bedside)??  As permanent and travel staff, I've worked over much of the country (Midwest, East, South, Southwest, West Coast; no one asks, cares, or even knows that I have my BSN.  Personally, I can't recommend in good conscience, nurses, not aspiring to managerial roles or NP/CRNA, returning for their BSNs.  I'm a thirty year career RN who was threatened by my hospital system (no BSN/BSN completion within three years=employment terminated).  After spending $25,000 (even with tuition reimbursement), and countless hours of study, frustration, and BS, I finally graduated in 2017 and returned to the same job I've done for many years. A small bump in pay was my only advantage but it definitely was not a favorable return on my investment after age fifty.  Also the BSN is a total FLUFF degree, it will not enhance your clinical skills or knowledge base.

So did you learn how to check for BS and BS, edema, JVD, etc. in your basic program?  

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

On 4/29/2022 at 1:35 AM, Googlenurse said:

In my area, you need the BSN to work at the bedside and not the other way around.  Around here,it looks like the entire nursing workforce will consist of BSN and Lpn,with the ADN left out. I guess you can either change your license or go back to school. I personally do not think it is fair.

I wonder when MSN  will be required? 

BSN is minimum by default where I live. Most have MSN. It's a rural area overrun by nurses. COVID didn't change our workforce by much