Assessment of ANA Position Paper
Assessment of ANA Position Paper
The American Nursing Association in 1965, through their position paper, attempted to make known the dire need to revamp the manner in which nurses enter the profession. Understanding the basis of their position provides insight to their purpose in outlining nursing as a profession, the description of various roles and educational requirements. “[E]nsuring high-quality nursing care…by fostering high standards of nursing practice” was the primary goal of the ANA with special “concern in education and welfare of those practicing the profession” (Catalano, 2012, p. 90). The scribed ideas of the American Nursing Association in 1965 maintain a profound impact on today’s direction and expectation of nurses.
In recognizing the evolution of health care, the ANA argued the importance of higher education calling for the minimum requirement of a baccalaureate degree. Nursing as a profession, they argued, calls for education higher than an ADN degree in response to technological growth within the health care arena. From the dawn of Nightingale School of Nursing to current university settings health care education has reformed tremendously –students once were prepared for limited nursing skills within limited health care settings whereas currently, students are more greatly prepared to work in many aspects of nursing in multiple settings. According to Catalano (2012), 1952 is a pivotal year of change in schools of nursing. The National League for Nursing undertook responsibility of accrediting these schools through specified curricula, qualified educators and mandated testing. The institution of these outcome criteria led to the closure or conversion of diploma schools due to the increased costs to hospitals. While there remains diploma nursing schools, they do uphold the high standards outlined by the NLN. The debate continues however, whether the current curriculum of ADN is sufficient to provide apt professional care to
The American Nursing Association in 1965, through their position paper, attempted to make known the dire need to revamp the manner in which nurses enter the profession. Understanding the basis of their position provides insight to their purpose in outlining nursing as a profession, the description of various roles and educational requirements. “[E]nsuring high-quality nursing care…by fostering high standards of nursing practice” was the primary goal of the ANA with special “concern in education and welfare of those practicing the profession” (Catalano, 2012, p. 90). The scribed ideas of the American Nursing Association in 1965 maintain a profound impact on today’s direction and expectation of nurses.
In recognizing the evolution of health care, the ANA argued the importance of higher education calling for the minimum requirement of a baccalaureate degree. Nursing as a profession, they argued, calls for education higher than an ADN degree in response to technological growth within the health care arena. From the dawn of Nightingale School of Nursing to current university settings health care education has reformed tremendously –students once were prepared for limited nursing skills within limited health care settings whereas currently, students are more greatly prepared to work in many aspects of nursing in multiple settings. According to Catalano (2012), 1952 is a pivotal year of change in schools of nursing. The National League for Nursing undertook responsibility of accrediting these schools through specified curricula, qualified educators and mandated testing. The institution of these outcome criteria led to the closure or conversion of diploma schools due to the increased costs to hospitals. While there remains diploma nursing schools, they do uphold the high standards outlined by the NLN. The debate continues however, whether the current curriculum of ADN is sufficient to provide apt professional care to