Introduction
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is an organization that develops eminent standards for nursing practice and education. The institution presents evidence-based concepts to improve different health care delivery models (Anbari, 2015). AACN promotes nursing education through continuous research and inclusion of different stakeholders. The association has defined several roles that should be pursued by nurse practitioners. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of the three major roles of professional nurses at the BSN level.
The Major Three Roles of the Professional Nurse at the BSN Level
Nurses with a BSN degree are prepared to exploit different proficiencies to support the health needs of their respective patients. They should be in a position to use evidence-based concepts to deliver quality, timely, and safe patient care. Such professionals use their competencies to provide care across the lifespan and support the needs of diverse populations (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008). AACN has condensed most of these requirements to come up with three unique roles. These responsibilities are described below.
Provider of Care
Professional nurses at the BSN level are providers of indirect and direct care to their patients. This role guides them to act as patient educators and advocates (Owens, 2017). The professional nurse is expected to create positive partnerships with targeted patients. The anticipated patients include community members, underserved populations, families, and vulnerable groups. The established partnership guides nurses to deliver high-quality, timely, and safe medical support. The involvement of the targeted patient guides nurses to make evidence-based decisions.
Nurses should use a holistic approach to deliver quality care. Matthias (2015) indicates that holistic care is usually comprehensive since it focuses on the individual’s emotions, experiences, body, and mind. The patient is guided throughout the care delivery process to re-pattern his or her energy fields. The meta paradigms of nursing can guide practitioners to maximize the patient’s outcomes. Competent nurses can offer high-quality care in different settings such as communities and families (Caldwell & Grobbel, 2013). They should also monitor the major determinants of health in the surrounding environment to foster quality health outcomes.
Designer, Coordinator, and Manager of Care
Nurses prepared at the BSN-level are furnished with adequate knowledge and skills to design efficient care delivery models. The professional can use his or her leadership abilities to delegate specific tasks to different followers (Anbari, 2015). The targeted healthcare practitioners are then mentored and supervised to ensure quality care is available to more patients. The nurse can go a step further to evaluate the competencies and performance of every follower (Barton, 2017). This practice makes it possible for nurses to coordinate and manage patient care proficiently.
Practitioners are empowered to function interdependently in their respective teams. They are required to act ethically in an attempt to safeguard the image of the profession. Such practitioners design or join healthcare teams characterized by accomplished caregivers (Owens, 2017). The ultimate goal is to guide the teams to deliver quality services and care in a wide range of environments. Nurses will present new knowledge and insights to revolutionize existing care delivery models (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008). These approaches make it easier for them to design, manage, and coordinate care in their respective units.
Member of Nursing Profession: Advocate for the Profession and Clients
Nursing is a field informed by unique competencies, goals, and codes of ethics (Matthias, 2015). Nurses understand that the field is professional in nature. This knowledge is what empowers them to sustain or improve the profession’s image. This aim can be achieved by remaining accountable and focusing on sustainable health outcomes. Since nursing is a professional field, practitioners must use their knowledge to design evidence-based models to offer personalized care. This goal is achieved through the exploitation of various skills such as effective communication, critical thinking, assessment, and clinical judgment (Barton, 2017).
Nurses at the BSN level develop and portray inimitable values such as dignity, respect, and autonomy (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008). They should be aware of the existing ethical framework that dictates nursing practice. As advocates of evidence-based and high-quality patient care, nurses understand various policymaking processes that can transform the profession (Caldwell & Grobbel, 2013). The concept of lifelong learning is essential because it promotes the development of advanced nursing philosophies and cares delivery models. This practice can support the growth of the profession and guide nurses to address their patients’ needs.
Conclusion
Nurses who have completed their BSN programs will be in a position to pursue the above three roles successfully. The professionals should use their competencies to offer evidence-based and holistic care to underserved populations and patients. These practitioners should be ready to uphold the standards that define nursing as a profession (Caldwell & Grobbel, 2013). Competent practitioners will embrace the power of lifelong learning in an attempt to develop superior dexterities that can result in personal and professional development. These key roles are crucial to transforming the experiences of both healthcare practitioners and patients.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Web.
Anbari, A. B. (2015). The RN to BSN transition: A qualitative systematic review. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 2(1), 1-11. Web.
Barton, A. J. (2017). Role of the RN in primary care: Implications for nursing education. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(3), 127-128. Web.
Caldwell, L., & Grobbel, C. C. (2013). The importance of reflective practice in nursing. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 6(3), 319-326.
Matthias, A. D. (2015). Making the case for differentiation of registered nurse practice: Historical perspectives meet contemporary efforts. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 5(4), 108-114. Web.
Owens, R. A. (2017). Part-time nursing faculty perceptions of their learning needs during their role transition experiences. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 12(1), 12-16. Web.