NR 500 Week 1: The Value of a Masters-degree-Prepared Nurse

NR 500 Week 1: The Value of a Masters-degree-Prepared Nurse

NR 500 Week 1: The Value of a Masters-degree-Prepared Nurse

The healthcare industry has become dynamic and the nursing profession has consequently had to align with it. The shortage of nurses that has manifested in various healthcare areas as well as increasing costs makes it fundamental for the profession to advance. The leadership and management of healthcare facilities also require advanced knowledge and competencies, which makes it important for nurse managers and other healthcare professionals to acquire advanced competencies (Kelly, Watson, Watson, Needham, & Driscoll, 2017). Therefore, the complex nature of the contemporary nursing profession demands for nurses to advance their education by undertaking postgraduate degrees so as to gain the requisite competence and skills.

The value of a masters prepared nurse to the profession is unquestionable. Given their advanced knowledge and skills, such nurses enhance the quality of care offered to patients. Consequently, this leads to improved patient outcomes. Moreover, masters prepared nurses have superior decision-making and critical thinking skills. Postgraduate-prepared nurses similarly demonstrate leadership qualities that equips them with knowledge to challenge poor nursing practices (Wangensteen et al., 2018). The outcome of such an empowerment entails enhanced patient outcomes in healthcare settings. Similarly, advancing education to the master’s level empowers nurses with important clinical skills that makes them comfortable regarding advanced clinical undertakings.

Therefore, advancing the level of education of a nurse has innumerable benefits to one as an individual and healthcare settings. The clarity and effectiveness of communication gained from pursuing the postgraduate education ensures that such nurses possess superior clinical, leadership, and research skills (Massimi et al., 2017). These skills are necessary and important when it comes to providing safe healthcare to patients. The advanced clinical skills gained from the mastrs degree also ensures that nurses can comfortably handle complex issues in a health care setting. As such, it is advisable for nurses to increase their knowledge and competence by pursuing further studies.

References

Kelly, J., Watson, R., Watson, J., Needham, M., & Driscoll, L. O. (2017). Studying the old masters of nursing: A critical student experience for developing nursing identity. Nurse education in practice, 26, 121-125.

Massimi, A., Marzuillo, C., Muzio, M., Vaccio, M., D’Andrea, E., Villari, P., De Vito, C. (2017). Quality and relevance of master degree education for the professional development of nurses and midwives. Nurse Education Today, 53(2017), 54-60. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2017.04.012

Wangensteen, S., Finnbakk, E., Adolfsson, A., Kristjansdottir, G., Roodbol, P., Ward, H., & Fagerström, L. (2018). Postgraduate nurses’ self-assessment of clinical competence and need for further training. A European cross-sectional survey. Nurse education today, 62, 101-106.

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Professor and class,

As defined by the American Associations of Colleges of Nursing (2011), “nursing-practice interventions

include both direct and indirect care components.” The baccalaureate or master’s prepared nurse serves the healthcare continuum in many different ways and in many different settings. The baccalaureate-prepared nurse is the stepping stone required for advanced studies. As mentioned in the CCN Nursing Conceptual Framework (2016), “the BSN degree program provides the foundation for graduate study… and supports the concept of lifelong learning.” Whereas, the master’s-prepared nurse is an advanced healthcare professional that is able to provide essential duties through advanced education. Despite the roles or setting they provide their services, they are able to help lead the future of practice through knowledge, theory and evidence-based research (American Associations of Colleges of Nursing, 2011).

I believe the value of a master’s degree-prepared nurse is unique from any other healthcare professional in the setting. Aside from attaining a higher level of education, nursing is still the fundamental component to everything we do. According to King and Kornusky (2016), Jean Watson’s theory is the basis in which nursing education is founded upon, we are all connected in one way or another in this universe. As a result of the education pathway, we are introduced into the field with basic theory and knowledge with a key component that no other profession can teach, we are introduced into the caring and compassionate approach in our nursing careers at a very early stage. Call it a milestone if you will. “When Watson’s theory is applied in clinical practice, its impact is evident in specific nursing actions that aim to promote a harmonious, healing environment that preserves human dignity” (King and Kornusky, 2016).

I believe the most essential professional competency for a master’s-prepared nurse practicing in the 21st century is one that is able and capable of mastering all basic and essential needs required to achieve a positive end result for the present and into the future. Time will continue to pass, technology trends will continue to advance and hospitals will continue to change their approach and the population will continue to grow ever complex and just as everything does indeed change, the essence of nursing remains the same. Therefore, the heart of nursing is to care. When an individual possesses care in what he or she does, this will guide their practice further no matter the ever-growing changes that exist today and in the future that awaits.

