...Differences in competencies between ADN and BSN nurses Registered nurses comprise the largest sector in the health care field. 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses conducted by the Health Resources And Services Administration (HRSA) says that nursing is one of the nation's biggest health Care Profession and it comprises more than 3 million registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. It is a dynamic profession and learning is important for nurses to update their knowledge with Increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. Debate regarding the minimum educational requirement for the nurses has been going over years with still no definite answer. Nurse with RN license may be educated to the level of BSN (Bachelor degree of nursing) or ADN (associate degree in nursing). This paper will focus on the differences in the competencies between BSN AND ADN nurses. ADN ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) is the 2-3 year Associate degree level, which can be obtained at a community college or junior college. The associate degree level of nursing was originated when there was a shortage for nurses during Second World War. Primarily AND nurses were known as technical personnel’s by working under the professional nurses’ supervision and by assisting them. Eventually associate degree level of nursing became more popular and is considered as an attractive path for those who want a shortened, less expensive way to become...
Words: 1284 - Pages: 6
...Competency Differences between ADN and BSN Nurses James Brown Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS-430V-0101 July 5, 2013 Competency Differences between ADN and BSN Nurses Each potential or practicing nurses, have heard the furious examinations in regard to the benefits of an ADN/ASN vs. BSN. To date, all efforts on discovering which one scores over the other has done nothing more than led to considerable confusion. Each of these nursing degree programs possesses a unique set of benefits. (Scheckel, 2009) Each program is designed to prepare the student to take the National Council Licensure Examination also referred to as the NCLEX. Following successfully completion the NCLEX, graduates are well-informed to accomplish physical evaluations, and to administer medications. Nursing graduates from these degree programs are similarly well-informed of medical equipment and are proficient in life resuscitating procedures, such as wound care, lacerations, drains, cardiovascular oxygen transport. In today’s nursing environment, more and more are expected from nurses which includes more than just following physician’s orders and commencing IVs. (Forster, 2008)Today’s nurse should be able to make vital decisions regarding a patient’s care. (Forster, 2008)There are significant differences between programs that will ultimately influence nursing care and end-results for patients. (Clarke, Donaldson, 2008)This paper will review the differences in the competency...
Words: 1385 - Pages: 6
...Competency Differences between nurses prepared at the Associate-Degree Level (ADN) or Baccalaureate-Degree Level (BSN) level Competency Differences between nurses prepared at the Associate-Degree Level (ADN) or Baccalaureate-Degree Level (BSN) level It has always been said that the higher level of education one can obtain, the better. Currently for Registered Nurses there are many programs out there that encourage furthering education and enrolling back in school to obtain a Baccalaureate-Degree in Nursing (BSN). Both nurses, whichever program they are enrolled to, are educated through nursing programs that require them and prepare them to take the same National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). We will be able to see some differences in competency based on educational level and background based on research and evidenced-based practice. Nurses throughout the United States are being encouraged to enroll back into school to achieve a higher level of education. You can see RN-BSN programs; BSN-MSN, LVN-ADN or LVN-BSN program information anywhere from website advertisements, e-mails, commercials, and magazines. There is no doubt that education is important and that based on the job one is looking to fulfill, certain levels of a degree or certification are required. ADN and BSN nurses, although both RNs, do hold certain traits of differences based on their education level. A nurse with an Associate’s Degree is taught more how to treat the patient medically. They most...
Words: 985 - Pages: 4
...Differences in Competency between ADN and BSN Nurses Angela G. Strickland Grand Canyon University NRS-430V August 15, 2012 Differences in Competency between ADN and BSN Nurses Presently if a person chooses to be a registered nurse they can follow three different pathways; diploma, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree. Diploma nurses obtain their education through a hospital based program. Associate degree programs are similar to baccalaureate degree programs except not as in-depth because of this they are more fast-paced. The Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is a four year academic degree that depending on which school and program can be very pricey. All three of these pathways will qualify the nurse to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX only tests for the minimum competency in order to work as a safe nurse. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) “The NCLEX-RN is only one indicator of competency, and it does not measure performance over time or test for all of the knowledge and skills developed through a BSN program” (Rosseter, 2012). In this paper only the competency of the ADN and BSN nurses will be discussed. A large percentage of nurses take the associate degree pathway, it is an attractive option because of the shortened amount of time it takes to graduate and begin work as a registered nurse, plus it takes half the amount of money. The associate degree programs were developed in order to...
