...Associate and Baccalaureate-Degree Registered Nurses Differences in Competencies between Associate and Baccalaureate-Degree Registered Nurses For decades there has been research and many discussions on the differences of ADN, a diploma and a BSN nurse. Graduates of any of the three nursing programs at entry level all take the NCLEX-RN licensing examination. The exam does not test for the differences between graduates of the different programs. It simply tests for the minimum competency to provide safe entry level nursing care. According to Creasia and Friberg in Conceptual foundations: The Bridge to professional nursing, prior to the founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale, nursing was not a specific profession nor respected. Florence Nightingale is a very important figure in nursing who led women in 1854 to care for wounded soldiers. She has also changed nursing and how a nurse takes care of patients today by making important observations on the spread of infection and how to prevent it. Before the influence of Florence Nightingale education was not expected or necessary. Now because of our many nursing pioneers nurses are respected and educated professionals. After the war, Nightingale pushed for education in the health care setting as well as in classrooms and she developed London’s first school to train nurses in 1860. This quickly spread to the United States and in 1867 Linda Richards was the first trained nurse in America. (Creasia & Friberg, 2010, chap...
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...amount of time period. Patients are requiring more advance care for more complex issues hospitals are now in need of highly skilled, trained professionals to provide this level of care. The quality of patient care and outcome of the patient depends a lot on the level of education of the nurse. Case studies have proven that where positive patient outcomes have been linked to nurses that have a higher level of education Baccalaureate prepared. With that being said one of the main differences between the ADN vs. the BSN is the level of education. There are three educational pathways to become a Registered Nurse 1. Three-year diploma program. 2. Two year Associate Degree program offered at a community college 3. Is a four year program Baccalaureate Degree program. (AACN, 2014, #3) An Associates degree in nursing is earned over a course of two years and the curriculum is more technical and bedside focused (Creasia &Friberg, 2011). The Bachelor of Science in nursing includes the same course work as the ADN. The BSN is more in depth in the treatment of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management and humanities (AACN, 2014, para#4) According to the AACN “ The additional course work enhances the students professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, “ and allows the baccalaureate graduate to” better understand the many social, cultural, economic and political issues that impact patients...
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...will discuss the differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate-degree level, by using research from different nursing organizations found online. Also identifying a patient care situation in which I will describe how nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse. Differences in competencies between ADN versus BSN In conducting the research for this paper I was a little biased in my opinions of this topic and had to keep an open mind. I am an associate-degree level nurse, and have been for six years. I feel that my experience has taught me a lot about critical thinking, and helping patients improve their outcomes. I felt pressure in to completing my baccalaureate-degree level of education before I felt that I was ready to complete the education. I now have a better understanding into baccalaureate education as being the accepted minimum requirement for nurses. Much research has been done, relating to BSN versus ADN nurses and better patient outcomes. In Grand Canyon University College of Nursing Philosophy, it states “Baccalaureate nursing practice incorporates the roles of assessing, critical thinking, communicating, providing care, teaching, and leading.” I feel that no matter what education level one has after nursing programs that this is a baseline for nurses. It was hard for me to see that nurses who graduate with their BSN were better at bedside care...
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...be a trend developing in the healthcare industry. Registered nurse diploma programs are closing. Just in the state of New Jersey; there are a number of diploma programs closing. That list had grown to include the school that I graduated from, Helene Fuld School of Nursing. It has also been reported that Mountainside Nursing School in Bloomfield, NJ closed after 117 years of operation (Read, 2009). There were less than a dozen diploma nursing schools in the state at the time. When I applied and was accepted in 2009, I was told that I would be a member of the last class graduating from this institution that had been in existence since 1885. I asked the receptionist at the school why, and was told that our school had been supported financially over the last 20 years by two hospitals. Those were Cooper University Hospital and Virtua Hospital. She said that both of the hospitals had gone to a hiring policy of requiring its entry level nurses to have at least a Bachelor of Science degree; so why would they continue to support a nursing school that could no longer help staff their hospitals. I have since come to understand more about why more hospitals are moving to similar hiring policies. The most important why is the growing evidence that patient care is improved with advanced degree nurses. There have been countless studies done that suggest that patient safety and outcomes improve with care from nurses with advanced degrees. One 2008 study published in the Journal...
