ADN VS BSN
The United States going into World War II had a tremendous affect on nursing. The huge shortage caused Dr. Mildred Montag, a doctoral student at Teacher’s College and Director of Adelphi College’s School of Nursing, to initiate nursing programs that will allow nurses to graduate sooner and yet still be clinically prepared to care for wounded soldiers. The program was instilled with the idea that the United States would quickly produce “technical bedside nurses” working along with the more experienced, now considered as BSN nurses. This plan, thought to be temporary, quickly became the program of choice for many aspiring nurses. The idea of choosing a diploma program had many benefits. One can complete the program in as little as two-years and it is more economical with the reduced tuition rates. While a bachelor’s degree is more time consuming, taking four-years to complete, the curriculum covers an ADN program as well as “liberal education, quality and patient safety, evidence-based practice, information management, health care policy and finance, communication/collaboration, clinical prevention/population health, and professional values” (Creasia, p25). BSN uses theory and research-based knowledge in the direct and indirect delivery of care to patients and in the formation of partnerships with patients and the interdisciplinary health care team (AACN, 1998). These nurses are considered qualified for a multitude of nursing positions such as nurse managers and patient care coordinators. Overall BSN nurses are better qualified to care for the patient as a whole, instead of focusing on each specific medical condition. In a situation with a homeless patient with multiple medical conditions such as HIV, TB, hepatitis, diabetes, hypertension, PTSD, and depression, this person needs quality care and special attention to details. HIV could have been related to unprotected sex; maybe this person cannot afford sexual protection. Or is this person an IV drug