Words: 1260 - Pages: 6
...Competency Differences between ADN and BSN Prepared Nurses Linda Jewell Grand Canyon University Competency Differences between ADN and BSN Prepared Nurses Merriam-Webster defines nurse as: “a person who cares for the sick or infirm; specifically: a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health”. This definition gives no differentiation between the nurse educated at the Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) level and the nurse educated at the Associate degree of nursing (ADN) level. Many do not realize there is difference between the two. Both nurses subscribe to the same nursing philosophies and teachings but the baccalaureate nurse expands upon those philosophies and teachings to provide a higher standard of care. On a day to day basis, nurses are asked to draw on their training, experiences and education to make decisions about the care of their patients. Many times it is the nurses that suggest treatments and medications to the physicians since they have more one-on-one time with the patients. A BSN educated nurse may think of a treatment or medication based on her course work or even experience on the job that an ADN nurse would not. In many long-term care facilities, the method of treatment of wounds is often left up to the nurse to decide and get approved by the physician. Every nurse has different experiences with what has worked...
Words: 709 - Pages: 3
...Differences in Bedside Competency Between ADN and BSN Nurses Tonya L Henson Grand Canyon University NRS-430V May 10, 2010 Currently in the United States there are three types of Registered Nurses. Diploma nurses obtain their education through a hospital based program. Associate Degree nurses usually receive their degree in a two year or community college setting. A Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is a four year academic degree. The debate over minimum education requirements for nurses has been going on for decades and there still seems to be no general consensus. The subject of entry level education requirements is one that is very divisive to many nurses. Internet searches bring up thousands of blogs, message board postings, position statements and statistics related to this issue. In this paper the focus will be on ADN and BSN nurses. Associate degree programs are designed to train students to provide entry level care in a hospital setting. The ADN is an attractive option for many due to shortened program time and the reduced tuition rate. Baccalaureate nursing programs have additional classes in humanities, the sciences and expanded nursing coursework. The additional classes in community health nursing, nursing management and research are designed to provide the BSN prepared nurse for a broader scope of practice. This enables the BSN prepared nurse to move away from direct bedside care in a hospital setting. The BSN degree also serves as a bridge to those...
Words: 1147 - Pages: 5
...The Differences in Competencies between the ADN and BSN Prepared Nurse Patricia Walker Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V April 27, 2013 There are many changes being made in health care today. Among these changes is the initiative for all associate degree and diploma degree registered nurses to further their education, go back to school and earn their BSN degree. Proponents of this initiative believe that there should be one level of entrance into the nursing profession. Diploma and ADN nursing programs focus on teaching the nursing skills and technical competence to provide basic bedside patient care. The baccalaureate degree program focuses on the history of nursing, and the theories that guide nursing as a profession. Though, each program of entry into the profession of registered nurse adequately prepares the student to administer safe, basic nursing care, the programs differ, in that the baccalaureate degree program expands on the basic knowledge of nursing. It teaches students a deeper understanding into the history of nursing, how it came about, who was expected to be a nurse and why. The leaders in the advancement of nursing history are studied along with their contributions into the nursing time line. The different theory models of nursing are learned and the philosophy of each model is discussed. This leads to a deeper understanding of the many roles that nurses have in our society today. Graduates of entry level nursing programs (baccalaureate...
