...Nurses: Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) vs. Baccalaureate Prepared Nurses (BSN) Donna Rodriguez Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS 430V Jayme Goodner September 28, 2013 Educational Preparation of Registered Nurses: Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) vs. Baccalaureate Prepared Nurses (BSN) The purpose of this paper is to discuss the educational preparation of the Associate Degree nurse (ADN) versus the Baccalaureate prepared Nurse (BSN). This will be accomplished by first exploring the differences in competencies between nurses based on degree level and with the use of a patient care example to describe the difference in the nursing approach based on formal educational preparation. Currently there are two paths to obtaining a registered nursing certification the ADN versus the BSN. The reasons for the development of the ADN nursing programs were simple. It was a matter of supply and demand, and a necessary solution to a problem. In the year of 1951, after the war a huge nursing shortage existed. It was at that time that a nurse educator named Mildred Montag made a proposition to prepare nurse technicians in 2-year associate degree community colleges. A 5-year study of ADN graduates noted preparation was successful, as the nurses passed their exams for licensure and demonstrated the ability to practice nursing with competence (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). The typical ADN degree is comprised of an average of 70 credit hours; 30 are in nursing with 10 credit...
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...Differences in Competences between Nurse Prepared at Associate Level vs. Baccalaureate Level Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V- Professional Dynamics June 7, 2015 Differences in Competencies between Nurse Prepared at Associate Level vs. Baccalaureate Level There have been many comparisons between the different levels of nursing education, mainly between the Associate degree level vs. the Baccalaureate level. Having a Bachelor’s degree nor an Associate degree will not necessarily make a better nurse, however, there are differences in their course of study that will differentiate them from one another and how they approach patient care. This paper will differentiate the competencies between the Associate degree prepared nurse vs. the Baccalaureate degree nurse. In 1951, Mildred Montag, a nurse educator, started the Associate Degree program to reduce the nursing shortage after the war. The program’s success was measured by the students’ ability to pass the nursing licensure exam (Creasia, Friberg, 2011). The Associate Degree program is today’s most popular route to become a Registered Nurse. It can be taken in a community or junior colleges as a two-year program and once the students graduate, they are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX), to become a registered nurse. Baccalaureate degree nursing was also founded after the war (Creasia, Friberg, 2011). It is a nursing program that requires a four-year education at colleges and universities. Graduates...
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...Education has a strong effect on a nurse’s ability to practice. All patient deserve the best educated nursing staff. According to researchers there is an interesting correlation between BSN education and lower mortality rate. Research also shows us that there are less medication errors and greater positive outcomes for the patients. The Nurses holding BSN degree have shown that they have decreased the risk of patient’s death. This topic will focus on the differences between ADN and BSN nursing care, based on the example of treatment a patient receives from both types of nurses. Associate Nurse An Associate degree nurse is a nurse with 2 to 3 years nursing training. Graduate of this program is qualified to take the NCLEX to become a registered nurse. An Associate degree nurse has many roles such as teaching the patient about their conditions, assessing the patient’s condition, care plans, doctors’ orders, treatments, and medication. Some of the responsibilities that ADN nurses have are supervisory of the LVN, LPN, CNA, and other healthcare workers. ADN nurses thrive with more independence along with more complex situations with lots of ill patients. Baccalaureate Nurse A Baccalaureate Nurse is represented as a nurse with 4 to 5 years nursing training. Graduates of this programs are qualified to take the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse. BSN nursing includes the role of assessing, communicating, teaching, leading, critical thinking, providing care...
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...Running Head: DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN ADN VS BSN 1 Educational Preparation: Differences in Competencies Between Nurses Prepared at Associates-Degree Level Versus the Baccalaureate-Degree Level in Nursing Jenny Curie Grand Canyon University NRS-430V Tara Harris February 10, 2013 DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN ADN VS BSN 2 Competency is defined as the quality of being competent. To be competent one must possess required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity. The profession of nursing requires a skillset and knowledge base that is specific to its kind. There are many options in one’s educational journey to obtain a nursing degree. Nursing is the largest health care profession in our society today with three million registered nurses nationwide (AACN, Nursing Workforce). Along with the growing profession and the ever growing need for quality health care the debate over what qualifies a nurse to be skillful and competent in her profession and what type of education is required is at the for front. What are the differences in competency between a nurse with an associates degree and one holding a baccalaureate degree? Of the three million registered nurses nationwide 50% of those hold a baccalaureate degree while 36.1% have an associates degree, and 13% a diploma (AACN, Nursing Workforce). The quality in which we provide patient care and the need for those in this field to obtain higher levels of education...
