The field of medicine is a continually evolving field. There are developments in medicine made daily that affect both medical professionals and patients. While the positive progress of medicine offers many obvious advantages, it is important that the knowledge of everyone involved with health care grows with these advancements. With the evident importance of nurses in the healthcare setting, the education of nurses is clearly significant. There are many problems in the nursing field that are associated with the inability to set standards at the entry level (Jacobs et al., 1998). The writer believes that the nursing degree should always be advanced to a bachelor’s degree, and then fostered with continuing education courses. Furthermore, the bachelor’s program should place an importance on forming a good knowledge foundation and then building clinical skills. Ultimately the writer believes a highly clinical and critical thinking bachelor’s program is the best educational preparation for an entry level nurse. In order to practice as a nurse in the United States a passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse after attending a certified nursing program is mandatory (Dyess & Sherman, 2009). After completion of this prerequisite, nurses are licensed and expected to have the same general knowledge of all other nurses. A study done by the Advisory Board Company showed that only 10% of hospitals feel that their new graduate hires are fully equipped to offer secure care (Dyess & Sherman, 2009). Currently 10% of nurses working in an acute care atmosphere are recent graduates (Dyess & Sherman, 2009). Recently the notion that newly graduated nurses are not fully prepared to enter the working force has raised c... ... middle of paper ... ...w graduate and experienced nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(1), 139-148. Jacobs, L. A., DiMattio, M. J. K., Bishop, T. L., & Fields, S. D. (1998). The baccalaureate degree in nursing as an entry-level requirement for professional nursing practice. Journal of Professional Nursing, 14(4), 225-233. McEwen, M., Pullis, B. R., White, M. J., & Krawtz, S. (2013). Eighty Percent by 2020: The Present and Future of RN-to-BSN Education. The Journal of nursing education, 1-9. Rozmus, C. L., Jones, D., Meyers, S., Hercules, P., & Schumann, R. (2014). Pacesetter curriculum: An experimental design evaluation of a clinical immersion model for nursing education. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 4(6), p60. Zimmermann, D. T., Miner, D. C., & Zittel, B. (2010). Advancing the education of nurses: a call for action. Journal of Nursing Administration, 40(12), 529-533.
Nursing, as a crucial part of the health care system, keeps evolving while dealing with an increasingly complex clinical situation that involves quality of patient care. Therefore, to successfully handle these scenarios, nursing needs to become more advanced, clinically and academically. A DNP degree is needed in this situation because according to Dunbar- Jacob, Navito & Khalil (2013), a DNP degree is considered to have more impact on nursing than a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree due to the advanced clinical education a DNP provides (p. 425). Hence, the DNP degree has an enormous impact in nursing practice especially in terms of improving clinical care, promoting leadership roles, and improving educational status.
Megginson, L. (2008). RN-BSN education: 21st century barriers and incentives. Journal Of Nursing Management, 16(1), 47-55.
Lord, M. (14/5/2002). Making a difference: The implcations for nurse education. Available: http://www.nursingtimes.net/making-a-difference-the-implications-for-nurse-education/206457.article. Last accessed 17/12/2013.
Taylor, D. L. (2008). Should the Entry Into Nursing Practice be the Baccalaureate Degree? AORN Journal, 87(3), 611-619.
Recent research has exhibited that a decrease in mortality rates and medical blunders, in addition to an increase in positive outcomes, are associated with nurses who have studied at baccalaureate and graduate degree levels. With the technological advances made in health care, the increase of patient need, and more importantly, an increase in the practice demands across healthcare settings, a larger emphasis must be placed on nurses furthering their studies to that of a baccalaureate and even a master’s degree. At the end of the day, patient care is the number one focus for all healthcare professionals, and if further education for a nurse can assist in improving that aspect, then a larger onus should be placed on nurses in the present and the
Current literature continues to reiterate the indicators of a major shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. The total RN population has been increasing since 1980, which means that we have more RNs in this country than ever before (Nursing Shortage). Even though the RN population is increasing, it is growing at a much slower rate then when compared to the rate of growth of the U.S. population (Nursing Shortage). We are seeing less skilled nurses “at a time of an increasingly aging population with complex care needs and an increasingly complex technological care environment” (Mion). According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that “more than a million new and replacement nurses will be needed over the next decade” (Diagnosis: Critical).
