The student perspective on RN-Plus-10 legislation: a survey of associate degree and diploma nursing program students

This article reports on a survey of associate degree and diploma nursing students in Pennsylvania designed to elicit their future educational goals and opinions regarding proposed educational advancement legislation. Results indicated the majority of respondents (86.3 percent) planned to pursue the bachelor's degree in nursing; most (94.8 percent) hoped to be enrolled in a BSN program within four years of graduation. The majority (78.9 percent) indicated that even if they were mandated to complete the bachelor's degree in nursing within 10 years, they would still enroll in their current associate degree or diploma program. Asked if 10 years is a reasonable amount of time to complete the BSN, 79.4 percent agreed it is. If money were not an obstacle, 95.8 percent of participants indicated they would pursue a BSN or higher. The results of this survey suggest that the vast majority of associate degree and diploma nursing students value and hope to pursue higher education in nursing.