BSN & MSN Program and the Nursing Degree Curricula - Essay Example

The curricula designed for the bachelor's degree programs in nursing are quite different from the curricula designed for the master's programs in the same field even though they may be offered in the same institution. This paper analyzes and compares the nursing degree curricula that are used for undergraduate programs as well as for the master's programs in nursing within a university college. Moreover, the paper will evaluate the curricula programs and education outcomes postulated by these designed curricula to establish how the undergraduate programs and the postgraduate master's programs in the nursing profession build on each other.

I. Difference in Outcome and Content
The BSN, as well as MSN programs, have competitive provisions that are all geared towards the production of holistic and competitive nursing professionals. There is little notable difference though between the curricula content and the outcome as shown by the nursing regulatory and management bodies. The visionary track of a nursing education follows through the levels of a generalist, an advanced generalist that is later followed by specialization programs. The generalist nursing education is what is offered at an undergraduate level while the advanced generalist refers to what is offered at the masters level programs. Generalist nursing education teaches students the way of providing care, designing/managing or coordinating care as well as being a member of a profession. The nursing education program curricula are designed to revolve around some essentials, which do not represent a course.

The essentials are nine in number and include ‘scholarship for evidence-based practice’ ‘liberal education for baccalaureate generalist nursing practice’, and basic organizational and systems leadership for quality care and patient safety’ (Anon, 2008). ‘Information management and application of patient care technology, healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments’, ‘inter-professional communication and collaboration for improving patient health outcomes’, and ‘clinical prevention and population health’(Anon, 2008). Moreover, ‘professionalism and professional values and baccalaureate generalist nursing practice’ (Anon, 2008) form part of these essentials. The major notable difference between these essentials for undergraduate programs is the contents and the outcomes expected from the courses offered.

On the other hand, the master's programs in nursing education equally run on stipulated essentials, which define the elements of the adopted curricula not based on such factors as intended practice settings, focus, or major. Masters programs differ regarding the undergraduates in that they employ programs that are different in content to have variations in outcomes. The outcomes of master's programs are professionals who besides practicing can address available gaps in the field.

The master's essentials are ‘background for practice from sciences and humanities’, ‘organizational and systems leadership’, ‘quality improvement and safety’, and ‘translating and integrating scholarship into practice’(Anon, 2011). Moreover, ‘informatics and healthcare technologies’, ‘health policy and advocacy’, ‘interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes’, ‘clinical prevention and population health for improving health’ as well as ‘master’s-level nursing practice’ form part of the curricula essentials (Anon, 2011). Unlike the undergraduate program, the master's program has three curricula goals which are ‘graduate nursing core’, ‘direct care core’ as well as ‘functional area content’. The outcomes are thus more inclined to professional practice and leadership as compared to graduate programs.

II. How they Build Upon One Another
In most university colleges or institutions of higher learning, which offer nursing programs, there are designated nursing courses to be taken as a prerequisite for completing the requirements for Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. However, for the attainment of a master’s certification in nursing within the institution, one is obliged by the curricula to have had a mandatory successful completion of the undergraduate nursing program. Graduate nursing education prepares the graduates who intend to pursue master's degree programs by giving them insights into the discipline and enabling them to be prepared for higher research practices as are in masters programs.
III. Conclusion

In sum, the nursing profession has been seen to be very dynamic due to the different requirements for licensure and practice from the different institutions offering undergraduate programs as well as postgraduate programs. The contents offered in undergraduate courses differ from the content delivered at the masters level due to practice, experience-focused, and future focus in the discipline. In general, the undergraduate courses offered form a prerequisite to master's program courses. Students graduating from the bachelor courses in nursing are usually prepared to be competent in basic skills while in practice.

Besides successful completion of undergraduate studies in nursing, students are required to undertake practical lessons, which qualify them for practice as professional nurses (Scheckel, nd). Nevertheless, the master's programs are critical in preparing student practitioners for higher competencies and professionalism in research and leadership roles. Therefore, the above analysis reveals that the programs and educational outcomes from the undergraduate learning experience are fundamental building blocks for master's studies and as such, students would not advance to the later level without successfully passing through the bachelor's nursing level. Read More