Words: 926 - Pages: 4
...CURRICULUM REVISION A CONCEPTUAL MODEL to Support Curriculum Review, Revision, and Design in an Associate Degree Nursing Program B E T T Y W. D AV I S P A R T I C I PAT I O N IN CURRICULUM DESIGN of program outcomes has been identified as a core competency for nurse educators A N D E VA L UAT I O N (Billings & Halstead, 2009; Southern Regional Education Board, 2002). Facing declining NCLEX-RN® pass rates, faculty at an associate degree nursing program at a public community college in Mississippi responded to the National League for Nursing ([NLN] 2005b) call to transform nursing education by undertaking an intensive critique of its curriculum and program outcomes. Based on this analysis, a conceptual framework was created to guide curriculum revision, development, and implementation. The framework provides structure for ongoing and systematic curriculum review and revision. A review of the literature revealed the need to move from a teaching-centered to a learning-centered approach to teaching. Learning-centered institutional design is reflective of a number of principles: the need to bring about substantive change in participants; the full engagement of learners and the mindset that students bear primary responsibility for personal choices; multiple learning options to appeal to students’ preferred learning styles; the enhancement of collaboration; educators as learning facilitators; and measurement of success through the documented improvement...
Words: 4060 - Pages: 17
...University, Halifax, NS, Canada and IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada (Prof T F Baskett MB); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Paediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada and IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada (K S Joseph MD) Correspondence to: Dr Michael S Kramer, The Montreal Children’s Hospital, 2300 Tupper Street (Les Tourelles), Montreal H3H 1P3, QC, Canada michael.kramer@mcgill.ca Background Amniotic-fluid embolism is a rare, but serious and often fatal maternal complication of delivery, of which the cause is unknown. We undertook an epidemiological study to investigate the association between amniotic-fluid embolism and medical induction of labour. Methods We used a population-based cohort of 3 million hospital deliveries in Canada between 1991 and 2002 to assess the associations between overall and fatal rates of amniotic-fluid embolism and medical and surgical induction, maternal age, fetal presentation, mode of delivery, and pregnancy and labour complications. Findings Total rate of amniotic-fluid embolism was 14·8 per 100 000 multiple-birth deliveries and 6·0 per 100 000 singleton deliveries (odds ratio 2·5 [95% CI 0·9–6·2]). Of the 180 cases of...
Words: 998 - Pages: 4
...Old Debate: ADN vs BSN, a comparison Seth Ronning Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics Kimberly Hammerton September 4, 2013 The Age Old Debate: ADN vs BSN, a comparison In battles of good versus evil through out history, good almost always triumphs in the end. For example the New York Yankees have won a total of twenty seven World Series Championships compared to the Boston Red Sox who have won a meager seven World Series. Another example would be Darth Vader returning from the dark side to vanquish the evil Emperor by means of hurling the villain over a rail to unseen depths and certain death. In the case of Bachelors level nursing compared to Associates level nursing however, there really is no good versus evil to compare. There is no dark versus light there is just a different level of attained educational degree. The question is what does the difference in education level provide in the level of competency of each nurse. The aim of this paper is to discuss what is the definition of competency in nursing and how is it measured, what are the advantages in nursing care for associates and bachelors degree care, and how do the differences in educational level affect overall patient outcomes. What is competency in nursing? The American Nurses Association, or ANA, defines competency by stating, “competency is an expected level of performance that results from an integration of knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment” (ANA 2004). A nurses’ ability to...
Words: 1686 - Pages: 7
...Running head: DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN ADN VERSUS DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN ADN VERSUS BSN DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN BSN VERSUS ADN The purpose of this work is to explore the differences in competencies between Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Registered nurses are only legally allowed to practice on patients and clients, these nurses have to be certified and issued licenses by a licensure council after successfully completing and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). These nurses are either Bachelors of nurses or ADN nursing students. ADN nursing program was first introduced during the World War 11 when there was high demand of clinically skill oriented nurses to meet the rising demand the war prompted. ADN program usually take two years to complete and can be done in city or community colleges in comparison to the BSN program which is done in the university and takes about four years to complete. (Moorhead &Cowen, 2006). ADN program emphasize on the acquisition of clinical skills and does not offer the theoretical and scientific knowledge required for the nursing profession, making the program lack competency of scientific theory and ways of providing health services. BSN program, is very different because it requires four years to complete and it focuses on the whole view of nursing field and it enables the student a wide range of diverse populations...
