The question of whether or not nurses should be required to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) to work has become a very big and controversial topic. As with any great debate, this situation comes with many advantages and disadvantages. Although some statistics may lead you to believe that the good outweighs the bad, when making the decision of whether or not obtaining a BSN should be mandated there are a great deal of barriers that have to be taken into consideration. Obtaining a BSN requires more schooling and for those who are already nurses, it means having to go back to school. This requires a lot of money, time, and motivation to balance family work and school. Nurses should not be required to obtain a BSN to work.
Obtaining a BSN requires a great deal of time and for many people that is a barrier. Nurses who have been working for several years and those that are new to the field may consider time as being a challenge for them. For the nurses that have been already working for several years would have to go back to school to obtain a BSN along with working. The work schedules of their job and classes may conflict and can cause a great deal of stress which will result in them either no longer working or postponing obtaining a BSN until another time (Megginson, 2008). Nursing is already a demanding career so including more schooling in addition to working can be very overwhelming to people. The people that are new at obtaining a degree in nursing may find it better to get an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) rather than a BSN, as well, because it takes less time. According to David L. Taylor the price of tuition for an ADN program versus a BSN is drastically different and it also takes a great deal less time ...
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...SN should not be a requirement to work as a nurse. For some people, it may not be as hard to obtain but for others, especially those who have already been working as nurses, it may present a bigger challenge. It is not necessary for people who are new to the nursing field or those that have been practicing as a nurse for many years to return to school to obtain a higher degree. Obtaining a BSN degree should be a choice rather than a requirement.
Works Cited
Haverkamp, J.J., & Ball, K. (2013). BSN in 10: What Is Your Opinion?. AORN Journal, 98(2), 144-152. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2013.06.006
Megginson, L. (2008). RN-BSN education: 21st century barriers and incentives. Journal Of Nursing Management, 16(1), 47-55.
Taylor, D. (2008). Should the entry into nursing practice be the baccalaureate degree?. AORN Journal, 87(3), 611-620. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2007.07.006
The second key message focused on the recommendation that registered nurses receive greater levels of training and education. This message emphasized the need for nurses to enter the work force with a baccalaureate degree, or obtain it shortly afterwards. It also stressed the need more graduate nurses, specifically “nurse faculty and researchers at the doctoral level” (IOM, 2011, p. 164). Innovative solutions were devised to speak to nursing school capacity and curriculum in order to attain the IOM recommended goal of 80 percent of nurses holding a BSN by the year 2020.
The national shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) has helped generate formidable interest in the nursing profession among people entering the workforce and those pursuing a career change. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in 2002, the national population is continuing to grow and age and medical services continue to advance, so the need for nurses will continue to increase. They report from 2000 to 2020 the predicted shortage of nurses is expected to grow to 29 percent, compared to a 6 percent shortage in 2000. With the projected supply, demand, and shortage of registered nurses and nursing salaries ever-increasing, the nursing profession can offer countless opportunities. But first one must determine which educational path to pursue, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Associate Degree in nursing (ADN). Most will initially be educated at the associate degree level, even though the American Organization of Nursing Executives (AONE) has recommended a baccalaureate level as a minimal for entry-level nurses. With the expanding number of RN to BSN programs available there is always the option to further one’s education at a later date. The benefits for acquiring a BSN over an ADN include a better knowledge for evidence-based practice, an increased advantage for promotion, and the necessary gateway for higher education.
The topic of "ADN versus BSN" is one that has plagued the nursing profession for decades. Does a nurse’s level of education really matter? Can ADN nursing graduates perform their duties as well as BSN graduates? These are the types of questions that continue to be debated by policymakers, educational organizations and associations, and the general public. This may be because nurses are now one of the least educated health care roles when compared to other health care professions that are now requiring bachelor degrees or higher for entry. A more likely reason is undoubtedly due to the growing body of evidence suggesting that BSN graduates are more prepared when entering the workforce than their ASN counterparts. These findings have made some hospitals decide to only hire BSN prepared graduates or higher. Linda Aiken, director of the center for health outcomes and research at Penn State, recently stated "the evidence base is growing, and a number of hospitals are acting on it” (Burling, 2010). If employers prefer BSN prepared nurses, why don’t more of them offer pay differentials or other incentives to return to school? The answer to that question is still unknown. The Veterans Administration (VA) is one exception. The VA leads the country in employing the most registered nurses according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2011). The VA made the decision a decade ago to establish the BSN as a requirement for new hires. The VA devoted $50 million in approximately five-years to help
Taylor, D. L. (2008). Should the Entry Into Nursing Practice be the Baccalaureate Degree? AORN Journal, 87(3), 611-619.
A nurse with only a two year college experience is not going to nearly have as much experience and knowledge as a nurse who has gone through two extra years of schooling and training. Also, in today’s society, nurses are required to have a BSN rather than only a two year degree due to all of the medical advances that have taken place. It is overall, in my opinion, more beneficial to have a BSN along with a RN for more job opportunities and also to have the extra training and experience acquired to work successfully in the field of
The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has been a cyclical topic dating back to the 1960s. Only recently have employers in certain regions of the nation stated a decline in the demand for RNs. Consequently, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014) report on 2012-2013 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, American nursing schools denied admission to 79,659 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2012. The reported decrease in job availability and rejected admissions has left many individuals to question if the nursing shortage still exists. On the other hand, some experts project that the United States will be short more than one million RNs by 2020 (Dolan, 2011). Although some parts of the country are in less of a demand than others, it is undeniable that there is a national shortage of RNs.
