Design the Ideal Nurse

[zenman]

We had a thread recently about what ADN grads could do vs BSN grads. Let's change course and knowing what we know about today's workplace, design the ideal entry level RN. First, I found the below blurb from the NLN interesting:

History of the National League for Nursing (NLN)

Supporting Nursing Education for over a Century

1893 - The American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses is created. This is the first organization for nursing in the United States of America. The society is formed for "the establishment and maintenance of a universal standard of training" for nursing. Ever since that remarkable stroke of courage and spirit over 100 years ago, the National League for Nursing has continued to be the leading professional association for nursing education.

http://www.nln.org/aboutnln/info-history.htm

Looks like this is something that has been going on for a while!!

This is free-style so just start throwing out what you think re nursing education, general education, length of program, clinical, skills, types of tests, etc.. Then, when we're finished, someone will compile it all together. Not me...I'm just getting the ball rolling. Maybe we can do it in less than 100 years!

To help, I've listed program info from NSU school of nursing in Louisiana because it has ADN, BSN, and MSN programs. I've included info from the Baton Rouge Hospital School of Nursing, also in Louisiana. You can list info from each, for ex., if you think something from the MSN program needs to be taught for entry level education, put it in. If you think something from other fields needs to be included, do so. If someone has a brief blurb about diploma and BSN history, please put it in. My books are packed in preparation for a move next week and this computer at work is so slow, I can't stand it!.

Associate Degree in Nursing

A two-year technical degree nursing education program that prepares graduates for basic nursing care in hospitals and long term care settings. Four semesters of clinical are offered at Shreveport and Leesville.

Purpose

The purpose of the Associate Degree program is to provide education experiences and opportunities, which enable persons to practice nursing within the identified roles of the associate degree nurse. General academic courses in English, Mathematics, Social and Natural Sciences provide the foundation for the nursing courses. Upon completion of the course of study, the graduate is eligible to write the National Council for Licensure Exam for R.N. (NCLEX-RN).

Program Objectives

Graduates of the Associate Degree Program of the College of Nursing will be prepared to:

1. Provide nursing care founded upon selected scientific principles utilizing the nursing process.

2. Assist clients to achieve dynamic equilibrium by facilitating the satisfaction of needs.

3. Communicate effectively with clients, their significant others, health care team members and citizen groups to promote, maintain and restore health.

4. Teach clients and/or significant others who need information or support for health.

5. Manage selected aspects of nursing care for a group of clients with clearly defined health problems.

6. Demonstrate accountability for actions as members of the nursing profession and expand individual knowledge and skills through avenues of continuing education.

History

Developed by Mildred Montag from her doctoral thesis, The Education of Nursing Technicians. Started at Columbia University, Teachers College in 1952.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

A four-year professional nursing education program that includes liberal arts education preparing graduates for beginning nursing practice in a wide variety of settings including acute and long term care, community and school health and critical care. After three semesters of academic courses and acceptance into clinical courses, students must complete five semesters of clinical courses on the Shreveport campus.

Purpose

The role of the beginning professional nurse continues to encompass three broad areas.

1. Provider of direct and indirect care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

2. Designer, manager, and coordinator of care.

3. Member of a profession.

Program Objectives

To implement the role of the beginning professional nurse which includes providing care for individuals, families, groups, and communities the graduate will be able to:

1. Integrate theory from nursing, the arts, humanities, and sciences to provide culturally sensitive care in the global community.

2. Apply the nursing process using critical thinking, communication, assessment, and technical skills.

3.Collaborate with clients and other members of the interdisciplinary health care team for health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, disease management, and health restoration.

4. Utilize information and health care technologies in nursing practice.

5. Integrate research findings to promote evidence based nursing practice.

6. Incorporate knowledge of economic, legal, ethical, and political factors influencing health care systems and policy to advocate for recipients of nursing care.

7. Apply principles of leadership to design, manage, coordinate, and evaluate health care delivery.

8. Demonstrate professional nursing standards, values, and accountability.

9. Assume responsibility for professional development and lifelong learning.

Master of Science in Nursing

This program provides the student with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing the opportunity to develop advanced knowledge, intellectual skills and clinical competence necessary for the role of the advanced practice nurse. Areas of concentration include: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult Nursing Critical Care Nursing of the Adult, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Maternal-Child Nursing, Mental Health-Psychiatric Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP).

Master's Curriculum Purpose

The Graduate Studies and Research in Nursing Program's purpose is: to provide learning opportunities for development of knowledge, intellectual skills, and clinical competence necessary to fulfillment of the role for the practice of advanced nursing, to provide learning opportunities for the development of skills and knowledge to function as an educator, an administrator, a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse practitioner and to furnish a foundation for doctoral study

Program Objectives

1. Practice nursing utilizing advanced knowledge and skills as evidenced by scientific thinking in the use of theoretical formulations in the design of nursing interventions, and self-direction in the exercise of leadership involving health care problems.

