...July 2013 Differences in Competency Between Associate Degree Prepared Nurses and Baccalaureate Degree Prepared Nurses Achieving a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN), or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), makes an individual eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Once either candidate successfully passes he or she is granted a Registered Nurse (RN) license and can gain employment in the workforce. With licensure as a RN come the core values that each nurse accepts while practicing nursing (Creasia J. & Friberg E., 2011). Both degrees hold the RN to the same level of accountability. These programs show varied curriculums, which produce differences in the outcome of the competencies that each RN exhibits. A BSN program is offered by a four-year college or university. The focus is on theory, collaboration, and evidence based practice, while encompassing and embracing the entire nursing picture. Within the BSN program, students discover perspectives about human diversity and promotion of spiritual and healthy wellbeing, as well as digging deeper into the ethical, political, historical, and social influences that have shaped and continue to shape the world of nursing (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008). The number of BSN program options has steadily increased over the last several years. The ADN program is typically a two year program that centralizes its learning around the clinical skills...
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...Competencies between BSN and ADN, RN Nurses There are numerous differences in competencies between BSN and ADN. Nursing is a dynamic profession and life long learning is essential for nurses to stay current with the increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. In other words, the needs of our patients are changing, as we must change in order to be prepared to better serve that need. Nursing has a long history of formal education which moved out of hospitals and into colleges and universities early last century. The associate degree level of nursing was developed out of a need to produce nurses in response to a shortage during and following World War II. It was a proposed as a temporary solution to a shortage to a shortage but was not intended to replace the professional level of nursing education. The national advisory council on Nurse education and practice, policy advisors to congress and the U.S secretary for health and human services on nursing issues, has urged that at least two thirds of the nurse workforce hold baccalaureate or higher degrees in nursing in 2010. The Veteran’s Administration [VA], the nation’s largest employer of registered nurses, has established the baccalaureate degree as a minimum preparation its nurses must have for promotion beyond the entry –level beginning in 2005 and has committed $50 million over a five year period to help VA nurses obtain...
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...Rn to Bsn Admission Essay Ellen Dillard BSN Admission Essay After researching a variety of different programs I have found that the RN to BSN program at Michigan State University is the program in which will best help me to personally grow as a professional nurse. I have always been extremely dedicated to my goals and proved that as I earned my BS in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science from Michigan State University in 2007. I then went on to receive my ADN from Schoolcraft College in 2011, which has led me to my position as a licensed RN at an acute rehab center. After working as a licensed RN for the past year I have discovered that I would like to strengthen my skillset in my field by going back to school yet again, this time to receive my BSN. During this past year I have realized my ability to lead, teach, and communicate well with others. I am confident with the skillset that I have developed while earning my ADN and feel that at this point in my career I would like to develop my skillset even further. As a professional in the ever changing field of nursing, I feel it imperative to continue my education so that I can provide the best care possible for my patients. Continuing to build upon my knowledge base of disease processes, nursing research, and also strengthening my critical thinking skills is essential in order for me become the best nurse I can be. The BSN program at Michigan State University will do just that. The flexibility and convenience...
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...ADN versus BSNN Prabhu Cherian September 13, 2015 ADN versus BSN Introduction Nursing is one of the most exciting and challenging jobs in our time. Nurses are advocates of health and thereby promote awareness to prevent disease and help patients cope with illness. In providing direct patient care they collaborate with physicians in the performance of treatments and examinations, the administration of medications. Nurses work in an environment that is constantly changing to provide the best possible care for patients. They are constantly exposed to the latest technology and medication as well as considering the evidence that their nursing practice is based upon. Nurses must be particularly skilled at interacting with patients, putting them at ease, and assisting them in their recovery. This is the reason it is often said that physicians cure, and nurses care. There are three educational pathways one may follow to become a registered nurse. The first is a three-year diploma program; another is an associate degree, most often offered by a community college; the last is a four-year baccalaureate degree offered at four-year colleges and universities. All these nursing programs directly relate to the educational preparation of the nurses; however the BSN education includes additional coursework in nursing and a broader range of studies in other disciplines. Differences in competencies ADN program is designed to provide the skills and knowledge to become a compliant generalist...
