Nursing education encompasses a vast continuum. Within the undergraduate subdivision, there are two preparatory levels of nursing education: Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN).
Although the underlying philosophies of patient-centered care and compassion remain consistent between both degree-levels, there are distinctions pertaining to clinical decision-making and care delivery.
Major differences in competency of critical thinking and problem solving skills, evidence-based practice and clinical judgment, exist between nurses prepared at the associate-degree level and baccalaureate degree level, thus proportionally affecting patient outcomes. The ADN is a two-year program that provides individuals the opportunity to provide entry level nursing care under the title Registered Nurse. Its initial purpose during the 1950s was to temporarily fill the nursing shortage gap after World War II.
Nurses prepared at the Associate-degree level are expected to develop competence in safe and effective patient care including delegation and patient teaching. Today, ADN programs have grown exponentially across the nation and have become integrated in the curriculum of community colleges all over the U. S. The standard BSN program is typically 4 years in length and it exposes the student to evidence- based research, theory and science.
The Term Paper on Nursing and Care
The concept of Synergy can be applied to the practice of nursing by means of education and service. To obtain Synergy in nursing the nurse’s knowledge and skills are able to meet the individual needs of the patient population that is presented. Currently in Western Pennsylvania, there is a rising number maternal substance abuse during pregnancy. This epidemic in turn creates a different type of ...
While nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level are expected to provide the same competent care as an ADN prepared nurse, they are also required to integrate knowledge beyond the scope of the individual into practice. This requires an increased focus on critical thinking (Grand Canyon University, 2011).
It is this increased focus on critical thinking and evidence- based approach that helped boost positive patient outcomes.
The increased knowledge of nursing theory, science and research helps the baccalaureate nurse better understand disease processes, thus helping him/her to use appropriate clinical judgment in handling patient care situations. The BSN curriculum fosters the development of these skills. The nurse obtains knowledge regarding public health and community issues. Additionally, the nurse develops skills in nursing administration and research in order to provide optimum health care for the patient and organization, thus carrying out expert assessment and evaluation (Forster, 2008).
There are numerous studies depicting the correlation between the four-year degree nursing education and improved patient outcomes. In the August 2008 edition of Health Services Research, Dr. Christopher Friese and associates identified a link between patient outcomes and nursing education level. They determined that moving to a nursing practice environment with a higher proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses led to a significant decrease in the mortality of hospitalized cancer patients who underwent surgery.
In addition to lowered mortality rates, patients also experienced lower failure to rescue rates. In a separate study published by the Journal of Advanced Nursing, researchers at the University of Toronto resolved that facilities with a greater number of BSN prepared nurses had lower 30-day mortality rates. For every 1,000 patients discharged, a 10% increase in the number of baccalaureate degree nurses resulted in 9 fewer deaths (Rosster, 2013).
The Essay on Working With Values And Beliefs When Providing Patient Care: My Nursing Philosophy
Nursing is an art and a science. The profession is an art of compassion and caring in a creative way. Creativity allows nurses to individualize nursing care. Through science, nurses obtain the skills and technology they rely on to achieve each patient’s optimal health (“Nursing”, n.d.). Florence Nightingale became a nurse because she wanted to help those less fortunate. Her ...
The differences in competencies between nurses may differ based upon their educational preparation. For example, in an emergency room setting, while the ADN and BSN nurse are both able to perform the same hands on skills of preparing EKG equipment, oxygen, and administering medication to a patient with suspected myocardial infarction, each nurse utilizes a different approach while administering care. The ADN prepared nurse, trained to have a more hands on clinical approach, may focus on the technical aspect of patient care.
They are trained to integrate nursing science to make judgments and perform safe, effective skills (Payne, 2013).
Contrastingly, the BSN prepared nurse, using his/her in depth knowledge of evidence-based research, is able to better approach the clinical situation with critical thinking skills. In addition to the focus on technical skills, the baccalaureate prepared nurse synthesizes nursing science and knowledge to make clinical judgments and takes on a leadership role to assist in the progression of competent patient-centered care (Payne, 2013).
There are many differences in competency levels between the ADN and BSN prepared nurse. While the ADN nurse primarily focuses on the perfection of hands-on skills, the BSN nurse bases his/her practice on both technical skills and evidence-based research. The BSN degree focus on critical thinking helps to enhance care delivery and clinical competency. It is this focus that has helped to improve patient outcomes and lower mortality rates within the U. S.