How does your nursing degree affect patient mortality rates?

Current statistics show that at present, there are 1,048 Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) colleges and 696 Baccalaureate Degree Nursing (BSN) institutions in the United States (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). Recent studies show that a correlation exists between patient safety outcomes and whether a nurse has an ADN or BSN. Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, who is associated with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWFJ), believes that hospitals who employ more BSN-prepared nurses have better patient outcomes and lower mortality rates (RWJF, 2014).

In 2003, Aikens reported on studies done in Pennsylvania hospitals showing a 5% decrease in patient deaths at hospitals that staffed a 10% increase in BSN-prepared nurses (RWJF, 2014). Challengers of Aikens note that these studies raise further questions (Sentinel Watch, 2014). For example, what were the actual causes of death of these patients, and were they related to the action of an ADN nurse? Could there be other factors or causal relationships that affected patient care in these circumstances?

In defense of Aikens, the Sentinel (2014) states that no one is calling ADN nurses “bad nurses”. In fact, errors, infections, and adverse events are often due to process and system problems. Aikens maintains that by promoting evidence-based practice and leadership, the BSN curriculum will better prepare nurses to correct problems and implement solutions.

I agree that it is advantageous for nurses to expand their knowledge by obtaining a BSN degree, but I do not feel that deaths and adverse outcomes are the result if ADNs care, or lack of. Many other factors need to be considered. For example, poor staffing, long shifts, poor communication, fatigue, documentation errors, etc. affect everyone no matter what type of degree they hold. I have been at the hospital where I am currently employed for almost 20 years and have seen no evidence that the care given by ADNs is substandard to the care given by BSN-prepared nurses.

References

Cherry, B. & Jacob, S. (2017).Contemporary nursing, issues, trends, & management. St. Louis: Elsevier

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2014).  Building the case for more highly

educated nurses. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles

The Sentinel Watch. (2014). How does your nursing degree affect patient

mortality rates? Retrieved from http://www.american sentinel.edu