Advanced Training Skills

Nursing has a long history of formal education which moved out of hospitals and into colleges and universities early last century. The associate degree level of nursing was developed out of a need to produce nurses in response to a shortage during and

There is much debate on whether there is a benefit to obtaining a Baccalaureate in Nursing. Since it is only my second week in the RN to BSN program, I don’t have a lot to base my opinion on. This paper will summarize the differences between Associates a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing based on what I’ve been told, research I have done, and my own experiences.

Some other traits include having good communication skills, being emotionally stable, good physical endurance, and diligence. Since nursing consists of talking a lot, ones communication skills should be very well. They must be able to understand what patients are saying, what orders are given by the doctors, and how to successfully chart ones activity. An important trait is being able to be emotionally stable. It is crucial in order to survive all the ups and downs of emotions nurses must experience. For instance, if one has become good friends with a patient and they pass away. It would be hard, but they would need to pull through and put their job first. For nurses to succeed, they should have good physical endurance. Nurses have very few breaks and they are on their feet all day. Being a nurse means having diligence and a positive work ethic. One needs to have a constant and earnest effort to accomplish what

Furthermore according to American Association of College of Nursing, “the baccalaureate degree is designed to prepare nurses for work within the growing and changing health care environment. With nurses taking more active role in the health care, they are expected to develop critical thinking and communication skills in addition to receiving training in clinics and hospital”(American Association of College of Nursing) .

Bachelor degree nursing programs are highly regarded for the skilled, clinical thinking, and professionalism of nurses they provide for the community. Obtaining a baccalaureate in nursing provides the same skills and knowledge encompassed in most associate’s programs, while allowing a broadened look into research, public health, management, and humanities (AACN IENP, 2012). Many facilities are now providing incentives for nursing staff to continue their education; from tuition reimbursement, an increase in pay, and played time off for the sole purpose of education. Research has proven that with a more educated

Our stricter outlook towards getting a bachelor’s degree is allowing for a sifting process of students truly dedicated and students that were unsure but needed to choose a degree program. Book knowledge allows a nurse to know how to over step their boundaries when disagreeing with a doctor’s order for the well-being of the patient. It provides nurses with resources to fall back on when confronting an obstacle and the correct steps to address conflict preventing breaking the law or breaching patient rights. I still think there is a place in the medical field for technical school nurses with their associates. With the raise in population as well as the baby boomers soon hitting peak ages of medical assistance qualified nurses will soon be scarce. Those who would enjoy working as a nurse but would prefer not to put forth the effort or financial cost towards a bachelor’s degree would be a great source for those working in doctors’ offices, rehab facilities, and home

According to the American Association of College of Nursing’s fact sheet, Nursing is the nation's largest health care profession, with more than 3.1 million registered nurses nationwide. And of all licensed RNs, 2.6 million or 84.8% are employed in nursing. As a whole, we are among the highest paying large occupations . To me this indicated that there is a positive nursing image!

The report indicates, of the overall nurses employed in healthcare, 80% of the nurses will have a baccalaureate degree by the year 2020. The baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs prepare nurses thoroughly so that they will have significant knowledge,

The implications for BSN-prepared nurses in addition to those of RNs with an associate degree

The nursing profession continues to argue whether a nurse who holds a BSN is desirable to the Associates-Degree-prepared nurse. This has been a topic of debate since 1965, when the American Nurses Association published an opinion paper advocating for the baccalaureate degree to be the minimal standard for entry-level nurses. While some say that the level of education isn’t relevant once you orient a nurse to a certain setting, others disagree and assert that the baccalaureate degree prepared nurses demonstrate higher levels of skill in communication, delegation, assessment, teaching and supervision. Most agree, however, that each degree program provides a different level of preparation and

Nurses today are more exposed to media that encourages advanced degrees however; this attainment is not supported for the nurse as historically nurses with a master's degree were moved into administrative or management positions. (American Nurses Association, 1965) Nurses now understand that the knowledge obtained when earning an advanced degree increases their ability and empowers them to deliver better quality care. However, the problem that exists is the lack of support for nurses to attain advanced degrees in the field of nursing.

Baccalaureate nursing broadens the population to include populations and communities were as an associate degree nurse is more focused on the patient and their families (The Texas Board of Nursing, 2011). Associate degree nurses are instructed to analyze the assessment data they gather to help identify problems so they can incorporate a nursing care plan that best fits the patient and their family (The Texas Board of Nursing, 2011). Were as baccalaureate nurses combine many different parts together to help formulate goals and outcomes and develop plans of care for not only the patient and families, but for the community and population (The Texas Board of Nursing, 2011). Both Associate degree nurses and Baccalaureate nurses provide a safe and compassionate care to their patients and their families.

There is an increasingly high demand for students going into nursing careers in our society, but there are also varying educational pathways for these students to get into these careers. Are the three educational pathways (Diploma, Associate Degree, and Baccalaureate Degree) preparing prospective nurses to be at the same competency level after schooling? Advancement in education has become an increasingly important topic amongst health care organizations. Educational preparation can indeed affect nursing care and the decision making of nurses. In this paper, an analysis of nursing history and the degree programs themselves will provide evidence of an increased level of patient care by BSN nurses vs. ADN nurses.

The Differences in Competencies between Nurses Prepared at the Associate-Degree level versus the Baccalaureate Degree level in Nursing

Nursing is a widely respected and greatly needed occupation in our country today. Healthcare is constantly growing and evolving. Registered Nurses are a vital part of the existence of all communities. Nurses are required not only at inpatient hospital settings, but in schools, offices, community health settings, nursing homes, administration, and the list goes on! Despite both baccalaureate and associate prepared nurses taking the same board exam to practice nursing, educational advancement can contribute to the care of patients in all of these settings and aide in a more optimal outcome. The bachelors- prepared programs educate students on all the same topics as an associate- prepared program does. However BSN programs teach in further