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...Preparation There is an ongoing debate about nurses trained at the Associates Degree level versus the baccalaureate degree level. In this paper, I will discuss some of the important differences between the two levels of education and try to determine if one is really better than the other. First of all, when considering the difference between the two types of degrees, it is important to recognize that at either level, a nurse must be able to pass the same NCLEX examination in order to become licensed. Therefore, it is safe to say that a nurse from either type of program must have the basic knowledge required to safely take care of patients as an entry level nurse. So, why bother getting a baccalaureate degree if you can do the same job with less time and money put into your education? Let’s explore some of the advantages. Ask any working nurse if they would have more job opportunities if they had a baccalaureate degree and they will most likely tell you “yes”. Although you can get a job with an associate’s degree, many jobs require that you have baccalaureate degree in order to hold the position. The reason for this is that many positions for nurses require that they be able to be a strong leader in the work environment. Continuing past the associates degree level, a nurse can really learn how to use their knowledge in a leadership role. Many studies have shown that nurses trained at the baccalaureate level are more prepared to care for patients in a way that...
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...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...
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...Degree, and Baccalaureate Degree) preparing prospective nurses to be at the same competency level after schooling? Advancement in education has become an increasingly important topic amongst health care organizations. Educational preparation can indeed affect nursing care and the decision making of nurses. In this paper, an analysis of nursing history and the degree programs themselves will provide evidence of an increased level of patient care by BSN nurses vs. ADN nurses. In order to get a better understanding of nursing and the importance of education we need to first have insight into how nursing began. There was very little education and no attention paid to quality in the early nursing years. Through the dedication and work of people such as Florence Nightingale who pioneered early health care reform and education, we saw nursing go from a profession with little respect to becoming what is known as modern nursing. With the introduction of the American Nurses Association the profession advanced further by introducing formal training programs, advanced degrees and licensing of nurses. The first type of formal education offered was the diploma nurse. It was a three year program that was hospital based and many times the students were actually staffing the floors instead of devoting time to their education. This indicates that early education has proven to advance the nursing profession. The associate degree nurse was introduced in response to the nursing shortage in...
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...Nightingale is a very important figure in nursing who led women in 1854 to care for wounded soldiers. She made crucial observations on the spread of infection that has influenced the care of patients to this day. After the war, Nightingale pushed for education in the health care setting as well as in classrooms and she developed London's first school to train nurses in 1860. Within a few years the trend had spread to the United States and in 1867 Linda Richards was the first "trained" nurse in America. Since then education has developed and changed dramatically. Associate Degree Nurse Associate degrees in nursing are obtained from junior and community colleges. They generally take 2 to 3 years to complete. Originally the associate program was created in response to fill the large nursing shortage during World War II. "It was proposed as a temporary solution to a shortage but was not intended to replace the professional level of nursing education." (ADN or BSN, 2004) Those who graduated from the associate level were to work under the care of a professional nurse as a technical nurse. However, the associate level of education became desirable and more popular and is now viewed as a admirable career choice for individuals who prefer a quicker, less costly path to the profession of a registered nurse. Bachelor Degree Nurse Baccalaureate degrees in nursing are obtained from a university and take roughly 4 to 5 years to complete. "The American Nurses Association (ANA), the...
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...profession of nursing is different from other healthcare professions because there are multiple levels of entry into the profession. One may enter the career with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN). An ADN is a two year program that is obtained at a community college, while a BSN is a four year program earned at a university. One may question why there are two different levels of education to get to the same position in nursing. While an Associate’s Degree (AD) prepared nurse has the necessary skills to provide patient care, they may lack critical thinking, leadership, and professionalism. A BSN prepared nurse has gained more knowledge, which may lead to better patient outcomes. Nursing does not meet the standards of professionalism in respect to education with multiple points of entry and a lack of differentiation among educational levels with regard to acknowledgement and salary (Lane and Kohlenberg, 2010). Not as much time is spent during the ADN programs to teach critical thinking, research, professionalism and leadership. In the two year program, most of the time is focused on patient care. The competencies of the different levels of education of the Registered Nurse (RN) will be explored to show a BSN prepared nurse is more proficient in providing patient care, due to better critical thinking skills. Baccalaureate educated nurses are prepared for more complex decision making using critical thinking combined with comprehensive...
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...versus BSN Currently, nurses must be able to do more than just follow doctor’s orders and start IVs. They need to be able to think critically, make decisions about patient care, and be prepared to question doctors if their orders appear to be inappropriate, as well as be a teacher to the patient and family. These are all expected of nurses whether they have an ADN or BSN. More often than not, nurses have the same pay and job requirements regardless of the education they have. They must both pass the same NCLEX-RN exam. These are facts that create the question, “why spend the extra time and money?” The Goldmark Report in 1923 was the first to recommend that the entry level of education for professional practice as a registered nurse should be a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), and heated debate has raged among nurses over the issue ever since. (NursingDeree.net) With a shortage of nurses after World War II, Mildred Montag explored an alternative to four-year university nursing programs. This developed into the now very popular two-year Associates Degree. According to an article in Working Nurse (Hanink, 2012) , The W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded the initial experiments: seven pilot sites in four states, one of them Pasadena City College. Success was almost immediate; from the very beginning, the graduates had pass rates comparable to hospital and BSN graduates. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nurses with a BSN are linked...
