Every state board of nursing has a predetermined list of competencies that are established in order to serve as a guide to ensure safe nursing care. . A competency is defined as “an expected level of performance that integrates knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment” (American Nurses Association, 2008, p.3). There are three major areas of differences in the competencies in the Associate-Degreed (AND) nurse versus the Baccalaureate-degreed (BSN) nurse The areas are Leadership/Management, Research/Data Analysis, and Community/Organizational nursing.
Baccalaureate-degreed nurses will have the required education and skills in leadership/management to teach other healthcare staff on patient safety. BSN nurses graduate knowing …show more content…
Evidence based practice (EBP) is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care (Sackett, Straus, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 2000). In order to be leader in the nursing field, one needs to have the skills to research or to analyze data. It is pertinent in the ever changing world of healthcare. Having the knowledge to research changes within an organization or even within a culture in society, is imperative to continue to meet the needs of the local population. Once the research is completed, the BSN is equipped to go back into his or her department and share the new and updated information with his or her healthcare provider team. For instance, a local children’s hospital’s Emergency Department could see an increase in patients being treated for MRSA. As the triage nurse in this ED sees these patients, she might take notice of common factors. She can then take her data from her observation to the hospital’s infection control team and they can dig deeper into the medical records of these children and see if there is a possible common source, like a local daycare or school. The AND nurse is trained to pick up on trends, but the BSN nurse has learned how to initiate a case …show more content…
During the course of the BSN program, one required subject is Community Nursing. During nursing school, a friend of mine did a three day clinical at a local public school. Since she had previously been a school nurse, she had her certificate for vision and hearing screenings. She was able to assist the RN school nurse with her yearly screenings. It worked out so nicely, the following year, the director of the nursing program decided to send all of the nursing students to obtain their certificates as well so they could also assist other school nurses with the vision and hearing screenings. This was a very good experience for the nursing students while building good relationships with the local educators as well as the student population. Community health nursing is very helpful when combined with research and data analysis. One is able to gather data specific to a population and or geographical area. Through this new found knowledge, a BSN nurse can lead in the advocacy and development of local policies and or procedures for situations or
Baccalaureate-degreed nurses will have the required education and skills in leadership/management to teach other healthcare staff on patient safety. BSN nurses graduate knowing …show more content…
Evidence based practice (EBP) is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care (Sackett, Straus, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 2000). In order to be leader in the nursing field, one needs to have the skills to research or to analyze data. It is pertinent in the ever changing world of healthcare. Having the knowledge to research changes within an organization or even within a culture in society, is imperative to continue to meet the needs of the local population. Once the research is completed, the BSN is equipped to go back into his or her department and share the new and updated information with his or her healthcare provider team. For instance, a local children’s hospital’s Emergency Department could see an increase in patients being treated for MRSA. As the triage nurse in this ED sees these patients, she might take notice of common factors. She can then take her data from her observation to the hospital’s infection control team and they can dig deeper into the medical records of these children and see if there is a possible common source, like a local daycare or school. The AND nurse is trained to pick up on trends, but the BSN nurse has learned how to initiate a case …show more content…
During the course of the BSN program, one required subject is Community Nursing. During nursing school, a friend of mine did a three day clinical at a local public school. Since she had previously been a school nurse, she had her certificate for vision and hearing screenings. She was able to assist the RN school nurse with her yearly screenings. It worked out so nicely, the following year, the director of the nursing program decided to send all of the nursing students to obtain their certificates as well so they could also assist other school nurses with the vision and hearing screenings. This was a very good experience for the nursing students while building good relationships with the local educators as well as the student population. Community health nursing is very helpful when combined with research and data analysis. One is able to gather data specific to a population and or geographical area. Through this new found knowledge, a BSN nurse can lead in the advocacy and development of local policies and or procedures for situations or