Associates Versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse: A Case Study

EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION – Competency Differences between Nurses at the Associates Verses Baccalaureate Degree Level
Lisa Kennedy
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V Professional Dynamics
April 17, 2015

When working side by side with a nurse, do we really know the difference between an Associate’s Degree and Baccalaureate Degree Nurse? They may appear to have the same skill set when performing procedures, but are they really, is their thought process the same?
Associates Degree Nurse The Associates Degree Nursing (AND) program started during World War II. The ADN program became popular as a shortcut to the nursing profession. An individual can earn their Associates Degree in Nursing at a Community College in two to three
The ADN nurse will be able to see that the patient’s abdomen is distended, and that the color of the patient’s eyes and skin are yellow. The ADN nurse may see that the patient is experiencing a change in their mental status. The ADN nurse would also be able to notify the provider and offer recommendations such as Lactulose to aide in lowering the patient’s ammonia levels and Lasix to help with the fluid retention. The ADN nurse would be able to continue to monitor the progress by daily weights and determining the changes in mental status. The ADN nurse would also be able to offer basic education on the treatment and the disease process. The BSN nurse would utilize the same assessment skills and would be able to recommend to the provider the same recommendations as the ADN nurse. The difference between the ADN nurse and the BSN nurse is that the BSN nurse would be able to offer the patient a better understanding of the disease, the disease process and outcomes. The BSN nurse will also be able to educate the patient and patient’s family on the causes, signs and symptoms of end stage liver disease by utilizing their research skills learned. The BSN nurse will also reach out to the interdisciplinary team such as Social Services, and possibly Chaplin services to help the family cope and learn about the many services offered to patients with end stage liver
The BSN nurse is educated in a holistic, comprehensive approach in patient care which includes the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each patient and their families. The education the BSN nurse receives allows the BSN nurse to take a more professional approach and teaches the BSN nurse how to work with the interdisciplinary team to meet those needs (Grand Canyon University, 2011).
Higher education prepares the BSN nurse to look further into an illness and the predisposing factors, it allows the BSN nurse to educate the patient and the patient’s family on a more in-depth level. Education is an important factor in the quality of care, it allows a nurse to be independent in their thinking process and how they deliver care to their patients in the complexity of diseases