Write a formal paper of 750-1,000 words that addresses the following:
1. Discuss the differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate-degree level.
2. Identify a patient care situation in which you describe how nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse (BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree).
Refer to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Fact Sheet: Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce as a resource.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide,

Within the nursing profession, education is an essential component to the training and preparedness of nurses. This is also true with all healthcare providers as education provides the necessary tools and resources for personnel to complete tasks. The following paper will discuss the differences between an Associate degree in nursing and a Baccalaureate degree in nursing including each degrees’ implications in competencies. Additionally, to further explore these differences, a case scenario will be provided to demonstrate differences in decision making between each level of education.
Associates Degree A nurse receiving his or her associate’s degree implies that they have undergone a minimum of two years of training and education. This can be achieved at most colleges including community colleges. Additionally, in order to graduate from an Associate’s degree in nursing, the individual must pass the National Council Licensure Examination and then become a Registered Nurse (NCSBN, 2014, Par. 3). According to the NCSBN, this program was originally designed as a result of nursing shortage problems. The program allows individuals to quickly become qualified in nursing in a fast-paced program.
Bachelor’s Degree The bachelor’s degree in nursing requires individuals to have a minimum of four years in the nursing area as well as general education. When individuals graduate from this program, they too take the National Council Licensure Examination and become a Registered Nurse. According to Friberg (2011), baccalaureate nursing was founded after the war. In (1946), Congress passed the GI Bill of Rights, which allows veterans to attain vocational training or a college education. At the time, many nurses within the military enrolled in college programs to earn nursing degrees. Because of the popularity of this program, attention was brought to it and it was revised to provide more in-depth training for nurses than the traditional Associates Degree program. Although many of the courses required for both Associates and Bachelor’s degrees in nursing appear similar, the Bachelor’s degree courses are far more in-depth, providing nurses with greater exposure to the field of medicine.
Competency in Each Program In order to determine differences in competencies between the two programs, external research was performed. One study, for example, indicated that those who underwent more schooling and more training were able to contribute to better patient outcomes (McHugh, 2012, Pg. 201). Hospitals were examined based on the level of training among their nurses. Hospitals with a higher number of Bachelor certified nurses indicated better patient outcomes than nurses with a higher population of Associate degree earned nurses. These differences have major implications on the competency and decision making abilities of nurses with different degrees of education and training.
Case Scenario Example By using a case scenario, we can better examine an example of how nurses with different levels of education might make decisions and perform tasks. Within this scenario, a female patient with a history of low blood pressure may report having severe light-headedness after golfing for a day in the hot sun. A nurse with associate’s level training may take the patient’s blood pressure and then proceed to provide the patient with medication while the bachelor’s degree nurse may continue to question the patient about her day of golfing. For example, she may determine whether the patient is light-headed due to being in the sun or whether she had not consumed enough water. The bachelor’s nurse may in fact be able to determine a much simpler remedy to the situation than medication. This case scenario provides a good demonstration of the differences between competencies and decision making styles of each level of education. The Associate’s nurse may enter her position with only a knowledge of the basic procedures. She or he has learned several go-to procedures rather than exercised critical thinking and decision making. The Bachelor’s nurse, on the other hand, has been trained to analyze situations and consider all possibilities before continuing with procedure. For example, the Bachelor’s nurse is quite familiar with evidence-based medicine and its application in the everyday work environment. The Associate’s nurse, however, is not familiar with this and instead relies on a set of rules.
Conclusion
Both Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree earned nurses are capable of performing everyday tasks in their environment, but research as shown that Bachelor’s degrees prepare nurses to be more competent and more capable to make decisions. From this research assignment, I have been able to conclude that education should be encouraged among nurses. Those who have entered into the profession with only an Associate’s degree should be encouraged to consider continuing education. The medical world will continue to change and advance and therefore nurses as well as medical personnel should also continue to advance.

References
Friberg, C. (2014) Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th Edition. Mosby
NCLEX Examinations. (2014). NCSBN. Retrieved from https://www.ncsbn.org/nclex.htm
Poster, E., Adams, P., Clay, C., Garcia, B. R., Hallman, A., Jackson, B., Klotz. L., Lumpkins,R., Reid, H., Sanford, P., Slatton, K., & Yuill, N. (2001). The Texas model of differentiated entry-level competencies of graduates of nursing programs.