Key Issue in Nursing Education



Key IssueHilary J. EdmondsonFerris State UniversityAbstractThe knowledge, skills, and responsibilities of nurses continue to change as the technology and health care of society advances. With these changes should come advancement in nursing education and the emphasis on continued education. The purpose of this paper is to look at a key issue facing the advanced practice specialty of nursing education. This issue looks at the requirements for nurses to have their Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree to ensure that nurses maintain their role as a clinical leader and critical thinker. It should no longer be optional for nurses to pursue their BSN, yet it should be a requirement. This should be an issue that requires nurse leaders to advocate for this change to effectively address this issue and to inspire others to see this value. Key Issue in Nursing EducationA current challenge in health care that nurse leaders are facing looks at the requirements for nurses to have their BSN degree, whether it is at the time of hire, or within so many years of being hired. This key issue looks at the future of nursing and that advanced degrees will no longer be optional. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), health care reform demands a system that is evidence-based, cost-effective, and offers the highest quality of care (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2012). The newer models of care delivery must be innovative and the health care leaders must be highly-educated in evidenced-based practice and research to attain these goals. In past history, the profession of nursing has accommodated immediate demands by lowering the educational requirements (Marshall, 2011). Nurses are basically the only health care profession where it is acceptable to practice with only an associate degree. The nursing profession has a significant responsibility for critical care in illness and injury, health maintenance, and health promotion, yet a four-year college degree is not a prerequisite (Marshall, 2011). As the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, AACN is following the IOM’s recommendations to increase the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees from 50% to 80% by the year 2020 and to encourage nurses with associate degrees and diplomas to enter baccalaureate programs within five years of graduation (AACN, 2012). In order to inspire nurses to obtain their BSN, the research must be supportive of this challenge that nurses are facing. The research must provide evidence that education does make a difference in clinical practice. Challenge: Finding a BSN ProgramOne of the challenges that Associate Degree Nurses (ADN) face is being able to get accepted into an advanced education program. In 2007, the AACN conducted a survey on enrollment and graduation from BSN programs and it showed seven consecutive years of enrollment gains (National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, 2010). While the demand for nurses is growing faster than enrollment in nursing schools, nursing education programs are being forced to turn away thousands of qualified applicants (Buerhaus, Staiger, & Auerbach, 2004). In 2007, nursing schools in the United States turned away over 30,000 qualified applicants from BSN programs because of insufficient numbers of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, budget constraints, and lack of clinical instructors (AACN, 2007). Value of the BSN NurseNurses of this decade and of the future, not only have to be technologically prepared, they must be ready to integrate through research and advanced evaluation skills. Nursing education beyond an ADN degree does make a difference in clinical practice. Nurses who hold a BSN degree have better patient outcomes, such as lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates, and are more proficient in their ability to make nursing diagnoses and evaluate nursing interventions (AACN, 2012). Through a BSN education, it introduces students to a wider range of competencies in such arenas as health policy and health care financing, community and public health, leadership, and quality improvement (National Academy of Science, 2011). As patient care continues to become more complex with having to make critical decisions on sicker patients with advanced life-saving technology, combined with skills analysis systems, nurses who are able to coordinate care through delegation, research and education, are the ones that are able to deliver the most effective care. The Need to Address This IssueEducators of ADN programs must start promoting the benefits of advanced degrees to nursing students. Employers must offer assistance, encouragement and support to promote the BSN nurse. BSN nurses should be able to have a better choice at jobs, higher salaries, and broader career path opportunities. Nursing educators employed by hospitals should be offering assistance to the ADN nurses to get them enrolled in BSN programs and help to find tuition assistance programs and scholarships. Encouraging the use of fully on-line BSN programs work best for nurses who are working full-time and who have other family and personal obligations. Advanced-degree funding should be provided by facilities as a way to encourage nurses to further their education. A firm timeline in which a BSN degree is obtained should be clearly defined at the time of hire and part of the employer’s admission details. While the need of nurses continues to grow, it may be difficult to require all newly hired registered nurses (RNs) to have a BSN degree at the time of hire, it should definitely be completed within a specified number of years after graduation.So what about the nurses that have been employed for ten years or longer who are basically “grandfathered in”, should the by encouraged to get their BSN, but not mandated? These “older” nurses are most likely not interested in going to school and figuring out on-line college courses. There needs to be some sort of incentive for this group of nurses to make them want to obtain their BSN besides the fact of improving their critical thinking skills and health care research. Employers should offer higher salaries for the BSN nurse versus the ADN nurse. Support groups such as study sessions or computer-based discussion boards should be offered by hospital educators to assist those to get together to discuss their college course. ConclusionIn conclusion, the future of nursing looks at advanced degrees as being the new requirement by employers. However, due to budget constraints, low numbers of nursing educators, and lack of clinical sites, the BSN nurse faces some challenges in ensuring the completion of this degree. If new nurses are to succeed in this complex and evolving health care system, nursing education needs to be transformed and encouraged. To address this challenge, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education should work with U.S. nursing programs to support the goal of having all RNs prepared at the BSN level or higher to improve quality and safety in healthcare in the United States (National Advisory Board on Nurse Education and Practice, 2010). Through supporting entry and progression to the BSN degree, increasing funding, increasing the number of nursing faculty and clinical instructors, as well as fostering academic and practice partnership, this key issue facing the future of nursing will be more easily addressed. References BIBLIOGRAPHY American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Policy Brief. Retrieved from: Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2007, December). Press release: Enrollmentgrowth slows at U.S. nursing colleges and universities in 2007 despite calls for moreregistered nurses. Retrieved from: , P. I., Staiger, D. O., & Auerbach, D. I. (2004, November). New signs of astrengthening U.S. nurse labor market? Health Affairs (Project Hope), Supplement: WebExclusive, W4-526-533. Retrieved from: Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice. (2010, March). Addressing new challenges facing nursing education: Solutions for transforming healthcare environment, 8th annual report. Retrieved from: , E. (2011). Transformational leadership in nursing. Springer: New York, NY. National Academy of Science. (2011, January). The future of nursing: Focus on education. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Retrieved from: ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download