NRS 440VN Grand Canyon University BSN Nurses Discussion Responses

You will also explore the differences between the Doctor of Nursing (DNP) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Various educational levels in nursing, their effect on patient care outcomes, and career opportunities will also be discussed this week.

Objectives

1. Discuss the importance of advanced nursing education and lifelong learning to the nursing profession.

2. Evaluate the correlation between continued education and competency, attitudes, and knowledge in the nursing profession.

The IOM published report, “Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” makes recommendations for lifelong learning and achieving higher levels of education.

In your paper, examine the importance of nursing education and discuss your overall educational goals.

Include the following:

1. Discuss your options in the job market based on your educational level.

2. Review the IOM Future of Nursing Recommendations for achieving higher levels of education. Describe what professional certification and advanced degrees (MSN, DNP, etc.) you want to pursue and explain your reasons for wanting to attain the education. Discuss your timeline for accomplishing these goals.

3. Discuss how increasing your level of education would affect your competitiveness in the current job market and your role in the future of nursing.

4. Discuss the relationship of continuing nursing education to competency, attitudes, knowledge, and the ANA Scope and Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics.

5. Discuss whether continuing nursing education should be mandatory. Provide support for your response.

You are required to cite a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and relevant to nursing practice.

Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

The multiple healthcare settings are requiring their standard to have Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing because patient outcomes improve when taken care by nurses that are more educated. According to a study conducted by Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (2014), patient death rate declines by seven percent after surgery by having a ten percent increase in nurses with Bachelor’s degrees.

There was an article posted on Nurse.com stating that nurses make knowledgeable decisions regarding patient care with higher education. There was an article posted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation stating that educated nurses can navigate the healthcare system with complexities (More Education for Nurses, 2018).BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) nurses have better skills than ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) in areas like- communication, problem solving, assessment of nursing interventions, establishment of nursing diagnosis, research, developing relation with patients (Joseph, 2019).

A research conducted at University of Benin Teaching hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. The aim of this research was to assess how patient safety and quality of care were affected by nurses’ level of education. The sample size consisted of 265 nurses out of 759 nurses in that hospital. The data collected by asking questions regarding demographics and 5 point Likert scale to assess patient outcomes. It took 2 weeks to collect data.

The differential and inferential statistics performed like mean, standard deviation, chi-square at 0.05 level of significance. The nurse participants gave information on benefits and purpose of study. It was analyzed through this study that how Diploma nurses and Bachelor of nursing science affect patient outcomes. The results of this study prove that better patient outcomes with higher levels of education of nurses (Olaolorun, et al, 2019).

In my opinion, nursing education and nursing experience both play a part for better patient outcomes from my own experience. I felt that I also needed experience besides education being a new graduate entering nursing career. I do not agree with this research article that patient outcomes only improved by achievement of higher levels of education by nurses.

Reference

● Joseph, M. (2019, May 10). Patient Safety Outcomes between AND and BSN Nurses.

Retrieved from-

https://thenursingace.com/patient-safety-outcomes-between-adn-and-bsn-nurses/

● More Education for Nurses Equals Better Outcomes for Patients. (2018, March 13).

Retrieved from-

https://degree.astate.edu/articles/nursing/more-education-better-outcomes-patients.aspx

● Olaolorun, O., Oduyemi, R. O. , Oluwatosin, M. O., & Osian, E. A. (2019). Assessment of Nurses Level of Education and Patient Outcome in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City Nigeria. International Journal of Caring sciences, 12(3), 1593-1599.

