...into the future with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Some people ask me “why do you bother getting your BSN?” This is a question I have considered myself over the past year, and now I am back in school, I realize the benefits to further education are enormous. Nursing link website states “in today’s nursing world, more is expected from a nurse than following doctor’s orders and starting IVs.” (Forster, 2008, para. 4) It continues to report that we as nurses must be able to “make critical decisions about a patient’s care, to question the doctor if orders seem inappropriate and to help the patient through, sometimes, difficult life-changing decisions.” One can only develop these skills with a broad based education, one that includes “critical thinking, and exposure to many different people, though process, and cultural and social norms.” Therefore BSN programs offer more education aimed at developing such necessary skills. (Forster, 2008, para. 4) This paper will discus such benefits in obtaining a BSN degree in further detail; by comparing the differences in competencies between nurses based on their degree level, the use of patient care situation describing differences in approach to nursing care based of formal education in nursing, and the overall benefits and advantages of higher education for nursing practice. Interestingly enough, several studies have been done on these benefits and how higher education affects us as nurses in our practice with more positive...
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...Education Preparation RN vs. BSN Ashley L. Garey Grand Canyon University: NRS 430V 07/11/2012 Ever since I was a child the importance of education has been spoken by my parents. In addition to education, doing well at school was vital. It was some time as a small child I wanted to become a nurse. As I completed middle school and high school, I still only wanted to become a nurse. Some called me lucky for already knowing what direction I was headed to after high school. It was in my senior year that my educational future became real. I was forced to choose how I would go about becoming a nurse. It seemed as though each school I looked at all had similar programs all with varying prices, yet all with essentially the same outcome, the ability to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses or NCLEX-RN. The US department of labor states, “In all nursing education programs, students take courses in nursing, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other social and behavioral sciences, as well as in liberal arts”. I would like to take this time now to discuss the decision I was faced with determining which route I would choose to obtain my education. Associate degrees are offered by community colleges and are often called 2 year programs. There is approximately 2 years of pre requisites to be completed prior to actually enrolling in the nursing program and then 4 semesters of study once in the program. An associate...
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...completion of these programs both ADN/BSN sit for the same NCLEX-RN exam. After graduating from an accredited nursing school, one must take a state board exam. This will allow the individual to practice in the state in which the requirements were met. There are differences between the higher degree level nurse and the ADN. This includes the degree of commitment, leadership skills, and their exceptional quality of patient care. Education, a continuous and never ending and ongoing process. Each day and at any given time, new developments come to light and new diseases and remedies found. The healthcare profession has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Nursing care is crucial and play a very important role to insure competent care and patient safety. Nurses work hand in hand with Doctors in treating, planning and management of patients in their time of need. Legal and ethically, we as nurses are responsible for the care provided and always remember continuity of care is a must. Nursing profession now calls for better qualified and well groomed nurses. Most hospitals are now wanting to have a magnet status and are requiring clinicians to have an advanced degree within a two years of being employed. Although associate degree programs prepare our nurses for excellent patient care, that training will not suffice for a variety of nursing roles. The ADN is sometimes the degree many nurses strive for if they are unable to get in a BSN program due to a variety of...
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...differences in competencies between nurses prepared At the ADN level versus the BSN level in nursing Kelly Ann Willis Grand Canyon University: Professional Dynamics NRS-43OV 02/09/14 Professor Tish Dorman Discussing the differences in competencies between nurses prepared At the ADN level versus the BSN level in nursing The differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the Associates degree in nursing versus the Bachelor’s degree in nursing is one of advanced critical thinking on behalf of the BSN nurse. The Associates degree nurse is more task oriented. While the Bachelor’s degree nurse is more focused on the plan of care from beginning of admission to discharge needs. While both of these mindsets are a part of nursing theory, as we progress we are able to take our task knowledge and incorporate the advance critical thinking skills that are needed for a more positive outcome for the patient by becoming BSN’s. When we come out of our NCLEX testing modes, According to the (Nursing(AACN)) we may all pass the exams but have a much different level of understanding and ability for the practice of nursing. The NCLEX tests for the lowest amount of competency of a nurse to enter the employment field. Not that we are as advanced as possible in our skill sets. We as nurses have to advance our education base by experience and education. The difference in how an ADN nurse sees a patient and how a BSN nurse sees a patient are measurable when we open ours eyes to the difference...