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...Future of Nursing Nurses have an important role in the healthcare system. Nurses are the first and last part of the chain in the patient care. During the past 40 years the nursing profession has become more popular with over 3 million of active registered nurses ("Total Number of Professionally Active Nurse," 2016), the nursing career is one of the largest and essential part in the healthcare system. During the year of 2008, The Institute of Medicine and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) built a two-year study to answer the immediate necessity to redesign the career of nursing (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). The idea was to build some guidelines for the future of nursing profession in order to adjust, engage and guide actual needs and rapid changes of healthcare reform. The committee placed together some important roles surrounded by legal concerns picturing the future of nursing. The IOM report pays particular attention on many critical elements of nursing. The principal focus of the report was to create recommendations not only for the advance practice registered nurses, but also to provide opportunities for leadership and improvements in nursing education. Nurses are an integral part in the healthcare system; we contribute in all areas from acute care to schools, and community settings. As nurses move to bigger roles, it is crucial to increase their education. The IOM report proposed highlight is to increase the percentage of nurses holding a Bachelor...
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...the future of Nursing. Nurses are in the front line of patient’s care but are faced with various barriers which prevent them from being able to meet the demand and advancing health care system, to be able to overcome these barriers in 2008, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Institute of medicine (IOM) launched a two-year initiative to respond to the need to assess and transform the nursing profession and its future. In response, some recommendations were made in the IOM report which will impact nursing and its future by transforming its education, practice and our role as a leader. The impact on nursing education: Our patients are depending on us for quality care, believing that we are qualified enough and have a better understanding of what we do for them. This is why progressively acquiring knowledge through research, education and evidence-based practice is important to the profession. According to the report, “the primary goals of nursing education remain the same: nurses must be prepared to meet diverse patient’s needs, function as leaders and advance science that benefits patients and the capacity of health professionals to deliver safe and quality patient care”. Science and technology are advancing daily not only in healthcare but in all profession, that is why nurses must not settle for mediocrity, we are to advance from ADN to BSN to MSN and ultimately a doctoral degree if possible, this will help advance research to better care for our patients...
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...since the pumps were started in operating rooms, it was not clinically safe for nurses to make adjustments to pumps being used on unstable patients (Rothschild et al.,...
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...require a minimum of a baccalaureate degree for entry-level nurses. Many hospitals have moved to this ideology and have already began to give a hiring preference to those nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree and many have hired Associate degreed nurses with the requirement that they will obtain their baccalaureate degree within so many years of employment date. This paper will discuss the differences between a nurse holding an associates degree and a baccalaureate degree, as well as, present a patient care situation describing how patient care decisions difference based upon the nurse’s educational level. History of ADN and BSN Programs It was during the post World War II years that Mildred Montage developed an associate degree level of nursing education in response to the shortage of nursing (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). She developed the associate degree-nursing program with the intent that these nurses would work under the supervision of baccalaureate level nurses who were at the time considered professional nurses. The Associate program is a two-year program that focuses on the fundamentals of nursing and teaching bedside clinical skills. The baccalaureate degree program has been in existence since 1909 and was developed as a five-year program (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). It has since been reduced to a four-year program that includes the same classes as those taught in the associates program but also includes leadership, research, theory and public health. Competency Differences...
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...Comparing the Competencies of BSN vs ADN C.M. Grand Canyon University August 17, 2014 Why are Baccalaureate nurses more desirable to employers than Associate degree nurses? Both BSN and ADN programs teach the fundamentals of nursing, to include health assessment, medication administration and care planning. Both must pass the NCLEX exam to qualify for entry level practice. But a BSN is a 4 year degree while and ADN is 2 years. BSN programs put more focus on the science of nursing, integrating theories and ethical decision making. Many hospitals are employing BSNs only in order to achieve ‘Magnet status’, recognizing them for quality patient care and nursing excellence. Nurses that are educated at the BSN level vs the ADN level are better trained for the workforce due to their theory background, their focus on evidence based practice and strong critical thinking skills leading to better patient outcomes. A nurse may wonder why knowledge of theory important while caring for patients at the bedside? As a particular religion guides a person for how they should live their life, theories act as guides for nursing practice. A theory provides a nurse with a tool to help them assist with describing, explaining and predicting why they do what they do. Creasia & Friberg, describe how theories provide frameworks to help give direction and guidance for nurses in their education, research and professional practice. (2011, p. 94) BSN programs provide more emphasis on theory than...
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