Nursing requires a significant amount of formal education. The issues of standardization of nursing education and entry into practice remain a major controversy. In 1965 the ANA published a position paper on nursing education that emphasizes the role of education for the advancement of the science of the profession. Most nurses agree that nursing education is important to practice and that education needs to respond to changes in health care created by scientific and technological advances. There are various education preparations for an individual intending to be an RN. In addition, there is graduate nurse education and continuing and in-service education for practicing nurses.
Professional Registered Nurse Education
Currently in the United States, the most frequent way to become a registered nurse (RN) is either through completion of an associate or baccalaureate degree program. Graduates of both programs are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses to become RNs in the state in which they will practice.
The associate degree program in the United States is a 2-year program that is usually offered by a university or community college. This program focuses on the basic sciences and heretical and clinical courses related to the practice of nursing.
The baccalaureate degree program usually includes 4 years of study in a college or university. The program focuses on the basic sciences; theoretical and clinical courses; and courses in the social sciences, arts, and humanities to support nursing theory. In Canada, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) or Bachelor of Nursing (BN) is equivalent to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in the United States. The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing delineates essential knowledge, practice and values, attitudes, and personal qualities, and guides faculty on the structure and evaluation of the curriculum
Graduate Education
After obtaining a baccalaureate degree in nursing, you can pursue graduate education leading to a master’s or doctoral degree in any number of graduate fields, including nursing. A nurse completing a graduate program can receive a master’s degree in nursing. The graduate degree provides the advanced clinician with strong skills in nursing science and theory, with emphasis on the basic sciences and research-based clinical practice. A master’s degree in nursing is important for the roles of nurse educator and nurse administrator, and it is required for an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).
Doctoral Preparation
Professional doctoral programs in nursing (DSN or DNSc) prepare graduates to apply research findings to clinical nursing. Other doctoral programs emphasize more basic research and theory and award the research-oriented Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing. Recently the AACN recommended the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as the terminal practice degree and required preparation for all APRNs by 2015. The DNP is a practice-focused doctorate. It provides skills in obtaining expanded knowledge through the
formulation and interpretations of evidence-based practice.
The need for nurses with doctoral degrees is increasing. Expanding clinical roles and continuing demand for well-educated nursing faculty, nurse administrators, and APRNs in clinical settings and new areas of nursing specialties such as nursing informatics are just a few reasons for increasing the number of doctorally prepared nurses.
Continuing and In-Service Education
Nursing is a knowledge-based profession, and technological expertise and clinical decision-making are qualities that our healthcare consumers demand and expect. Continuing education programs are one way to promote and maintain current nursing skills, gain new knowledge and theory, and obtain new skills reflecting the changes in the healthcare delivery system.
Continuing education involves formal, organized educational programs offered by universities, hospitals, state nurses’ associations, professional nursing organizations, and educational and healthcare institutions. An example is a program on caring for older adults with dementia offered by a university or a program on safe medication practices offered by a hospital. Continuing education updates your knowledge about the latest research and practice developments, helps you to specialize in a particular area of practice, and
teaches you new skills and techniques.
In-service education programs are instruction or training provided by a healthcare agency or institution. An in-service program is held in the institution and is designed to increase the knowledge, skills, and competencies of nurses and other healthcare professionals employed by the institution. Often in-service programs are focused on new technologies such as how to correctly use the newest safety syringes. Many in-service programs are designed to fulfill the required competencies of an organization for example, a hospital might offer an in-service program on safe principles for administering chemotherapy or a program on cultural sensitivity.
Nursing Education in India
The types of nursing programs offered in India by the several government and private colleges. To ensure the uniformity of education in nursing throughout the country, the syllabus is developed and controlled by the Indian Nursing Council, New Delhi.
Nursing Practice
You will have an opportunity to practice in a variety of settings, in many roles within those settings, in many roles within those settings, and with caregivers in other related healthcare professions. Administrators in health care agencies and institutions guide the practice of nursing only in part. State and Provincial Nurse Practice Acts (NPAs) establish specific legal regulations for practice, and professional organizations establish standards of practice as criteria for nursing care. The ANA is concerned with legal aspects of nursing practice, public recognition of the significance of nursing practice to health care, and implications for nursing practice regarding trends in health care. The ANA definition of nursing illustrates the consistent orientation of nurses to providing care to promote the well-being of their patients
individually or in groups and communities.
Nurse Practice Acts
In the United States, the State Boards of Nursing oversee NPAs. NPAs regulate the scope of nursing practice and protect public health, safety, and welfare. This protection includes shielding the public from unqualified and unsafe nurses. Although each state defines for itself the scope of nursing practice, most have similar NPAs. The definition of nursing practice published by the ANA is representative of the scope of nursing practice as defined in most states. However, in the last decade, many states have revised their NPAs to reflect the growing autonomy of nursing and the expanded roles of nurses in practice. For example, NPAs expanded their scope to include minimum education requirements, required certifications,
and practice guidelines for APRNs such as nurse practitioners and certified RN anesthetists. The expansion of the scope of practice includes skills unique to the advanced practice role (e.g. advanced assessment, prescriptive authority for certain medications and diagnostic procedures, and some invasive procedures).
Licensure and Certification
Licensure – In the United States RN candidates must pass the NCLEX-RN examination administered by the individual State Boards of Nursing. Regardless of educational preparation, the examination for RN licensure is the same in every state in the United States. This provides a standardized minimum knowledge base for nurses.
Certification – Beyond the NCLEX-RN the nurse may choose to work toward certification in a specific area of nursing practice. Minimum practice requirements are set, based on the certification the nurse seeks. National nursing organizations such as the ANA have many types of certification to enhance your career such as certification in medical-surgical or geriatric nursing. After passing the initial examination, you maintain your certification by ongoing continuing education and clinical or administrative practice.
Science and Art of Nursing Practice
Because nursing is both an art and a science, nursing practice requires a blend of the most current knowledge and practice standards with an insightful and compassionate approach to patient care. Your patients’ healthcare needs are multidimensional. Thus your care will reflect the needs and values of society and professional standards of care and performance, meet the needs of each patient, and integrate evidence-based findings to provide the highest level of care. Nursing has a specific body of knowledge; however, it is essential that you socialize within the profession and practice to fully understand and apply the nursing knowledge base and develop professional expertise. Clinical expertise takes time and commitment. According to Benner et al., an expert nurse passes through five levels of proficiency when acquiring and developing generalist or specialized nursing skills.
Use the competencies of critical thinking in your practice. This includes integrating knowledge from basic science and nursing knowledge bases, applying knowledge from past and present experiences, applying critical thinking attitudes to a clinical situation, and implementing intellectual and professional standards. When you provide well-thought-out care with compassion and caring, you provide each of your patients with the best of the science and art of nursing care.
