Differences in Competencies between Associate Degree and Baccalaureate Degree Nurses

Before we can understand the differences in competencies between Associate degree nursing and the baccalaureate degree nursing we need to understand what competencies are. A competency is the result of specific learned or trained skills or techniques that help us deliver service or value to someone else. We can obtain competencies through education and life experiences. The more we learn, the more we grow in our competencies, the more we practice our competencies the better we become at helping others with our specific skills. “Competencies are outcomes of an educational process, and they also describe the kind of personal abilities most nurse educators are seeking to develop in students, and administrators are seeking to select for and develop on the job” (Alverno College Faculty, 1976; Alverno College Nursing Faculty, 1985; Mentkowski & Doherty, 1984)

Baccalaureate degree nurses have attended college and practiced their techniques longer than most Associate degree nurses and this is one of the reasons that nurses whom have attained their baccalaureate degree may have better theoretical understanding of health issues or disease and treatment of medical conditions. They may also possess better critical thinking skills, better organizational skills, performed more technical skills than the associate degree nurse, thus creating better care and better outcome of patients, and ultimately, reducing the rate of mortality, which can all be traced back to education.

Nursing teaching positions now require at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing and for a good reason. Nurses need to be taught by someone who understands why it is important to teach new nurses how to manage patient care and have a good foundation to go into the future