Taking a Look at Nursing

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).

In today’s healthcare system, nursing is a challenging field as a result of rapid technological advances and changes in healthcare policies. As a dedicated nursing professional, with a great passion for learning, I strive to stay on top of these changes. I am determined to increase my knowledge to be an instrumental part of providing quality healthcare. The demands of nursing are high; however the rewards are even higher. Nursing requires both a supreme understanding of the science of health, and a caring bedside manner befitting only those who seek a position of such a personal involvement in the well-being of a patient. Academically, I will put forth all of

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.

In the traditional health care model, formal learning is not complete when a physician receives their medical degree and white coat at the end of their academic program. Medical school graduates are required to complete an accredited hospital residency program to become licensed to practice medicine, (Jolly, Erikson, & Garrison, 2013). However, acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) are not afforded, nor expected to complete, the same educational requirements. The current expectation that a new graduate ACNP learn their advanced nursing role “on-the-job” is unacceptable and leads to decreased job satisfaction and preparedness. In the every-changing climate of health care, the development of required residency programs for ACNPs should be maintained as a priority.

Over the past few decades, many drastic changes occurred in U.S health care delivery.   Our current healthcare trends demand nurses to take more active role in the health care decisions in hospital setting, long term care setting and in community healthcare setting. Since “nursing is based upon a body of knowledge that is always changing with new discoveries and innovation” Potter and Perry (2005), nursing profession is compelled to grow from being just a traditional bedside nurse. IOM’s future of nursing report which is released in 2010 calls nurses to be “more highly educated, diverse nursing workforce”.

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:

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

For instance, in 2014, Hain and Fleck discuss some of the barriers that nurse practitioners including Family Nurse Practitioners, in the wake of the various reforms taking place in the nursing profession. In their article, "Barriers to Nurse Practitioner Practice that Impact Healthcare Redesign", they examine some of the recent reforms and changes introduced in the nursing practitioners field in order to respond to growing demand for healthcare services. For instance, education for Nursing Practitioners began as a certificate course before advancing to the bachelors and master’s degree levels in order to impart nurses with appropriate skills that would help address emerging health challenges (Hain, & Fleck, 2014). The target population for nurse practitioners also broadened from pediatric and family to other areas such as women’s health, gerontology, and many other areas of specialty practice. Today, nurse practitioners play a crucial role in providing quality patient centered healthcare in different settings (Hain, & Fleck, 2014). As such, the role of NPs in healthcare in contemporary practice is very much different from what it was when the field emerged a few years

If nursing had only one basic entry type into the profession, it would make the process much simpler for students, professors, and potential hiring entities. That said, however, the nurses who are already practicing proficiently at their current levels should be grandfathered into the change. A significant number of nurses, this author included, have worked for twenty-plus years in a variety of specialties and areas. Each one brings to the table unique experiences. Unfortunately, most hospitals that currently employ registered nurses are now requiring those nurses to get the BSN degree, despite many years of skilled and dedicated service.

Multiple researchers have shown that Baccalaureate-trained nurses significantly resulted to improved nursing care compared to the Associate degree level of nurses as BSNs are trained to meet the ever-changing needs of the high demanding health care system. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national body for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, “education has a very important impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nursing clinician”. The Bachelor’s degree empowers its graduates to respond to the continuously growing patient needs in the society. Associate degree nurses are more concerned with the technical aspects of the nursing profession, and tends to focus more on skills proficiency,

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,

Many people believe mandatory residency programs for newly licensed nurses are long overdue. The knowledge needed to practice nursing has grown to include health policy, ethics, public health, research, healthcare delivery improvements, as well as leadership skills. Nurses are part of the multi-disciplinary team and must work together with healthcare providers who possess masters or doctoral degrees. Nursing school prepares nurses with the basic information they need to know in order to practice safe nursing. However, modern nurses are faced with ever increasing demands. New nurses must know how to collaborate with the healthcare team, manage their priorities, stay organized and recognize life-threatening situations. Many new grads are overwhelmed with the demands of nursing, which can lead to compromised patient care and safety. Formalized, supervised guidance will improve patient care and retain nurses. The study also recommended doubling the amount of nurses with a masters or doctoral degree by 2020 in order to provide an adequate supply of nurses who are able to assume nurse faculty, primary care providers, and researcher positions.

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.

There is no doubt that the health care system is constantly changing and working to improve its flaws, to the best of its ability. Whether nurses like it or not we are a part of the ever changing health care system. “With more than 3 million members, the nursing profession is the largest segment of the nation’s health care workforce” (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 1). The Institute of Medicine believes that nurses should be active in transforming the profession of nursing, along with the health care system. Regardless, of backgrounds, race, and age all nurses can contribute to the future of the nursing profession. The following paper will discuss the Institute of Medicine’s nursing expectations and recommendations, as well as the opportunity to becoming a clinical nurse instructor.