Associates Degree vs Bachelors Degree
Associates Degree Nurses versus Bachelors Degree Nurses
Kimberly Boren
Grand Canyon University
September 1, 2012
Nursing education has progressed throughout history from one of uneducated lay persons to the current standards we know today. As the career has progressed it has become apparent that there is a need for a skilled labor forced trained to deal with the sick and dying, “the provision of nursing care by American women…demonstrated the effectiveness of skilled nursing on improving outcomes for sick and injured soldiers” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 4). However, as the career progresses so does the need for more specialized training amongst nurses to help them deal with the changing atmosphere of patient care. The future of nursing is trending towards care that involves not only treating the signs and symptoms, but enhancing the patient’s health through prevention and education. In order to meet these new demands the nurse of today needs to be skilled to handle these changes. Bachelor’s degree nursing programs “encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and diploma programs, plus a more in-depth treatment of the physical and social science, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities” (Baccalaureate Degree, 2001). This additional training prepares the nurse to have a better understanding of the outside influences that might affect their patient, along with providing them with a scope of practice that is typically broader than that of their associate counterparts (Baccalaureate Degree, 2001). These skills become important for the nurse, they can range the gamut from being able to make split second decisions in critical patient situations to simply designing a comprehensive plan of care for the patient. Many hospitals are currently recognizing the significance of the bachelors prepared nurse and are affording these nurses more responsibilities in providing patient care that highlight the
Kimberly Boren
Grand Canyon University
September 1, 2012
Nursing education has progressed throughout history from one of uneducated lay persons to the current standards we know today. As the career has progressed it has become apparent that there is a need for a skilled labor forced trained to deal with the sick and dying, “the provision of nursing care by American women…demonstrated the effectiveness of skilled nursing on improving outcomes for sick and injured soldiers” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 4). However, as the career progresses so does the need for more specialized training amongst nurses to help them deal with the changing atmosphere of patient care. The future of nursing is trending towards care that involves not only treating the signs and symptoms, but enhancing the patient’s health through prevention and education. In order to meet these new demands the nurse of today needs to be skilled to handle these changes. Bachelor’s degree nursing programs “encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and diploma programs, plus a more in-depth treatment of the physical and social science, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities” (Baccalaureate Degree, 2001). This additional training prepares the nurse to have a better understanding of the outside influences that might affect their patient, along with providing them with a scope of practice that is typically broader than that of their associate counterparts (Baccalaureate Degree, 2001). These skills become important for the nurse, they can range the gamut from being able to make split second decisions in critical patient situations to simply designing a comprehensive plan of care for the patient. Many hospitals are currently recognizing the significance of the bachelors prepared nurse and are affording these nurses more responsibilities in providing patient care that highlight the
References: American Nursing Association (2012), What is Nursing, retrieved 28 August 2012 from: http://www.nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/What-is-Nursing Creasia, J. L., & Friberg, E. (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders Publishing. The Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing as Minimal Preparation for Professional Practice. (2001). American Association of College of Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/bacc-degree-prep The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. (n.d.). American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education