Nursing leaders nationwide believe that it is important for nurses with an Associate Degree to return to school to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) education within 10 years of graduation from an Associate Degree program to keep their licensure. The reason why this bill is passed is because of patient safety. Nurses with Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) have lower mortality rates in surgery department, less incidences, and better outcomes in the acute care settings which are heavily emphasized in the Affordable Care Act necessary for payment reimbursement (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2014). This bill A01977/S02533A was introduced in January 27, 2012 in the state of New York. At the same time the state of New Jersey also introduced similar bill A553. This author will represent one of the registered nurses with an Associate Degree who is going back for their BSN education to see the effectiveness of the bill on the healthcare system and therefore supports the bill.
The need for a BSN is for entry into nursing practice is widely supported dating back to 1965 when the American Nurses Association (ANA) published a paper stating the BSN to be the minimal level of education for entry in to practice (Taylor, 2008, p. 611). In the opinion of this author, in order to move the practice of nursing from a technical job to a professional career it is vital to have a minimal education of a BSN. Having a BSN helps to level the ...
There has been great debate in the nursing community for years regarding what should be the educational requirements for a practicing nurse. There are currently many options for men and women to enter the field through LPN, ADN, and BSN programs. More recently, programs have been popping up allowing accelerated BSN obtainment through second degree programs. The debate stems from the conflicting ideas of whether nursing as a whole is a trade, requiring an associate’s degree, or should be considered a profession, often requiring a Baccalaureate degree. In this paper this author will use past nursing history, current medical demands and advancements, and clinical patient outcomes to argue that the minimum education for a nurse should be a Baccalaureate degree.
Heller, B. R., Oros, M. T., & Durney-Crowley, J. (2011). The Future of Nursing Education: Ten Trends to Watch. Retrieved from http://www.nln.org/nlnjournal/infotrends.htm
There are various incentives and disincentives for practicing nurses to continue their formal education. Dr. Tanya Altmann, Sacramento State University Associate Professor, published a meta-analysis of ten studies of the concerns faced by diploma nurses (DN) and associates degree nurses (ADN) about pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
It is very fascinating the most of the universities are having online courses for nurses to get their higher education, while nurses are struggling between the work and home. Currently most of the hospitals in the United Sates are moving towards magnet status which needed higher educated nurses. In this situation, it is blessing for nurses to attain their higher education through online course even for associate RNs to become BSN. The BSN program helps the nurses in many ways including to utilizing the process to the full scale and it will promote nurses to use their skills like educating the patient as we’ll as creating new nurses. Because of the new health care reform, the BSN program also will aid to fill the gap from the influx of patients. The baccalaureate degrees and BSN program helps and prepares for the significant part they going to play in reinforcing the new healthcare modification. At present, I utilize and develop nursing care plan in the nursing process even though it needs some corrections due to the nature of my work. The highest standards of nursing could be only done through better research and advanced training. All these process will not only aid to create a healthcare model based on the clinicians wants, but also based on better data from the research which will eventually help to direct them towards right direction.
As a nurse supervisor, I am responsible for overseeing the nurses on my shift. I must be able to evaluate each nurse and the care they provide ensuring that the best possible care is being provided. I must ensure that company policies and procedures are being followed. I am responsible for overseeing patient care to assist the staff with each patient when needed. The BSN program will teach me how to be a better manager and improve the nursing skills I already use in my practice. The BSN program will teach the use of quality improvement measures, outcomes, safety, and skills in working within organizations and communities (AACN, 2008). Another reason I am pursuing a BSN degree, so in the future, I will have more job opportunities. In today’s nursing field, more employers are requiring a BSN to be considered for management positions. A BSN will also provide opportunities to explore more areas of the nursing field. Continuing education allows me to grow and gain different experiences that will enhance the core values of nursing. Education will help balance evidence based practice, skills, and knowledge with compassion and professional confidence to be a caring nurse. Education can reinforce the moral, ethical, and legal conduct nurses should
It is more on enhancing the student’s technical skills rather than focusing on theories. This is a good option if a student barely had any nursing work experiences or haven’t taken up any course relating to the field. This associate degree is commonly being offered in some vocational schools or community college which also offer night and weekend courses. This is another ideal course for working students or students with family matter to tend to in order for them to manage their time well. Taking up this degree requires less time compared to taking up BSN and it will get you to becoming a registered nurse
The BSN is the opportunity to increase the knowledge and understanding of the nursing career. “Nursing is a unique profession because of its synthesis of practice, multidimensional assessment/intervention, interpersonal communication, case management, and resource-linking on behalf of patients” (Jackson et al. 150). I love my work and as a registered nurse I feel totally complete, nevertheless, an advance education as the BSN program, will incorporate critical thinking expertise and leadership skills, required qualities in order to get a better position in the nursing