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Oct. 9
Détente on Nursing Education
For better or for worse, there is more than one way to become a nurse. And while this ought to be cause for celebration — especially when there is such a shortage of nurses — it is more often the cause of conflict. Community colleges and universities frequently clash over state funds, the value of their graduates, and who better serves the market. Now, in a growing trend, some states are realigning their two- and four-year nursing programs to encourage more collaboration and fewer obstacles toward earning an advanced degree.
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Last week, the Foundation for California Community Colleges announced the recipients of a grant that, through collaboration between two- and four-year programs, will help develop a new model for nursing education in the state. Though community colleges provide the lion’s share of new registered nurses in California — about 70 percent — there is a growing need for highly trained and specialized nurses who hold at least a bachelor’s degree. This new collaborative program is being developed among 50 of the state’s 130 nursing schools: at a number of community colleges, select California State University campuses and a few private colleges.
Currently, only 26 percent of nurses holding associate degrees in California continue their education to earn a bachelor’s degree. Kristine Yahn, director of health care programs at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, said she believes that this new collaborative program between the state’s two- and four-year nursing programs could bolster that percentage on the way to helping meet the forecasted state-wide shortage of 116,000 nurses by 2020.
“There is a potential crisis with the basic nursing shortage and the pending resignation of large numbers of faculty, deans and directors of [nursing programs at] colleges and universities,” Yahn said. “Literature has shown clearly that advantages in outcomes can be and are attained in patients with baccalaureate-trained nurses at the bedside. A better educated nursing workforce is something we should all be striving for.”
While, as in most states, a bachelor’s degree is not required to become a staff nurse in California, it is essential for those who want to achieve a leadership role or work in a specialized medical field. Deloras Jones, executive director of the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care, said this professional ambition is, for some, incentive enough to pursue further education, but this isn’t the case for everyone. She added that, at the staff nursing level, there is little pay differential between those with an associate degree and those with a bachelor’s degree.
“Nurses are quick to say, ‘Why should I go on to get my bachelor’s degree if I don’t need it to be at the bedside?’” Jones said, noting that California’s highly unionized system narrows the pay differential between more and less qualified nurses. “That may be true, but the door to the development of a professional nursing career is opened through higher education. A staff nurse with an associate degree will find it more and more difficult to move along the continuum of a professional career.”
The collaborative program being developed in California is different than a standard articulation agreement or 2 + 2 program between a community college and a four-year institution. Jones said nurses in the program will be offered dual admission to both a two- and four-year institution to ensure their continuation and so they would avoid the common pitfalls of having to transfer. Additionally, she said, participating programs will have a shared curriculum, so that nursing students will not take redundant courses at the associate and baccalaureate level. In theory, Jones explained, a nursing student will take a year of prerequisites at a community college, spend two years earning an associate degree at a community college and complete their bachelor’s degree in an additional year at a four-year institution. Proponents argue this will streamline the process, quickly training more highly educated nurses than could be done previously.
The proposed California system was modeled after a collaborative nursing education program in Oregon, whose first class of nurses will earn bachelor’s degrees in the spring. The Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education, formed in 2001, is a program between 8 of the state’s 14 community colleges and Oregon Health & Science University. As in the California program, students are whisked through their nursing programs in a less obstructive fashion on their way to earning a bachelor’s degree. Louise Shores, the consortium’s director, said the program has generated significant interest from 25 other states that are seeking to emulate it in some fashion. In the past, she said only about 18 percent of nurses earning an associate degree pursued a bachelor’s degree. Since the introduction of the program, however, she said participating institutions have seen that figure rise to around 50 percent.
Though the Oregon program has interested many other states and is already generating noticeable results, Shores said it was initially difficult to convince both the two- and four-year institutions that it was an idea even worthy of consideration. Recently, the Oregon Nurses Association lobbied that a bachelor’s degree be required to become an entry level nurse in the state. This failed movement, she said, was the basis for some of the conflict between the community colleges and four-year institutions that made the program difficult to sell.
“There were a lot of stereotypes and tensions brewing and breeding,” Shores said. “The baccalaureate programs tended to be snobbish about their higher level of education and tended to think of themselves as better. On the other hand, some of our biggest detractors were community college presidents who viewed this program as a backdoor toward mandating a baccalaureate education for nurses. There was a lot of animosity early on that we needed to turn around.”
