Introduction
Contemporary nursing practice has evolved into a complex and multifaceted domain of health care research and practice. Its significance for the delivery of health services to the population continues to increase due to the advancements of modern education. In light of this, the current essay will review contemporary nursing practice in detail, covering such aspects as the scope of practice, levels of preparation, interdisciplinary teams, and evidence-based practice (EBP).
Nursing Practice Evolution
At the advent of modern nursing, this profession was valued mostly from the standpoint of its supporting quality. Nurses were frequently viewed as subordinates of doctors and had no effect on decision-making in terms of patient treatment (Joel, 2017). Their role was essentially to assist physicians and surgeons, and other professionals to carry out procedures, administering medications, and tending to patients’ physical needs.
Presently, however, the scope of nursing practice broadened immensely. Nursing emerged as a standalone profession, and nurses are able to compare with physicians by the level of expertise and medical knowledge. At advanced education levels, nursing can diagnose and suggest treatment options as well as carry out other treatment-related actions based on their own judgment and be leaders of interprofessional teams.
Associate vs. Baccalaureate Education
In terms of differentiated practice competencies, Associate degrees in nursing (ADN) and Bachelor’s degrees in nursing (BSN) have several differences. For instance, the nurse trained as the former will generally have clinical skills, while a nurse with BSN is competent in hospital management, leadership, and clinical practice (Joel, 2017). In general, the BSN program is a more comprehensive and wide-scoped education program, while ADN is centered more on preparing an individual to perform clinical tasks expected of nurse a nurse, which is caregiving.
The change of scope comes from a variety of humanitarian and decision-making skills and competencies that BSN acquire in the process of their studies that ADN nurses do not receive. According to the Texas Board of Nursing (2010), the scope of ADN nurses includes patients and their families, while BSN nurse may service patients, their families, populations, and communities.
BSN vs. ADN-Prepared Nurse Situation Handling
In a hypothetical patient care situation, ADN-trained and BSN-prepared nurses may generally adopt different strategies. Thus, a patient diagnosed with clinical depression in another clinic will probably be treated by an ADN using standard practice with no additional interventions or inquires. On the other hand, A BSN nurse, having received knowledge and training in critical thinking, decision making, assessment, and other aspects of advanced clinical practice, will undertake a slightly different approach.
A BSN-trained professional will undertake a patient survey as to what causes his or her condition, work with relatives and family to determine if the diagnosis is correct (Joel, 2017). In addition, such a nurse will implement evidence-based practice to select an intervention that is tailored to a patient’s condition and the environment he or she lives in. In addition, a BSN-prepared nurse will pay more attention to patient and family education to secure adherence to the adopted care plan.
Significance of EBP in RN-BSN Nurses
Evidence-based practice is the cornerstone of medical knowledge that advanced role professionals use in their practice to deliver the best quality care. The adoption of decent research evidence in nurses’ daily conduct is recognized as beneficial by many studies in the field. The use of EBP is integrated into the BSN program and imbued with an RN clinical role. The study by Warren et al. (2016) demonstrated the clinically and statistically significant improvement in patient health in hospitals where nurses and other professionals based their actions on evidence-based practice. The academic preparation supports EBP implementation through the increased emphasis on critical thinking and informed decision-making process as applied to patient care.
Nurses in Interdisciplinary Teams
Contemporary nursing practice often presupposes performing as a part of a multi-professional team or being a leader of such. In the course of their education, nursing professionals acquire a vast body of knowledge and practical skills on how to work in groups and contribute meaningfully in different positions (Joel, 2017). Such competencies make nurses a valuable asset to the crew and enhance patient outcomes due to increased team efficiency.
In addition to that, nurses who possess knowledge of various aspects of treatment often act as evaluators and assist in decision making, thus, promoting patient safety by ensuring the quality of a solution. In a leadership position, a skilled nursing professional coordinates a team of various professionals with skill and precision that is based on their knowledge of each members’ strengths and needs of the patient.
Conclusion
All in all, nursing has evolved as a profession and gained significance in terms of its role in the care process. BSN-trained nurses seem to have a wider scope than ADN-prepared due to a more multifaceted education. Nursing professionals having a BS degree seem to handle patient care situations more skilfully than ADN using an evidence-based practice that has a growing significance in the sphere of medicine. Overall, these caregivers tend to be great addition to the medical team due to their versatility and knowledge.
References
Joel, L. A. (2017). Advanced practice nursing: Essentials for role development (4th ed.). New York, NY: F.A. Davis.
Texas Board of Nursing. (2010). Differentiated essential competencies of graduates of Texas nursing programs.
Warren, J. I., McLaughlin, M., Bardsley, J., Eich, J., Esche, C. A., Kropkowski, L., & Risch, S. (2016). The strengths and challenges of implementing EBP in healthcare systems. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 13(1), 15-24.