In recent years, hospitals are seeking to hire more nurses with a bachelor’s degree rather than nurses who have obtained a certification or associate degree (ADN) in the United States. As of today, there are 2.8 million registered nurses that are employed in the work force and 61% of these population holds at least a BSN degree or received a higher education (AACN, 2015). The Future of Nursing reports that there will be an increase of 50% to 80% of BSN prepared nurses in the work force by 2020 (Kutney – Lee et al, 2014). A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is a program that requires 4 years of college education and associate degree in nursing (ADN) requires 2 years of college education to complete the program (Ciambelli, 2014). …show more content…
Even though many students assume that liberal arts are not useful in nursing, liberal arts provide the initial development for intellectual and practical abilities that can be utilized in clinical practices (Miner, 2013). Liberal art education further develops our personal value system that is based on ethical and professional standards (Miner, 2013). These values that are learned through liberal art education can help us to apply principles of social justice and cultural factors towards diverse patients (Miner, 2013). Therefore, nurse that have strong background in liberal arts can help nurses to enhance communication and integrate multidisciplinary knowledge to their practices (Miner, 2013). Also liberal arts education helps develop analytic abilities and theoretical perspectives that can be utilized to integrate ethical and critical decision making skills to promote better quality of patient care (Miner, …show more content…
Many studies indicate that hospitals that consist of higher percentage of BSN prepared nurses will lead to lower congestive heart failure mortality, decubitus ulcers, postoperative deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and shorter length of stay (Blegen et al, 2013). According to “Baccalaureate Education in Nursing and Patient outcomes” article, a cross sectional study was conducted and the data sets that was created by University Health System Consortium (UHC) was utilized. The data sets consists of patient diagnosis, procedure codes, actual and expected length of stay (Blegen et al, 2013). Another set of data contain direct caregiver hours (Blegen et al, 2013). Also questionnaires were delivered to RN in each of these hospitals to assess the education level (Blegen et al, 2013). Hospitals that consist of approximately 62% of RN that held BSN was compared to hospitals that had lower percentages of BSN prepared nurses out of 21 UHC hospitals (Blegen et al, 2013). The finding of this study showed that there was significant decrease of cardiac heart failure mortality rate, pressure ulcers, infection due to medical care, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and patient’s stay in hospital (Blegen et al, 2013). In addition, BSN prepared nurses spend more total hour of care per patient day and work over time to provide better quality
Peirce, A. G. (2010). The essential imperative of basic nursing education: an ethical discourse. Advances in Nursing Science, 33(4), 320-328. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0b013e3181fb2eba
The question of whether or not nurses should be required to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) to work has become a very big and controversial topic. As with any great debate, this situation comes with many advantages and disadvantages. Although some statistics may lead you to believe that the good outweighs the bad, when making the decision of whether or not obtaining a BSN should be mandated there are a great deal of barriers that have to be taken into consideration. Obtaining a BSN requires more schooling and for those who are already nurses, it means having to go back to school. This requires a lot of money, time, and motivation to balance family work and school. Nurses should not be required to obtain a BSN to work.
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
In fact, Researchers had shown the results of outcomes having different degrees of level. According to AACN, Today 61% Nurses in the United States have a BSN degree who works in health settings. In fact, BSN nurses reduce death rate mortality, and readmission rate by using clinical practice knowledge (AACN) . Having advance level of knowledge involves nurses to manage the patient level of care and monitor for progress. American Organization of Nurses Executives states that nurses who have a higher education level promotes safe nursing care and improves patient safety. Higher educational nurses prepare herself for clinical challenging and complex roles (AACN, page 1). They develop more ideas, better intervention, and focus more on clinical
Nursing is a profession that requires a unique skill set. A few of the traits include compassion, understanding and empathy. Clayton State University has a goal to produce competent, compassionate, professional nurses with communication and technical skills. Clayton State’s School of Nursing has outlined nine program outcomes or concepts that are part of the Conceptual Curriculum Model. These concepts include caring, communication, critical thinking, human diversity, informatics, interdisciplinary collaboration, nursing therapeutics, professional development, and theory based practice. These program outcomes relate to three nurse and client transitions; health-illness transitions, developmental transitions and organizational transitions. In health care, it is necessary to be knowledgeable and advanced in many areas in order to provide efficient care; these concepts are the foundation for a healthy nurse and client relationship.
