Importance Of Education And Advancement In Nursing

Nursing is more than a profession taught by science. It is an art that the nurse refines through the creative use of oneself based on the skills and expertise, to transmit emotions and meaning to the patient. Nursing is a process that is subjective and requires interpretation, sensitivity, imagination and active participation. A core skill utilized by a nurse is advocacy, both for our patients and our profession. Our profession requires participation of advocacy at all levels of nursing, starting at the bedside and continuing all the way to nurses in legislation. To be a proficient patient advocate, the nurse must be able to assess the patient’s constant change in physical, psychological, spiritual, and social needs. I apply my knowledge

This “incorporates the roles of assessing, critical thinking, communicating, providing care, teaching and leading” (Grand Canyon University, para. 7). I also believe that an individual’s maturity over a four-year period has time to evolve with the concepts of critical thinking and decision making the BSN framework offers. The difference in cost and time from ADN to BSN programs is a deciding factor in many educational decisions. The economy and decrease in job opportunities has driven many into the nursing profession that may not have initially considered it a career option. Sadly, I believe that has contributed to the lack of interest in pursing an advanced education. The professional choice wasn’t driven out of a motivation to help humanity or a sense of altruism; it was merely an employment opportunity.

They determined that patients needing surgery have a "substantial survival advantage" (Aiken, Clark, Cheung, Sloan, & Silber, 2003) if treated in hospitals with higher ratios of nurses educated at the baccalaureate degree level. They too determined through this research that the more nurses holding BSN degrees help decrease the risk of patients dying and the ability to determine the patient is in distress. This research provides the evidence that nurses with a BSN degree have a better comprehension in their ability to formulate nursing diagnoses and evaluate nursing interventions. (Giger & Davidhizar, 1990) BSN degree nurses also demonstrate improved professional integration and research/evaluation skills. (The Future of Nursing:Leading Change, Advancing Health, 2012)

Multiple studies have linked professionalism with high amounts of education (Blaney 1986, Jacobs and Bishop 1998, Hess 1996). Other professions such as lawyers, physicians, architects, etc. maintain a high-standardized level of education in which nursing fails to do so. The American Nurse Association (ANA) committee published a position paper that compared nursing to other professions and recommended that the ADN is not sufficient for this profession (Jacobs and Bishop 1998). Jacobs and Bishop (1998) made a point by stating that “the education of professional nurses must take place in institutions of higher learning with a bachelor of science in nursing degree required for beginning professional practice as they should be socialized with philosophic and value system that is compatible with this role” (p. 226). Nursing is an evolving profession where they must be able to utilize their critical thinking skills in order to “assess, diagnose, intervene, evaluate, be a leader, deliver evidence-based care and know how to research and interpret that evidence. These competencies are only achievable through higher education with the baccalaureate level being the launching point” (Tollick, 2013, p. 4).

In today’s healthcare system, nursing is a challenging field as a result of rapid technological advances and changes in healthcare policies. As a dedicated nursing professional, with a great passion for learning, I strive to stay on top of these changes. I am determined to increase my knowledge to be an instrumental part of providing quality healthcare. The demands of nursing are high; however the rewards are even higher. Nursing requires both a supreme understanding of the science of health, and a caring bedside manner befitting only those who seek a position of such a personal involvement in the well-being of a patient. Academically, I will put forth all of

Background - The modern nurse has a rewarding, but extra challenging, career. The role of the 21st century nurse is not limited to assisting physicians, but to be more of a partner with both the doctor and patient as an advocate, teacher, researcher, counselor, case manager, and of course, caregiver. Because of the complexities of the marketplace, HMOs, governmental structure, rising costs, lack of adequate staff and support, the nurse must rely on a number of tools in order to be effective and successful. The nurse must have the ability to analyze materials from other nurses and scholars, and must remain current with both scholarship and practice. It is therefore advantageous for the nurse to have access to understanding many of the theoretical templates that nursing scholarship has to offer. While unlikely that a nurse will utilize only one theoretical view, the more robust the toolbox, the better the nurse will be able to handle difficult situations (Kozier, Erb and Blais, 1997).

Healthcare systems and the way safe, quality health care is delivered are continually changing to better serve patients and communities. Professional nursing practice is a large component in the healthcare system today. Back in the 1960s, professional nursing leaders tried to adopt the bachelor degree programs as the only educational track to become a registered nurse (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Due to nursing shortages and demands this motive did not hold fast. Individuals entering the nursing profession today must first decide which educational pathway to take to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

Nursing is about providing the best possible holistic care for the patient and family. At the same time there’s an imbalance of patient care regarding education and knowledge being provided by nurses. As a nurse I believe we all owe it to ourselves, the profession, and the patient to provide the best possible care. According to American Nurses Association (ANA) online article “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” In order to better achieve the nursing ideals of the American Nurses Association we must improve patient care by requiring hospital nurses to become BSN nurses.

