APA Nurse Paper
27 November 2022
Fundamentals of Nursing
Kaleigh Payne
The process to become a baccalaureate prepared Registered Nurse is pretty lengthy but overall
worth it in the end. The degree opens the door for many opportunities that other nurses might not have.
You would first have to obtain a high school diploma or GED and then get accepted into an accredited
nursing program by meeting the requirements that the particular program has. Most schools or programs
require you to have a certain ACT/SAT score, a specific GPA, a passing score on the TEAS (Test of
Essential Academic Skills) test no less than a “C” in most science/mathematics classes, and possibly
even pass an interview to be accepted. Once accepted you would have to complete clinical hours and pass
all coursework classes with the required grades needed to advance to the next level within the program.
Once all requirements have been met there will be an exam called the NCLEX (National Council
Licensure Exam). It is a computerized test that is required for all graduates of an accredited nursing
school to pass in order to become a licensed Registered Nurse. You must take and pass the exam within at
least 3 years of graduating from an accredited nursing school. Some states also require a wait of at least
45 days after graduation before a graduated student can take the NCLEX (National Council Licensure
Exam). Once a student passes the exam, only then can one apply to become a licensed Registered Nurse.
In which the candidate would have to apply through their state board of nursing.
The baccalaureate prepared nurse has many roles including patient safety, health care policy,
information management, coordinator of care, and many more. According to IPL, “...the baccalaureate
nurse is responsible for preventing clients from harm or injury that might arise from medical procedures.”
The number one goal of all healthcare professionals is to prevent patients' conditions from worsening
especially from hospital incidents or improper care. There are precautions that baccalaureate prepared
nurses follow regarding certain medical procedures that prevent complications from starting such as
turning a bed ridden patient to prevent bed sores and also applying Mupirocin topical ointments to prevent
infections such as staph. Failure to prevent hospital-caused complications can result in a lawsuit from the
patient to the facility and also the baccalaureate registered nurses license being taken away. Also
according to IPL, “...the nurse ensures the accuracy of patient identification and health records using new
technology.” It is very important to ensure that medications are being administered to the correct patient
and that patient information is being documented into the correct patients chart. To ensure proper patient
identification the baccalaureate prepared nurse should ask the patient's name and date of birth and also
check the patient's medical armband before administering any medications, any patient assessments, or
transporting patients.
Baccalaureate prepared nurses are ranked higher than many other licensed nurses such as LPNs
and associate degree registered nurses. LPNs or Licensed Practical Nurses usually only take vitals, collect
samples, and ensure patient safety/comfort. Education is the big key difference between LPN and BSN, a
bachelor's degree requires the completion of a 4 year university with an accredited nursing school and
many LPNs only require the completion of a 12 or 18 month program. Having a BSN would possibly earn
you about $30,000 more per year than other licensed nurses. BSN degrees hold more weight when it
comes to applying for a job such as if an LPN and a baccalaureate prepared nurse were applying to the
same job, the baccalaureate prepared nurse would most likely obtain the job due to her having a higher
education level.. Even though there are some differences, the main goal of all nurses is to ensure patient
safety and to make sure the patient is comfortable.
All in all, the baccalaureate nurse has more school work to complete but you will graduate with
many benefits such as greater job opportunities and also promotions. Even though there are other licensed
nurses that do some of the same roles, many baccalaureate nurses are able to assign their assignment to
other nurses and oversee other nurses unlike some licensed professionals.
News & information. American Association of Colleges of Nursing: The Voice of Academic
Nursing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from
https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-information/position-statements-white-papers/bacc-degree-prep
Nursing education programs. American Association of Colleges of Nursing: The Voice of Academic
Nursing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Nursing-EducationPrograms/Baccalaureate-Education
What are the differences between an LPN, RN and BSN? GCU. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2022,
from https://www.gcu.edu/blog/nursing-health-care/what-are-differences-between-lpn-rn-and-bsn