Adn vs. Bsn

Mehul Sanghavi Grand Canyon University NUR 430V-(237) Dana Martyn, RN, MSN May 5, 2013 INTRODUCTION Nursing comprises the largest health care workforce in the United States. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration survey, there are more than 3 million registered nurses (RN) nationwide. The survey also shows that 50. 0% of the workforce holds a baccalaureate (BSN) or graduate degree while 36. 1% earned an associate degree (ADN) and 13. % a diploma in nursing (AACN, 2013). There are multiple pathways available for one to become a nurse. Today, the ADN and BSN degrees are the most common pathway selected by future nurses. This paper’s primary focus will be to comprehend the competency differences of a nurse with an Associate’s degree in Nursing (ADN) vs. Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). ADN OVERVIEW The Associates degree of nursing was developed during the World War II around the 1950s to aid in the nursing shortage. Mildred Montage, is credited with the creation of the ADN program (Clainberg, M. (2013). It was in her doctoral dissertation, Dr. Montag who studied at Adelphi University proposed educating a technical nurse for two years to assist the professional nurse, whom she envisioned as having a baccalaureate degree (Clainberg, M. (2013). The ADN program provides core nursing curriculum with emphasizes on clinical skills. The ADN program, with its limited credit hours vs. BSN focused only the basics of leadership and management in terms of ancillary staff supervision. The ADN programs do not focus on nor does it prepare nurses for graduate study. It does allow entry into registered nursing after successfully clearing the NCLEX-RN board exam. BSN OVERVIEW The first baccalaureate nursing (BSN) program was established in the United States at the University of Minnesota. The school opened in March 1909, offering a three-year program in which four students were enrolled (University of Minnesota, 2013). The baccalaureate phenomenon caught on slowly and did not gain much momentum until after World War II primarily due to its length. Most baccalaureate programs are now 4 academic years in length, and the nursing major is typically concentrated at the upper division level. Baccalaureate nursing programs includes all of the course material covered in associate degree and diploma programs plus a more in-depth coverage of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities. The additional course work enhances the student’s professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, and provides the nurse with a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence health care delivery. To prepare nurses for this multifaceted role, several components are essential for all baccalaureate programs. These components are liberal education, quality and patient safety, evidence-based practice, information management, health care policy and finance, communication/collaboration, clinical prevention/population health, and professional values (AACN, 2008). CASE SCENARIO The following patient scenario will describe how nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse (BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree) Case study: Patient is a 40 year old Native American male with past medical history significant of Type II Diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Patient is non compliant with medications and presents to the hospital with a complex foot ulcer. He’s now status post incision and debridement and will be discharged home with a wound vac, prescriptions and follow-up appointments and referrals. RNs with all educational pathways are qualified competent to provide acute care for this client. An ADN nurse will educate the patient on the disease process, wound care, the impact diet, activity and medication compliancy will have on clinical outcome. A BSN nurse with additional education employs evidence based practice and critical thinking skills will collaborate with the interdisciplinary team and involve additional consults: Diabetic Educator, Dietitian, Wound Care Nurse, Social worker and Case Manager to evaluate the need for additional resources available to the patient in the hospital and the patients community setting such as setting up referrals for home health nurse and wound care clinic and resources to discounted prescriptions plans. CONCLUSION Graduates of entry-level nursing programs (BSN, ADN and diploma) sit for the NCLEX-RNÂ © licensing examination. The fact that new nurses pass the licensing exam at the same rate does not mean that all entry-level nurses are equally prepared for practice (AACN, 2012) The NCLEX tests for minimum technical competency for safe entry into basic nursing practice. Quality patient care hinges on having a well educated nursing workforce. Research has shown that lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive outcomes are all linked to nurses prepared at the BSN and graduate degree levels. The nation’s Magnet hospitals, which are recognized for nursing excellence and superior patient outcomes, have moved to require all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing by 2013 (Rosseter, 2012) . BSN provides additional education which will allows nurses to enter in various other specialties such as education, leadership, research and development, interdisciplinary collaboration, community and public health, and graduate studies, advance nursing practice and nurse anesthesia. REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Creating aHighly Qualified Nursing Workforce (2012). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce Clainberg, M. (2013). History: school of nursing:adelphi university. Retrieved from http://nursing. adelphi. edu/about/history. php Creasia, J and Friberg, E (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th edition, Elsevier Mosby Rosseter, R. (2012, 10 24). The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education Univeristy of Minnesota (2012, 02 12) History: School of nursing. 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