To BSN or not to BSN - That is the nurse's question!

The Goldmark Report in 1923 was the first toa diploma program like the one they used to offer at
recommend that the entry level of education forCook County Hospital in Chicago. Those nurses had
professional practice as a registered nurse should beso much training and hands on care experience by
a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), andthe time they graduated that few physicians could
heated debate has raged among nurses over thehold a candle to them on their best day.
issue ever since.This isn't about whether BSN nurses are better than
Diploma and Associate Degree RN's will clearly tell youADN or Diploma nurses
that they can run rings around BSN programUp until a few years ago I would have been just as
graduates when it comes to patient care. They'llemotional as the next nurse in arguing against the
explain that they have more actual clinical experiencevery idea of making the BSN degree the minimum
and patient care know how in their little finger than aeducational level to practice as a professional nurse.
new BSN grad, and 99% of the time they're rightThe arguments were many and seemed to make
about that! I'll be the first to admit that if I getsense
seriously ill I'm hoping that my nurse graduated from