The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Nursing

Influencing Forces on the Role of Nurses Scientific advances, particularly in the area of genetics and genomics Changing demographics of patient populations New care technologies Patient access to healthcare information

Purpose To delineate expected outcomes of BSN graduates To enable BSN graduates to practice within complex healthcare systems and assume these roles: Provider of care Designer/manager/coordinator of care Member of a profession

Provider of Direct and Indirect Care Advocate and educate patients and families Provide evidence-based care to patients within a changing environment Assist with decision making within an ethical framework Recognize health status of the patient within the context of the patient’s values Provide care in and across all environments

Designer, Coordinator, and Manager of Care Have knowledge and authority to delegate tasks, supervise, and evaluate other personnel Function autonomously and interdependently within the healthcare team Be accountable for one’s own professional practice and image, as well as for outcomes of one’s own and delegated care Bring nursing knowledge, judgment, skills, and caring to the healthcare team

Member of the Profession Advocate for the patient and the profession Use a well-delineated and broad knowledge base for practice, requiring strong critical reasoning, clinical judgment, communication, and assessment skills, and development and demonstration of an appropriate set of values and ethical framework for practice Knowledgeable and active in healthcare policy and system processes Committed to lifelong learning

Nine Essentials Curricular elements that provide the framework for baccalaureate nursing education

Essential I: Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice A solid base in liberal education provides the cornerstone for the practice and education of nurses.

A liberal education… Is critical to the generation of responsible citizens in a global society Provides the distinguishing cornerstone for the study and practice of professional nursing Provides graduates with knowledge of human cultures and spiritual beliefs Forms the basis for skills of inquiry, analysis, critical thinking, and communication in a variety of modes

The liberally educated graduate… Is able to form the values and standards needed to address 21st century changes in technology, demographics, and economics Has the ability to integrate knowledge, skills, and values from the arts and sciences to provide humanistic, safe quality care; to act as advocates for individuals, families, groups, communities, and/or populations; and to promote social justice Practices from a foundation of professional values and standards

Essential II: Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety Knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and patient safety are necessary to provide high quality health care.

Leadership skills… Are critical to promoting high quality patient care and safety Must emphasize ethical and critical decision-making, initiating and maintaining effective working relationships, using mutually respectful communication and collaboration within interprofessional teams, care coordination, delegation, and developing conflict resolution strategies Include an awareness of complex systems and the impact of power, politics, policy, and regulatory guidelines on these systems

Baccalaureate graduates… Understand and use quality improvement concepts, processes, and outcome measures Implement safety principles and works with others to create a safe, caring environment for care delivery Are skilled in working within organizational and community arenas, using evidence-based knowledge, in care delivery models within current cultural, economic, organizational and political perspectives

Essential III: Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice Professional nursing practice is grounded in the translation of current evidence into one’s practice.

Scholarship involves… Identification of practice issues Appraisal and integration of evidence Evaluation of outcomes Sharing of best practices within the interprofessional team Understanding the research process Safeguarding patient rights

Baccalaureate graduates… Explain the interrelationships among theory, practice, and research Advocate for the protection of human subjects in the conduct of research Evaluate the credibility of sources of information Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of care

Essential IV: Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology Knowledge and skills in information management and patient care technology are critical in the delivery of quality patient care.

Knowledge and skills in information technology include… Basic competence in the use of computers, monitors, data gathering devices, and other technological supports for patient care interventions The use and understanding of standardized terminologies related to CIS Exposure to information systems that provide data about quality improvement and required regulatory reporting through information systems

Baccalaureate graduates… Recognize the role of information technology in improving patient care outcomes and creating a safe care environment Use standardized terminology in a care environment that reflects nursing’s unique contribution to patient outcomes Uphold ethical standards related to data security, regulatory requirements, confidentiality, and clients’ right to privacy

Essential V: Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments Healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory, directly and indirectly influence the nature and functioning of the healthcare system and thereby are important considerations in professional nursing practice.

Health care policies… Shape responses to organizational, local, national, and global issues of equity, acce3ss, affordability, and social justice in health care Through regulatory agencies, define the boundaries of nursing practice Can be influenced through the efforts of nurses, other healthcare professionals, and lay and special advocacy groups

The baccalaureate nurse… Demonstrates basic knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments, including local, state, national, and global healthcare trends Describes how health care is organized and financed, including the implications of business principles, such as patient and system cost factors Advocates for consumers and the nursing profession

Essential VI: Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health Outcomes Communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals are critical to delivering high quality and safe patient care.

Establishment of collegial relationships… Creates collaboration through shared goals, clear role expectations of members, a flexible decision-making process, leadership, and open communication patterns Optimizes opportunities for the development of respect and trust for other members of the healthcare team

Baccalaureate graduates… Use inter-and intraprofessional communication and collaborative skills to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered care In corporate effective communication techniques, including negotiation and conflict resolution to produce positive professional working relationships Demonstrate appropriate teambuilding and collaborative strategies when working with interprofessional teams

Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health Health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population level are necessary to improve population health and are important components of baccalaureate generalist nursing practice.

Health promotion and disease and injury prevention … Are important throughout the lifespan Include assisting individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations to prepare for and minimize health consequences of emergencies, including mass casualty disasters Refers to focused interventions such as immunizations, screenings, and counseling aimed at preventing escalation of diseases and conditions

Baccalaureate graduates… Use evidence-based practices to guide health teaching, health counseling, screening, outreach, disease and outbreak investigation, referral, and follow-up throughout the lifespan Collaborate with others to develop an intervention plan that takes into account determinants of health, available resources, and the range of activities that contribute to health and the prevention of illness, injury, disability, and premature death

Essential VIII: Professionalism and Professional Values Professionalism and the inherent values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice are fundamental to the discipline of nursing.

Professionalism… Is the consistent demonstration of core values evidenced by nurses working with other professionals to achieve optimal health and wellness outcomes in patients, families, and communities by wisely applying principles of altruism, excellence, caring, ethics, respect, communication, and accountability Involves accountability for one’s self and nursing practice, including continuous professional engagement and lifelong learning

Concept of caring Central to professional nursing practice Encompasses the nurse’s empathy for, connection to, and being with the patient, as well as the ability to translate these affective characteristics into compassionate, sensitive, and patient-centered care

Professional Values Altruism—concern for the welfare and well being of others Autonomy—the right to self determination Human dignity—respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of persons Integrity—acting in accordance with a code of ethics and accepted standards of practice Social justice—fair treatment regardless of economic status, race, ethnicity, age, citizenship, disability, or sexual orientation

Baccalaureate graduates… Demonstrate the professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors Demonstrate professionalism, including attention to appearance, demeanor, respect for self and others, and attention to professional boundaries with patients and families as well as among caregivers

Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice The baccalaureate-graduate nurse is prepared to practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of healthcare environments. The baccalaureate graduate understands and respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent in caring for patients.

Baccalaureate graduates… Translate, integrate, and apply knowledge that leads to improvements in patient outcomes Have knowledge, skills, and attitudes that prepare them for a long-term career in a changing practice environment Conduct comprehensive and focused physical, behavioral, psychological, spiritual, socioeconomic, and environmental assessments of health and illness parameters in patients, using developmentally and culturally appropriate approaches

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate for professional nursing practice. Retrieved June 24, 2009 from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ Education/pdf/BaccEssentials08. pdf