Nurse Continuing Education Hours

After I graduated with my bachelors’ degree in Nursing, I knew that was not the end of my education. I knew I wanted more knowledge because I wanted to be a master of my profession to be able to truly help my patients.

Becoming a nurse means to truly understand, embrace, and acquire the characteristics of an educator, an advocate, a comforter, a therapist, a listener and most importantly a care giver. My goal as an undergraduate nurse is to acquire these characteristics and master them so that I can care for any patient regardless

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

Nursing is a complex and ever changing field full of new areas to advance, learn, and grow in. Some of the institutes available for nursing studies are Harkum College and West Chester University. Kristine Balay, the nurse I interviewed, attended Harkum College for her Associates degree in Nursing and she attended West Chester University for her Bachelors degree in Nursing. She has been practicing as a nurse for about 10 years now in various settings. When she was working on a trauma unit she was required to obtain an ALS certification, Kristine admits that she was grateful for obtaining this certification because it sets her apart from others in regards to job opportunities and promotions as well as gives her confidence in situations.

Some of the dilemmas associated with today’s nursing force are: Many are under-educated and task-oriented, unaware of their patient’s plan of care, medical histories, or pertinent results. Too many rely on clinical coordinators and team leaders, when it comes to critical thinking, therefore, miss out on the vital fundamentals, which make nursing such an honorable profession (Grietens, 2007, p. 10). In order to create a stronger, more knowledgeable nursing workforce, entry-level requirements for RNs, as well as APRNs, need to be uniform. In addition, research shows bachelors and masters prepared nurses, result in better patient outcomes. An example of a proposed solution includes:

Nurses must achieve a higher level of education in order to meet the demands of evolving health care and the changing needs of patients (Rosseter, 2012). Nurses will need to be prepared for a broader scope of practice and to maintain quality within the health care setting. Associate degrees are still valuable tools when used as stepping stones to baccalaureate programs and performing the technical aspects of nursing. BSN-educated nurses are equipped with a more diverse skill set that assists them in leading and reacting appropriately in critical situations. In addition, they have the opportunity to pursue advanced practices. Baccalaureate programs can help develop a good or adequate associate degree nurse, into an outstanding nurse.

Nursing is about providing the best possible holistic care for the patient and family. At the same time there’s an imbalance of patient care regarding education and knowledge being provided by nurses. As a nurse I believe we all owe it to ourselves, the profession, and the patient to provide the best possible care. According to American Nurses Association (ANA) online article “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” In order to better achieve the nursing ideals of the American Nurses Association we must improve patient care by requiring hospital nurses to become BSN nurses.

It is needed to have specific qualities such as people skills and sympathy, knowledge about medical care to do the duties, and an associates degree to become a Registered Nurse. RN's do not need to have work experience nor training to get the occupation. However, they do need to be flexible when it comes to the job location. Registered Nurses must provide care, support, advice, kindness, and safety when working with patients. In every hospital there are a certain amount of Registered Nurses and all of them play a huge roll in each patients medical

Such degrees inherently attract older students. While there are many studies regarding mature student educational satisfaction and retention, few publish indicators of later professional success. If the goal is to decrease the nursing shortage, I suggest that proving mature students are likely to endure at the bedside is more important than proving they succeed in school.

Like many other careers education is crucial. It takes years of studying and dedication. Without proper knowledge and education, someone’s life could be at stake. All careers in the medical field have different educational requisites that have to be met. Each level of nursing

When in the early stages of planning my life, I knew exactly what it was I inspired to do. I wanted to save lives. I did not know how I was going to complete that task at hand, but I knew that I was going to be saving someone’s life. So, starting nursing school was one of the jubilant moments of my life. I am ecstatic to be on my journey on becoming a well-rounded and educated nurse. Nursing is a profession that requires a great deal of care and knowledge of the human body and as a nurse I plan to be cultivated and discerning.

Example, some nurse practitioners continue education by applying in special programs. Continuing education is beneficial to nurses because it enhances their understanding about nursing and more job opportunities can be offered. Their education level also increases; thus, allowing them to apply in special fields in medicine like pediatrics. With added learning, nurses are competent and patients

In order to acquire a degree in nursing, the steps required are having a high school diploma and some form of formal education post high school. There are three different paths available: a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN), an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), or a hospital diploma of nursing (Krannich 72). A BSN program includes four years in college with the curriculum consisting of “assessment, disease management, decision making, health promotion and prevention, health care technology and policy, research, quality assurance, leadership, and management.” (Gregory 5). You are also required to complete clinical training, meaning working in a hospital for experience in the field with real people and situations. The ADN program only requires two to three years of education (Gregory 5). However, the ADN program had the most educational opportunities, or universities offering the program. The hospital diploma career path is not offered by every hospital, but only by seventy. The ADN programs available in

“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.).

With a consistent change in modernizing medicine, along with the continuing advancement in technology, continuing education in nursing is essential for a variety of reasons. The nurse’s main concern is providing safe, efficient, and effective patient care with positive patient outcomes. This paper will examine the differences in competencies between nurses prepared at an associate-degree level versus a baccalaureate-degree level, in order to provide an evidenced-based understanding of the variation in the educational preparation of nurses.