A Comparison of Competencies between Associate and Bachelor Degreed Nursing Graduates

Nursing is complex, and within the profession there are many spectrums of career possibilities. Nursing is based on a foundation of caring and what draws many to the profession is a commitment of service. The knowledge and education sought to prepare nurses however differs between the two â€Å"entry† level paths of associate degreed nurses and baccalaureate degree nurses and thus forms a difference in the way they perform their professional practice. Associate Degreed Nurses Associate degree nursing programs were developed in the early 1950’s as a response to postwar shortages (Creasia, Friberg. 2011) they were intended to be two years in duration and designed to prepare the graduate for bedside care in the secondary setting. These program quickly became successful and programs spread across the United States at a record pace. The associate degree program were found to be clinically sound and offered heavily hands on approach, they traditionally graduate nurses that are task oriented and perform well. Associate graduates are tested via the NCLEX after program completion to obtain licensure. The associate degreed path remains the major point of entry into the profession today. The educational prerequisite of the associate degree nursing program are not as robust in sciences often eliminating the need for organic chemistry and advanced mathematics. The associate degree nursing path also is remedial as compared to the BSN in the liberal arts, often leaving the graduate with subpar communication skills when compared to the BSN counterpart. Baccalaureate Degreed Nurses Baccalaureate degree programs are traditionally structured as four year programs with the nursing clinical focus at the latter two years. Programs differ from Associate programs in that there are courses required which  focus on the professional development of the student, and thus the growth of the profession. Baccalaureate programs prepare the graduate for scopes beyond bedside care. Leadership and research roles favor the bachelors prepared graduate. The advanced professional focus allows the graduate to view the practice beyond the task orientation of the associate degreed nurse. A comparison study (Ginger, N. Davidhizar, R., 1990) found that baccalaureate nurses were more concerned with research methodology, teaching of the individual and the group, and community assessments. The study concluded that the baccalaureate nurse was more process driven than the task oriented associate degreed nurses. Healthcare today is composed of a multiple disciplinary team of practitioners with varied levels of education, preparing nurses at the minimum of the baccalaureate level has been a push of many professional organizations. Recent research (Aiken, 2008) has confirmed a strong link in the educational level of nurses and improvement in patient mortality. The study found when the institution increased the percentage of baccalaureate prepared nurses by 10% that the corresponding mortality decreased by 4%. Practical Comparison One of the situational comparisons that I feel would demonstrate the practice focus differences of the two educational preparations is in dealing with imminent death and dying. Throughout the career of any healthcare provider we will be faced with this challenge, and while there are many task associated with the algorithm of advanced life support or complexity of the hospice patient, there are multiple psych social aspects to consider. The baccalaureate nurses educational preparation allows her to focus on the causes of the underlying pathophysiology, understand the chemistry of the multiple medications involved and problem solve for alternative treatments is initially unsuccessful. The baccalaureate nurse is able to communicate effectively with the healthcare team and reassuringly guide the family thru this difficult process. In my years of practice I feel that clinical experience and confidence can elevate the associate degreed nurse to a comparable level in this situation as well but I have seen that the baccalaureate graduate achieves this standard well before the counterpart. Patient presentation has become more complex and the array of treatments available seems almost endless. Our patients and their families deserve the  best outcomes from the best prepared team.

Unit 4 Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Unit 4 Individual Project - Essay Example Euthanasia is a word derived from the Greek, simply means a â€Å"gentle and easy death† (Oxford English Dictionary, 2004). Obviously, supporters of the decriminalization of euthanasia are not using the word in this uncontroversial sense. They are not simply supporting the expansion of hospices and improvements in medical services. Rather, they are arguing that doctors should in certain circumstances be allowed to ensure an easy death not just by killing the pain but by killing the patient. Often the decision to practice euthanasia is more of a decision between letting the person die now or later, rather than a choice between life and death. Thus, it could be deemed that the movement in favor of euthanasia may be rooted in our fear of facing death, and that euthanasia is used to hasten death so that we will not have to cope with the consequences associated with the actual process of dying. In fact, according to U.S. surveys, there is greater support for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia among patients and the general public than among physicians (Kashima and Braun, 15 October 2001). More Caucasians support these practices than members of ethnic minority groups (Braun, et al., February 2001). This is a very sorry situation wherein people would like to have complete control of their lives. In reality, humans have limited control but, ultimately, are forced to accept phenomena which they cannot change. Sickness and death fall into this category. The humane response to a dying person is to keep him company and alleviate his discomfort. There is no medical or ethical reason to deprive a person of all the pain medication needed to keep him comfortable and, for most people, a regimen of comfort care can be established in either a health care facility or at home. To be sure, keeping company with the dying and caring for their physical needs is a demanding task, but it is not a task

Student teachers, educational judgement In the 21st century classroom, Essay

Student teachers, educational judgement In the 21st century classroom, 'using the knowledge of good ends to decide appropriate - Essay Example This paper provides a brief philosophical view of education to identify the good ends that mentors should aim for in their teaching education program. Guided by traditional and modern philosophy of education and the insights offered by the current literature in the field, the present paper hopes to contribute to the proposal of identifying good ends to decide appropriate means for training 21st century teachers. Identifying the ‘good ends’ ‘Good ends,’ in the teaching field are the ideal characteristics student teachers should possess in order to prepare them for the challenges in the field. Good ends would serve as guide to help mentors determine the process that student teachers should undergo during education. To identify these qualities, we take light from the wisdom of the great philosopher, Aristotle. In addition, we dig upon the current literature to reveal further insights on the qualities of an effective teacher. Coulter and Wiens (2002) explored Ar istotle’s view of phronesis and related it to the desirable qualities of a teacher. According to the authors, the term phronesis may mean the same as practical wisdom or practical judgment. By practical wisdom, Coulter and Wiens (2002) mean the possession of knowledge and the ability to apply knowledge in actual terms. In their discussion of phronesis, Coulter and Wiens consider the arguments made by Hannah Arendt, a Jew philosopher who distinguishes between good thinking and making good decisions. Coulter and Wiens point out that there are teachers who possess knowledge yet are unable to transform their ideas into concrete actions, in other words, they are unable to attain phronesis as they stop in merely possessing knowledge. A review of current literature on the qualities of an effective teacher confirms the importance of knowledge or subject matter expertise as one ideal teacher quality (McNamara and Webb, 2008; Auger and Wilderman, 2000; Chickering and Gamson, 1991). How ever, the said sources do not reflect qualities relating to the concept of phronesis, thus confirming the lack of realisation of the difference between the possession of knowledge and its application. Coulter and Wiens (2002) articulate Arendt’s argument that to possess phronesis, teachers should be ‘judging spectators’ and ‘judging actors’ at the same time. Judging spectators are able to think and reflect on what is happening around them. They possess an understanding of occurrences, and are able to interpret these occurrences on their own. Following this, future teachers should be trained to make good judgments. This is possible if teachers will be allowed to think and decide for themselves. Krishnaveni and Anitha (2007: 28) identify the exercise of autonomy and proper decision making as a form of teacher empowerment. Thus, to promote the attitude of judging spectators, mentors should provide opportunities for student teachers to make their own dec isions whether in terms of instruction, classroom management, and assessment. Moreover, teachers who are judging spectators are able to deal with ‘plurality’or the ability to coexist with others, even those from other cultures.