Differences in Competencies Between Associate and Baccalaureate Nursing Degree Amanda T. Duggan
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V
05/06/15
Differences in Competencies Between Associate and Baccalaureate Nursing Degree A survey was conducted with 102 graduates from an associate degree program. The data analysis discussed the graduates’ perception of their comfort level with leadership, delegation skills, management, professional identity and teamwork (Jones & Mbewe, 2011). This paper will focus on the areas that the graduates felt inadequate and compare these areas to the focus and content of each program. It will also look at differences in nursing care approaches based on educational background. Survey Resulted in Low Percentage Rates in Leadership and Management The 102 graduate nurses with the associate degree did a survey that asked questions on education preparation for a nurse’s first job. …show more content…
The survey resulted in 28% of the 102 participants feeling they were competent enough to take on a leadership role. 32% of the participants felt they were comfortable to be a manager of care and 36% felt they had a professional identity as a nurse (Jones & Mbewe, 2011, p. 11). The rest of the participants did not feel adequately prepared to take on these particular roles after obtaining their associate degree in nursing.
Approach to Patient Care Based on Education
When discussing patient care, the approach may be different based on the nurse’s education. In my associate degree program we were instructed to use SBAR or ADPIE for all patients. This allowed for little deviation. SBAR stands for situation, background, abnormal findings, and recommendations. Situation included diagnosis, allergies and basic intake information. Background was the patient’s health history and psychosocial status. Examples of assessment included patient’s labs, skin turgor and Braden score. Recommendations included medications, procedures and treatments. All patients were approached by this system and all areas were filled out in detail. It was actually called an SBAR form. The only other form of patient care approach was called ADPIE. ADPIE stands for assessment, diagnosis, patient plan, implementation and evaluation of the implementations. It was a very structured approach that has to be completed in the SBAR or ADPIE format. It had to be done in order and each area had to be completed. There was no creative approach allowed. Spiritualty was never part of any aspect of the process. There were times when as a student, I did the SBAR or ADPIE format and I would be marked down for adding information that was not on the checklist or if I left out a portion of a particular section. For example, if the patient did not have chest tubes and I did not state the patient had no tubes, I was marked down. If I added the patients spiritual needs in the format it would be crossed out because it did not fit the checklist. The nursing approach that was used in our program was based on theory we learned in lecture. We wrote care plans that included an assessment, structural variables, nursing diagnosis, goals, nursing interventions and evaluations. We were marked down if the interventions didn’t match the nursing diagnosis or if there was insufficient assessments made to come up with a nursing diagnosis or goal. There was no delegation or leadership involved with our approach. It was structured and specific with little ability to vary from a nursing care approach that was taught. According to the (Nursing Fact Sheet, 2011) the additional classes in the baccalaureate program improve the student’s professional identity and development which will be discussed later. It …show more content…
The authors associated this lack of professional identity to a minimal emphasis of involvement with professional organizations, volunteer opportunities or conferences. The authors discuss the need for this type of involvement as necessary to truly identify with what being a nurse really means. This includes understanding and owning the responsibilities of being a nurse. The article states professional identity is lacking in the associate degree program because it is a more compact program and therefore the focus is more on the practical skills of nursing (Jones & Mbewe, 2011). GCU baccalaureate programs encourage volunteer work throughout all different degrees including nursing. Upon admission to the college students are encouraged to join ACNL for discounts and the opportunity to network with other professional
Grand Canyon University: NRS-430V
05/06/15
Differences in Competencies Between Associate and Baccalaureate Nursing Degree A survey was conducted with 102 graduates from an associate degree program. The data analysis discussed the graduates’ perception of their comfort level with leadership, delegation skills, management, professional identity and teamwork (Jones & Mbewe, 2011). This paper will focus on the areas that the graduates felt inadequate and compare these areas to the focus and content of each program. It will also look at differences in nursing care approaches based on educational background. Survey Resulted in Low Percentage Rates in Leadership and Management The 102 graduate nurses with the associate degree did a survey that asked questions on education preparation for a nurse’s first job. …show more content…
The survey resulted in 28% of the 102 participants feeling they were competent enough to take on a leadership role. 32% of the participants felt they were comfortable to be a manager of care and 36% felt they had a professional identity as a nurse (Jones & Mbewe, 2011, p. 11). The rest of the participants did not feel adequately prepared to take on these particular roles after obtaining their associate degree in nursing.
Approach to Patient Care Based on Education
When discussing patient care, the approach may be different based on the nurse’s education. In my associate degree program we were instructed to use SBAR or ADPIE for all patients. This allowed for little deviation. SBAR stands for situation, background, abnormal findings, and recommendations. Situation included diagnosis, allergies and basic intake information. Background was the patient’s health history and psychosocial status. Examples of assessment included patient’s labs, skin turgor and Braden score. Recommendations included medications, procedures and treatments. All patients were approached by this system and all areas were filled out in detail. It was actually called an SBAR form. The only other form of patient care approach was called ADPIE. ADPIE stands for assessment, diagnosis, patient plan, implementation and evaluation of the implementations. It was a very structured approach that has to be completed in the SBAR or ADPIE format. It had to be done in order and each area had to be completed. There was no creative approach allowed. Spiritualty was never part of any aspect of the process. There were times when as a student, I did the SBAR or ADPIE format and I would be marked down for adding information that was not on the checklist or if I left out a portion of a particular section. For example, if the patient did not have chest tubes and I did not state the patient had no tubes, I was marked down. If I added the patients spiritual needs in the format it would be crossed out because it did not fit the checklist. The nursing approach that was used in our program was based on theory we learned in lecture. We wrote care plans that included an assessment, structural variables, nursing diagnosis, goals, nursing interventions and evaluations. We were marked down if the interventions didn’t match the nursing diagnosis or if there was insufficient assessments made to come up with a nursing diagnosis or goal. There was no delegation or leadership involved with our approach. It was structured and specific with little ability to vary from a nursing care approach that was taught. According to the (Nursing Fact Sheet, 2011) the additional classes in the baccalaureate program improve the student’s professional identity and development which will be discussed later. It …show more content…
The authors associated this lack of professional identity to a minimal emphasis of involvement with professional organizations, volunteer opportunities or conferences. The authors discuss the need for this type of involvement as necessary to truly identify with what being a nurse really means. This includes understanding and owning the responsibilities of being a nurse. The article states professional identity is lacking in the associate degree program because it is a more compact program and therefore the focus is more on the practical skills of nursing (Jones & Mbewe, 2011). GCU baccalaureate programs encourage volunteer work throughout all different degrees including nursing. Upon admission to the college students are encouraged to join ACNL for discounts and the opportunity to network with other professional