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...Baccalaureate degree Nurse Shelly Crawford Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS-430V Leigh Ann Tovar March 16, 2013 Educational Preparation of the Baccalaureate degree Nurse To truly understand the differences between the Baccalaureate of Science in nursing degree verses the Diploma nurse and the Associates Degree in Nursing, you must first be able to understand the definition, description and the competencies of each Degree. 1. Definition of the Diploma Nurse A Diploma Nurse is someone who completes a nursing curriculum associated with a hospital or medical facility than traditional colleges. The Diploma Nurse program is a three-year program. ("Diploma vs. BSN," 2010, p. 1) 2. Definition of the Associates Degree in Nursing An Associate’s Degree in Nursing is a two to three year degree. Requirements are a minimum of 60 semester credit hours. Often these nursing degrees are conferred at community colleges. There are many 4 year colleges and universities that offer the associates degree programs as well. (Seehorn, “n.d.”, p. 1) 3. Definition of the Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) A Baccalaureate Degree in nursing is described as a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing that combines theory and clinical nursing courses and is granted by an accredited school. This degree is a 4 year degree which requires a minimum of 120 semester credit hours. ("Bachelor Degree," “n.d.”, Para. 1) There are many levels of nursing degrees out...
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...ASSOCIATE VS. BACCALAUREATE NURSES 1 Title: The Difference Between Competencies between an Associate's Level and a Baccalaureate Level Nurse- A Patient care Scenario Name: Susan M. Kreienbrink Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V July 26th, 2014 ASSOCIATE VS. BACCALAUREATE NURSES 2 It’s interesting how the educational requirements for nurses have changed over the years. Just over a 150 years ago you didn’t even need a formal education to be a nurse, in fact, there was none to be had. Now professional nursing organizations are pushing for 80% of nurses to have a bachelor's degree by 2020 (Chard, 2013). This paper will discuss the difference in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate’s degree level versus the baccalaureate degree level. Using a clinical case scenario, it will also describe how nursing care and the approach to decision making may differ based on the educational preparedness of the nurse. Associate Degree Nursing An associates degree in nursing can be acquired in two years with about a years worth of prerequisites. As associate’s degree in nursing (ASN) prepares nurses to deliver direct patient care within the scope of their practise. It is a relatively quick way to become a nurse and was founded by Mildred Montage in 1956, due to the severity of nursing shortage in the post war years. This program was offered to reduce the nursing shortage and the success of the program was measured in terms of the satisfactory level of clinical nursing...
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...Associate Degree Nursing An associate degree nurse can be defined as a nurse with two to three years nursing training, usually at a community college. A graduate of this program is qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), to become a registered nurse (RN). Differences in Competences of ADN VS. BSN Nurse There have been studies that showed that investments in highly qualified and educated nurses produce better patient outcomes. A study of Magnet hospitals in Pennsylvania with higher proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses revealed that patients in magnet hospitals had lower rate of inpatient death within 30 days and lower odds of failure-to-rescue compared with patients cared for in non-Magnet hospitals (Mc Hugh et al., 2012).Other studies observed the consequence of nursing practice; skills on cancer patients going through surgery showed that the educational level of a nurse has a vital impact on patient health. The BSN nurses were linked with lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates confirming the view that if a higher proportion of staff nurses have at least a baccalaureate-level education; this would have a positive effect on a patient outcome, and will also reduce their stay in the hospital. ASSOCIATE NURSE VS. BACCALAUREATE NURSE Patient Case Scenario Using a patient case scenario, a known male hypertensive (high blood pressure) patient on medical floor may be reported by a medical assistant to have an elevated...
