MEDICS AND NURSING
I have no doubt about the skills
of the medics in our military, de -
scribed by Edward J. Halloran in
his Viewpoint, “Men, Medics, and
Nursing” (June), and further dis -
cussed in Letters (September). I have
worked with many military-trained
personnel during my 35-year ca -
reer as an RN. Yet I have problems
with the author’s suggestions.
A debate regarding the basic
level of education required to qual -
ify to take the National Council
Licensure Examination for RNs
(NCLEX-RN) has raged through -
out my career, and it has yet to be
resolved. Nursing has not estab -
lished an educational standard.
Grad uates of associate degree
programs and diploma schools as
well as baccalaureate degree pro -
grams all take the same examina -
tion. (The exam itself bothers me,
too. I sat for two days, took six
tests with 200 questions each, and
had to pass all of the exams to