Degree Prepared Nurses

Increased studies show that Bachelor’s Degree prepared nurses have the ability to provide enhanced nursing care compared to nurses trained at an Associate’s degree level. Nurses who hold a BSN degree, are more well-rounded making them more competent in the profession. Bachelor’s degree nurses are educated in nursing theories, evidence based research, trends and issues in today’s nursing, ethical and spiritual decision making, nursing leadership, public health, and family centered health promotion. Associate degree nurses are trained in the basic technical aspects of nursing with only a minor focus on nursing histories and theory. Nurses work as part of an interdisciplinary team, with colleagues who are educated at a Master’s level or higher.

A shortage in primary care providers is calling on the use of Advanced Practice Nurses to help fill the void. “Without a more educated nursing workforce, the nation’s health will be further at risk,” (Tri-Council for Nursing, 2010). With a strong BSN foundation, nurses are more invested into their future making them more likely to pursue graduate education. An advanced education leads to increased quality and safety of care provided. A Bachelor’s prepared nurse receives a broader education on the history of nursing, which can inspire nurses to make their own contributions to the greater good of the profession. BSN nurses also gain a sounder education into research and leadership which further enhances their critical thinking and collaboration skills. Whereas Associates degree nurses, mostly gain the basic technical, and critical thinking skills necessary to begin entry level work. In addition, expectations surrounding quality patient care have heightened and the settings where nurses are needed are increasing in volume and complexity. By having a sound education in the history of nursing, coupled with the leadership, research and family centered health promotion—a Bachelor’s educated nurse is better prepared to embrace the needs of our ever changing healthcare

According to the Journal of Nursing Administration, for every 10% increase in the proportion of BSN nurses on the hospital staff, there is a 4% decrease in the risk of death (Journal of Nursing Administration, 2008). Bachelor’s prepared nurses provide better overall care because they are educated in the deeper science and framework of nursing practice. While working in the Intensive Care Unit, I once took care of a patient who was having frequent life threatening supraventricular tachycardia. The nurse who cared for him prior to me, was a BSN prepared nurse. On the day that I was his nurse, he again went into this life threatening arrhythmia, so I did the interventions that could normally help but still, his arrhythmia persisted. The Doctors were at the bedside, puzzled as to why nothing was helping, then they called on the help of a Cardiac Electrophysiologist. But before the specialist got to the bedside, the Intensivist stepped outside the room and began to just observe the patient through the window. I had tried over and over to help my patient out of this arrhythmia but at no avail. Seeing the Physician step outside the room, I felt it was also ok for me to leave the patient’s room, and see what else the Physician ordered. Meanwhile, the patient’s arrhythmia persisted, and so did the monitor alarms in the room, further terrifying the spouse who was in the room the