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...Associates Degree vs Bachelorette Degree D’ann J. Farr Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V Professional Dynamics February 9, 2014 Associate Degree vs Bachelorette Degree In the beginning nursing was regarded as women’s work and no formal training was required. In the 1800’s, Florence Nightingale began the first educational program for nurses (Wood, 2011). Throughout the years came new diseases, illness, and an ever growing need for better nursing. These changes provoked changes in nursing education and the way they were to be educated. We are at a crossroads again. Medicine is ever changing and we are again faced with the need for better education to care for the population. The Bachelorette Degree involves all the information and education that an Associate Degree has, but with the expansion of knowledge to prepare for all health care settings and a four year degree. The bachelorette level incorporates the roles of assessing, critical thinking, communicating, providing care, teaching, and leading. The education is designed to provide, direct, and evaluate client-centered care while focusing on the person as an integrated whole (GCU, 2011). Having a bachelorette degree does not mean a person is smarter, but does allow for them to be better prepared for an ever changing and complicated medical environment. Having a bachelorette degree also opens doors to grow within nursing. BSN nurses are able to advance into positions of administration which can also lay the...
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...The Associates Degree verse The Bachelor Of Science Degree LaKisha R.Woodmore Grand Canyon University: NRS-430 April 10,2016 Nursing is a profession where you can obtain an education and get hands on training at either a two-year college or four-year college. Each degree leads graduate nurses to sit for boards which is known as the NCLEX. When a graduate nurse has successfully pass the NCLEX then they are officially a Registered Nurse. The difference in nursing is the degree each nurse pursued while attending school. The longer you attend school the higher degree of nursing you will achieve. The biggest percentage of nurses today consist of the Associates Degree of Nursing (ADN) and The Bachelor of Science Degree of Nursing (BSN). According to the American Community Survey 37 percent of nurses obtained an Associate Degree while 44 percent of nurses obtain a Baccalaureate Degree (In Friberg & In Creasia, 2016 pg.28-29). The Associates Degree of Nursing (ADN) is a two-year program taught at several community colleges, as well as private institutes all over the U.S. The severity of the nursing shortage back after world war two had the world in desperate need of nurses. Mildred Montag, a nurse educator back in 1951 proposed a program to prepare nurse technicians with a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (In Friberg & In Creasia,2016 pg.13). The program covers many nursing courses but it is not as exclusive in theory and research. After doing a study over...
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...Competency Differences Between ADN vs BSN in Nursing Grand Canyon University: Professional Dynamics Competency Differences For ADN vs BSN in Nursing Are all registered nurses created equal and the same? To simply put it, no they are not. A registered nurse may be prepared at the diploma level, associate-degree level, baccalaureate-degree level, master degree level, and some possess a doctoral degree. The focus of this paper will be directed at the differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree (ADN) level and nurses prepared at the baccalaureate-degree (BSN) level. Graduates from either degree must pass an examination as put forth by the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in order to become a licensed registered nurse. The NCLEX exam is the same for both degrees even though their prepared education is different. Three major differences in nursing competencies include education, nursing judgment, and professional identity. The following paragraphs will review and discuss how nursing care or approaches to decision making may differ upon the educational background of a registered nurse. First and foremost, “baccalaureate nursing programs encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and diploma programs plus a more in-depth treatment of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities” ("Impact of Education," 2014, para. 4). The additional...
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...Associate Degree Program vs Bachelor’s Degree Program for Nursing Associate Degree Program vs Bachelor’s Degree Program for Nursing To become a registered nurse, one must graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass the NCLEX exam. There are different routes one may take to become a registered nurse. These routes include a diploma, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree program. The diploma program was the core of nurse educating until the 1960’s. The typical diploma program lasts three years. This program focuses on clinical experience and direct patient care. Over the years, the diploma programs have decreased. In 2010, there was only 54 accredited diploma programs. Since diploma programs are not as common as associate degree programs or bachelor’s degree programs, this paper will compare the ADN and BSN programs and explain why having a bachelor degree in nursing is a benefit to not only the nurse, but also the hospital and the patient. Associate vs. Bachelor’s Degree Programs Associate degree programs typically last two years, but the student is required to take other courses to fulfill graduation requirements. According to Creasia & Friberg (2011),”the ADN program prepares the nurse for direct patient care for secondary care settings, such as community hospitals and long term care facilities”. Many people choose an ADN program because community colleges are less expensive than going to a university. Community colleges can also be more accessible...
