Nursing Scope of Practice for the Associate Degree in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Nurses.

Nursing scope of practice for the AND and BSN Nurses.

The nursing practice evolution has been dynamic and transformative over the years as it has transited from fundamental caregiving to high-quality healthcare and evidence-based practice. These changes in the nursing profession have led to the development of the nursing practice allowing nurses to undertake specialized roles such as clinical specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners. Moreover, nurses are involved in the provision of comprehensive care to the patients as well as patient-oriented care which encourages not only physical well-being but highlights the emotional, social, and cultural aspects. Therefore, as a result of nursing practice evolution, nurses can collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, engage in patient empowerment, and utilize modern technology and analysis-driven interventions to provide extensive care connected to specific individual needs ( Dang, et al., 2021).

The differentiated practice competence connecting the Associate Degree in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing education shows differing measures in preparation and acquiring of new skills. Several comparisons within these competencies explain how the nursing practice evolves between the associate degree in nursing and the Bachelor of Science in nursing. In the AND training program, the nurses are trained to acquire the technical skills required for entry-level clinical practice. In contrast, in BSN training programs, the nurses are trained to acquire advanced clinical skills such as community health and research skills ( Wholihan, et al., 2021).

The AND nurses possess clinical training skills such as competent bedside care and assistance in patient management. On the other side, BSN nurses are trained to possess skills such as critical thinking and the ability to make complicated clinical decisions. Unlike the AND training program, which offers fundamental nursing concepts, the BSN training program offers deep nursing concepts as it emphasizes research, which enables nurses to amalgamate evidence-based practice into their care. BSN nurses are better equipped compared to AND nurses. Therefore, they can make complex clinical decisions and utilize evidence-based research findings in patient care, hence reflecting a higher quality of nursing practice( Wholihan et al., 2021).

In a situation where we are presented with a diabetes patient, the AND nurses would majorly focus on the provision of direct patient care. The AND nurses would be required to engage in the administration of medication, implementation of physician-prescribed interventions, and monitoring of vital signs. The decision-making of the AND nurses would revolve around the identification and addressing of the current issues, including blood pressure and blood sugar level stabilization. Additionally, they would collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, thus making their roles more task-centred (Alshammari, et al., 2019). The BSN nurse would take a comprehensive approach by taking into account not only the physical condition of the patient but also the emotional, social, and environmental issues compromising their well-being. The BSN nurses engage in advanced critical thinking as they evaluate the enduring care needs and the possible medication administration and gauge whether the patient can manage their chronic condition at home. Furthermore, the BSN nurses might engage in collaborating with other health workers to provide advanced patient care as well as educate the patient on self-management approaches(Alshammari, et al., 2019).

The application of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing care is of great importance as it ensures that the patient care provided by the nurses is founded on the outstanding available research, clinical professionalism, and patient inclinations. The evidence-based approach results in better patient results, enhanced safety, and more efficient healthcare service delivery ( Dang, et al., 2021). The RN-BSN nurses are better equipped to carry out EBP due to their acquisition of specialized education. The BSN training programs equip them with complex skills such as critical thinking, research education, and a deeper comprehension of nursing theory and analysis methods. The acquired knowledge enables the RN-BSN nurses to critically evaluate and apply the most recent evidence in their daily caregiving practice (Sitzman, et al., 2020). Therefore, the RN-BSN programs highlight the importance of evidence-based practice as it results in improved patient service delivery.

Nurses in the healthcare system are involved in comprehensive communication and collaboration within multidisciplinary healthcare teams. Communication and collaboration are crucial in improving patient safety and outcomes. In such situations, nurses share their nursing expertise while valuing the inputs of the other team members, such as pharmacists, social workers, physicians, and therapists. The aspect of collaboration is significant in a healthcare facility as it leads to extensive patient evaluation, accurate patient diagnosis, and the development of a comprehensive care plan. Additionally, the approach helps to identify and minimize possible patient complications, and medication administration errors and ensures that each team member’s insights are carefully utilized for advanced patient care delivery (Bachynsky, 2019). Therefore, it is evident that collaboration not only enhances nursing decision-making but also improves the holistic quality and safety of patient care thus resulting in improved outcomes and patient contentedness.

References

Alshammari, M., Adams, G., Windle, R., & Bowskill, D. (2019). The role of nurses in diabetes care in Kuwait: A review. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolism, 10(03). https://doi.org/10.35248/2155-6156.19.10.821

Bachynsky, N. (2019). Implications for policy: The Triple Aim, quadruple aim, and interprofessional collaboration. Nursing Forum, 55(1), 54-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12382

Dang, D., Dearholt, S. L., Bissett, K., Ascenzi, J., & Whalen, M. (2021). Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals: Model and guidelines (4th ed.). Sigma Theta Tau.

Sitzman, K., Carpenter, T., & Cherry, K. (2020). Student perceptions related to immediate workplace usefulness of RN-to-BSN program content. Nurse Educator, 45(5), 265-268. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000775

Wholihan, D., Tilley, C., & Rudden, A. (2021). Fundamental skills and education for the generalist and specialist palliative APRN. Advanced Practice Palliative Nursing 2nd Edition, 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197559321.003.0002