Requiring Nurses to Get a Bachelor’s Degree is not Beneficial The healthcare industry is ever changing. New treatments and medications are being developed on an everyday basis. Nurses do have the privilege and responsibility of either helping to make advances in medicine, or evaluating how effective the new medications and treatments are. Nurses are the most prevalent healthcare worker out there, and they have the most contact with patients allowing them to evaluate how the patient is progressing or declining. Since nursing began every nurse had a choice as to what level of education they wanted to obtain. There are essentially three entry levels of education that a nurse may select from; the first is almost non-existent and that is a certificate, the next and perhaps the most common is the Associates degree, and the last that may become a requirement is a Bachelor’s degree. Requiring Nurses to have their Bachelors of Science in nursing is not beneficial to the nurse, patient, or facility. The requirement for nurses to obtain their Bachelors of Science in Nursing in order to be a nurse or to continue to practice as a nurse doesn’t benefit the nurse. Nurses currently can enter the field with a diploma that is also called a certificate, or an Associates of Science in Nursing, or a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, and successfully pass the National Competency Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The choice is theirs at the moment as to what level of
I do agree that the baccalaureate degree be the minimum entry into the nursing practice. According to the textbook, nurses with a BSN
Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing is Four year Program accredited by a university or a college. Having bachelor’s degree in the science of nursing (BSN) can lead us in many direction in the carrier. It is a steppingstone. Like ADN the BSN program also follows their core curriculum, adult health, maternal and newborn nursing, pediatric nursing and community health nursing. In generally speaking many advance nursing positions requires a BSN. BSN nurses are prized to their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management and health promotion. Studies also have found that the nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level have stronger communication and problem solving skills.
They determined that patients needing surgery have a "substantial survival advantage" (Aiken, Clark, Cheung, Sloan, & Silber, 2003) if treated in hospitals with higher ratios of nurses educated at the baccalaureate degree level. They too determined through this research that the more nurses holding BSN degrees help decrease the risk of patients dying and the ability to determine the patient is in distress. This research provides the evidence that nurses with a BSN degree have a better comprehension in their ability to formulate nursing diagnoses and evaluate nursing interventions. (Giger & Davidhizar, 1990) BSN degree nurses also demonstrate improved professional integration and research/evaluation skills. (The Future of Nursing:Leading Change, Advancing Health, 2012)
An ongoing debate for the requirements to become a Registered Nurse (RN) has been unsettled. Several different educational pathways lead to an RN licensure; however, the minimum educational requirements must be standardized at the baccalaureate level for several reasons. Spetz and Bates (2013) published that a growing number of hospitals prefer hiring nurses with a Bachelor Science in Nursing (BSN) as this increases the status of the nursing profession (p. 1). Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), as well as a certificate on-the-job training Diploma are two other educational pathways to become an RN, which can be disadvantageous to the nursing profession in several ways (Tollick 2013; Spetz and Bates 2013). If entry-level nurses
Healthcare systems and the way safe, quality health care is delivered are continually changing to better serve patients and communities. Professional nursing practice is a large component in the healthcare system today. Back in the 1960s, professional nursing leaders tried to adopt the bachelor degree programs as the only educational track to become a registered nurse (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Due to nursing shortages and demands this motive did not hold fast. Individuals entering the nursing profession today must first decide which educational pathway to take to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
With an ever-increasing body of knowledge in the field of nursing, more education is being required to enter the field of nursing. Many healthcare institutions are raising the educational requirements in order to become employed or maintain employment in their facilities. Healthcare organizations are transitioning to hiring registered nurses (RN) who have a higher level of education, such as, a graduate from a Baccalaureate Degree Nursing (BSN) program. The goal of these institutions is to have nurses with a broader array of skills that can meet the growing demands of our patient population. BSN prepared nurses are recognized for their well-rounded skills in critical thinking, management, case management and health promotion versus Associate Degree nurses (ADN)/Diploma nurses that focus on direct patient care.
Nurses a with Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN) are known for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient healthcare settings. These nurses are well-prepared to meet the demands placed on today's nurse.
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) .
Who makes a better nurse? A nurse with an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree? The answer would probably depend on who one asks. However, according to American Association of College of Nursing (2012), “education enhances both clinical competency and care delivery” (pg.1). In this discussion, nurses prepared in baccalaureate-degree level compared to
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
This paper will touch upon the educational requirements for the profession of nursing between Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor Degree Nursing (BSN). It will also explore the competency differences between the ADN and BSN over the educational time frame for each degree. Also discussed will be a patient care scenario where both disciplines provide nursing care and how the care would differ.
The need for expansion in their roles for higher levels of education and an improved system of education are required for nurses now for meeting the diverse needs of the patients and to provide better care. Improving the education system and achieving a more educated work force is increasing with nurses having baccalaureate degrees , that is, a traditional Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Nursing program or a traditional 4 year Bachelor of Nursing program or a program that allows seamless transition from Associate in Diploma Nursing to Bachelor of Nursing.
Attaining a high level of education will improve the healthcare system only if nurses are fully utilizing their knowledge and abilities. Many times nurses face challenges in exercising their abilities and knowledge due to institutional policies or government regulations,
“Throughout the last decade, policymakers and practice leaders have recognized that education makes a difference” (Impact of Education, n.d.). Hospitals are also trending towards preferred hiring of bachelors prepared nurses for their workforce. Even national organizations are jumping on the bandwagon requiring “all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing by 2013” (Impact of Education, n.d.), likewise the Institute of Medicine has also recommended that all hospitals have at least 80% of their nursing staff with a BSN or higher by the year 2020 (Impact of Education, n.d.).
Nursing achievements and requirements today vary within education. There are three entry levels in nursing, the Associate Nursing, (ADN), Bachelorette of Nursing, (BSN) and the Diploma in Nursing (DN). On the contrary, other professions have a greater amount of educational requirements such as law, engineering and medicine. When entering into specified careers, it is essential as well as required to further one’s knowledge base to a graduate level. However, in the nursing career there are no specific requirements which create a barrier for the profession by means of fewer achievements towards success in the nursing profession.