DQ 1: Case Study, Chapter 1, Entry Into Practice: The Debate Rages On

The entry-into-practice debate in the United States continues to be one of the oldest and hottest professional issues nurses face as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. It appears that little progress has been made since 1965 in creating a consensus to raise the entry level into professional nursing practice, although experts do not agree even on that issue. Your neighbors ask you for information about considerations for selection of an appropriate nursing education program for their child.

1. Your neighbor is confused because both ADN and BSN schools preparing graduates for RN licensure meet similar criteria for state board approval and have roughly the same number of nursing coursework units. How would you summarize the arguments for changing or not changing the nursing entry level?

2. There is current evidence-based research that explores the impact of registered nurse educational level on patient outcomes. What does the current evidence-based research conclude about the impact of RN educational level on patient outcomes?

3. Achieving the BSN as the entry degree for professional nursing practice will take the best thinking of our nursing leaders. What will it require in order to successfully achieve the BSN as the entry degree for professional nursing practice?