Competencies Comparison: Nurses at the Associate and Baccalaureate Levels in Nursing
There are two major educational paths to registered nursing: A bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN), and an associate degree in nursing (ADN). BSN programs, offered by colleges and universities, typically take four years to complete (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005). ADN programs, offered by community and junior colleges, take two years to complete. Nursing students are advised by professional nursing associations to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of enrolling in a BSN program, because, if they do, their advancement opportunities are typically broader and they are better prepared to handle today's complex nursing demands. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recently issued a position paper, promoting baccalaureate-level preparation for entry into professional nursing practice (Rosseter, 2004). The organization is making many efforts to increase the education level of the nation's registered nurse workforce. Efforts to increase the availability of baccalaureate programs and increase the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses nationwide aim to create a more highly educated nursing workforce. Some career paths are open only to nurses with a bachelor's degree or hig
The emergence of community college BSN programs highlights the national need for more programs to increase the education level of the nursing workforce (Rosseter, 2004). These programs validate that nurses with associate and baccalaureate degrees are not equally prepared for nursing practice and have distinct differences when it come to competencies. Because today's increasingly complex health care system requires a more highly educated nursing staff, the need for nurses who hold a BSN or higher is rapidly increasing. According to AACN (Rosseter, 2004), baccalaureate nursing programs are now being offered in community colleges, which must develop these programs with the same scientific and liberal education foundation used in BSN programs at four-year colleges and achieve the same quality standards set by nursing's specialized accreditation agencies. In comparison to nurses with associate degrees, the BSN nurse is prepared for a broader role -- The BSN nurse is the only basic nursing graduate who can practice in all health care settings -- emergency, ambulatory care, public health, and mental health (AACN, 2004). Therefore, the BSN has more employment options that an RN with an associate's degre
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