Discussing the Differences in Competencies of AND vs. BSN
Norma Gill
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V
November 10, 2013

There was a time when a being Registered Nurse (RN) was sufficient and society did not express concerns on how an education was obtained. The baccalaureate nursing program is considered to be the beginning level of professional nursing. The nursing profession is often confusing mainly because of the various entry levels into the nursing field (Creasia & Reid, 2011 p 25). The ways it can be received are from a hospital diploma program, community college or four-year university. Nursing is a wonderful and humbling profession and it is often a self-disciplined one. No longer is it mainly focused on direct patient care and clinical skills, but one of more complexity that requires advanced skills, assessments, critical thinking, leadership, clinical decision making, case management, health promotion, and collaboration with other discipline of healthcare (Rosseter 2012). There are two types of RN’s, an Associate Degree Registered Nurse (ADN) and a Baccalaureate of Science Degree Nurse (BSN). Both of these types of graduates sit for the same examination to become licensed which is called the NCLEX-RN. However, there are differences in competencies between the two. In relation to nursing, competencies are defined by education and skills for each nursing titles (Hardy, 2013). The ADN is usually comprised of being a two or three year program and is found in community colleges or junior colleges. The programs are more directed to patient care, tasks and clinical skills. A registered nurse that has an ADN is focused on direct patient bed-side care which includes complete body assessments, medication administrations, drawing blood and starting intravenous fluids. An ADN also is trained in the use of medical equipment and certified in basic life