...Education of the Modern Day Nurse Minimum education requirements for the registered nurse (RN) have been in question for many years and are still the subject for research and debate. The most common programs are the associate degree, diploma, and bachelor’s degree programs. Associate degree nurses (ADN) and diploma nurses make up the majority of nurses graduating today due to the timely and cost effective manner of obtaining their RN in approximately three years. The ADN comes out of a program adequately prepared to practice nursing safely and competently at the entry level position but they do not encompass further education and knowledge that higher degree nurses acquire. Baccalaureate prepared nurses (BSN) are prepared with similar training as the ADN and diploma nurse but they have much more extensive education and training. The BSN possesses a broader, well rounded perspective of nursing history and theory which will help them to excel at their role as an RN. While the ADN and diploma programs produce nurses that are fully capable of practicing at a basic level of nursing, the competencies of the BSN are more widespread and extensive, and therefore produce a nurse better prepared to take on the changes and challenges in an evolving healthcare system. Different Nursing Programs Continuing education for nurses has been offered since the practice was introduced many years ago. As is/was the case now and back then, enrollment in undergraduate and postgraduate...
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... 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 nurse. In most cases, it is a 20 months program aimed to provide a reasonably...
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...career. Nurses, play an important role in health system, specifically at the time in America where health care has change greatly, and the health system had to make adjustment. IOM View on Nursing Education Education is the key point for every career, and as human there are great demands out there from, jobs, parents, and society to improve our educational level, and academic life. The focus on advancing one educational level starts with the demand from society. Most jobs, or career requires from every staff, higher knowledge, degree or certifications, along with continuous training in order to obtain any supervisory, administrative, or managerial position. The demand for the nursing career derived from the IOM which is a self-regulating group of well-known experts from various professions (IOM). Health specialists should have higher education in order to provide patient care, and as participants of this collaborative team, their main focus should be about quality care improvement, along with approaches on evidence-based practice, and some specifics information about individual expertise (IOM 2010). The plan is to encourage the minimum of 10% of baccalaureate program graduates to enroll into a master or doctoral degree educational programs within five years of completion of BSN degree (IOM). IOM goals for nurses, and their practice. The goal is to eliminate the scope of practice limitations which prevents Nurse practitioners (NP) from treating patients to a higher level...
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...Competencies After World War II there was a shortage of nurses in the work force. Dr. Mildred Montag wrote her dissertation on the need to fill much needed positions and created a curriculum to train nurses at the two year level instead of the standard which was four year hospital apprenticeship training at the university level (GCU website, nd). The creation of the two year level trained nurse served its purpose in times of shortages. Hospitals and other facilities have increasingly become interested in the baccalaureate trained nurse due to being better able to handle patient circumstances requiring higher level of thinking (AACN, 2014). Competency Differences There are many differences between the two year technical nurse and the baccalaureate-degree level nurse which begins with education. The two year associate and the baccalaureate nurse are trained with the same basic education core requirements such as history, anatomy, etc., and fundamental bedside nursing skills. Although the baccalaureate degree nurse has more in depth education at the university level in the physiological, psychosocial, and other holistic teachings. Both the two year and four year trained nurse are able to take the same RN NCLEX. The two year trained nurse is by design of Dr. Montag less expensive at the community level college and can produce trained nurses faster. It also has an added benefit that the two year nurse has an opportunity to advance from lower income level to a career that...
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...Grand Canyon University NRS-430V September 08, 2012 Professional Dynamics Associate trained nurses came about out of necessity due to a nursing shortage after the end of World War II. Nurses were leaving the profession causing a dramatic shortage. In order to alleviate this problem, a proposal to initiate a two year nursing program was proposed by Milford Montag in 1952. The intent of the ADN was to fill the nursing shortage with a nurse who was technically competent to perform tasks (Hood & Leddy 2010). There are three routes to becoming a registered nurse: a 3-year diploma program typically administered in hospitals; a 3-year associate degree usually offered at community colleges; and the 4-year baccalaureate degree offered at senior colleges and universities. Graduates of all three programs sit for the same NCLEX-RN© licensing examination. The associated degree has become a popular choice for many students because an ADN is less expensive than a university and can be obtained without traveling far from home. Although all three types of nurses are taking the same NCLEX-RN exam, it’s a measure of the minimum indicator of competency. Studies have shown that BSN nurses are shown to have stronger critical thinking and leadership skills. Hospitals are beginning to phase out associate degree nurses in favor of BSN-prepared nurses. Studies have shown that BSN nurses also possess stronger communication and problem solving skills (Johnson 1988) making them more suited...
