No, because a BSN isn’t an indicator of a nurse’s clinical skill level, ability to synthesize large amounts of data, or ability to make judgments based on that data. Also, we already have a shortage; why limit the pool of potential RNs by demanding that they have a bachelor’s degree? No. Give me a competent nurse who has common sense, uses her gut instincts, functions expertly in a crisis, gives her time and energy to those who need it, and can get information from her brain through her heart to her hands.
Do I know which degree she has? It doesn’t matter—her expertise does. TX No, because having one doesn’t necessarily make you a better nurse. My mom, a nurse for more than 50 years, graduated with only a diploma, and I can only hope to someday be as good a nurse as she is. With today’s nursing shortage, I don’t see how requiring nurses to have a BSN is practical. I work side-by-side with many qualified nurses and have no idea what degrees they have.
The key to teaching and retaining good nurses is to provide them with a good mentor and give them time to learn the necessary skills that aren’t taught in nursing school, regardless of what degree they hold. I don’t believe RNs should be required to have a BSN. As a part-time clinical instructor for an ADN program, I know ADNs have the required skills and critical thinking. I feel that in clinical settings, they function at the same level as BSNs. However, I tell all my students that earning a BSN will open doors for them and make a clear statement about the professionalism and integrity that RNs possess.
