Does a BSN Degree in Nursing Create a More Competent Nurse? Annette Hall Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V-0500 06/14/15 Does a BSN Degree in Nursing Create a More Competent Nurse? Does it really matter if our nurses have a high degree in the nursing workforce? This paper will examine the differences between ADN and BSN nursing degrees and how research supports one versus the other. Using a patient care situation, this paper will also look at the differences in approach and outcome.
The Associate Degree in Nursing was founded by a nurse educator, named Mildred Montage. The program was offered to increase the number of nurses. At that time the program was rated in terms of satisfactory level of nursing skills, and pass rate on the NCLEX. The nursing graduates from this program are able to work collectively and collaboratively within the healthcare setting. BSN LEVEL The Baccalaureate Degree in nursing is a 4 year program at a 4 year college, or a university.
Policy Priority: Safe Staffing for Nurses Stephanie Minervini Chamberlain College of Nursing NR506: Health Care Policy July 2013 Introduction Inadequate staffing is becoming an increasing concern for not only nurses but the public as well. Research has found a strong connection between low nurse staffing and higher rates of patient complications. A study from the New England Journal of medicine determined that patient mortality was significantly related to nurse staffing levels. Staffing the right number of nurses with the right knowledge and skill base to meet the needs of patients is essential to achieving optimal nursing outcomes. Sources that can help us plan staffing models or determine appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios include standards defined by professional nursing organizations and regulatory agencies, and benchmarks from the American Nurses Association’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators.
Nursing Process and Clinical Decision Making Janet NUR/300 Kimberly Tomsai October 12, 2011 Nursing Process and Clinical Decision Making Not all nurses have the same knowledge and experience therefore nurses need to understand clinical judgment, decision making, and the nursing process to administer the best nursing care regardless of personal skill level. Nurses make clinical decisions based on knowledge and experience. A variety of theories and conceptual frameworks have developed to explain the science of nursing and clinical judgment, one of the most notable is that of Patricia Benner. Benner’s theory presents that nurses operate in five stages of clinical judgment from novice to expert (Bias, Hayes, Kozier, & Erb, 2011). The novice is the student nurse who has very little or no knowledge whose main concern is with rules and guidelines to complete tasks.
These decisions are based on training, education, information available in the moment, i.e., vital signs, lab results and patient symptoms, as well as the nurse’s physical and psychological state. A nurse that is well-rested will be more effectively able to think critically and interpret important information than a nurse who has come on shift after not receiving adequate sleep. Cognitive capacity, or the ability to think clearly and recall important information and implement it effectively, is greatly inhibited
(Trisha, M., Shawna, D., Mary Ann A., & Pamela, H.) Education has very important role to update knowledge in nursing field and does affect the competency of the nurse clinician to provide care for the patients. Research has shown that lower mortality rates, fever medication errors and positive outcomes are all linked to nurses prepared at the BSN level and graduate level. (AACN, 2012) Nursing education is a continuous process, if she / he are working as a bed side nurse, or as an educator. To work as competent nurse knowledge in the nursing field is essential and has to update through ongoing education. BSN prepared nurse poses competency in providing direct care with different nursing diagnosis, practice with in structured or non- structured setting using independent nursing decisions.
The main difference in study between an AND and BSN is the emphasis on additional education in leadership and management, wellness, and community nursing. BSN prepared nurses possess greater knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction as well as illness and disease management and are prepared to assist individuals, groups, and communities to prevent disease and achieve optimum levels of wellness. As nurses expand their role and move further into providing more community based primary care delivery the need for BSN prepared nurses is apparent.”(Ellis, 2007, p. 1) Baccalaureate nursing curriculum include all of the course work taught in associate degree and diploma programs in addition a more in-depth handling of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities. The added course work enhance the student’s professional progress, prepares the new nurse for a
To achieve adequate nurse staffing, it is known that balance must be achieved by properly staffing the unit with the appropriate number and correct mix of nurses to adequately care for the unit’s patient population (Sanford, 2010). The ANA believes that adequate staffing levels are essential to achieving positive patient outcomes ( American Nurses Association, 2012). Inadequate nurse staffing occurs when there are not enough nurses and/or an incorrect mix of nurses to adequately care for the unit’s patient population (Sanford, 2010). Most hospitals do not
It can be safely said that a baccalaureate degree nurse is more knowledgeable than an associate degree nurse. The curriculum of the associate degree and diploma program is fully covered in the baccalaureate nursing program and in addition to this they have another two years of in depth education in subjects like “physical and social science, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management and humanities”. (Rosseter, 2010). A baccalaureate degree nurse has better employability prospects and can put to practice the additional knowledge and training (Rosseter, 2010). In an hospital setting a new baccalaureate degree nurse can be employed in critical care units where they can work and interact with other medical practitioners like Doctors and ARNPs, they have the knowledge to analyze the medical care plan and can confidently question them if the care [plan or medication may look incorrect for the patient (Rosseter, 2010).
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2010.01202.x Mueller, C & Vogelsmeier, A (2013) Effective Delegation: Understanding Responsibility, Authority, Accountability .Journal of Nursing Regulation, 4 (3), 20-27 Retrieved from www.journalof nursingregulation.com Neumann, T (2010) Delegation- Better safe than Sorry. AAOHN Journal, 58(8), 321-322.doi:10.3928/08910162-20100728-04 Saccomano, S. J., & Pinto-Zipp, G. (2011). Registered Nurse Leadership Style and Confidence in Delegation. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(4),