2. Consider cultural diversity of clients and practice within ethical principles and standards.

3. Function as an advanced practitioner of nursing with people of all ages and their families, utilizing critical decision making, logical thinking and reasoning through advanced knowledge, skills and clinical application.

4. Demonstrate independent-thought and action, professional autonomy, and effective communication in collegial and collaborative relationships with peers and with members of allied disciplines.

5. Function independently in providing nursing care and interdependently with other health professionals in the coordination and delivery of health care to individuals, families and communities.

6. Implement effective strategies for management and utilization of health information to improve quality of care, contribute to the development of nursing knowledge, and facilitate interdisciplinary communication in support of the business of health care delivery.

7. Implement the research process within the context of Evidence-Based Practice as a producer and consumer of research evidence to contribute to nursing theory and improve nursing practice.

8. Analyze the needs of health care delivery systems at the national, state, and local level, and evaluate and/or prescribe nursing's present and emerging role in these systems.

9 Function as a consumer advocate in the delivery of health care by utilizing knowledge of the sociocultural, economic, and political forces which influence the health of humankind.

10. Analyze strategies to effect change relevant to the nursing profession and the health of humankind for the betterment of health care and the improvement of nursing education and nursing practice at the local, state, and national level.

11. Utilize knowledge of organizational behavior and role theory for the delineation and development of a functional role consonant with individual career goals.

12. Implement professional standards of practice by serving as a role model in the demonstration of responsibility and accountability to clients, to the nursing profession, and to society.

13. Continue learning through further graduate study and/or other avenues for post master's education.

BATON ROUGE GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER SCHOOL OF NURSING

The mission of the school of nursing is to prepare registered nurses for entry-level practice. The nursing program will prepare the graduate to practice nursing safely and effectively as a novice in a generalist setting. The graduate nurse accepts responsibility for continuing the process of personal and professional growth in the advancement from novice to expert. Faculty members expect the graduate to serve as a positive role model in the practice setting by promoting principles of heathful living and participating in the process of bring healing to the sick. The program provides graduates with a foundation to accept responsibility to develop and maintain their expertise in practice and accountability to the public.

[suzy253, RN]

arrrggghhh. not again!!! Give it up Randy...please

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

arrrggghhh. not again!!! Give it up Randy...please

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Really, most of us are fully aware of what the letters mean. It just get's upsetting with the "Nursier Than Thou" attitude some have that is irritating isn't it?

[Jill1215]

I guess if I wanted to make myself the ideal nurse I would be:

36-24-34

[zenman]

Posted by suzy253:arrrggghhh. not again!!! Give it up Randy...please

No, it's "not again!" It's your chance to do something about a problem that's existed for a long time. Be constructive and creative...or just keep things as they are.

[zenman]

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Really, most of us are fully aware of what the letters mean. It just get's upsetting with the "Nursier Than Thou" attitude some have that is irritating isn't it?

So, what do you propose?

[zenman]

I guess if I wanted to make myself the ideal nurse I would be:

36-24-34

Funny, but sexist. What height? :chuckle

[zenman]

Ok, I'll get this started. One thing I've noticed is the lack of physical assessment skills and knowledge of physiology among some nurses. So, perhaps the entry level RN should have training in these skills at the NP level...or almost.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I suggest letting this thread sink to the bottom.

[zenman]

I suggest letting this thread sink to the bottom.

Close it if you wish. I just wanted to see if nurses would quit flapping their jaws and come up with a solution. I guess I was dreaming since nurses have been working on it for over 100 years. Yes, please close it.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Close it if you wish. I just wanted to see if nurses would quit flapping their jaws and come up with a solution. I guess I was dreaming since nurses have been working on it for over 100 years. Yes, please close it.

Solution to what. I'm a bit unclear on that.

[Paramedicated]

3 teared system.

You must become a CNA first, serve your time learn the basics and when you are ready move on to LPN to learn more and practice more and get paid more. Than you can be recommended for the remainder of the RN program.

Once complete, a "new" RN will have his/her knowledge tempered by experience and be an all around better nurse. They will emerge ready to handle and entire floor on third shift by themsekves thus relieving the stress placed on the other nurses. Further a simple chain of command can be established, every floor must be staffed by no less than 4 CNAs, 2 LPNs one of which must be IV certified, a duty nurse and a Shift nurse. The duty nurse handles the care of the patients and deligates dutys to the LPNs and CNAs. the shift nurse is ultimatly responable for the floor, they handle the paperwork and oversee all activities. Bigger floors can have larger staff but there must always be one RN in charge of the whole thing overall. At slow points during a shift the senior folks should be helping the junior folks work on qualifications to move to the next liceanse level. Also rotating people in and out of shifts is bad. Each shift should be made into crews that rotate from 1st to second to third say month by month. this creates a positive team atmosphere and generates unit cohesiveness.

HOwever for the whole plan to work, we must be able to depend on anyone with and RN after thier name to be able to handle any situation. I do not belive a wet behind the ears RN fresh out of a 4 year program will be ready to take command of a floor. This is all about experience.