DQ 2

Jinalben Shah 4 posts

Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

Education is an empowerment tool that arms people with the knowledge they require to execute certain duties within a stipulated level. Nursing education is indispensable in the practice and is directly related to positive patient outcomes (Smith, 2003). The nursing degree prepares nurses for the demanding roles that a nurse is expected to fulfill in the line of duty; it makes them competent through health promotion, case management, leadership, critical thinking,evidence-based care and research among others. This is coupled with the experience they garner as they put their knowledge into use. Research has shown that patients who are attended to by BSN prepared nurses show better outcomes

A research conducted in 2013 showed that hospitals that had a higher number of baccalaureate or graduate degree nurses experienced a decreased occurrence of heart failure mortality, postoperative deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (Blegen, Goode, Park, Vaughn & Spetz, 2013). It further indicated that patients had shorter hospital stay periods than in hospitals where the nurses fell short of these educational qualifications.

This is as a result of the preparation that the BSN nurses go through concerning the different case management approaches as well as adhering to certain safety measures in avoidance of errors and unexpected complications in patients (Blegen, 2013). A different study that was conducted in 300 hospitals across Europe where different patients had surgeries and were cared for by nurses with different qualifications.

The research found out that where nurse staffing was appropriate and the percentage of bachelor’s degree nurses was 60%, the hospitals experienced about 30% lower mortality than patients in hospitals in which only 30% of nurses had bachelor’s degrees (Aiken, Sloane, Bruyneel, Van den Heede, Griffiths, Busse & McHugh, 2014). These two studies and many more show that nursing education is directly related to positive patient outcomes.

References

● Smith, J. (2003). Exploring the value of continuing education mandates. NCSBN Research Brief, 6, located on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website. URL:https://www.ncsbn.org/CEStudy.pdf

● Blegen, M. A., Goode, C. J., Park, S. H., Vaughn, T., & Spetz, J. (2013). Baccalaureate education in nursing and patient outcomes. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(2), 89-94.

● Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D. M., Bruyneel, L., Van den Heede, K., Griffiths, P., Busse, R &

McHugh, M. D. (2014). Nurse staffing and education and hospital mortality in nine European countries: a retrospective observational study. The Lancet, 383(9931), 1824-1830.

DQ 3

Francis Nzinga Nzinga 2 posts

Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

To be competent, nurses must have the training and the education necessary to have a positive impact on the patient outcome. Today, the majority of the interprofessional medical teams already have a minimum bachelor education. So, having more and more BSN-prepared nurses is only a natural progression within the field. This does not mean that ADN nurses are not competent. It only means that the needed attributes and skill sets are expanding in order to catch up with an ever-changing health care environment.

The push for BSN-prepared nurses has a solid basis. There is growing evidence that nurse staffing affects the quality of care in hospitals. Several studies, such as the one by The National Center for Biotechnology Information has shown that hospitals with a higher percentage of nurses with a BSN or higher level degree have lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates, especially when it comes to surgical patients. Therefore, it is no surprise that The Magnet Recognition Program, considered the highest recognition for nursing excellence, is awarded to hospitals that encourage their nurses to think about the value of what they do and how they can unlock their full potential.

Entry level for those hospitals is BSN. These are all principles. In real life, I have seen many nurses with ADN more competent and more experienced than most nurses with BSN.

References

● Goode, C. et al. (2011). Comparison of Patient Outcomes in Magnet and Non-Magnet Hospitals. The Journal of Nursing Administration. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/Abstract/2011/12000/Comparison_of_Patient_Outco mes_in_Magnet and.7.aspx

DQ 4

Samantha Malouff 1 posts

Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

There is a correlation between nursing education and positive patient outcomes. “The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national voice for academic nursing, believes that education has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nurse clinician, as it does for all healthcare providers.” (The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice, 2019, para. 1)

Nurses that have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree are preferred for hire in many hospitals and organizations because there is a great emphasis on the use of critical-thinking skills, case management, health promotion and prevention, leadership, and their flexibility to work in many health care settings. With the wide-range of skills that BSN-prepared nurses possess, patient safety and care are enhanced so that optimal patient outcomes can be reached and patient mortality rates are reduced.

