The Associate Degree Nurse or ADN has been called to advance their education in the interest of enhancing quality and safety across healthcare settings (Tri-Council, 2010). The Tri-Council states that “A more highly educated nursing workforce is critical to meeting the nation’s nursing needs and delivering safe, effective patient care” and, “without doing so the nation’s health will be further at risk” (Tri-Council, 2010). While both the Baccalaureate and the Associate Degree Nurse share the same licensure and have comparable salaries, there is a call for ADN’s to further their education. The reason for this is so that the Nursing profession as a whole can establish a new definition as to what qualifies someone to be an entry level nurse. This paper will discuss the differences between the Associate Degree Nurse and Baccalaureate Degree Nurse regarding education, employment, and quality of patient care.

It is easy to see why the ADN programs have been so successful. Since the 1950’s they have provided a Nursing education that is convenient; cost effective and allows for a newly licensed nurse to make a decent living. The Associate Degree Nurse can gain a degree within two to three years while the Baccalaureate prepared Nurse will be ready for licensure in four years. While both Nursing programs offer a great deal of clinical and technical experience; the Baccalaureate program provides a more in-depth study of nursing research, leadership, public and community health as well as informatics, genetics, and chronic care management (JONA, 2001).
Research shows that the broader education offered in the Baccalaureate program makes a difference in the quality of clinical practice. BSN’s have better patient outcomes, decreased mortality rates and a lower failure to rescue rate. (JAMA 2003, September 24). Although all RN’s take the same licensure exam for clinical