Educational Preparation of the Baccalaureate Degree Nurse

Educational Preparation of the Baccalaureate degree Nurse ShellyCraw March 16, 2013 Educational Preparation of the Baccalaureate degree Nurse To truly understand the differences between the Baccalaureate of Science in nursing degree verses the Diploma nurse and the Associates Degree in Nursing, you must first be able to understand the definition, description and the competencies of each Degree. 1. Definition of the Diploma Nurse A Diploma Nurse is someone who completes a nursing curriculum associated with a hospital or medical facility than traditional colleges. The Diploma Nurse program is a three-year program. (“Diploma vs.
BSN,” 2010, p. 1) 2. Definition of the Associates Degree in Nursing An Associate’s Degree in Nursing is a two to three year degree. Requirements are a minimum of 60 semester credit hours. Often these nursing degrees are conferred at community colleges. There are many 4 year colleges and universities that offer the associates degree programs as well. (Seehorn, “n. d. ”, p. 1) 3. Definition of the Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) A Baccalaureate Degree in nursing is described as a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing that combines theory and clinical nursing courses and is granted by an accredited school.
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This degree is a 4 year degree which requires a minimum of 120 semester credit hours. (“Bachelor Degree,” “n. d. ”, Para. 1) There are many levels of nursing degrees out there today and there are different competencies between them. The Nursing state licensure began in 1903. The importance of this date protects the public and helps nurses to define the role and scope of nursing practice. At one time all nurses in the U. S. were diploma pre-pared. The nursing Diploma began around World War 2. During the war, little girls were encouraged to go into the nursing profession from reading or being read to the children’s book series of Cherry Ames.
She used to be a hospital diploma nurse. My grandmother told me about these books when I was younger so when I started to research the differences between nursing degrees I came across information on Cherry Ames, The hospital Diploma Nurse. The hospital-based nursing Diploma schools continue to decrease, but many still exist. Some diploma nursing schools require you to complete your non-nursing prerequisite courses at another school. Competencies for diploma nurses came from attending classes and hands-on training in their school which was associated with a hospital or medical facility rather than traditional colleges.
Nursing education has changed in so many ways. Nursing education can either be taken on-line or in a classroom setting. Each degree provides different job opportunities. Knowing what specialty you may want to go into will be very important in deciding the nursing program and even the school you attend to obtain your degree. (“Diploma vs. BSN,” 2010, p. 1) Another path to becoming a registered nurse or R. N. is to obtain an Associate Degree in nursing, also known as Associate of nursing (AN), Associate of applied science in nursing (AAS) and Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN).
The Associate degree programs began in 1952. This started up nursing to a diverse population than had existed with the diploma and baccalaureate nursing education. An Associate Degree in nursing can be earned at either a community college, technical college or a university in two to three years time. An Associate Degree nurse focuses on the technical teachings of nursing. The competencies of the Associate Degree Nurse are to take classes in nursing, physiology anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other social and behavioral sciences.
Also required of the Associate Degree Nurse is to complete supervised clinical experiences. The Associate Degree in nursing program is shorter and focuses on clinical skills, more task oriented but lacking theory and science of the nursing profession. You will find theoretical and academic teaching of nursing covered in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. The Diploma, Associate Degree and the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing will qualify a person to take the same licensing exam NCLEX. (Seehorn, “n. . ”, p. 1 In the Baccalaureate degree in Nursing (BSN) helps prepare nurses for a profession away from the bedside nursing role. The coursework is focused on incorporating the nurse’s roles of critical thinking skills, communication, assessment, providing patient centered care, teaching in our clinical settings or out into the community, and leading. The values of this caring professional approach include autonomy, altruism, human dignity, integrity and social justice with unconditional regard for all people.
The Nursing practice for the BSN is best described as promotion of health, prevention of disease, early detection of health deviations, early adequate treatment of the human response to chronic and acute illness, and compassionate care for those around and experiencing death. The BSN is a longer program and focuses on nursing theory and research based and emphasizes on the entire field of nursing which would include human diversity, global perspective, health promotion, and spiritual perspectives, ethical, legal, political, historical and social influences and including biblical concepts for complete understanding of the nursing field.
Nursing care and or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse (BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree). Nurses are in demand more and more each day and with that come knowledge of the profession. With the increase of patient care needs in clinical and medical facilities, nurses have been called to do more in and outside of their scope of practices calling for more education for current hospital nurses. In the hospital that I am currently working at, I have seen an increase in nurse clinicians hired to work side by side with a physician.
The qualifications for working as a nurse clinician in a hospital setting are hospital nursing experience and a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing. Due to the increase in patient care in the hospital setting the need for effective medical care was needed in the help of improving patient outcomes, less hospital re-admissions and shorter hospital stays. Nursing care has taken on a much bigger role than just your basic bed-side nursing role; it has incorporated the nursing care plans, critical thinking and collaboration between medical team members.
Nursing demands will continue to grow in our fast paced world that we are living in and in the future. We will continue to face nursing shortages, global society changes, environment changes, potential pandemic diseases and wars. Through continuing education, nurses will have the tools they will need to face the future of nursing. References Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. (“n. d. ”). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bachelor_of_science_in_nursing ugrad1. gcu. edu/learningPlatform/content/content. tml? operation=viewContent&contentId=64c8752c-002a-46c8-8d0c-33de471e7902 Seehorn, A. (“n. d. ”). Definition of an Associate Degree. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/about_5095401_definition-associate-degree. html#ixzz2NgBBh9Xx Competency Differences between ADN verses BSN Nurses. Retrieved from What are the differences between a Diploma Nurse and a Bsn Nurse? (2010). Retrieved from http://www. healthecareers. com/article/what-are-the-differences-between-a-diploma-nurse-and-a-bsn-nurse/158335