Outcomes And Competency

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.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs strive to ready student nurses for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) that tests not only pure knowledge, but the reasoning and application of that knowledge. These programs provide student nurses with the necessary knowledge base and ability to apply knowledge in practice; especially since the introduction of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) has been integrated into didactics. EBP, along with hours of clinical placement, benefit student nurses by arming them with the clinical judgment skills called for in the workplace. However, if student nurses accrue more focused clinical hours in their areas of specialty, they will be better prepared for the situations they will face in their

Healthcare and the nursing profession are continually changing, and curriculum will have to evolve to ensure that nursing students are being taught the most relevant information. Iwasiw and Goldenberg (2015) illustrated curriculum work, change, and faculty development as an intertwining and infinite process. Nurse educators and faculty need to participate in curriculum design, implementation and evaluation otherwise nursing education does not change and progress is limited (Iwasiw and Goldenberg, 2015). The National League of Nursing (2016) identifies participation in curriculum design and evaluation of program outcomes as a nurse educator core competency that entails the responsibility of preparing graduates to work in the health care field

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.

Quality patient care relies on having an educated workforce. There is a growing body of evidence that shows that the Bachelor of Science Nursing graduate brings unique skills to their work as nursing clinicians and play an important role in the delivery of safe patient care. In addition to having basic nursing fundamentals nurse’s today are expected to take a huge part and lead professional initiatives that drive towards improving the safety, quality, and efficiency of care that is delivered to patients.

Key Message #2: “Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression.” (Institute of Medicine, 2010, p. 163) As the IOM reports, changes in the health care system are requiring major changes in the nursing education requirements to meet the immediate needs of our patients. Nurses need to understand the importance of obtaining a higher level of education so that they can practice to their fullest

Coincidently, the standard educational background of these professionals is a Master of Science in Nursing. These programs are different from conventional master's programs in nursing because they also focus on visionary leadership, quality improvement and evidence-based practice. Thus, students will learn how to incorporate complex concepts and professional practices to create innovative nursing practices and systems. These programs also impart the skills needed to transform and enhance evidence-based care systems. The basic requirement to enter this program is an RN license and a Master’s of Science in

The impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 has a major influence on nursing education. The first issue addressed in the report is an increased emphasis on public and community nursing. In the past, only nurses holding a bachelors degree were experienced and trained in community and public health, and the IOM wants to change that. One particular area of change is that now associate degree nurses are being trained in these areas in order be able to transition into these fields more smoothly and directly from nursing school. Another area that is

(North Carolina Nursing History, 2010) Still, many leaders in the nursing community believed that nursing education should take on a more theoretical role with the Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) and adapt a diverse curriculum that include the Social Sciences, Evidence Based Research, Leadership and Management, Public Health and the Humanities. These parties reasoned that by incorporating such curricula, nursing students will develop critical thinking skills that seek to address the subcultural, political, social economical and psychosocial issues that influence their patients and the healthcare delivery system and thus improve healthcare outcomes. (Wood, 2014)

In the world with dramatically quick changing technologies education in nursing is an endless, lifelong process and “has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nurse clinician” ("The Impact of Education," 2012, para. 1).  As a trend of a high demand in knowledgeable and skilled nurses continues to grow, modern society with high-developed industry needs well-educated nurses able to provide advanced care with holistic view and compassion. Nurses play vital roles in efficient care with patient safety. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) nurses with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees are better prepared for today's demand in nursing staff and “ are prized for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and for

New approaches in the presentation of the health services and the complexity of these require, more than ever, nurses with a greater educational degree. As the demands increase, and the healthcare undergoes continuous change, there is a greater need for highly qualified, educated, and diverse nurses. Our role today requires a high degree of judgment to make responsible decisions based on critical thinking and Evidence-Based practice. This knowledge can only be obtained in an educational program at the professional level (American Association of College of Nursing [AACN], 2014).

Nursing is one of the most popular professions in healthcare. To become a professional nurse, one must acquire certain level of education, whether it is at associate or baccalaureate degree level. Once becoming a nurse a number of professional standards must be maintained to stay abreast with the profession. In that respect, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in its 2010 report had suggested many recommendations focusing on the future of nursing. The aim of the report is to put forth recommendations that allow nurses to “(1) ensure that nurses can practice to the full extent of their education and training (2) improve nursing education, (3) provide opportunities for nurses to assume leadership positions and to serve as full

Furthermore, licensing and accreditation standards must be heightened to insure the quality of the nurses that enter the workforce. Certifying organizations must therefore mandate the proper demonstration of core competencies and skills prior to endowing students with the nursing title. The nursing profession, according to the IOM report, must undergo fundamental changes within the overall education of nurses. In many respects the basic

I am striving to achieve professionalism and growth in roles and values while going through the bachelor’s degree in nursing program. I plan on taking each class one at a time, try to do my best, and gain the knowledge needed to grow in the nursing profession. By October 2010, I should obtain my bachelor’s degree in nursing, which will provide new opportunities, such as management, and educator positions. A bachelor’s degree in nursing will provide the opportunity to further my education to a master’s degree level.