To bsn or not to bsn - that is the nurse s question

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The Goldmark Report in 1923 was the first to recommend that the entry level of education for professional practice as a registered nurse should be a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), and heated debate has raged among nurses over the issue ever since.

Diploma and Associate Degree RN’s will clearly tell you that they can run rings around BSN program graduates when it comes to patient care. They’ll explain that they have more actual clinical experience and patient care know how in their little finger than a new BSN grad, and 99% of the time they’re right about that! I’ll be the first to admit that if I get seriously ill I’m hoping that my nurse graduated from a diploma program like the one they used to offer at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Those nurses had so much training and hands on care experience by the time they graduated that few physicians could hold a candle to them on their best day.

This isn’t about whether BSN nurses are better than ADN or Diploma nurses

Up until a few years ago I would have been just as emotional as the next nurse in arguing against the very idea of making the BSN degree the minimum educational level to practice as a professional nurse. The arguments were many and seemed to make sense – no difference in pay for a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma nurse, we all do the same job etc….

But The Times, They Are a Changing…. And so has my point of view

“Rapidly expanding clinical knowledge and mounting complexities in health care mandate that professional nurses possess educational preparation commensurate with the diversified responsibilities required of them. As health care shifts from hospital-centered, inpatient care to more primary and preventive care throughout the community, the health system requires registered nurses who not only can practice across multiple settings - both within and beyond hospitals - but can function with more independence in clinical decision making, case management, provision of direct bedside care, supervision of unlicensed aides and other support personnel, guiding patients through the maze of health care resources, and educating patients on treatment regimens and adoption of healthy lifestyles. In particular, preparation of the entry-level professional nurse requires a greater orientation to community-based primary health care, and an emphasis on health promotion, maintenance, and cost-effective coordinated care.” (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Position Statement, Dec. 2000)

Nursing is a dynamic profession and lifelong learning is essential for nurses to stay current with the increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. In other words, the needs of our patients are changing, as we must change in order to be prepared to better serve that need.

BSN degree nurses are better prepared to meet patient needs

The main difference in study between an ADN and BSN is the emphasis on additional education in leadership and management, wellness, and community nursing. BSN prepared nurses possess greater knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction as well as illness and disease management and are prepared to assist individuals, groups, and communities to prevent disease and achieve optimum levels of wellness. As nurses expand their role and move further into providing more community based primary care delivery the need for BSN prepared nurses is apparent.

Having a BSN degree means more career opportunities

The health system's increasing demand for front-line primary care, and the accelerating drive toward managed care, prevention, and cost-efficiency, are driving the nation's need for nurses who are prepared to practice in non-structured setting and interact directly with the public in matters of providing health and prevention services to the community, and that requires a BSN prepared nurse for starters.

Am I saying that every RN should become a BSN?

No, of course not! That’s an individual choice each of you needs to make for yourselves. Don’t do it for money. In many cases there’s no benefit in pay for having a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma - at least initially. The truth however is that increased education leads to increased responsibilities and increased career opportunities which give rise in turn to increased pay.

BSN nurses will have more career options than ADN and Diploma nurses. Diploma nursing programs and all but extinct anymore and I expect the ADN programs will vanish sometime in the future as well, but those of you who are already licensed will continue to be able to practice as an RN. You might find your job opportunities becoming narrower in the near future however. North Dakota has required all new nurse hires to possess a BSN degree since 1987. The New York State Board has similar legislation pending. The Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs began requiring all new hires to possess at least a BSN degree in 2005. Who knows what’s coming next?

Having a BSN degree allows more opportunity for employment, increased responsibility, and career progression. It opens the door for professional certification in specialty areas of nursing practice and leads to an expanded role as a provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of patient care as well as provides the foundation for graduate education.

Today’s working RN’s can attain a BSN degree without sacrificing their present job or income by going through an accredited online program. Programs are available that offer NLN accredited LPN to RN/BSN degrees, RN to BSN degrees, RN/ BSN to Master’s degrees, and even PhD in Nursing. Your employer’s education benefits often cover the expense of advancing your degree and tuition assistance is available for those who need additional help.

Nurses wishing to explore available online nursing degree options can learn more by visiting Medi-Smart. com’s online nursing school directory at medi-smart. com/schools. htm. Medi-Smart is a nursing resource and education site for nurses by an experienced nurse and you can interact with fellow nurses as well as student nurses in the nursing discussion forums while you’re there.

Healthcare delivery is changing. Nurses need to change along with it to meet the need.

Take a good look at christian education

If you have the important responsibility of determining what schooling situation is best for your children, then please take your time and make an informed decision based on as much research as you can handle. There are quite a few options these days, which is all the more a good reason for parents to take seriously the job of providing the best possible education for their children. Public education, Christian education, and homeschooling are just three of many options available to families today.

Many Christian couples will opt to send their children through the Christian education system without giving it much thought. It is a Christian program, after all, so what could be the problem, right? This happens in much the same way that non-Christian parents don't think twice about sending their children to publich school. And while I am not suggesting that Christian education is a poor choice, I am saying that it is a choice to be considered among other good choices.

