The Differences in Competencies Between Adn and Bsn Prepared Nurses
Running head: THE DIFFERENCES IN COMPETENCIES BETWEEN ADN AND BS
The Differences in Competencies between ADN and BSN prepared Nurses
Grand Canyon University
The Differences in Competencies between ADN and BSN prepared Nurses
There are three routes to entry level nursing, and two of these routes are at a collegiate level. Both of these collegiate level programs provide enough information for the graduate to take and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. However, there are critical differences between both programs that researchers have discovered eventually affect nursing care and outcomes of patients.
Baccalaureate nursing (BSN) programs educate graduates that are prepared to obtain beginning leadership positions in various healthcare settings. Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th Edition notes that, “to prepare nurses for this multifaceted role, several components are essential for all baccalaureate programs. These components are 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 & Friberg, 2011, p. 24)
Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th Edition also notes that, associate nursing (ADN) programs “prepare technical bedside nurses for secondary care settings, such as community hospitals and long-term health care facilities.” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 26) Also, the initial designer of the ADN program intended that “nurses with associate degrees would work under the direction of registered professional nurses who were prepared at the baccalaureate level.” (Creasia & Friberg, p. 26)
To help further delineate the differences between ADN and BSN prepared nurses, the AACN published the following explanation,
“Baccalaureate nursing programs encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and
The Differences in Competencies between ADN and BSN prepared Nurses
Grand Canyon University
The Differences in Competencies between ADN and BSN prepared Nurses
There are three routes to entry level nursing, and two of these routes are at a collegiate level. Both of these collegiate level programs provide enough information for the graduate to take and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. However, there are critical differences between both programs that researchers have discovered eventually affect nursing care and outcomes of patients.
Baccalaureate nursing (BSN) programs educate graduates that are prepared to obtain beginning leadership positions in various healthcare settings. Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th Edition notes that, “to prepare nurses for this multifaceted role, several components are essential for all baccalaureate programs. These components are 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 & Friberg, 2011, p. 24)
Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th Edition also notes that, associate nursing (ADN) programs “prepare technical bedside nurses for secondary care settings, such as community hospitals and long-term health care facilities.” (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 26) Also, the initial designer of the ADN program intended that “nurses with associate degrees would work under the direction of registered professional nurses who were prepared at the baccalaureate level.” (Creasia & Friberg, p. 26)
To help further delineate the differences between ADN and BSN prepared nurses, the AACN published the following explanation,
“Baccalaureate nursing programs encompass all of the course work taught in associate degree and
References: American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012). Creating a more highly qualified nursing workforce [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/NursingWorkforce.pdf American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012). The impact of education on nursing practice [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/EdImpact.pdf Creasia, J. L., & Friberg, E. (2011). Pathways of nursing education. In Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice (pp. 22-41). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby. Grand Canyon University College of Nursing. (2011). Grand Canyon University college of nursing philosophy (Grand Canyon University College of Nursing). Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University. Kendall-Gallagher, D., Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., & Cimiotti, J. P. (2011). Nurse specialty certification, inpatient mortality, and failure to rescue. Journal Of Nursing Scholarship, 43(43), 188. Pardue, S. F. (1987). Decision-making skills and critical thinking ability among associate degree, diploma, baccalaureate,and master’s-prepared nurses. Journal of Nursing Education, (9), 354-59.