Difference in Competencies between Associates vs. Baccalaureate Nurses
Tara Garofalo
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V-0191
April 6, 2014
There has been much debate over the years about the differences in competencies
between Associates Degree nurses (ADN) versus Baccalaureate Degree (BSN) nurses. In this
paper I will discuss my findings and also give a patient care situation in which I describe how
nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational
preparation of the nurse BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree. Besides the difference in time,
credits and money studies are showing a significant difference in ADN nursing versus BSN.
“Research has shown that …show more content…
By having the added knowledge from school, it shows in studies that BSN’s have better outcomes with less patient complications, which is good for everyone.
PATIENT CARE SCENARIO A patient care scenario that comes to mind for me would be a patient in Labor and Delivery that has had slightly elevated blood pressures prior to the pregnancy, but with diet and exercise was able to avoid medication. But on admission an order for a blood pressure medication was ordered as a PRN in case it was needed.
As the patient progresses into labor, her pressures start to rise slightly. The ADN nurse comes in see’s the reading looks at her orders and dispenses the medication, because that is what she is trained to do. Whereas the BSN nurse comes in to the patient’s room and see’s the same reading, notices the patient seems more uncomfortable and is a little upset. So as the BSN nurse I would ask if she was having increased pain and if she was offer her something for pain relief because that may help decrease the blood pressure. I would also ask her if something else was bothering her because she seemed agitated and the patient stated that her and her boyfriend had just had a huge argument and she was upset over that. So with some pain relief and quiet environment the BSN nurse was able to avoid
Tara Garofalo
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V-0191
April 6, 2014
There has been much debate over the years about the differences in competencies
between Associates Degree nurses (ADN) versus Baccalaureate Degree (BSN) nurses. In this
paper I will discuss my findings and also give a patient care situation in which I describe how
nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational
preparation of the nurse BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree. Besides the difference in time,
credits and money studies are showing a significant difference in ADN nursing versus BSN.
“Research has shown that …show more content…
By having the added knowledge from school, it shows in studies that BSN’s have better outcomes with less patient complications, which is good for everyone.
PATIENT CARE SCENARIO A patient care scenario that comes to mind for me would be a patient in Labor and Delivery that has had slightly elevated blood pressures prior to the pregnancy, but with diet and exercise was able to avoid medication. But on admission an order for a blood pressure medication was ordered as a PRN in case it was needed.
As the patient progresses into labor, her pressures start to rise slightly. The ADN nurse comes in see’s the reading looks at her orders and dispenses the medication, because that is what she is trained to do. Whereas the BSN nurse comes in to the patient’s room and see’s the same reading, notices the patient seems more uncomfortable and is a little upset. So as the BSN nurse I would ask if she was having increased pain and if she was offer her something for pain relief because that may help decrease the blood pressure. I would also ask her if something else was bothering her because she seemed agitated and the patient stated that her and her boyfriend had just had a huge argument and she was upset over that. So with some pain relief and quiet environment the BSN nurse was able to avoid