Nursing can be a demanding career, but the benefits far much outweigh the challenges. Most importantly, it’s the rewards it offers by allowing an opportunity to make a difference in another person’s life through the provision of care when they need it. Just as Patricia Benner theorized in her book “Novice to Expert,” nursing encompasses both educational knowledge and extensive clinical experience acquired throughout one’s career. This far, I continue to acquire knowledge and clinical knowhow which will promote proper and efficient care to patients. Since I began practicing one year ago in a long-term healthcare facility, I have interacted with patients, families, physicians and other members of the healthcare team to coordinate patient’s care which has enabled me to gain confidence in myself. While I cannot deny that it was difficult to transition from a student to a licensed nurse, I learnt to overcome these challenges and focus on my strengths. Practicing as an LPN has provided a platform to learn and gain experience even though the duties and responsibilities are limited by the scope of practice.

My three goals for this course are as follows: to better understand the current legal and ethical climate of health care and specifically nursing, to be aware of that climate as I enter clinical, and to understand how I as a nurse can work to make the system more ethical. I chose these three goals, because they provide me with the opportunity to first learn about the current legal and ethical climate of nursing from an academic standpoint while examining how that knowledge translates to what I’m experiencing in clinical. My last goal is reflection-focused, and will allow me to take 5101 course content with me as I move forward as a professional nurse. I plan to accomplish these goals by being present in class preparation, lecture, and seminar,

Recent research has shown that hospitals and health care organizations that employ a higher number of bachelors prepared nurses see better patient outcomes as a result of the nurse having a greater capacity to practice (Impact of Education, n.d.). Studies have shown that bachelors prepared nurses practice more confidently and as a result can react faster to patient situations resulting in better outcomes (Impact of Education, n.d.). Also a bachelor’s prepared nurse is trained more extensively in “clinical, scientific, decision making, and humanistic skills, including preparation in community health, patient education, and nursing management and leadership” (Baccalaureate Degree, 2001) The education that patients get in how to care for themselves after leaving the hospital leads to better outcomes once they are gone and less recurrence of

Currently, I am two steps away from obtaining my BSN and once completed, I will pursue a Master’s Degree in Education. Since I am commitment to lifelong learning, I will equip myself with the necessary tools and resources that I need to succeed. According to (Finkleman, 2012, p.15), nurse leaders innovate, initiate, empower and compel others with their creative vision and translate that vision into action.” Therefore, from an ethical perspective I pledge to advocate for those patients who do not have a voice or a support system. The rights and confidentiality of all patients will be

Modern nursing is a rewarding, but challenging, career choice. The modern nurse's role is not limited only to assist the doctor in procedures, however. Instead, the contemporary nursing professional takes on a partnership role with both the doctor and patient as advocate caregiver, teacher, researcher, counselor, and case manager. The caregiver role includes those activities that assist the client physically, mentally, and emotionally, while still preserving the client's dignity. In order for a nurse to be an effective caregiver, the patient must be treated in a holistic manner. Within the subject of nursing, there are often times in which different aspects of the practice must be analyzed by using primary research from other scholars. Nursing scholarship is vital to the profession, as we have seen, in order for the modern nurse to remain current with scholarship and practice. At the very core of this paradigm, though, is the manner in which the blend of art and science in nursing will be expressed to others, to the next generation, and through pedagogical theory (Alligood & Tomey, 2002). To do this, however, requires a new approach to the paradigm of nursing leadership strategic thinking, planning and action and above all appropriate integration of a more holistic and multidisciplinary approach to professional nursing.

I am a recent baccalaureate graduate of Charleston Southern University. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May of 2015. On June 20, 2015, I received my NCLEX-RN results and became a registered nurse in the state of South Carolina. After considering my options for a graduate program, I happily accepted my offer from Case Western Reserve University and moved to Cleveland to pursue my graduate studies. Over the course of my undergraduate career, theories were included in the curriculum but not in depth. It is for this reason that I am excited to partake in this course – to learn the foundational and applicable theories of the nursing profession.

There is no doubt that the health care system is constantly changing and working to improve its flaws, to the best of its ability. Whether nurses like it or not we are a part of the ever changing health care system. “With more than 3 million members, the nursing profession is the largest segment of the nation’s health care workforce” (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 1). The Institute of Medicine believes that nurses should be active in transforming the profession of nursing, along with the health care system. Regardless, of backgrounds, race, and age all nurses can contribute to the future of the nursing profession. The following paper will discuss the Institute of Medicine’s nursing expectations and recommendations, as well as the opportunity to becoming a clinical nurse instructor.