Difference Between Bachelor Degree Nurses

Some qualities of a competent nurse include a compassionate heart, effective communication, a sense of responsibility and a nonjudgmental mindset towards patients. Both associate and bachelor degree nurses must complete and pass the National Council Licensure Examination to become a Registered Nurse but there are two different paths to get to that point. A student can either complete a two or four year nursing program at a college or university in which they will be granted an associate degree or bachelor’s degree respectively. Although both nurses share some similarities there are a few things that separate them. In this essay I will explain the difference between them including the curriculum difference, salary difference, impact of education on nursing practice as well as explain a scenario in which the education preparation separates the two. Firstly, although the curriculum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing contains the fundamental and basics of nursing just like an Associate’s Degree, the nurse has to think more outside the box, with credible research, leadership, theory, and public health, which will, in turn, make the nurse more of a critical thinker, which will carry over into her practice. These classes help to promote nurses with more professional development and a heightened understanding of the issues affecting
patient care and healthcare delivery. Having a Bachelor’s Degree can unlock many doors to nursing leadership/management positions, whereas an Associate Degree nurse many not be able to qualify for these roles because of the additional education required to fulfill those positions. Secondly, there is a slight salary difference between a Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree nurse.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the national median pay for registered nurses in 2016 was noted as $68,450. But there is a difference because With one to four years experience, the median salary for RNs with an ADN is $61,360, while BSNs with the same level of experience earn $8,337 more, with a median salary of $69,697. Also with BSN nurses being qualified for leadership/management positions the differences become even sharper, with BSN clinical supervisors earning a median salary of $70,787 and clinical managers earning
$80,418. Another difference between an associate and bachelor degree nurse is the impact of education on nursing practice. The education that an associate degree nurse gains consist of the basic nursing skills in various nursing areas like medical-surgical, maternity, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychiatric, oncology. This includes preparing care plans and following out daily nursing protocols. With the bachelor degree program students still gain the basic nursing skills but will also gain skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion. This can impact nursing practice because now this bachelor’s degree nurse has more of a heightened critical understanding and is more prepared for caring for patients. Understanding how cultural diversity has an impact on nursing care is an example of how decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse. While Associate degree nurses may be exposed to cultural diversity in the healthcare field or school, Bachelor degree nurses are mandated to take a class to understand the cultural differences in the health-care field to complete their program. One scenario can be seen in a nurse understanding the different dietary restrictions of the Jewish culture. If a doctor prescribed an order for throat lozenges for a Jewish patient an associate’s degree nurse may just follow out the order and watch for alleviation of throat soreness. A bachelor’s degree nurse may take a more critical step by understanding that gelatin is found in some throat lozenges which is not kosher and try to find an alternative form of this medication to deliver. Without understanding different cultures of patients’ this can negatively impact the care given and go against a patient’s religion. In conclusion, both associate and bachelor degree nurses have the opportunity to become a registered nurse after completing their nursing program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination. But there are distinguishing factors that set them apart like the curriculum difference, salary difference and the impact of education on nursing practice. Bachelor degree nurses have a lengthy four year course to complete opposed to an associate degree nurse taking an estimate of two to three years to complete their program. Bachelor degree nurses take courses that include case management, leadership, research, theory which prepares them to have a more heightened critical understanding of patient care. Understanding the culture of differences patient can also affect the delivery of nursing care. Bachelor degree nurses take certain courses which help them to understand these different cultures that they may face in the healthcare field. All in all there are many advantages to receiving a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Nursing.