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...Differences in Nursing Competencies: ADN vs. BSN Sheri Lancaster August 23, 2014 Differences in Nursing Competencies: ADN vs. BSN There has been much discussion recently about the need to require a minimum of a baccalaureate degree for entry-level nurses. Many hospitals have moved to this ideology and have already began to give a hiring preference to those nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree and many have hired Associate degreed nurses with the requirement that they will obtain their baccalaureate degree within so many years of employment date. This paper will discuss the differences between a nurse holding an associates degree and a baccalaureate degree, as well as, present a patient care situation describing how patient care decisions difference based upon the nurse’s educational level. History of ADN and BSN Programs It was during the post World War II years that Mildred Montage developed an associate degree level of nursing education in response to the shortage of nursing (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). She developed the associate degree-nursing program with the intent that these nurses would work under the supervision of baccalaureate level nurses who were at the time considered professional nurses. The Associate program is a two-year program that focuses on the fundamentals of nursing and teaching bedside clinical skills. The baccalaureate degree program has been in existence since 1909 and was developed as a five-year program (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). It...
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...differences in competencies between Associate Degree nurses (A.D) and baccalaureate prepared nurses (BSN). While both degrees qualify the participant to sit for the licensing exam, NCLEX-RN, and enter the field of nursing as a Registered Nurse, the educational path that brought them to that point is very different. There are different opportunities available according to which degree the participant pursues. This paper will also discuss the differences in how an AD prepared nurse and BSN prepared nurse might approach a patient care situation. Differences in competencies between A.D.N and BSN prepared nurses In today’s nursing world more is expected from a nurse than just following doctor’s orders and staring IV’s. The nurse must be able to make critical decisions about a patient’s care, to question the doctor if orders seem inappropriate and to help the patient through, sometimes, difficult life-changing decisions. These skills take an education that is broad based, one that includes critical thinking and exposure to many different people throughout processes and culture and societal norms (A.D.N vs. BSN, nursing link). Nurses can pursue either an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree. So, what is the difference in how these nurses are prepared? A.D.N This program originated as a quick way to meet the high demand for nurses due to the shortage of nurses created during and after the Second World War ( Creasia& Friberg 2011). This degree is a two- year program awarded at...
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...Running head: ADN vs. BSN ADN vs. BSN ADN vs. BSN When I read the assignment for this paper, I thought the answers were clear cut and easy. As I was researching for the paper, I found that I was becoming extremely defensive in the cases where studies were attempting to prove Associate-Degree Registered Nurses were not as competent as Baccalaureate-Degree Registered Nurses. I felt personally attacked. When I asked myself why I was taking this course to further my education and proceed towards obtaining a Baccalaureate-Degree, the answers became clear and obvious once again. In researching the differences in competencies of nurses prepared at the associate-degree level verses the baccalaureate-degree in the nursing field there was little evidence to show a significant difference in initial practice. Both ADN and BSN nursing graduates are required to pass the same National Licensure Council Examination (NCLEX). BSN and ADN nurses initially practice at a similar level. (Davis-Martin & Skalak, 1992, p. 27). In the both ADN and BSN nursing programs students are prepared with courses in ethics, nursing process, critical thinking, accountability, and basic understanding of cultural diversity among the nursing curriculum. Yet there are some basic preparation differences. BSN prepared nurses are required to take courses in liberal arts and humanities which create a well diverse or well-rounded student. The BSN program also requires courses in community health, and more...
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...BSN vs. ADN in Nursing Anita Scheiman Grand Canyon University NRS-430V November 1, 2013 BSN vs. ADN in Nursing 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 1998 (Phillips, Palmer, Zimmerman, & Mayfield, 2002), these students demonstrated higher competency in nursing practice, communication, leadership, professional integration, and research/evaluation. The added classes enhances the student’s view for a wide scope of practice which will aid the nurse in comprehending the many issues that plague patients and impact health care. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree can help a nurse be more confident in his/her ability no matter the patient care setting. Numerous research studies have demonstrated that the ADN and BSN nurses are not different in skill competency when they graduate, but over time, the BSN nurses show greater critical thinking skills, better problem solving, and the development...
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