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...Nursing Competencies: ADN versus BSN Suzi Roberts Grand Canyon University Professional Dynamics NRS-430V Brittney Grabill May 2, 2015 Nursing Competencies: ADN versus BSN According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nursing is “the largest health care profession, with 3.1 million registered nationwide.” The AACN states on their website, in 1980, 22 percent held the bachelor’s degree and 18 percent held an associate’s degree (American Associate of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2015). By the 2008, the number holding bachelor’s degree increased to 36.8 percent and the number for an associate’s degree increased to 36.1 (AACN, 2015). In the paper, I will discuss what it takes to obtain both degrees, the advantages, disadvantages and the different competencies of the Associates Degree in Nurse (ADN) and the Baccalaureate Degree Nurse (BSN). In the last few years, the hospital I have worked for has really encouraged those with an ADN degree to obtain their BSN. Representatives from different colleges have made visits to the hospital to get nurses to enroll in their ADN to BSN online programs. Our hospital, like many other across the nation, suffer from a nursing shortage. There are 2 universities within an hour in driving distance with BSN programs. Where I live, we are very fortunate to have an ADN program at our local community college, which is right across the street from the only hospital in town. When thinking about becoming a nurse, the...
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...ADN VS BSN PATRINA HAYES GCU ADN VS BSN The nursing field is a rapidly growing profession that requires many different levels of degrees. Registered nurses can have levels of education ranging from a Associates to Doctorate degree. This paper will give a better understanding to the difference between the Associates degree in nursing (ADN) and Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN). The ADN program was established in 1951 due to a nursing shortage in the post war years (Haase, 1990) Since then, the curriculum has changed from teacher or subject oriented to bedside and basic critical thinking skill. The ADN program is a two year program not including the required general education classes. The BSN program is a four year program including prerequisites. The BSN program emphasizes in critical thinking, leadership skills and a professional role away from the bedside. Both programs include their core curriculum of Adult Health, Maternal and Newborn nursing and Pediatrics. BSN Program includes nursing research and nursing informatics. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing(AACN) believes nurse with their BSN degree are more prepared for today’s workforce due to their well-developed critical thinking skills, leadership and ability to practice in different settings The ADN student focuses on providing bedside care to patients with acute and chronic health needs with policy and procedures reflecting current standard of care. The obvious differences between the programs are...
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...Advantages of RN-BSN Programs Academic focus: While the technical competencies provided by an ADN program can be quite comprehensive, where it often lacks is in providing the theoretical knowledge necessary for graduates to assume complex nursing roles. An RN-BSN program can not only fill that gap, but can also help inculcate critical thinking, analytical ability, and other such advanced skills because of its academic and intellectual focus. Career opportunities: There are a broader array of career opportunities for RNs who have a bachelor's degree as compared to those who have an associate's degree in nursing. If you're not content being a staff nurse for a good part of your career, the only way forward is usually an RN-BSN program. Educational advancement: An RN-BSN program is necessary if you're interested in pursuing a graduate degree. Roles like nurse educator, nurse manager, advanced practice nurse, researcher, etc. require candidates who have completed a master's or a Ph.D. program. Higher pay: According to payscale.com, RNs who have a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree can earn an average of up to $79,009 per year depending on experience, education, and location, whereas those who have an associate's degree in nursing may earn up to $74,487,** depending on experience, education, and location. Associate of Science in Nursing The Associate’s degree in Nursing program was first introduced to overcome the shortage of nurses. The intent of the program was...