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...attractive alternative due to condensed program time and a decrease in tuition rates and I, use to believe becoming an RN would be the end of my college education. During the past eight months of my registered nurse (RN) career I have come to know that there are so many more opportunities to having a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). A nurse who has completed the BSN program is capable of assessing a situation and using critical thinking skills to give the patient a better outcome verses an RN assessment. Nurses with a BSN are able to adjust the plan of care in situations when the patient’s condition changes and this significantly shows fewer mortality rates even after a patient is discharged from the hospital. Many nursing jobs usually require a BSN degree at the least, such as pediatric nursing, an OR nurse, and nurse practitioners. Having a higher level of education in nursing allows a nurse to educate patients or the public on disease processes as well as becoming a school nurse. With a BSN degree, doors will open to many more exciting and demanding roles. In the BSN program, nurses are taught through theory to enhance critical thinking skills through connections with instructors and professionals. Throughout a nurse’s career, they continue to develop critical thinking skills in the type of job selected. Having a BSN, you are more qualified to watch over a patients hospital stay, whether is it long term, short term, or acute, and adjust care plans to the type of medication...
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...Higher Education In Nurses Panella Steiner Grand Canyon University Higher Education In Nurses “Unless we are making progress in our nursing every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back.” Florence Nightingale. Nurses prepared at a baccalaureate degree level are more competent in critical thinking, communication skills and leadership than nurses prepared at an associate degree level. Currently nurses spend the greatest amount of time at the bedside of the patient yet they have the least time spent being educated about the increasingly complex issues their patients face. Ancillary personal, such as social services and physical therapists are required to have graduate level educations, yet nurses do not. Why not? The ADN program was developed during the World War II as a way to produce more nurses to meet the rising shortage of nurses. The associate degree nursing programs are 2 years of education. They are taught fundamentals and basic nursing with a heavy focus on skills. It is task orientated through clinical training. It was designed to be a short time solution. The baccalaureate degree nursing programs are 4 years. The studies include all the ADN education study, but also include social science, nursing research, nursing management, quality and patient safety, and professional values. BSN students are offered a comprehensive understanding of the nursing profession. At the completion of both studies, successful students are eligible to...
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...college and university administrations and faculties sometimes mandate core curricula, especially in the liberal arts. But because of increasing specialization and depth in the student's major field of study, a typical core curriculum in higher education mandates a far smaller proportion of a student's course work than a high school or elementary school core curriculum prescribes. In the United States, most control over education rests with the various state governments. Each state has different laws and objectives for education, but the states generally permit schools and colleges to operate with considerable independence and autonomy. As a result, American educational institutions can vary widely in the type and quality of their programs. To maintain consistent standards of education, the U.S. Department of Education officially recognizes private accrediting agencies that it considers reliable authorities in developing those standards and determining educational quality. Most other countries do not have a system of accreditation such as that used in the United States. Instead they rely primarily on governmental agencies to monitor the quality of education provided by their schools and colleges. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is set to...
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...Running Head: CRITIGUE OF PROFESSIONAL VALUES Critique of Professional Values: The Case of BSN-RN Completion Education Winston-Salem State University School of Health Sciences Division of Nursing CRITIGUE OF PROFESSIONAL VALUES The researchers were trying to address the professional values of RN-BSN students in completion of their education. The authors clearly stated the problem throughout the research study. The problem is very important and impacts the nursing practice today. The article explains how the RN-BSN professional values are being perceived in nursing practice today. The continuation education on professional values must be continued after BSN completion. The importance is necessary for nurses to continue with instilling the professional values throughout their career. This article is easily researched on line and anyone can access it for reading purposes. The purpose of the research was to explain few questions about the differences in the perception of professional values correspond with nurses who are currently practicing. If the differences do exist, the question would be are the differences related to educational background or other factors professional values. The purpose of the study is explained clearly throughout the article and background information...
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...with LPN/LVN, Diploma RN, ADN and BSN prepared nurses. Many of these nurses have had numerous years of real life experience, while others have been recent graduates. The BSN prepared nurse typically provides a higher level of safety, experience, and holistic care to patients in comparison to the ADN prepared nurse. BSN prepared nurses will be key to implementing changes in healthcare. For example, working in a Labor and Delivery unit can be full of joy and terror. During labor, many complications can arise for both the mother and baby. One such complication is uterine rupture, which requires quick action on the part of the healthcare team. In observing nursing care provided by both an associate prepared nurse and a bachelor prepared nurse making decisions during this emergency demonstrated key differences. The ADN nurse went through a mental checklist, reviewing the fetal monitoring strip, narrowing down the causes of the incident, reassuring the patient while preparing for the stat C-section. The BSN nurse also performed these tasks, but involved the patient’s family/support system in the educational process and collaborated with the provider for the optimal outcome. Florence Nightingale was passionate about providing educated and skilled nurses to care for patients and paved the way to starting nursing schools. Nightingale was not only influential in nursing, but also developed the first models of nursing focusing on increased education for the outcome of better trained...
