Greer Glazer's Reply:

I hope that you also had fun at Christmas, in addition to reading my column!!!!

I agree with much of what you have said. There is definitely a wedge between the academics and nurses on the front line. However, whereas some think that this wedge only goes one way, I believe that it goes both ways. We would be so much better off if we could unite and stop the infighting.

Your suggestion to make the BSN the entry level for nurses was accepted by ANA in 1965, and yet we remain far from achieving this goal. Raising the bar would definitely help to delineate the differences between the RN and assistive personnel. You may be right that LPN's and Associate Degree (AD) graduates see no value in furthering their education because of a job mentality rather than a career mentality and/or because of there is no advantage in having a BSN for job promotion.

I also see this as a very personal issue of self worth. Some people seem to equate degrees with worth and this is the wrong way to go. Nurse who hold a BSN are not better people than LPN's or AD graduates. Rather, the BSN is important because given today's environment, patients need nurses who have BSN's to take care of their complex needs. LPN's and AD grads are needed to provide technical care; and course work for LPN's and AD grads intends to provide this preparation. It is not true that some nurses are better than others; rather some nurses are just prepared to perform differently.

Thanks for writing to me and enabling me to think more about this very important issue.

Greer Glazer PhD, RN, FAAN
Legislative Editor

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Letter by Anonymous RN

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