Clinical Competencies of the Associate Degree Nurse versus the Baccalaureate Degree Nurses

Nursing is one career that has spent decades establishing education requirements and advancements for those in the field to better the population of those licensed to improve patient care and nurse leadership. A registered nurse starts by becoming licensed after completing either a diploma nurse program, a two or three year associate degree program, or a four year baccalaureate program. Nurses may then advance farther into an advanced practice nurse by obtaining a master’s degree in nursing. When deciding on a nursing program, one must consider the difference between an associate degree nurse and a baccalaureate nurse. At the end of the program, all must sit for the same licensing examination known as the NCLEX. The NCLEX however is not valid proof that there are not differences between the degree levels as the test strictly tests for a minimum safe competency for entry into a basic nursing practice (AACN, 2012). It is believed by some that there is no difference between the clinical competencies between associate degree and baccalaureate degree nurses, however research have shown that baccalaureate degree nurses may be better prepared for different circumstances in a patient care setting. Associate degree nursing programs, also referred to as ADN programs emphasize their training on clinical skills rather than the theory component of nursing focusing less on critical thinking and leadership skills (Miller, 2007). Baccalaureate programs, also known as BSN programs, encompass the same clinical exposure of the ADN, however a more in-depth approach is given to the physical and social sciences, research, and community health. This additional education helps give the nurse a better understanding of the patient as a whole. Throughout the last ten years of nursing, policymakers