Differences in Competenties Between Nurses Prepared at

Through my research for this paper I have found that RNs who have an associate degree or diploma are more likely to make errors during clinical practice. Nurses who hold Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees have a stronger foundation in which to build better communication, leadership, critical thinking and problem solving skills. The high demands placed on today's nurses really challenge all of these skills on a daily basis. Nurses with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees have a better understanding of the importance to be proficient in these skills. In a study of RN-to-BSN degree graduates from 1995 to

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

Associates prepared nurses are able to sit for the NCLEX as well as bachelors prepared nurses. They are both able to practice and perform many of the same skills and procedures. Their differences in clinical competencies are few, but their differences in critical thinking, decision making, communication, leadership, and management techniques and abilities, are many. The bachelors prepared nurse has received a higher and more in depth level of education in their field. This additional study and preparedness gives the bachelors prepared nurse the ability to understand not only the “what” and “how” of their clinical procedures, but also the

The ADN program require about 2 yrs for the student to complete. The Adn nurses are associate degree in nursing, ADN nurses have clinical skills and hands on basic skills but they lack both management and leadership skills with in the nursing field. Additionally they lack research skills used in nursing as well as knowledge on informatics the use of technological advances in enhancing quality medical delivery.

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).

BSN is expected to also use research studies for a basis for their decision making. ADN analyzes assessment data, where BSN synthesizes comprehensive assessment data to solve problems. ADN’s evaluate and report outcomes and plan interventions from evidence based practice, where BSN nurses compare these interventions and outcomes to benchmarks in research and evidence-based practice and plans follow-up nursing care. They both create teaching plans to promote healthy outcomes, although BSN’s go on to assess population risk (BON,

Nursing education encompasses a vast continuum. Within the undergraduate subdivision, there are two preparatory levels of nursing education: Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN). Although the underlying philosophies of patient-centered care and compassion remain consistent between both degree-levels, there are distinctions pertaining to clinical decision-making and care delivery. Major differences in competency of critical thinking and problem solving skills, evidence-based practice and clinical judgment, exist between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level and baccalaureate degree level, thus

The associate degree of nursing was founded in “the year of 1952 at the Fairleigh Dickinson University” ( http://viuw.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=166). The purpose of starting the program was to solve the nursing shortage after the World War II. The ADN is a three year degree for those who want to be in the health care field. Nurses play an important role in a health care system. Once a student has completed their ADN, then they take the NCLEX to become a registered nurse. This test will certify that the person is safe to practice as an entry level nurse. The pace at which a person earns the degree is one reason why students go for ADN instead of any other degree. While a person is in the AND, he or she will learn important skill that would be extremely useful in health care. Associate degree of nursing is more

Education has a strong outcome on everyone, and nursing is a profession that makes sure that everyone that is being called a nurse goes through the best kind of education that is available. Nursing helps to nurture human by providing humane services for all. There are different levels of education in nursing; an associate’s degree, a baccalaureate degree, master’s degree and so on. So it is very important to understand the differences between all these degrees since each certified nursing program carries educational and professional requirements that are expected to be carried out. The following paragraphs are going to explain the differences in competencies between nurses that are

Nursing care is focused on the assessment, nursing diagnoses, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patients. This nursing process can also be implemented in aspects outside of nursing and on the nursing field as a collective group. The nursing role is evolving, following the process the outcomes have to be evaluated and put into perspective. Research is being completed the conclusions are all the same, the higher education of nursing care the better the patient outcomes.

Throughout history, a nurse has been defined as "a person caring for the sick"(Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2004, p. 853). At the completion of school, whether from an Associate Degree in Applied Science or a Bachelor of Science Degree, all candidates must pass the national licensure exam. This enables the new graduate nurse to practice as a registered nurse. This new R.N. graduate is permitted to work in health care facilities in entry level positions. Both begin their career similarly with an extended orientation period being mentored by a "seasoned" colleague. Orientation is a probation period which grants the

The Carnegie Foundation reports that nurses today “are undereducated for the demands of practice” (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2009, ¶ 17). Education of the ADN centers around the hands-on skills needed to care for a patient at bedside and less on the scientific theories that allow the holistic treatment of a patient. A report by the Milbank Memorial Fund in 2001 reports that nurses educated at the ADN level have a higher incidence of mistakes made while performing their duties (Rosseter, 2011, ¶ 24). Registered nurses who graduate with the two year degree lack research skills, leadership and managerial skills as well as informatics needed to deliver quality medical care within today’s health care system (Orsolini-Hain & Waters, 2009, p. 269).

In addition, the liberal arts of nursing is a four-year baccalaureate degree that helps nurses navigate effectively in today’s ever growing and increasingly complex medical field. The BSN curriculum for colleges address important universal topics. Mastering in clinical, scientific, decision making, and humanistic skills is done at the basic associate degree level in nursing. BSN includes a more in-depth preparation towards community health, patient education, nursing management and leadership. Many skills taught in nursing are essential for today's professional nurses who must make quick decisions, knowledge of patients’ symptoms and treatment, design and manage a comprehensive plan of nursing care, master advanced technology, and supervise other nursing personnel and

The nursing profession is commonly recognized as an essential component of healthcare with nurses representing the largest number of healthcare providers to date. Unfortunately for years, the minimum educational requirement to enter into nursing practice has yet to be standardized to meet the progressive needs required of healthcare providers. Presently, the option of enrollment into nursing programs of varying lengths and curricula that result in the same licensure and professional privileges places major concern on the quality of healthcare and the competencies required of the nursing professional. According to Taylor (2008), “despite having strength in numbers, nurses are the least educated of all the interdisciplinary healthcare team members with whom they collaborate” (p. 612). While other health professions recognize the importance of delivering patient care at the highest level requiring at bachelor’s degree and in some cases an advanced degree as the standard for entry into practice, the nursing arena has failed to follow suit. Ceaseless educational, cultural, societal, and technological advances in healthcare necessitate the requirement to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing to practice at the entry-level. At minimum, nurses should encompass the instructive and clinical readiness similar to the broadened obligations of healthcare. Without a set standard to enter into the practice of nursing, the risk of lower patient outcomes and lack of competency amongst

As nursing has become a highly competent profession, the educational opportunities for nurses have increased significantly. The hospitals and other organizations that provide health care are also competing with each other and now the demand for nurses with bachelor degree is increasing. For decades the American Nurses association and the National League for nursing have attempted to make the BSN the only educational program for RNs in the US. This essay focuses on the difference in the competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate-degree level in nursing.