Background/Summary
The Coalition for Advancement of Nursing Education (CANE) brings together nursing and healthcare organizations and educational leaders in New York state to support Assembly Bill A3103/Senate Bill S628. This legislation will create a new standard for continued registered nurse (RN) licensure, by requiring that RNs earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing within ten years of initial licensure. This approach is modeled after the education requirement for public school teachers in New York State, where teachers are required to earn a master’s degree within five years of initial certification.
The new requirement would apply only to individuals entering nursing school after the proposal becomes law — it would not affect currently licensed RNs, or anyone currently in school to become an RN.
The complexity of patient care, coupled with the expanded use of technology, an increasingly diverse population, and nurses’ growing roles in delivering and ensuring quality care underscore the need for nurses to continue their education. A growing emphasis on evidence-based practice, in a broad range of patient care settings requires expanded educational preparation in research, population-based care, leadership and interdisciplinary approaches to meet patient needs.
Greatly increasing the number of New York RNs with baccalaureate degrees will expand the pipeline of nurses who can seek graduate education to prepare for roles as nursing faculty—a key factor in addressing the ongoing nursing shortage.
Ongoing efforts are making baccalaureate completion programs more accessible, including collaborative initiatives to provide articulation between ADN and BSN programs. Administrators and faculty from the state’s ADN and BSN programs recently adopted a plan to guarantee 30 nursing credits to graduates of New York state associate degree programs seeking to continue their education at the baccalaureate level.
This landmark proposal takes an inclusive approach to advancing nursing practice and education by maintaining all current educational paths available for individuals wishing to pursue a nursing career. We invite you to join us in supporting this much-needed, future-oriented, practical and collaborative approach to nursing advancement!
Additional Information
NYS Legislative Bills Online
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Related Articles
- “It's Academic: Studies Spur Push to BSN-in-10” - Nurse.com, March 2010
- “Do RNs Need More Education?” - New York Nurse (a publication of the New York State Nurses Association), April 2007
- “A Fresh Approach to an Old Issue” - Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, February 2006 (.pdf format; Adobe Reader required)
- Background Report (.pdf format)
- Talking Points (.pdf format)
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