The development of collaborative nursing programs is not an isolated phenomenon, said Mary Jean Schumann, chief programs officer at the American Nurses Association. She noted that almost every state is taking some approach to remodeling its system to meet the great demand for nurses.
For example, the Community College of Baltimore County and Towson University are starting a similarly collaborative program in which students will earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. New programs are also in place to educate nurses beyond the baccalaureate level. Mount St. Mary’s College, in California, is starting a program that will train nurses with associate degrees to earn a master’s degree in nursing in three years. Additionally, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is starting a doctor of nursing practice program, in response to the shortage of qualified nursing faculty members.
“We have a nursing shortage that isn’t going to right itself,” Schumann said. “We also know that we want nurses to have a bachelor’s degrees at the end but recognize that nurses will come through a program any way that they can. We’re all for reducing the barriers as long as the quality of education is the same at the end of the day.”
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Comments
Where are these mysterious research findings?
So, we have both sides claiming that the research literature supports their claims (BA’s do make a difference vs. it really doesn’t matter what degree you do or don’t have as long as you have the skills).
Anyone care to direct us to actual studies? Please provide a little more information for those of us who may not be familiar with the literature base in nursing education.
B, at 9:55 am EDT on October 9, 2008
RN Nursing Paths
The current nursing model has “completion program” options, allowing non-BS degree nurses to complete a Bachelor’s, and move into master’s and Ph.D. programs. The associate degree programs in Calif. also have the career path allowing LVNs the opportunity to become RNs. These paths may be less efficient, but the resulting BS-nurse has a better combination of experience and theory than one trained exclusively in a four-year BS-RN program.
Not all nursing administrators have BS+ degrees. Not all bedside nurses are less educated. Many BA level RNs have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing, and career paths are highly diverse. Each path has the potential to offer important strengths to the health care system.
Several major recent studies showing success and outcomes for patients with four-year BS prepared nurses versus other non 4-year RNs were conducted using self-selected RN respondents, primarily on the east coast. The nursing populations compared included many BS-RNs from large, urban teaching hospitals (where resources, staffing, and doctoring is very different than in most of the country) to smaller and more rural non-teaching hospitals (with less in-service nursing education, less opportunity for continuing education, fewer “new” technologies (and proportionately fewer staff familiar with the technologies), lower staffing rations, fewer resources, older patients (if I recall), fewer doctors, fewer resident doctors, fewer doctors in training, and less of many other ancillary resources such as on-site MRI, CAT-scans, and specialized laboratories.
Recent studies used a nursing population that was highly biased and allowed the promotion pre-existing conclusions of the authors who advocate BS as entry to practice model. You can find lots of studies, but if you read them, please understand the underlying health care provided by the study groups being compared. If the health care provided differs due to patient acuity, income, prior conditions, etc., the outcomes will reflect these differences. For example, infant patients in neo-natal ICU do not do as well as infant patients in the mother-baby unit. Concluding that the neo-natal ICU staff and patient care is inferior to the care delivered in the mother-baby unit is inappropriate, as is concluding that the neo-natal ICU staff has inferior training. Thought patient outcomes may differ, infants in both units may be receiving excellent and appropriate care.
While the recent BS-RN VERSUS non-BS trained nursing studies make some attempt to control for differences in location, the fact remains that in the highly urban research hospitals, where there are higher proportions of BS-trained RNs, better staffing ratios, and higher staff retention, patient outcomes are “better”. And, therefore, the patient outcomes for BS-trained RNs, as measured by patient outcomes primarily at these urban research hospitals, are “better” than for other RNs. This is the weakest evidence possible of nursing ability/skill/preparation. The correlation of patient outcomes to RN path does not (and should not be interpreted to) provide evidence of differences between nurses from different career paths. The association is not causal, and even the inferential link between patient outcomes and RN-path is inappropriate.
Bob Hirsch, Intitutional Research at RSCCD, at 11:45 am EDT on October 9, 2008
De’tente on nUrsing Education
Great article! We are attempting a similar plan between the local community college asociate degree students and our BS completion program. One important piece is that once the students graduate from the AD program and are employable, more than incentive and encouragement, employers have to value their nurses getting their BS degree by accomodating work scheduling to allow for class time. This is sometimes difficult, but part of this solution is that industry has to commit to it as well. This is our experience a=of what can make or break the nurse’s intent to go on for BS.
