Ann RN wrote:I am insulted by this post. I graduated from a 3 year diploma program that had "strict educational requirements". in addition it had more on-hands clinical than any BSN program I have ever seen. We did OR rotations. Our ICU rotation was 6 weeks. Our instructors were always in our units with us. I do not consider this to be "lowering the educational standards". You do not need a BSN to be a good bedside nurse.
Ann,
I agree with what you are saying, but I think there may be a bit of personal bias in your post.
I also agree with what nursinghumor said. Here's why I believe you are both right...and this is coming from an LPN, so I may be biased as well...
There is no reason to lower the educational standards because we already have classes filled up. For LPN's I would like to see the standards RAISED. I would rather be filling those spots up with those whose academic performance was the most impressive.
That does not mean though, as you pointed out, that the "learning method" needs to be changed in favor of a more academic approach.
In fact, I think that nurses who are recieving a bachelor's degree in nursing should actually get MORE HANDS ON TRAINING.
From my experience, a lot of new grad nurses who just recieved their bsn are somewhat lost when it comes to hands on patient care, especially if they got their degree online. THAT IS NOT TO INCLUDE ALL, or even the majory, just a good number of them from MY experience.
That's fine, if they intend on working outside of patient care. If they're working the floor at your local hospital, that may not be so good.
There is of course, the issue of LPN's having less experience on the academic side of things.
I firmly believe that the system is broken and in need of repair.
I can get my bsn online with very little in class time and very little actual clinical experience.
A person opting for LPN school right out of high school could have his/her "certificate" or whatever it is they call it that they give us...in 12 months and if they took a couple of college classes in high school and a little summer school they can be a semester away from attempting to earn their bsn online through the University of Pheonix or whatever.
Let's say they get that in 18 months. You have a 21 year old kid with a bsn in nursing and ZERO EXPERIENCE. Sure, this may be the extreme, but from my experience, EDUCATED, EXPERIENCED NURSES are hard to come by.
One of my classmates didn't turn 18 until well into LPN school. She had her BSN by 21. She's a smart girl, and probably a pretty good nurse, because she really cares, and would take that kind of dedication just to finish that early, but she still lacks experience to do the job that she will SURELY be thrust into...
I'm an LPN, but I'm not afraid to say it, there are a lot of really, REALLY uneducated LPN's out there. There are no real educational requirements to enter into an LPN program other than hs diploma or equivalent. I don't want to stereotype here, but in this case, I think it's fitting in many cases.
Also, I know that there is pressure on the educators of technical schools to pass students and from experience I know that the instructors will go to great lengths to keep a student from failing.
This is far different from a University setting where you're on your own and you don't get any second, third, or fourth chances.
That being said, some of the best nurses I've ever worked with (in my VERY limited experience) are LPN's. My preceptor was an LPN and one of the most knowledgeable nurses I have been around.
I'm rambling on here I know, and probably making some people angry, but that is not my intention.
If I'm ever in the hospital, I only want three people taking care of me. Terry Cooper, Connie Bates, and Lisa Blosser. Two RN's and an LPN and the first is my mother. I'd be SCARED TO DEATH to be in the hospital. And that's the honest truth.
I would not want a nurse that I don't know taking care of me.
Now, I have met quite a few other nursing website owners, and I KNOW that they all know what they are doing from our conversations, and I would trust them as well, but most of them aren't working in the traditional nursing role.
I don't do it, and there's a reason for it.
Those who do it, are nearing retirement age, and the fact is there simply aren't enough nurses WILLING to replace them and that will continue to be the case.
Bringing in foreign nurses, no matter how qualified, is only going to decrease the quality of patient care and worsen the situation creating a false sense of stability.
There WILL BE a communication barrier, and it WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS. There are simply no two ways around it. No amount of experience and dedication can overcome the barriers presented by inability to effectively communicate and disseminate information from Doctors, Patients, and fellow nurses. It's hard enough translating doctor's orders when English is your first langauge let alone when you've learned it as a second langauge for your career. It simply won't work.
Okay, I'd better stop before I get stoned to death!
I am sorry if I offended anyone. It certainly was not my intention. I very well could be wrong about everything I just posted. It's simply my opinion based on my very limited experiences and I am certainly open to hearing any dissenting opinion and to changing my school of thought.
--Aaron
ps.
Go here:
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and search for a job