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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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...nursing to advance nursing practice in the future. This 600 plus page report focuses on four key messages which are described in detail throughout the report. The messages, which stated that nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training, nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system, and nurses should be full partners with physicians and other health care professionals gives us a guide on what impact the IOM report will have on the future of nursing (http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12956, 2010). Nursing Education This report focuses a great deal on the need to advance our levels of education within the ever-changing profession of nursing. It focuses in on the benefits of requiring a BSN at entry- level, as well as the need for gender diversity, or more men, in the workplace. It also mentions nurses going from “continuing education” to “continuing competence”, which bases goals upon the concept of lifelong learning (IOM, 2010). After reading the IOM report, I was given a good understanding of the different ways that nursing will change in the future and why it is so important to enforce continuing education upon nurses....
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...Education for our patients is one of the single most important jobs we can offer. This holds true that nurses gaining education is one of the single most important jobs she/he can acquire. The nurse that is more educated is able to provide an increased level of care. The best nurse is the one with experience and also has a higher level of professional education. That nurse is adept at critical thinking and research while providing up-to-date evidenced-based practices. I see in the future, an emergency department that is staffed mostly with BSN nurses. The field of nursing has changed from knowledge of basic skills to core competencies. We must concern ourselves with policies, system improvements, collaboration, technology and community...
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...As we close the semester, I realized that I have learned so much from a year at Northeastern State University. Looking back, BSN courses were not exactly what I expected them to be. Unlike RN school, BSN school had almost no exam or tests, which was a surprise for me. However, without the stress of exams and tests, I still feel the challenge of learning and broadening my knowledge in nursing education. Every module and learning outcome we covered in the class, became a real case study of the week at work. More than that, when I walked outside to see the community, I can see exactly the implication of nursing courses that I take. This past year has been challenging for me. It has been full of learning experience inside and outside the class....
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...students are entering schools at a mature age. Due to the more varied backgrounds and economics many are not only raising families, but also working full-time while studying. Only 34.2% held Baccalaureate degrees and 13% holding masters or doctoral degrees (Kittrell Chitty & Perry Black, pgs. 1-5). Greater life expectancy means an aging population that will bring new challenges to health care. “By 2020, more than 20 percent of the population will be 65 and older, with those over 85 constituting the fastest growing age group” (www.nln.org). Ethnic diversity and an aging population not only affect the prevalence of illness and disease, but also the type of illness and disease, requiring changes in practice. Nursing practice, education, and research must embrace and respond to these changing demographics. Nursing schools and health institutions must be prepared to confront the challenges ahead, and they must increase the amount of available educators. To do so, they must develop a flexible educating system that is amenable to the older, mature student that has established responsibilities. At the same time, they must actively recruit and educate younger students from diverse backgrounds in order to establish a future rank of educators. To do so, facilities need to be accessible and affordable in locations that are as varied as the students. Through public and private funding, aid needs to be available to students in need and to fund facilities. Having a diverse...
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...The IOM report on the impact of nursing focuses on some key issues: 1) Nurses should be able to practice to the maximum potentials of their education. 2) The educational systems should be improved so that nurses can achieve higher levels of education possible. 3) Nurses should be given equal opportunity as the physicians and other professionals in the decision-making of changing or reshaping the health care of the nation. Message #2 states, "Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved Education System that promotes seamless academic program." (IOM report pg. 163). This report focused on the nursing education and what can be done to improve it. I strongly agree with the IOM report on improving the nursing education and I feel it should start with the nursing curriculum. The curriculum needs to have more clinical hours in a clinical setting, critical thinking, decision taking and quality care than spending so many hours in the classroom. Theses will help nurses to deal with the more complex and challenging world of patient care today. Most nurses find it very difficult to adjust to the real world once they become an RN because they don’t have enough on site training. However if the curriculum is updated, this can be overcome. The IOM committee says, "Nursing Curricula needs to be re examined, updated and adaptive enough to change with the patients needs and improvement in science and technology” (The future of Nursing 2011). Health care organizations...
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