New Law Requires Bachelors Degree for New York Nurses

[Deleted]

New Law Requires Bachelors Degree for New York Nurses


SAYRE, P.A. (WENY) -- The Empire State has raised the bar for students looking to become a registered nurse. Just a few weeks ago, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill requiring anyone looking to become a R-N to obtain a bachelors degree within ten years.



For local hospitals, the change means offering patients even more effective and qualified care.



"Our patients these days are very complex," says Kate Mohr, System Chief Nursing Officer for Guthrie. "Making this about the patients--to have a well-prepared, professional nurse, you need that background to do that."



Guthrie Hospital staff say their nursing department has consistently encouraged employees to obtain that secondary degree.



To help make the process easier, the medical group offers tuition-assistance, either for current or incoming nurses.



"Although this is a change for New York state, we have been on the journey of encouraging our nurses to get back into school, complete their baccalaureate degree by offering tuition support and flexibility in their schedules so those sort of things can be accomplished for them," says Mohr.



Mohr also says compared to other medical professions, requirements for nursing have not been modified for quite some time.



And with so many constant developments in the medical field, the opportunity to continue learning can be crucial.



"Nurses have come from a lot of different backgrounds," says Mohr."Sometimes there's conflict with raising families and shift work and all of that, so we want to be sure we give them the opportunity to complete that."


www.weny.com/story/37176864/new-law-requires-bachelors-degree-for-new-york-nurses


Odd that I read about that here.

[clarencebunsen]

According to Barb, this has been a proposal for years but she did not hear anything about it passing.

[Clipper]

I guess I have never been truly aware of the requirements to be a nurse. I always thought that a practical nurse could graduate from a vocational school like BOCES or a community college like MVCC, and I always assumed that an RN DID have a 4 year degree of some sort in nursing.

[clarencebunsen]

There are several paths to becoming an RN. Barb and one of my sisters graduated from a 3 year hospital based program similar to the one at S. E's. There are also 4 year programs at many colleges. In recent years community colleges such as MVCC have offered a two year RN program. My daughter-in-law went there but it took her longer than that since she went part time as a working mom.

Barb is now teaching part time at Utica College in a program designed for students who already have a BA or BS. They go for 2 more years to become an RN.

At the end of their schooling they all take the same exam to become nurses.

After we moved to Utica, Barb returned to school and got a BA and an MS from SUNY.

She feels that those from the hospital based programs are best prepared to work as staff nurses in hospitals but her additional education prepared her for nursing administration, She retired as a VP from MVHS.

[Clipper]

I guess I thought that nursing schools were a four year program. I guess I related the status of RN to mean that there was a four year degree involved such as when a person graduates from Utica College.

[Deleted]

My University in Missouri has had the BSN ( name of RN four year degree) program since 1970 they also offer the Master's. My old community now only has BSN nurses.

[clarencebunsen]

I think much of the difference is focus. I have a degree in physics. As an undergraduate roughly 50% of my classes were in physics and math. I also took classes in things like Russian History and the Poetry of Milton. Barb studied nursing for 3 years: 50% classroom and 50% hands on.

I may have been a more well rounded person when I graduated and went into the army. She graduated as a nurse who could care for patients her first night on the job. Who do you want if a loved one is hospitalized?

[Deleted]

Not sure I would want a physicist giving me an enema.

[Deleted]

I bet your wife didn't learn this:

Artery..........................The study of paintings.
Bacteria.......................Back door to cafeteria.
Barium.........................What doctors do when patients die.
Cesarean Section.........A neighborhood in Rome.
Catscan........................Searching for Kitty.
Colic.............................A sheep dog.
Coma............................A punctuation mark.
D&C.............................Where Washington is.
Dilate...........................To live long.
Enema..........................Not a friend.
Fester..........................Quicker than someone else.
G.I.Series.....................World Series of military baseball.
Hangnail.......................What you hang your coat on.
Labor Pain....................Getting hurt at work.
Medical Staff.................A Doctor's cane.
Morbid..........................A higher offer than I bid.
Nitrates.......................Cheaper than day rates.
Node...........................I knew it.
Outpatient.....................A person who has fainted.
Pelvis.........................Second cousin to Elvis.
Recovery Room..................Place to do upholstery.
Seizure........................Roman emperor.
Tablet.........................A small table.
Terminal Illness...............Getting sick at the airport.
Tumor..........................More than one.
Varicose.......................Near by/close by