Nursing is a widely respected and greatly needed occupation in our country today. Healthcare is constantly growing and evolving. Registered Nurses are a vital part of the existence of all communities. Nurses are required not only at inpatient hospital settings, but in schools, offices, community health settings, nursing homes, administration, and the list goes on! Despite both baccalaureate and associate prepared nurses taking the same board exam to practice nursing, educational advancement can contribute to the care of patients in all of these settings and aide in a more optimal outcome. The bachelors- prepared programs educate students on all the same topics as an associate- prepared program does. However BSN programs teach in further depth and promote professional growth. The difference in quality of patient care between the two degrees may not easily be observed to the clientele. However, much research proves that there is a correlation in patient outcome and the level of nursing education.
One example of differing in the outcome of patient care is education. Promoting wellness and educating against disease and illness is an integral part of the nursing field. The baccalaureate- degree nurse is further prepared to promote wellness within communities and targeted populations. By individualizing a plan of care with interventions such as screenings, education and immunizations, a nurse can aid in the prevention of increased diseases and conditions (Sept., 2014). In order to education the client or patient population, a nurse must be educated themself. A baccalaureate prepared nurse “uses evidence based practices to guide health teaching, health counseling, screening, outreach, disease and outbreak investigation, referral, and follow-up throughout the lifespan”(Oct., 2008). According to the AACN, Evidenced Based Practice is a core topic of the baccalaureate