By increasing the proportion of BSN-prepared nurses in the workforce in an inpatient hospital setting, there are lower rates of decubitus ulcers and congestive heart failure mortality (What is the Link Between BSN Nurses and Patient Outcomes?, 2020). Based on research, I can say I am more in favor of obtaining a BSN to facilitate better patient outcomes, but I don’t feel it is one hundred percent necessary. However, based on real-life experiences, I have noticed some BSN-prepared nurses in my hospital make significant errors compared to the ADN nurses. This is just one example that comes to mind.

Over a year ago in the ICU, two BSN-prepared nurses had taken care of a patient on a ventilator and were on a Versed drip. For nearly two days, two BSN nurses cared for this patient

and the Versed drip was infused at the wrong amount and the patient was severely over-dosed with this medication. An ADN nurse caught the mistake days later. I understand that we are all human and errors will be made, but this was a large mistake and the patient ultimately suffered the consequences.

References

● The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. (2019). American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Retrieved August 30, 2020, from

aacnnursing.org/News-information/Fact-Sheets/Impact-of-Education

● What Is The Link Between BSN Nurses And Patient Outcomes? (2020, January 10).

Northeastern State University. Retrieved August 30, 2020, from nursingonline.nsuok.edu

DQ 5

Jinalben Shah 3 posts

Re: Topic 3 DQ 2

While DNP and PhD in Nursing are both research-based programs, their difference is defined by their applications. The DNP adds onto the normal master’s degree by further developing on evidence-based practice, quality improvement and leadership (Thomas, 2018). All the knowledge gained is applied in the implementation of the research developed by nurses who pursue the PhD option.

It gives an opportunity to nurses who wish to reach the highest level of scientific knowledge and continue with their practice by the bedside or as leaders who advance the quality and safety of

patients for best outcomes. On the other hand, PhD in Nursing majors in original research that adds to the theoretical framework of nursing, which is used to expand the nursing practice knowledge. It is thus research-focused and has a great impact on the development of the nursing practice as we know it (Thomas, 2018).

I would choose to pursue the DNP in Nursing as I have always been passionate about giving direct care to patients. For me, nursing is a calling and I feel more fulfilled when I serve by the bedside, or in a role that makes this service safer, and of improved quality. In my goal of self-improvement in the nursing profession, I intend to engage in the life-long search for knowledge and this necessitates that I pursue the DNP among any other opportunities that will come my way. Any time I gain new knowledge on how I can better the experience of my patients and improve the nursing practice in general for best patient outcomes, I gain a new level of satisfaction in knowing that I am fulfilling my purpose.

References

● Thomas, J. (2018). Professional Development in nursing. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.). Trends in healthcare: A nursing perspective. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs440vn/trends-in-health-care-a-nursing-perspective/v1.1/#/chapter/3

DQ 6

Francis Nzinga Nzinga 1 posts

Re: Topic 3 DQ 2

Both a PhD and DNP are considered terminal degrees for nurses, and both degrees demonstrate that the nurse is a clinical expert in his or her field. However, there are differences between the two. The DNP is a degree that focuses on clinical practice. It advances nurses’

understanding of nursing practice and generally has a curriculum that emphasizes both clinical and leadership skills.

The American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) suggested that the DNP should become the terminal degree for nurse practitioners by 2015, a change from the previously recommended MSN. The Ph.D. focuses on academic research and prepares nurses to develop new, evidence-based knowledge for the nursing profession.

The advent of PhD programs focusing on nursing science allowed nurses to develop research skills and test theories relating to nursing practice that would later contribute to the existing body of nursing knowledge and the standards of practice used by nurses across clinical settings. If I was to choose a route, I would go with the PhD because I would like to become a Nurse researcher and focus on the discovery of new knowledge. I want to bring my passion to be an effective transformational leader in healthcare research and healthcare policies.

References

● Bucceri, A. (2020). What’s the Difference Between a PhD and DNP in Nursing?

Retrieved from https://www.registerednursing.org/answers/difference-phd-dnp-nursing/

NRS 440VN Grand Canyon University BSN Nurses Discussion Responses