Associate’s vs. Bachelor’s Degree
Associate’s vs. Bachelor’s Degree
Evidence suggests that the current world of nursing industry has different challenges that prevent the provision of quality health care nursing services. The fight between associate nurses and bachelor degree nurses has been in place for some time. Nursing professional faces other significant challenges such as shortage of nurses compared to the argument of quality of professional services. Indeed, nurse professionals from both sides have differences in competence level and the way they take care to patients. This essay evaluates on the competence difference among nurse professionals and the type of health services each group provide to patients.
Discussion
Debate on the difference in competence between nurses prepared at two levels has existed for long. The argument suggests that the two levels prepare nurses in different ways thus nurses from the two sides cannot be compared at all. Associate degree nurses learn for only two years while bachelor’s degree has 2 extra years compared to the associate degree nurses. This means that bachelor degree nurses takes 120 semester hour courses that in reality acquits them with higher knowledge compared to the other group that only takes 60 semester hours courses. Currently, most employers eye on BS nurses when getting workers and fewer in AS nurses. Although this may be a perception, evidence shows that BS nurses are more educated compared to AS nurses.
This shows that nurses from AS are less competent compared to those from BS, (Aiken et al, 2009).A group that learns for four years cannot be compared with the group that learns for two years to have the same type of skills. A baccalaureate degree is different from associate’s degree in many angles. Apart from the time it takes to complete courses in both degrees, the type of education acquired also differs. In baccalaureate degree, students get general education that focus on providing patients with quality healthcare services. BS nurses undertakes training and theory related courses in order to prepare them become qualified nurse professional ready to undertake nursing health care duties. On the other hand, associate degree courses focus on technical training.
Nurses in associate degree get technical knowledge that prepares them in different aspect of health care services, (Tri-Council for Nursing, 2010).Evidence shows that bachelor’s degree prepares nurses in a more special way compared to associate degree. BS nurses undertake degree programs that helps them broad their knowledge. They are taught special skills on how to handle patients and that is the reason why they are much better compared to associate nurses. In baccalaureate degree, nurses are taught additional courses other than the basic courses in nursing. This helps nurses broaden their knowledge something that increases their competence when handling patients. In the nursing industry, supervisors or people in charge consider a four year degree compared to a two year degree, and that is why baccalaureate degree students get employment easily compared to the associate degree students.
Although to some extend associate degree is similar to baccalaureate degree, it lacks additional programs that prepare nurses on how to take care of patients and give them the right health care services, (Benner et al, 2009).According to high tech health care association, baccalaureate degree students are much better compared to associate degree nurses. Research shows that baccalaureate degree students can work in high tech hospitals unlike associate degree students. High tech hospitals provide high tech services to patients thus mortality level is lower. Programs under baccalaureate degree are of high quality and also integrate technology in their learning. This prepares students before the actual health care services thus the experienced got when learning make students more competent compared to associate degree students.
This is another way of saying that students under baccalaureate degree have chances of improving their skills because they work in high tech health care services, (Tri-Council for Nursing, 2010).In matters of career advancement, baccalaureate degree is currently taken as a stepping stone by most nurse professionals. In order to advance career or enroll into certain nursing courses, baccalaureate degree is a requirement. For associate students, they have to take another two years in order to have skills required to have career advancement opportunity. In general, nursing industry values baccalaureate degree nurses compared to associate degree nurses in matters of health care services, (Institute of Medicine, 2010).Evidence suggests that BSN nurses have high quality healthcare services compared to associate nurses.
Patients admitted and attended in high tech hospitals get quality health care services unlike in patients attended by associate nurses. Research shows that a higher mortality rate is recorded in healthcare nursing industry where associate nurses work unlike in areas where patients get services from baccalaureate degree nurses. In conclusion, although the two approaches aims at providing health care knowledge to nurses, the four year program offers best programs compared to the two year program. Students who go for four year program have the capacity to help patients in a better way compared to nurses who take the two year course programs, (Aiken et al, 2009), (Aiken et al, 2009).
Reference:
Aiken, L.H., Cheung, R.B. & Olds, D.M. (2009). Education policy initiatives to address the nurse shortage in the United States. Retrieved from, http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.28.4.w646, November 7, 2012
Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V. & Day, L. (2009). Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement ofTeach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press
Tri-Council for Nursing. (2010). Educational advancement of registered nurses: A consensus position.
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