There is much controversy about the educational requirement to prepare nurses for practice. Rather the minimal education level be a diploma, associate degree in nursing (ADN), or bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) a need for an agreed upon education level for practice is necessary. There is a wide range of nursing related practices all of which do not require the same amount of education and this author agrees with the National League of Nursing (NLN) concerning scope of practice and preparation for the field of nursing; that an ADN or diploma program is a sufficient level of education for technical nursing practice and the BSN should be the minimum for practice as a professional nurse (Black, 2014, p. 136). This author thinks that the option for an ADN is vital to nursing as a whole, however agrees with the idea that any career requiring only two years of schooling is technical and not professional. This places ADNs in the same category as technicians and assistance in other health care fields (Taylor, 2008, p. 613). This paper examines the necessity for nursing education beyond an associate degree for professional nursing practice in order to meet the increase of complex medical needs.
...uickly changing medical technology and environment. The bickering and infighting amongst nurses has to come to a stop if the profession is to move forward alongside the other medical professions. It is too late to take nursing back to the point of basic care of the 19th century now fulfilled by certified nurse aides. A nurse is the first and last person many people will ever see. They provide complex care, recognize symptoms and changes when the ever shrinking physician pool is not available, advocate for patient and families, and care deeply for their patients recovery. In this paper the author used past nursing history, current medical demands and advancements, and clinical patient outcomes to argue that the minimum education for a nurse should be a Baccalaureate degree in order to meet the Institute of Medicines goal of 80% of nurses should have BSNs by 2020.
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has been a cyclical topic dating back to the 1960s. Only recently have employers in certain regions of the nation stated a decline in the demand for RNs. Consequently, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014) report on 2012-2013 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, American nursing schools denied admission to 79,659 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2012. The reported decrease in job availability and rejected admissions has left many individuals to question if the nursing shortage still exists. On the other hand, some experts project that the United States will be short more than one million RNs by 2020 (Dolan, 2011). Although some parts of the country are in less of a demand than others, it is undeniable that there is a national shortage of RNs.
There is only so much an individual can learn from a textbook or classroom setting when it comes to nursing. Although clinical practicums are mandatory with any nursing program one can only retain so much in such a short timeframe. Student nurses mostly focus on completing their care plans and any other mandatory assignment related to their clinical experience. With that being said new graduates become novice nurses on the level of clinical practice. Patricia Benner discussed the education and experience levels of nurses by utilizing five significant stages. These stages include novice, advance beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. The ultimate goal for all nurses should
Zerwekh, J., Claborn, J. (2006). Nursing today: Transitions and trends (pp. 343-346). St. Louis, Missouri:
..., R.M. & Jones, J.R. (2010). From practice to education: Perspectives from three nurse leaders. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(2), 83-87. doi: 10.3928/00220124-20100126-0
Transitioning from nursing school to working in a hospital setting can be a challenging time for a new graduate. Due to the nursing shortage, new graduate nurses are being hired with little to no experience. This is overwhelming for new nurses, especially when they are not getting adequate support or training from the hospital. The amount of stress, pressure, and lack of training is leading to a high turnover rate for new graduate nurses. With patient acuity on the rise, new graduate nurses that are filling these vacancies in the hospitals, need to be competent nurses to provide proper and safe care to the patients.
What is a nurse? Is a nurse a caregiver, a patient advocate, a professional? There certainly could be a place for the technical and professional nurse in today’s world, but they are not differentiated in the workplace. Hospitals have stopped hiring Licensed Practical Nurses altogether, and Registered Nurses with an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) are doing many of the same jobs as nurses with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) in the hospital and clinical setting. While the Registered Nurse with the higher level of education may have more opportunity for advancement, their roles are not clearly differentiated in everyday practice. It appears that ADNs and BSNs are being used interchangeably in the workplace due to the lack of availability of BSNs. It seems as though the pendulum has swung more toward the direction of ADNs being placed in management roles due to years experience, rather than level of education (Hess, 1996).