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...CLINICAL ISSUES Acute care management of older people with dementia: a qualitative perspective Wendy Moyle, Sally Borbasi, Marianne Wallis, Rachel Olorenshaw and Natalie Gracia Aim and objectives. This Australian study explored management for older people with dementia in an acute hospital setting. Background. As the population ages, increasing numbers of older people with dementia are placed into an acute care hospital to manage a condition other than dementia. These people require special care that takes into account the unique needs of confused older people. Current nursing and medical literature provides some direction in relation to best practice management; however, few studies have examined this management from the perspective of hospital staff. Design. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Method. Data were collected using semi-structured audio-taped interviews with a cross section of thirteen staff that worked in acute medical or surgical wards in a large South East Queensland, Australia Hospital. Results. Analysis of data revealed five subthemes with the overarching theme being paradoxical care, in that an inconsistent approach to care emphasised safety at the expense of well-being and dignity. A risk management approach was used rather than one that incorporated injury prevention as one facet of an overall strategy. Conclusion. Using untrained staff to sit and observe people with dementia as a risk management strategy does not encourage an evidence-based approach...
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...Associate Degree Vs. Baccalaureate Degree Associate degree is someone who completes a nursing course, associated with a hospital or medical facility. On the other hand, a BSN is a higher college education, it entitles people to work in any health care or home care facility. A nurse is a bed side care giver at the hospital who takes care of patients and assist doctors. Nurses have to work in different areas and have different responsibilities. Some responsibilities or things nurses do is health promotion, disease prevention, case management and managed care settings. Nurses with a baccalaureate degree have the knowledge to practice complex aspects. Nurses with a BSN also have prepared to practice in health care settings such as critical care, outpatient care, public health and mental health. Having a BSN these days can give nurses a higher chance of a job, better opportunities, and will put nurses above the curve. “In October 2010, the Institute of Medicine released its landmark report on The Future of Nursing, initiated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which called for increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the workforce to 80% and doubling the population of nurses with doctorates. The expert committee charged with preparing the evidence-based recommendations contained in this report state that to respond “to the demands of an evolving health care system and meet the changing needs of patients, nurses must achieve higher levels of education.”(Rosseter...
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...The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health According to the article roles, education, and responsibilities should change as part of the changes for the future of nursing. There will be an increased demand for nurses due to the healthcare reform. The article goes on to state because of the large number of nurses that are practicing, nurses should have a voice in contributing as partners in improving the quality and safety of care. In order to meet the changes, implementation of a residency training is needed for nurses, 80 per cent of nurses should have attained a BSN degree by 2020, and the number who pursue their doctorates should be doubled. Lastly, the restrictions of nurses’ scope of practice should be lifted so they could be able to perform as they were trained. The most important thing I found interesting was that the limitations of the nurses’ scope of practice should be removed so that the nurses could perform like they were trained to perform. In codes in the emergency room, all nurses are trained under ACLS to intubate a patient that is in acute respiratory distress, but in reality only the doctors or respiratory technicians are allowed to do this. If this restriction was lifted the nurse could act immediately along with the doctor to stabilize the patient. Future of Nursing Campaign for Action is focused on nursing leaderships. The organization would like to see more nurses at the policy making tables to “bring the essence of caring”...
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...Running head: Critical Analysis of Qualitative Research Paper. Stressors on Anesthetist student Nurse and Coping Skill Name: Angela Francis Course: NRS-433V-0101 Running head: Critical Analysis on Qualitative Research: Problem Statement: Recognized practice nurses furthering their career anesthesiology being challenged by stresses involved in the program course outline as well as post graduation stressors. The problem of this study was the fact that just a minimal awareness about post graduate nurse anesthetist educational program which is mostly entrusted to competency in cultural training, rates of attrition, curriculum of the clinical areas in other words the historic review on transformations in educational programs over a period of decades. This problem not only affect practices in nursing, rather it focuses on fears and worries and thereby discovering ways to enhance the curriculum for nurse anesthesiology by reducing stress on students. Problem of this study marches with it’s naturalism of paradigm and due to the presenting problem replies or responses could be retrieved from the students points of view. The application of grounded qualitative theory method stands as a good choice for this study as it enables the writer to stop the use of inquiry from nurses in other to get data required from participating individuals. By the applied method of obtaining data a reasonable theory came up...