Words: 1040 - Pages: 5
...Running head: THE DIFFERENCE IN COMPETENCIES OF AN ADN AND A BSN 1 The Difference in Competencies of a Nurse with an ADN versus a Nurse with a BSN Stacey M. Kestler Grand Canyon University THE DIFFERENCE IN COMPETENCIES OF AN ADN AND A BSN 2 Abstract According to American Association of Colleges of Nursing fact sheet: Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce, there are 2.8 million registered nurses currently active and practicing, of these 55% hold a bachelor’s degree, and by 2020 they estimate that number will increase to 80%. This is important because what will happen to the nurses that currently have an ADN or are about to enter into the ADN program? What is the difference between a nurse with an ADN and a nurse with a BSN, and is one better than the other? Nurses make the decisions to get their ADN or BSN for many different reasons, but there are many journals and articles in publication that statically show that having a BSN is safer for patients. In the October 2014 issue of Medical Care, it published that having a 10% increase in the proportion of bachelor educated nurses decreased mortality rates by 10.9%. In the May 2014 issue of The Lancet, it published that European hospitals with a higher number of BSN nurses showed that patients were more likely to live after facing complications due to surgery. In conclusion Nancy Burgess states in her article ADN versus BSN Nursing Degree…Which will it be?, that...
Words: 1284 - Pages: 6
...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...
Words: 956 - Pages: 4
...Educational Preparation The difference between an Associate's degree education (ADN) and a Bachelor's degree education (BSN) has been a topic of discussion between nurses for years. Completion of either an ADN program or a BSN program will result in the same outcome, a Registered Nurse Licensure (RN). There are some nurses that would argue that there is no need to obtain a BSN degree unless the nurse is planning to work in a management position. Then, there are some nurses that would argue that in the very near future a BSN degree will be required in order to work in an acute care environment. Choosing one over the other depends on financial factors, the length of time to be spent in an educational program, and long-term career goals (Morrow, 2008). All of the arguments may have their validities, but in this paper this writer will describe the differences in competencies between nurses with an ADN education and a BSN education. There are two primary goals of any nursing program whether it is an ADN program or a BSN program. The first goal is to endow their nursing students with the appropriate tools to provide safe and competent care to patients. The second is to prepare their students to complete and pass the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). The NCLEX provides computer adaptive testing that measures minimal competence for safe professional nursing practice. Exam content includes health promotion, pharmacotherapeutics...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...Running Head: COMPETENCY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADN AND BSN LEVEL OF NURSING Competency difference between ADN and BSN level of Nursing Presented to Professor Mandy Sheriff By Marlene Holmes Grand Canyon University: NRS-430-102 November 4, 2012 Competency difference between ADN and BSN level of Nursing This paper will look at the competencies between the Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN), and the Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) as it relates to the educational requirements for both programs. It will also discuss a patient care scenario where both nursing disciplines provide nursing care or the approach in the decision making process based on educational preparation of the nurse. When we speak of where the nursing profession is heading in the future, we must take a look at our past in order to fully understand current practices. Originally, nursing was not seen as a “profession” it was a job for the undesirables (Friberg & Creasia, 2010). The undesirable were men and woman who would help the sick, poor and abandoned individual and nurse the sick back to health. It was not until the 1800’s when Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, helped to change the way things were being done in military hospital as it relates to taking care of the sick. She fought for sanitary changes in the hospitals as well as educational advancement for nursing practices (Friberg & Creasia , 2010). In the 1860’s Nightingale established...
Words: 1292 - Pages: 6
