Competencies Between Nurses Prepared at the Associate-Degree

¶ … competencies between nurses prepared at the associate-Degree level vs. The baccalaureate-degree level in nursing

According to Moore ( 2009), Associate Degree Nurses (ADNs) are nurses with a two-year academic degree and licensed to practice nursing. Associate Nurses are prepared on the technical aspects of care giving that are necessary for their interaction with both the patients and their families in acute care settings. Their knowledge is limited to handling patients care in hospitals and community-based health organizations.

Baccalaureate Degree Nurses (BSNs) are nurses with a four-year academic degree. This program requires high educational qualifications and provides wide liberal arts perspectives as well as topics in clinical nursing including, critical thinking, case management, research, statistics, and health campaigns across various in and outpatient facilities with special emphasis on development of the essential skills in care for patients.

Differences in Competencies between Nurses

With the increasing complexity in health care, there is demand for nurses with baccalaureate degrees who are equipped with clinical leadership skills and are comprehensive in nursing practice. According to Miller (2007), baccalaureate nurses are expected to analyze all evidence before making any decision. Their work is mainly people oriented, for instance, teaching patients and their families. A nurse with a baccalaureate degree is involved with provision of direct patient care, monitoring of patient status and insurance of their comfort and safety. Additionally, in provision of service, the nurse will be able to communicate with patients as well as family members with excellent written and verbal skills. The four-year degree qualification provides a strong knowledge base for the nurses equipping them with sound decision-making, which guides them in identification and solution of patients' issues.

In a clinical setting, associate nurses will be more tuned to operating various pieces of medical equipment such as blood pressure monitors, scales, BMI calculator and others. The associate nurses are more likely to work with things rather than people, especially in a situation where there is a combination of both Baccalaureate and associate nurses. With advanced technology and information in the health care system, educators of nurses should improve the thinking strategies of those they teach to enhance their level of practice (Pond, Bradshaw, & Turner, 1991)

Furthermore, critical thinking is an essential aspect of decision-making. It enables nurses satisfy patients needs in times of uncertainty as they consider alternatives that lead to higher quality care. It requires that nurses think critically and not simply engaging in activities without significant analysis, evaluation for an improved understanding. A nurses with a baccalaureate degree can think critically. A baccalaureate nurse has the ability to seek information, discriminate, transform knowledge, analyze data, and apply logical reasoning. A baccalaureate nurse should conduct a patient's health history including environmental effects as well as family health background to establish genetic risks. The nurse must conduct sensory requirements to provide the patient with accurate care and treatment. For instance, a nurse in an intensive care unit during surgery should continuously monitor blood pressure as well as patient's vital signs to make the right judgment on whether to use Dopamine.

Competency expects a nurse with an associate degree to apply some level of critical thinking skills, but not necessarily analysis on available evidence. Associate nurses are prepared in the technical aspects of the practice. According to Marshall & Rossman (1995), it is essential to use methods of problem solution for critical thinking relative to the nursing process. Educators need to incorporate critical thinking into the nursing process as a way of introducing changes in the methods of clinical practice.