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...Differences in Competencies Between Nurses Prepared at the Associate-Degree Level Versus the Baccalaureate-Degree Level Patricia A. Wrecke Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V December 10, 2014 If you were a patient, do you think you would be able to tell the difference if you had a baccalaureate degree nurse vs. an associate degree nurse? Both the ADN and the BSN have the specifications needed that you get from accredited colleges to take the NCLEX. Once they pass they have licensure to practice as an RN and are capable of going into and being successful in any type of patient care setting. Let us compare the associate and bachelor degree and see if there are any differences or similarities. Some studies show that the BSN prepared nurse can have better patient outcomes. We will look at an example of a clinical situation to show if there is a difference in the care of the patient between an association degree RN and a baccalaureate degree RN. Mildred Montag was a nurse following World War ll. She saw a need to make more nurses in a shorter amount of time so she shortened the four year BSN and made a two year degree program to make technical nurses. (Grand Canyon University, 2014, Mildred Montag slide). These programs did well because they didn’t cost as much and they took less time. In the ITT Tech (2014) Nursing Associate’s Degree Program, things that are addressed in their education are “nursing values, nursing...
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...WK3Q2 A nurse with a Baccalaureate generalist education is the foundation upon which all graduate nursing education builds. The Essentials for a Baccalaureate degree is usually to prepare the nurse to assume roles as care providers; as designers, managers, and coordinators of care; and as members of a profession. Within these roles, the document provides specific standards for educational components that are essential for all baccalaureate nursing programs, including liberal education, professional values, core knowledge, and role development. The Baccalaureate graduate is able to translate, combine, and apply the knowledge that leads to improvements in safe care and good patient outcomes. This knowledge is increasingly complex and fluid. Therefore, baccalaureate graduates are expected to focus on continuous self evaluation and lifelong learning. The knowledge acquired enables the Baccalaureate graduate to practice holistically, provide safe care, assume accountability for their practice, care for patients across the health care landscape, and engage in self care to enable them to provide care to others. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/order-form/baccalaureate-essentials Master’s education equips nurses with valuable knowledge and skills to lead change, promote health, and elevate care in various roles and settings. Synergy with these Essentials, current and future healthcare reform legislation, and the action-oriented recommendations of the Initiative on the Future...
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...for nursing profession to have more educated,skilled,trained nurses in order to provide best care to patients that is changing with more developed technologies .To meet the basic needs of advancing healthcare system some transformations are needed-practice,education,leadership.In 2010 The IOM and the Robert Wood Foundation brought the new report -The Future of Nursing Leading change,Advancing Health to address some changes in healthcare system in order to meet high demands of future nursing. Impact of iom report on nursing education Education is essential for nurses to work efficiently in their field. Nurses with higher Education become able to use Critical Thinking,Knowledge,skills.Based on IOM report it is required to change the education format as now BSN are in more demand.It is addressed in IOM report to have 80% BSN nurses by 2020 and to meet this target it is necessary to increase education level- by Having low cost, high level education available for Public-for which Providing funds by states and federal agencies is a helpful step.As seen today Many ADN degree nurses moving further for BSN degree by going back to studies. By this change more nurses will be available for public health,community care,research and leadership. In order to comply with developing needs, nurses need to be engaged in higher education with this they are able to study to higher level in order to get more engaged in work settings for future...
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...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...
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... 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 baccalaureate or higher nursing...
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...Professional Development of Nursing Professionals Health care is advancing and changing every single day, every hour, and every minute. Nurses are caring for more critical patients, which require expert knowledge and skill. In order to deliver safe quality care change is needed. According to the IOM, nurses must be prepared to meet the diverse patients’ needs by practicing to the full range of their education, function as leaders, and improve the education system so that it promotes a smooth academic progression (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). The IOM desires to transform nursing education. The IOM states, “Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system” (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 163). In the past an associate’s degree (ADN) nurse has been the most common type of nurse, now a baccalaureate degree (BSN) is the preferred nurse. The BSN nurse typically has two more years of education than the ADN nurse. This typically means the BSN nurse will end up paying more for their education but the cost is definitely worth it. The BSN nurse is preferred because of their enhanced critical thinking skills, strong education foundation, and their ability to easily adapt to evolving models of health care. It is predicted that the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees will increase from 50% to 80% by 2020 (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2010). Traditional nursing competencies will move...