Frances Crosby, Chairperson at Niagara University, at 11:55 am EDT on October 9, 2008
Endowed Program
It’s good to see more creative approaches to the nrusing shortage are emerging rapidly, finally. We have an RN-BSN Program with the University of Wyoming where the university and the college jointly appoint a professor on our community college campus who teaches university classes at the college and also advises nearly 100 local RN-BSN students.
A number of university courses are also taught online so that the full BSN is available locally where it would otherwise be a 6 hour drive away. Our RN-BSN faculty position is endowed at $1.5 million to the college and must by that agreement reside on the community college campus. It’s a wonderful model for a rural state.
Kevin Drumm, College President at NWCCD, at 1:15 pm EDT on October 9, 2008
Detent on Nursing Education
Sorry California but Wisconsin has been collaborating with technical colleges using the 1+2+1model since 2005. UW Eau Claire was the pioneer and has a program called the “Alliance” with Chippewa Valley Technical College and UW Oshkosh followed with the Step Ahead collaboration with North Central Technical College and UW Marathon County in Wausau Wisconsin. below is the description.
Wausau Step Ahead BSNThe University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing, the University of Wisconsin Marathon County and Northcentral Technical College cooperatively, and in partnership, offers a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) which began fall 2005. The program allows students to earn a BSN in Wausau.
The structure of the program is three steps. Step one: First-year students complete Nursing prerequisites and general education requirements for entrance into the Baccalaureate Nursing Program. Many will be completing these requirements at UWMC. step ahead worksheet.xls Step two: Students will earn credit toward an associate degree in nursing via Northcentral Technical College’s A D N Program, and will be awarded their Associate Degree in Nursing ( A D N) by Northcentral Technical College, enabling them to complete the State Board Examinations (NCLEX-RN) exam thus becoming RNs. Step three: In the final step of the program, students earn credits through the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing Collaborative Nursing program (CNP) with existing distance education opportunities offered in Wausau. Upon completion of CNP courses, they are awarded their Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Application Process:.
Applications will be accepted through the UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Undergraduate office until January 30th and August 30th for the fall and spring semesters respectively. Link here to find the latest application information.
In addition they must have taken or will take a C N A course prior to beginning the Associate Degree portion of the program at NTC.
1. A review committee, comprised of staff from the three participating colleges will select the eligible students according to UWO’s admissions policies.
2. Students will be notified of their admission status by April 1 and November 1 for the Spring and Fall Semesters respectively. Northcentral technical college will be given a list of accepted students. Accepted students must immediately submit the information listed below to NTC
3. A waiting list of students will be kept for each application semester. Students on the waiting list will need to reapply if they wish to be considered for the following semester.Step Two
Students accepted to the Step Ahead BSN program must submit the following portfolio of information to NTC immediately after they are notified that they have been selected. _____ 1. Application and $30.00 Application Fee (available at www.ntc.edu)
_____ 2. Official High school transcript (transcript must show graduation date, school seal and signature)
_____ 3. Official College transcripts (all)
______ 4. Permission to Exchange Student Information (Available at UWMC, UW O, NTC))
A completed portfolio with the application and application fee (if applicable) must be mailed to the NTC Admissions Office at 1000 W. Campus Drive, Wausau, WI 54401.
When the application materials are received and verified for completion the student will be accepted into the Associate Degree Nursing program at NTC. Students will be registered for program courses and mailed a schedule and tuition bill.
NTC requires accepted students to submit copies of the following information prior to the start of classes: Health History & Physical Examination Form Current CPR Certification – Health Care Provider Any new or additional and college transcript Nursing Assistant Certification class
.
