The Damean College student survey is now concluded. We wish to thank all those who responded. Below are the results of the survey along with some analysis and editorial by the staff here at the Nursing Bar.

Each participant was asked four questions:

While this is certainly not a scientific survey, the results were both expected and unexpected. A total of 674 surveys were submitted, 17 were not included because they were incomplete, leaving a total of 657 completed survey forms. We've divided the results as follows:

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When looking at all 577 respondent answers, it is most interesting to me that regardless of their stance on the question of requiring a BSN as the minimum educational level, fully 75% said they would not change their mind even if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in. I was also a little surprised to find that most of you (58%) did not think having the BSN minimum educational requirement would increase respect for the nursing profession. Although I was surprised with answers, I do agree. Most patients, doctors and other members of the health care team don't know what level of education the RN has, they just know he or she is an RN. Now, let's take a look at how the answers came through based on the educational level of the respondents.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	19	193
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	51	161
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	46	166

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

RNs that have been prepared with an associates degree showed very strong feelings (more than 9 out of 10 disagreed) with to a requirement for a BSN to be the minimum educational preparation. In fact, we even received several very strongly worded editorials from some very impassioned visitors. Even when you consider that nearly one in four of these nurses would change their answer if there was a grandfather provision, you would still have an overwhelming disapproval rate of more than two to one. I was a little surprised that 22% of the ADNs thought that having a BSN educational requirement would improve the professionalism standing. While it is a lower number than the total population, it's still nearly one in four agreeing with the statement.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	150	53
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	41	162
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	141	62

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

Not surprisingly, BSN prepared nurses agree that a BSN should be the minimum educational level for RNs, this is likely do in large part to what they are taught in school. The only thing that ADN and BSN nurses seem to agree on is that they would not change their mind on this subject regardless of a grandfather provision. I was a little surprised to find the nearly 1 in 3 BSN nurses did not think an increased educational requirement would improve the professional stature of nurses.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	6	13
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	7	12
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	8	11

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

While we did not get very many CNAs to respond to the survey, I think it is important to note that with the exception of BSN requirement, CNAs were fairly well divided on these questions. But they do disagree with the BSN requirement by a nearly 2:1 margin. That should make us ask some additional questions and seek a larger audience for the question.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	16	56
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	24	48
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	25	47

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

Diploma RNs agree with ADN RNs in terms of rejecting a BSN minimum educational requirement. Though more than 1 in 3 agree that it would increase the professional respect of nurses. .

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	12	64
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	18	58
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	17	59

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

Interesting that we see the most consistent response from the LPNs. They overwhelming disapprove of the BSN minimum requirement, are unlikely to change their minds', and do not believe a BSN requirement would improve the professional stature of nurses.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	19	11
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	3	27
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	21	9

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

I was quite fascinated by the fact that only a slim majority of graduate nurses favor a BSN educational requirement for RNs, despite the fact that 70% believe that it would add a more professional stature to nurses. Like the rest of their colleagues, they would not be inclined to change their minds' on this subject even if there was a grandfather provision.

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Question	Yes	No
Do you think all RNs should be BSNs?	13	32
Would you change your mind if ADNs and Diploma nurses were grand fathered in?	22	23
Do you think having a minimum education level of BSN, nursing would be more respected as a profession?	19	26

BSN Required	Change Mind	Increased Respect

Who fell in the other category? Administrators, MBAs, Social Workers, Therapists, and other healthcare related workers. What's most interesting to note in this category is they really answer question three, would a minimum BSN requirement improve their professional opinion of nurses? Well it's a very close call with a slim 58% margin saying no despite the fact that nearly three-quarters say they don't believe such a minimum should be required.

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This debate has gone on for more then three within the nursing community. Still no answer! Why, well look at the results above, it is a very divisive issue among our profession. One that has been promoted by our own association, schools, and educators. I agree that things can be done to improve the professional stature of nurses, but requiring a BSN is not one of them. It's not just the nursing shortage either, in my more than 20 years of nursing (that's all I admit to), I have found that no nurse is fully prepared for practice upon graduation. Diploma nurses certainly have an advantage over ADN and BSN nurses when it comes to completing the routine "tasks" of nursing, after all they have nearly four to five times the number of clinical hours during their program, but they usually lag in understanding many of the scientific principals that are used in decision making, and visa versa. It is up to all of us to insure that we make continuing education a part of our practice. We must learn everyday, we must avoid being set in our ways, for these are the things that bring down our profession.

Yes, there is a place for advanced practice nurses, and if BSNs want to be that, then it's time to go back to school and get your masters degree. It does not take a BSN to make a good nurse. In fact, for those of you with as much experience as I have, and if you're going to be really honest with yourself, you know you've worked CNAs and LPNs that you'd rather have take care of you than some RNs, regardless of that RNs educational background. That in itself should be proof in the pudding. Not everything nursing is taught in school. Great nurses are more than educated, it's not about who they are, but what they are intrinsicly. Anyone can take nursing classes, pass those classes and even pass the NCLEX exam, but not anyone can be a nurse.

It is long time that this argument be put to rest. The associations, educational institutions, and educators must see this to be a great undermining of our profession and professionals. It is enough to have several levels of nurses, nearly all professions have various levels. Lawyers have paralegal's and administrative assistants to support their work. Doctors have PAs, NPs, and us to help them with their work, so forth and so on. So rather than thinking that various levels of nursing are a bad thing, let's work together to define roles, embrace those roles and move forward toward better, more efficient use of our resources in the care of our patients. Both the nursing shortage and current economics of our indusry need it and require it of us.

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