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...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 ADN program require about 2 yrs for the student to complete. The Adn nurses are associate degree in nursing, ADN nurses have clinical skills and hands on basic skills but they lack both management and leadership skills with in the nursing field. Additionally they lack research skills used in nursing as well as knowledge on informatics the use of technological advances in enhancing quality medical delivery. ADN gives you the fundamentals of nursing practices. They basic theory, skills, competencies knowledge of scope of practice and legalities for licensure and the essential general education core that is necessary as a foundation [English, psychology, biology chemistry, anatomy and physiology , etc].it gives you the bare minimum knowledge required...
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...Differences in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate degree level in nursing. Grand Canyon University: NRS-430 March 9, 2014 The art of nursing arose in a primitive time when one person cared for another who was sick. The goal of nursing is to incorporate theoretical and experimental nursing from the sciences and technology. The aim to promote high quality, safe nursing care, to prevent illness and facilitate coping. To accomplish these goals, the nurse takes the role of caregiver, teacher and collaborator. As nursing grows and changes to meet the needs of society, laws have been made and “standard sets that govern the practice of the nursing profession.” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 47) A brief historical overview helps gain a better understanding of the factors influencing nursing education and how each program contributes to the new age health care institution. For example, Florence Nightingale trained to become a nurse in mid-1800s and started the first school of nursing, her beliefs about nursing hold true today. Nursing training becomes a way for a woman to obtain further education and employment that could provide independence. The institution made a pathway for nurses to pursue higher education. Back in 1965, the American Nurses Association adopted a brave state asking for bachelors the “entry point into professional nursing practice.” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 24) ...
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...THE BSN NURSE IS PREPARED FOR A BROAD ROLE Unlike graduates of diploma or associate-degree nursing programs, the nurse with a baccalaureate degree is prepared to practice in all health care settings - critical care, outpatient care, public health, and mental health. Accordingly, the BSN nurse is well-qualified to deliver care in private homes, outpatient centers, and neighborhood clinics where demand is fast expanding as hospitals focus increasingly on acute care and as health care moves beyond the hospital to more primary and preventive services throughout the community. In addition to the liberal learning and global perspective gained from a four-year baccalaureate education, the BSN curriculum includes clinical, scientific, decisionmaking, and humanistic skills, including preparation in community health, patient education, and nursing management and leadership. Such skills are essential for today's professional nurse who must make quick, sometimes life-and-death decisions; design and manage a comprehensive plan of nursing care; understand a patient's treatment, symptoms, and danger signs; supervise other nursing personnel and support staff; master advanced technology; guide patients through the maze of health care resources in a community; and educate patients on health care options and how to adopt healthy lifestyles. At increasing numbers of hospitals nationwide, baccalaureate-prepared nurses are being utilized in ways that recognize their different educational preparation...
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...located in the Course Materials) with the AACN's Essentials for Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing (link located in the Week 1 Topic Materials)? Explain your rational. Both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Grand Canyon University (GCU) focus on providing students with a program that is "practice-oriented with a goal that professionals develop advanced skills and knowledge for professional roles, and those programs that are more theoretically or research directed with a goal of developing scholars for the generation of new knowledge." ("The Essentials Of Master’s Education For Advanced Practice Nursing," n.d., p. 1) The AACN and GCU both see it important for the masters prepared nurse to be culturally sensitive and understanding of others, and themselves. Thinking critically and using evidence based practice through research helps the masters prepared nurse to provide only the highest quality of care to their patients, families, and communities. Within GCU the College of Nursing (CON) also sees the AACN's essentials as part of their own recognizing that masters prepared nurses need to be able to provide health assessments that are in-depth and accommodating to the person as an individual, as a family or as a community member. Both organizations express the need to be able to gain the knowledge and apply this knowledge into skills in their clinical practice. The master prepared nurse is expected to be able to be "grounded in the reality...
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