Northcentral Technical College Erica Maleski, Counselor................................................ 715/675-3331 ext. 4487 University of Wisconsin Marathon County Patti Thwaits Advisor.................................................... 715/261-6231
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh Campus 920-424-1824Dr.Stephanie Stewart
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Wausau CampusDeb Allar Advisor at NTC…..…… 715-261-6293
Step Three: Students need to complete the final year for their Bachelor’s Program at UW Oshkosh Collaborative nursing program offered in Wausau through distance education
UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Curricular Plan BSN Completion In addition to the 30 credits of nursing obtained from NTC (see below), the following will be required to obtain a baccalaureate degree from UW Oshkosh. (Total number of credits for completion of a baccalaureate degree at UW Oshkosh is 120.) Students in this program may have taken many of these courses in step one. General Education English II.....................3 credits Nonwestern Culture ......3 credits PE (Active Lifestyle)...... 2 credits Math (Modern Math, Statistics or PBIS) ........3 credits Humanities (2 areas) .....9 credits Ethnic Studies (Diversity Requirement) ................3 creditsSocial Sciences .............3 credits
Electives (you must have 120 credits to graduate) Nursing Total of 60: 30 accepted as prior learning credits 30 completed as part of the BSN completion program 324 Orientation to Clinical Major............................ 1 credit 341 Theoretical Foundations.............................. 4 credits 434 Nursing Research .......................................3 credits 317 Health Assessment..................................... 4 credits 444 Community Health ......................................3 credits 437 Leadership & Management........................... 4 credits 438 ** Community Health Clinical......................... 3 credits 448 ** Clinical Nursing Synthesis.......................... 4 credits Nursing Elective s................................................. 4 credits..........................................................................30 credits
** Clinical courses carry a 1:3 ratio meaning 1 credit = 3 hours/per week General Education Required courses: Total of 60 and includes pre nursing required courses, UW Oshkosh degree requirements and electives. Electives are courses of your choosing and can be either general education or nursing elective Credit for Prior Learning: Nursing Electives In addition to the general policy of credit for prior learning in nursing (30 nursing credits) UW Oshkosh provides an opportunity to gain recognition for prior learning by virtue of specialty certification. The following describes this policy. Policy: Registered nurses who are active in nursing practice and hold current ANA or a Specialty Nursing Association Certification in a specialty area of nursing practice may be eligible for two nursing credits (two credits per certification) which may be used to meet the nursing elective requirements. Requirements: The registered nurse must be active in nursing practice. Certification must be current. The UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Undergraduate Program must recognize certifying agency as appropriate. Procedure: The registered nurse submits a letter requesting additional credits to the Undergraduate Program. In addition to the letter, the following documentation is included with the request: a.)Evidence of current certification b:) Position and place of current nursing practice. Other Requirements of the UW Oshkosh CON:
Health requirements: A list of immunizations, including documentation from a health care provider for 2 MMR’s (measles, mumps, rubella), varicella titer or 2 vaccines, and TB skin test ( 2 step needed or documentation of 2 annual tests) along with a xerox copy of both sides of your Professional CPR card is required prior to your first clinical course. These forms are a part of the admitting process. Fees for immunizations, titers,T B test and CPR must be paid by the student. A xerox copy of your current RN license is also required. For Academic Policies related to Progression, Appeal Procedures and Grading Scale please see the Undergraduate Student Handbook. . Advisement/Admission and Progression Guideline If you have additional questions about the program or need additional help or advisement, contact: Stephanie Stewart, RN, PhD Professor Director of Center for Nursing Innovations University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing 800 Algoma Boulevard Oshkosh WI 54901 Office: 920-424-1028 or 920 424 1824Fax: 920-424-0123
Stephanie Stewart, Director Ceter for Nursing Innovation at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing, at 4:15 pm EDT on October 9, 2008
ADN candidates
Show me an ADN student (at the CC level) who has been actually tested on and passed some kind of test requiring the translation and solution of a basic proportion problem, and I’ll fall out of my chair!
I swear to this — I suspect that there is some secret course, hidden in the ADN curriculum, where such students learn to collectively whine about having to do any kind of math.
I cringe at the thought that I might be a patient some day and the physician might make a simple mistake on some dosage, and there would be no one around to point out the obvious. I hope I at least have enough faculties then to question this.
Tired of It All, at 4:45 pm EDT on October 9, 2008
Detent on Nursing Education
Sorry California but UW Oshkosh has been doing this since 2005 Wausau Step Ahead BSNThe University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing, the University of Wisconsin Marathon County and Northcentral Technical College cooperatively, and in partnership, offers a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) which began fall 2005. The program allows students to earn a BSN in Wausau.