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...Why RN TO BSN The Need for Highly-Educated Nurses In the 21st century, the health challenges facing the nation have shifted dramatically. The American population is older—Americans 65 and older will be nearly 20 percent of the population by 2030—as well as more diverse with respect not only to race and ethnicity but also other cultural and socioeconomic factors. In addition to shifts in the nation’s demographics, there also have been shifts in that nation’s health care needs. Most health care today relates to chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions, due in part to the nation’s aging population and compounded by increasing obesity levels. While chronic conditions account for most of the care needed today, the U.S. health care system was primarily built around treating acute illnesses and injuries, the predominant health challenges of the early 20th century. The ways in which nurses were educated during the 20th century are no longer adequate for dealing with the realities of health care in the 21st century. As patient needs and care environments have become more complex, nurses need to attain requisite competencies to deliver high-quality care. These competencies include leadership, health policy, system improvement, research and evidence-based practice, and teamwork and collaboration, as well as competency in specific content areas such as community and public health and geriatrics. Nurses also...
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...The Differences Among Us: ADN vs. BSN The Differences Among Us: ADN vs. BSN Having worked with hundreds of registered nurses throughout my ten year career, it is not usually very easy to determine if the nurse next to me graduated with an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree. Whether working with a charge nurse, staff nurse or even a case manager, the differences are minor, and only upon further inspection realized. Both types of nurses are qualified and excel at their jobs, but the BSN nurse has the extra training and critical thinking skills needed, not only for their current station in life, but also their future and growth in the field. First I will be discussing why there are so many more ADN nurses in relation to BSN nurses. Secondly, a discussion of why there is a major push towards BSN prepared nurses. Last, a look into the differences I have noticed in my own nursing career between the ADN nurse and the BSN nurse. Not long ago, the primary degree in nursing was a hospital diploma. This was the standard way to becoming a nurse. As recently as the mid-1980’s, half of the country’s registered nurses had started that way. By that time though, community colleges and the associate’s degree of nursing was beginning to take over (Perez-Pena, 2012, para. 4). Although many four year programs existed, this was the quickest and easiest way for a student to obtain a nursing degree. This quicker program appealed especially to the workforce that were going back to school...
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...Comparing and contrasting Sentara Health System 2010 and Eastern Maine Medical Center 2008 Davies Organizational Award Minerva Ndikum Medical Informatics 6208 DE PhD Philip Aspden This paper compares and contrasts eight different views of two winners of Davies enterprise award. The HIMSS Nicholas E. Davies award recognizes excellence in the implementation and use of health information technology, specifically electronic health records (EHRs), for healthcare organizations, private practices, public health systems, and community health organizations. The Award honors Dr. Nicholas E. Davies, an Atlanta-based practicing physician, president-elect of the American College of Physicians, and a member of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Improving the Patient Record, who died in 1991 in a plane crash. This paper will compare and contrast the eight difference, the process by which each organization decided to implement an EHR, the goals of each implementation, the governance process for planning and implementation and how stakeholders were involved in each case, the functionality that was implemented in each case, including clinical decision support tools and data sharing with external organizations, how security and data integrity issues were addressed in each case, how user satisfaction with the implementation in each case was addressed and give the results, and how each implementation’s success in meeting the original goals of Sentara healthcare...
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...baccalaureate-degree nurses were more process oriented and were more knowledgeable in the nursing diagnosis, identification, and implementation of the nursing process than associate-degree level nurses. It showed that BSN prepared nurses looked at the entire picture and treated the patient as a whole, as opposed to ADN prepared nurses who focused more on the technical aspect of nursing. In another study, they found that surgical patients had a better rate of survival when they were in a hospital with a higher rate of BSN educated nurses (Aiken et al., 2003). It showed that a higher rate of BSN educated nurses in a hospital decreased the rate of death and failure to rescue. It is no wonder why there has been such a strong consensus calling for all RNs to continue their education. Many programs nationwide are now offering RN-to-Baccalaureate degrees, and many of which offer online programs. It has become more convenient and ASSOCIATE VERSUS BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PREPARED NURSES 3 flexible, catering to the working professionals, to facilitate their educational advancement. Facilities are increasingly hiring only baccalaureate-degree nurses to adhere to the IOM’s recommendation of having 80% of their workforce to have their BSN degree by 2020. Many hospitals are also encouraging their current employees to continue their education, especially...
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