DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NURSES PREPARED AT THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL VERSUS BACCALAUREATE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NURSES PREPARED AT THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL VERSUS BACCALAUREATE Different levels at which a nurse is prepared have a strong impact on the nurse`s ability to practice in a health care setting. In the nursing profession, nurses are prepared at different levels. A baccalaureate nurse is a nurse who has completed a four years formal training in a university or senior college and has completed a 120 hours college and has acquired broader understanding in physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, political, economic and social issues. While an associate degree nurse is a nurse who has completed a two years program in a community college and has completed a 60 hours college credit and only acquired understanding of fundamentals of nursing and sometimes lacks some basic knowledge to handle critical issues as they arise in patient care. Although both Educational levels took the same licensure exam after completing their program and have registered nurse license to practice as a registered nurse, there are still some enormous difference between the quality of their work in terms of positive patient outcome, lower mortality rates, quality patient care, clinical competency, administrative/leadership role, critical thinking and decision making. These roles are also incorporated in the GCU college of nursing philosophy where it states” the baccalaureate nursing practice incorporates the role of assessing , critical thinking and communicating , providing care , and teaching and leading,” Studies have linked a positive patient outcome to the educational level of the nurse taking care of the patient, Study conducted by Dr Linda Aiken and her colleagues at university of Pennsylvania shows a clear link in higher level of nursing