PROS AND CONS OF BSN Degree Entry TO Nursing Practice PDF

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PROS OF BSN ENTRY TO NURSING PRACTICE For a long time, the entry level of education for professional practice as a registered nurse has been a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree (BSN). This was proposed by The Goldmark Report in 1923 and proponents have ways of finding positives in this route to nursing practice. However, this has raised serious debates regarding the entry level. Personally, I feel that the BSN should not be the minimum entry for nursing because health care delivery is changing, and there is a need for a change in preparation of the entry-level professional nurses. The BSN degree allows more opportunities for employment, increased responsibility, and career progression. However, it should not be the only the entry-level credential into nursing. Let us look at some of its benefits. One of the main pros of a BSN degree is that it prepares students to have skills of critical thinking and gives them deeper knowledge of the factors that impact delivery of health care. Therefore it prepares them for practice beyond the fundamental practice. For example, it paves a way for administrative and supervisory capacity that is not open to those who have a diploma or an associate’s degree. Moreover, it opens a way for further education or an advanced practice[ CITATION Ame95 \l 2057 ]. Another advantage of a BSN degree is that for the students who would wish to pursue a Masters degree, they complete the program in a short duration than those advancing from the other two levels mentioned earlier. This is because they are exempted some part of the coursework they had covered in BSN. Finally, majority of employers prefer nurses with BSN degree to the ones with diploma or associate’s degree. Moreover, they are highly paid because employers offer bonuses to these nurses and a higher salary. Payscale.com provided 2014 data showing that there is a huge difference in salaries between nurses with BSN degree and those with a diploma or an associate degree. The later ones normally a median monthly pay of $39,100 while a BSN holder normally earns in excess of $69,000 per month[ CITATION Car14 \l 2057 ]. Many people have raised concerns on the requirements necessary for entry to the nursing practice but of utmost importance is that despite the differences, the choices available share a common denominator which is “The Patient.” Nonetheless, I am personally among the many people against a BSN degree qualification as an entry mark to nursing practice.

References Kosicek, C. (2014). Nurses, jobs and money : a guide to advancing your nursing career and salary. Mustang: Tate Publishing and Enterprises LLC. Nursing, A. A. (1995). A model for differentiated nursing practice. Washington, D.C: American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

CONS OF BSN ENTRY TO NURSING PRACTICE For a long time, the main minimum education level been necessary to begin practicing as a registered nurse, especially in the United States has been a bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN. But with a diploma or as an associate degree, one can also get an opportunity to practice in some clinical settings. However, many have advocated for the BSN to be the BSN degree qualification as an entry mark to nursing practice. However, I am against this because there are so many barriers that would inhibit one fro getting such a degree — the main ones being financial and geographical challenges. Even those with associate degrees or diplomas should also be allowed to practice then further education to a BSN degree with time. Achieving a BSN in nursing costs a lot of money in the fee and resources spent over the degree program. Actually this program consumes twice as much money in the course of the four years in school. The structure and requirements for this course makes it very costly to partake. It constitutes an evidence-based practice which is expensive to achieve and other requirements for leadership skills through coursework which include population based care, statistics and research which cost a heavy investment. Those without enough money to fund this course but still have a passion for nursing practice can fulfil their dreams through a cheap two-year diploma course. In their discussion about the motivators of an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) course, Sarver, Chichra and Kline (2015) argued that majority of the nurses choose this program over the baccalaureate program as a result of inadequate finances. They therefore result to community college as it is less costly, and offers no burdening financially than a student pursuing BSN at a University College[ CITATION JoA14 \l 2057 ]. Another major implication of the high costs is the fact that one might likely finish studies with a huge debt of student loan that they took when studying. These people might struggle with these loans for a considerable period of time. A BSN program consumes a lot of time and requires a lot of commitment to complete. This course runs for two years and is full of technical requirements such as evidence based practice, research among others which are not needed in the ADN program. BSN HAS a tight schedule and therefore becomes problematic for those with young kids and those working. The other means of entry into nursing practice offer people a necessary and desirable flexibility to be at work and to be with their family and still achieve it in a period of 2 years[ CITATION Pat17 \l 2057 ]. Moreover, being in school for four years means that one spends two full years outside workforce.

There are many schools offering Nursing programs differently, for example in the US. Different universities differ in terms of their curriculum. This gives rise to many challenges and inconsistency in the way nursing is taught and perception of professional nurses by other professions[ CITATION Koz92 \l 2057 ] . Besides, challenges reach as far as the hospital environment as well. BSN degree holders such as managers, administrators, supervisors are not as flexible as ADN nurses in scheduling. Therefore, they cannot work for the days when these nurses are off for school purposes such as attending classes or doing assignment[ CITATION Bar11 \l 2057 ]. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook and to the shock of many proponents of a BSN degree course, the monthly pay of entry-level registered nurses is not always to a large extent different irrespective of having a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree. Nurses with the former might start at a slightly higher monthly pay in some jobs (not all) but then it may not be adequate to cover the cost spent and the two years spent away from working[ CITATION Int11 \l 2057 ]. Moreover, some institutions and healthcare facilities do not allow any difference in the way they pay their nursing staff meaning that the extra education in this case will not be rewarded. Therefore even though the nursing degree is important, those with an associate degree or diploma should not be barred from practising. They can advance to BSN while practising.

References Barnum, B. S. (2011). Spirituality in nursing : the challenges of complexity. New York: Springer. International., S. T. (2011). The power of ten, 2011-2013 : nurse leaders address the profession's ten most pressing issues. Indanapolis: Sigma Theta Tau International. Kozier, B., Erb, G. L., & Blais, K. (1992). Nursing perspectives and issues (Vol. 2). Redwood City: Addison-Wesley Nursing. Long, P. R. (2017). Exploration of the Impact of BSN Education on Current Nursing Practice as Perceived by RNs Who Have Returned to School to Obtain a BSN. Ann Arbor: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Zerwekh, J. G., & Garneau, A. Z. (2014). Nursing today : transition and trends. Maryland Heights: Elsevier/Saunders....