The structure of the program is three steps. Step one: First-year students complete Nursing prerequisites and general education requirements for entrance into the Baccalaureate Nursing Program. Many will be completing these requirements at UWMC. step ahead worksheet.xls Step two: Students will earn credit toward an associate degree in nursing via Northcentral Technical College’s A D N Program, and will be awarded their Associate Degree in Nursing ( A D N) by Northcentral Technical College, enabling them to complete the State Board Examinations (NCLEX-RN) exam thus becoming RNs. Step three: In the final step of the program, students earn credits through the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing Collaborative Nursing program (CNP) with existing distance education opportunities offered in Wausau. Upon completion of CNP courses, they are awarded their Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Application Process:.
Applications will be accepted through the UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Undergraduate office until January 30th and August 30th for the fall and spring semesters respectively. Link here to find the latest application information.
In addition they must have taken or will take a C N A course prior to beginning the Associate Degree portion of the program at NTC.
1. A review committee, comprised of staff from the three participating colleges will select the eligible students according to UWO’s admissions policies.
2. Students will be notified of their admission status by April 1 and November 1 for the Spring and Fall Semesters respectively. Northcentral technical college will be given a list of accepted students. Accepted students must immediately submit the information listed below to NTC
3. A waiting list of students will be kept for each application semester. Students on the waiting list will need to reapply if they wish to be considered for the following semester.Step Two
Students accepted to the Step Ahead BSN program must submit the following portfolio of information to NTC immediately after they are notified that they have been selected. _____ 1. Application and $30.00 Application Fee (available at www.ntc.edu)
_____ 2. Official High school transcript (transcript must show graduation date, school seal and signature)
_____ 3. Official College transcripts (all)
______ 4. Permission to Exchange Student Information (Available at UWMC, UW O, NTC))
A completed portfolio with the application and application fee (if applicable) must be mailed to the NTC Admissions Office at 1000 W. Campus Drive, Wausau, WI 54401.
When the application materials are received and verified for completion the student will be accepted into the Associate Degree Nursing program at NTC. Students will be registered for program courses and mailed a schedule and tuition bill.
NTC requires accepted students to submit copies of the following information prior to the start of classes: Health History & Physical Examination Form Current CPR Certification – Health Care Provider Any new or additional and college transcript Nursing Assistant Certification class
.
Northcentral Technical College Erica Maleski, Counselor................................................ 715/675-3331 ext. 4487 University of Wisconsin Marathon County Patti Thwaits Advisor.................................................... 715/261-6231
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh Campus 920-424-1824Dr.Stephanie Stewart
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Wausau CampusDeb Allar Advisor at NTC…..…… 715-261-6293
Step Three: Students need to complete the final year for their Bachelor’s Program at UW Oshkosh Collaborative nursing program offered in Wausau through distance education
UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Curricular Plan BSN Completion In addition to the 30 credits of nursing obtained from NTC (see below), the following will be required to obtain a baccalaureate degree from UW Oshkosh. (Total number of credits for completion of a baccalaureate degree at UW Oshkosh is 120.) Students in this program may have taken many of these courses in step one. General Education English II.....................3 credits Nonwestern Culture ......3 credits PE (Active Lifestyle)...... 2 credits Math (Modern Math, Statistics or PBIS) ........3 credits Humanities (2 areas) .....9 credits Ethnic Studies (Diversity Requirement) ................3 creditsSocial Sciences .............3 credits
Electives (you must have 120 credits to graduate) Nursing Total of 60: 30 accepted as prior learning credits 30 completed as part of the BSN completion program 324 Orientation to Clinical Major............................ 1 credit 341 Theoretical Foundations.............................. 4 credits 434 Nursing Research .......................................3 credits 317 Health Assessment..................................... 4 credits 444 Community Health ......................................3 credits 437 Leadership & Management........................... 4 credits 438 ** Community Health Clinical......................... 3 credits 448 ** Clinical Nursing Synthesis.......................... 4 credits Nursing Elective s................................................. 4 credits..........................................................................30 credits