There are obvious benefits to choosing Christian education for children. First and foremost, there is no better place for children to be introduced to the foundational beliefs of Christianity that during the school day as they grow up. So if you place a high priority on your children being raised in the faith that you believe in, then you should take a good look at the Christian education options in your area. See if there is more than one Christian school available and find out which program best fits the needs and beliefs of your family. Be warned, however, that sometimes choosing Christian education for your kids means sacrificing a little bit in the actual education that they will learn. This is not always the case, thankfully, but I am learning that quite often Christian education systems put things like math or science on the backburner in the hopes of really focusing in on faith issues and on how to live as Christians in a non-Christian world.

What is the best choice for your family? No one can make that but you. All I can tell you is not to make a choice about Christian education or public education quickly. Take your time, do some research, and talk to parents you trust that have put their kids through Christian education and public education to see what they would suggest. You will have to pick and chose on some things, so just begin to gather ideas and figure out what things you are and are not willing to compromise on.

Why should you become a lifelong learner

I am a student, a teacher, and a mother (in order of the role's appearance in my life). Being a teacher and a mother means I am continually learning something new. I learn so I can keep up with my students and son; I learn from my students and my son; and I learn so I can do my best as a teacher and a mother.

However, even if the role of a student wasn't forced on me by life I think I would be a lifelong learner. I love to learn. The universe is such a large and diverse place and even our small corner of it is so complex and varied that you can find a new challenge in any direction you look. I love learning big things and small things and even trivial things.

I love the investigation and the discovery involved in the process of learning. Sometimes only the process interests me and I don't worry about the end result.

I've always suspected that being a lifelong learner was a good thing and I recently came up with three very good reasons for embracing lifelong learning.

However, resarchers at the University of Toronto have found learning can not only be good for your life but also for your brain. Learning may actually protect the brain from some of the negative impacts of aging such as memory loss, by building alternate neural networks absent in less-educated people. The more years you spend learning, the more prevention against memory loss you have.

Dr. Paul Nussbaum have also done extensive research in this area and he reports that new and complex stimulation promotes a healthy brain. He says: "New learning translates to neurophysiological growth and to mental stimulation in the same way that aerobics translates to cardiovascular health." Nussbaum encourages people of all ages to continually promote their brain's health by challenging their brain by learning new information and new skills as well as pursuing activities that may be challenging and difficult to master at first.

Lifelong learning also offers additional ways to keep your brain healthy. Studies show that it is important for human beings to have a role and a sense of purpose. Actively pursuing knowledge and/or skills can help you achieve both as well as the stimulation your brain needs to be healthy.

Finally there is the financial incentive for learning. Studies show a strong correlation between health and finances. Other research shows that the more education and skills (learning) a person acquires, the higher their income. People who know more not only earn more money but know how to use it as a tool to further build their financial resources. No matter what your income or your age, it is never too late to begin learning how to manage your money better.

Three very good reasons for becoming a lifelong learner include promoting your brain's health; giving your life a sense of purpose; and promoting your financial security. Any one of these reasons should be enough but all three combine to a powerful motivation to learn.

Need to take tesol exam

A glance at a clothing boutique, a brisk walk down city streets, or an earful of automated customer service messages is proof positive that we live in an ethnic melting pot.

Our world has stretched its borders and every person wanting to take advantage of that shift needs to know how to speak English. If you want to be the person that teaches them, you need the TESOL.

Knowing how to read, write, and speak another language is no longer a trend of the future but a way of life for the present. The knowledge of another language and culture is a powerful leveraging tool in every sector of society, and that means there are huge opportunities for English teachers overseas. But even beyond the career potential, the TESOL can open your eyes to other cultures. Studies show that children who are multilingual grasp concepts more quickly, and even the elderly are increasing their very quality and span of life by using natural forms of medicine that hail from continents beyond North America.

Given the impact that world customs are making within our borders, the TESOL exam comes to the fore in preparing for a career teaching English overseas, locally, or just to retain a global outlook on life. While foreign speakers can access self-help curricula, it is helpful to have an instructor, because a person-to-person guide makes the language come to life in a way that far exceeds the textbook experience.

The question arises about the need to take the TESOL exam. Here are some things to ponder:

To Thine Own Self Be True. Taking the test is a sound tool to assess your actual level of linguistic competency. Once you have this knowledge, you will know your strengths and weaknesses with respect to the language.

Talk the Talk, make the coin. Taking the TESOL will equip you to effectively teach a world that wants to speak English, leading you to a career that can take you through Asia, the Middle East, Europe and beyond. Many of these nations can be places you earn a lot more money than you’re used to at home.

Taking Care of Business! Gone are the days of only conducting business on the West Coast and East Coast. The real movers and shakers see as many possibilities in India as they do in Indiana. Making a mark in the marketplace can be done as people expand the scope and breadth of their linguistic skills.

While training others to speak a native language and embracing world culture is favorable, there is another consideration to be made. As the test is administered and the vast majority becomes multilingual, more competition may arise in the marketplace. Those who were once seen as a “cut above the rest” – based on their command of several languages – may now be deemed average. There is also the possibility that the mixing of ethnicities may cause the discrete differences to be lost in a sea of cultural compromise.

Nonetheless, it is difficult to ignore the truth that stares us square in the face. This truth is that our world has now become our next-door neighbor. The choice is up to us. Only we can decide whether to open the door or to remain behind closed doors. It’s that decision that will dictate whether we make the grade and ultimately pass the test.

The bottom line is simple: Millions of people need to learn to speak English. They’ll pay you to teach them. And the TESOL is the first step to making that happen.