I chose to go into nursing because I had taken a sports medicine class in high school I enjoyed, and I thought I would be guaranteed a job graduating that had something to do with medicine. I can remember being so excited to learn how about illnesses and medications, and all the difference procedures done in the hospital. At the time I thought a nurse’s job was to do what the physicians said, and I expected set guidelines that would tell me what I was and wasn’t allowed to do. I had no idea that I was entering onto a career path involving so much complexity, and that the skills I had dreamed of learning were such a small part of nursing in comparison to the emotional, decision making, and critical thinking skills that a nursing career requires. Ethics in nursing was not something that had ever crossed my mind when I chose to take this path, however now ethics is something that I think about every day I am practicing, whether in clinical or theory courses. Ethical theories often come from the idea that because we are human we have the obligation to care about other’s best interests (Kozier et al., 2010), however in nursing ethical practice is not just a personal choice but a professional responsibility.
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 has been great debate in the nursing community for years regarding what should be the educational requirements for a practicing nurse. There are currently many options for men and women to enter the field through LPN, ADN, and BSN programs. More recently, programs have been popping up allowing accelerated BSN obtainment through second degree programs. The debate stems from the conflicting ideas of whether nursing as a whole is a trade, requiring an associate’s degree, or should be considered a profession, often requiring a Baccalaureate degree. In this paper this author will use 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.
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.
As a nurse, we serve a society which is very culturally diverse. We provide care to many individuals whom have their own unique set of ethics, values, morals, and beliefs by which may be very different from our own. Because of our professional role, we must use lifelong learning as a tool to broaden our views, increase our knowledge, and understand the influences which affect it. To make this possible, we have to continually educate ourselves about the nursing laws, professional standards, and code of ethics all of which we are committed to.
Nursing encompasses several levels of education and licensure. For decades the differentiation between these levels has been debated, primarily between the differentiation of the Associates degree in Nursing (ADN) and the Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). The associate’s degree, which began with the intention of creating a technical nurse, has developed into being “equivalent” to a bachelors degree (Hess, 1996). The two degrees however are not equivalent, the bachelors educated nurse receives two years education beyond the associate, in the liberal arts and upper division nursing courses
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.
The BSN program helps the nurses in many ways including utilizing the process to the full scale and it will encourage nurses to use their skills like educating the patient as we’ll as creating new nurses. Because of the new health care reform, the BSN program will also aid in filling the gap from the influx of patients. The baccalaureate degrees and BSN program helps prepare students for the significant part they are going to play in reinforcing the new healthcare reform. At present, I utilize and develop nursing care plans in the nursing process, even though it needs some corrections due to the nature of my work. The highest standards of nursing can only be achieved through better research and advanced training.
Even though entry level is an ADN (associates degree in nursing); there is still controversy that entry level should be a BSN (bachelor science in nursing), which is a four-year degree. Before applying to a nursing program; you will have to pick a college to attend, take the prerequisites for the program, take the HESI exam and then you will finally be eligible to apply for the program. Here is the long sometimes-stressful process on how to successfully get into the two year nursing program.
Factors such as, heavy workloads, stress, job dissatisfaction, frequent medical errors, and intention of leaving the job are all common for nurses to experience, especially during the nursing shortage crisis. Not only do the nurses suffer during a shortage, but the patients ' health outcomes suffer even more. For instance, there are higher rates of infectious diseases and adverse patient outcomes, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), upper gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, pneumonia, prolonged hospital stays, failure to rescue, and mortality. As a result, this leads to higher re-admission rates for patients. Furthermore, high patient-to-nurse ratios cause heavy workloads due to an inadequate supply of nurses, an increased demand for nurses, a reduction in staffing and an increase in overtime, and a shortened length of stay for patients. Without the heavy workloads that nurses have to endure on a daily basis, there would more time for nurses to communicate more effectively with physicians, insurance companies, and patients and their families. Those heavy workloads are the result of hospitals reducing the nursing staff and implementing mandatory overtime policies just to meet unexpectedly high demands. Unfortunately, the nursing shortage has affected nurses ' mental and physical health. For example, the most common health concerns for nurses include cardiovascular health, occupational injuries and illnesses, and emotional and physical exhaustion. Therefore, safe-staffing ratios/levels have to become the main