** Clinical courses carry a 1:3 ratio meaning 1 credit = 3 hours/per week General Education Required courses: Total of 60 and includes pre nursing required courses, UW Oshkosh degree requirements and electives. Electives are courses of your choosing and can be either general education or nursing elective Credit for Prior Learning: Nursing Electives In addition to the general policy of credit for prior learning in nursing (30 nursing credits) UW Oshkosh provides an opportunity to gain recognition for prior learning by virtue of specialty certification. The following describes this policy. Policy: Registered nurses who are active in nursing practice and hold current ANA or a Specialty Nursing Association Certification in a specialty area of nursing practice may be eligible for two nursing credits (two credits per certification) which may be used to meet the nursing elective requirements. Requirements: The registered nurse must be active in nursing practice. Certification must be current. The UW Oshkosh College of Nursing Undergraduate Program must recognize certifying agency as appropriate. Procedure: The registered nurse submits a letter requesting additional credits to the Undergraduate Program. In addition to the letter, the following documentation is included with the request: a.)Evidence of current certification b:) Position and place of current nursing practice. Other Requirements of the UW Oshkosh CON:
Health requirements: A list of immunizations, including documentation from a health care provider for 2 MMR’s (measles, mumps, rubella), varicella titer or 2 vaccines, and TB skin test ( 2 step needed or documentation of 2 annual tests) along with a xerox copy of both sides of your Professional CPR card is required prior to your first clinical course. These forms are a part of the admitting process. Fees for immunizations, titers,T B test and CPR must be paid by the student. A xerox copy of your current RN license is also required. For Academic Policies related to Progression, Appeal Procedures and Grading Scale please see the Undergraduate Student Handbook. . Advisement/Admission and Progression Guideline If you have additional questions about the program or need additional help or advisement, contact: Stephanie Stewart, RN, PhD Professor Director of Center for Nursing Innovations University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing 800 Algoma Boulevard Oshkosh WI 54901 Office: 920-424-1028 or 920 424 1824Fax: 920-424-0123
Stephanie Stewart, Director Center for Nursing Innovation at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, at 4:45 pm EDT on October 9, 2008
Yahn said. “Literature has shown clearly that advantages in outcomes can be and are attained in patients with baccalaureate-trained nurses at the bedside. A better educated nursing workforce is something we should all be striving for.”
Where is this literature, what site? this is total BS, and I don’t mean BSN, but the stockyard type. The only possible advantage for a patient with a BSN, would be help with their crossword puzzles. but even that is a stretch......
Greg, at 7:40 pm EDT on October 9, 2008
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Nursing education — A call for a truce
This statement is quoted in the article:
“Literature has shown clearly that advantages in outcomes can be and are attained in patients with baccalaureate-trained nurses at the bedside. A better educated nursing workforce is something we should all be striving for.”
Besides the dangling participle, I have to dispute the very notion that a nurse with a bacelors degree is any better at the bedside than a nurse with an associate degree or, heaven forbid, a diploma in nursing!
The facts are that diploma and associate degree nurses actually score significantly higher test results on the nursing examination (NCLEX) that is required for entry into the profession. And these schools do the job at about 1/3 of the cost of a bachelor degree, and in about 3/4 of the time. There’s a simple reason for this fact. Diploma and associate programs provide significantly more time for students in the clinical setting than do bachelor programs, and they do it over a much shorter time period thereby increasing knowledge retention among this cohort. The NLN has the stats to prove this and they are not merely “literature” or opinion.
There is, indeed, a great need for nurses and this need will increase significantly over the next two decades due to the graying of the boomers. Incredibly, over the past 30 years, the leaders within the nursing profession itself have nearly abolished the diploma educational model and will do the same to the associate degree programs if given the chance. That is truly a shame and validates that old saw about nurses eating their young.
The really sad part is that once again, a very narrow special interest group has forced it’s high cost, low productivity model of nursing education onto the rest of the nation. Society is always the loser when this happens.
Obviously, there is room in nursing for many levels of education. I am not against nurses with BA degrees. Nursing should be bifurcated into two separate career paths. One would be for that nurse whose goal is providing bedside care during her or his career. A two year degree is appropriate for this individual and they should not be forced to ever pursuit a higher nursing degree if they choose not to do so. These people are the mechanics in the profession, the ones who keep patients alive and breathing. Sure there are BA trained nurses among them, but a BA should not be required.Those nurses who decide to pursuit more administratively-oriented careers within nursing should, indeed, get their bachelors degree. But there should never be a government mandate, as there may soon be in Pennsylvania, that forces nurses to attain a BA when it is simply not required and serves only to drive up healthcare costs for us all.
That’s not just wrong. It’s stupid!
Feudi Pandola, at 8:45 am EDT on October 9, 2008