References

Chamberlain College of nursing masters of Science in nursing conceptual framework. (2016). Chamberlain College of Nursing. Retrieved from https://www.chamberlain.edu/docs/default-source/academics-admissions/catalog.pdf.

King, J. B., & Kornusky, J. M. (2016). Watson’s Theory of Caring: Integration into Practice. CINAHL Nursing Guide. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.chamberlain.edu:8080/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=1361a9f5-26f2-40be-b5bd-0e87195dee12%40sessionmgr102

The essentials of master’s education in nursing. (2011). American Associations of Colleges of Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/MastersEssentials11.pdf

Value of a Mastered Prepared Nurse Peer 2 Reply

Hello colleague. This is a great discussion on the differences between a BSN and an MSN-prepared nurse. I agree that the level of formal education and the clinical field differentiate MSN nurses from BSN nurses. I have learned that MSN-prepared nurses have a higher level of autonomy in practice than BSN nurses, which can be attributed to the differences in the scope of practice. Indeed, the increased involvement of MSN-prepared nurses has led to improved delivery of care and patient outcomes (Padilha et al., 2020). Thus, it is crucial to train more MSN nurses, and this evidence should encourage healthcare organizations to increase the employment of MSN nurses due to their specialized knowledge and skills to improve healthcare delivery.

Master’s in nursing programs prepares graduates to optimize safe, quality care delivery to diverse populations in various healthcare settings and roles. The MSN nurse practicing in any setting or role must demonstrate insight into the foundations of care and the art and science of nursing practice in relation to individuals, families, and clinical populations (Shatto et al., 2019). I have learned that the MSN degree prepares nurses to carry out comprehensive and systematic assessments, which act as the basis for decision-making. MSN nurses are valuable to clinical practice since they are trained to apply the best available evidence from nursing and other sciences as the basis for practice. In addition, MSN-nurse uses their advocacy skills to advocate for patients, families, caregivers, communities, and other healthcare professionals (Padilha et al., 2020). The MSN nurse is equipped with informatics skills and thus uses information and communication technologies to improve patient education, accessibility of care, analyze practice patterns, and enhance health care outcomes.

References

Padilha, M. I., Maliska, I. A., Costa, R., Benedet, S. A., Gelbcke, F. L., & Anders, J. C. (2020). Professional master program: Preparing the nurse of the future. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73(suppl 5), e20200007. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0007

Shatto, B., L’Ecuyer, K., Meyer, G., Shagavah, A., & Mooney, E. (2019). Experiences of master’s prepared clinical nurse leaders at three years post-graduation. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35(1), 51-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2018.06.001

When discussing differentiating factors of a master’s-prepared nurse compared to that of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, the most obvious difference is the level of formal education. However, the most important difference between these two nurses are evident within their practice, which sets them apart in the clinical field. Master’s-prepared nurses often practice as a nurse practitioner, where they practice with a higher level of autonomy than those with a baccalaureate degree (Clark, et al., 2015, p. 328). Nurse practitioners are required to have at least a master’s degree to “assess and manage patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems” in their routine practice (Clark, et al., 2015, p. 328).

The master’s degree of nursing programs reflects mastery of higher level of critical thinking than at the baccalaureate level, as well as the understanding of complete, holistic care (AACN, 2011, p. 7). Therefore, master’s-degree nurses are shown to not only have more formal education, but also a more expansive clinical skill set, more critical thinking skills, and the legal capability to diagnose and treat patients as providers, compared to that of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse.
There is a significant amount of literature supporting the value of a master’s degree in nursing. A common theme amongst this literature discusses improved delivery of care and patient outcomes with increased involvement of master’s-prepared nurses in the health care system (Clark, et al., 2015, p. 333). The evidence also suggests that master’s-prepared nurses positively influence nursing practice due to the higher level of critical thinking, leadership expertise, and leadership skills from the master’s-prepared nurses (Clark, et al., 2015, p. 333). Every nurse’s goal is to improve patient outcomes and delivery of care in the healthcare system, and this evidence suggests that master’s-prepared nurses are top performers amongst their nurse colleagues in these categories.

According to a concept analysis study, nurse competencies can be categorized into three different theories including behaviorism, trait theory, and holism (Fukada, 2018). Behaviorism includes performance of individual core skills, trait theory considers the competencies required to complete specific tasks, such as critical thinking skills, and holism views competency as a cluster of elements (Fukada, 2018). I believe that holism is the most essential professional competency for a master’s-prepared nurse practicing in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, holism requires applying skills, attitudes, knowledge and critical thinking to unique situations (Fakuda, 2018). I believe that holism is the most essential competency because approaching patient situations with a holistic perspective is what makes nurses unique amongst other providers in the interdisciplinary team. Nurses are specially trained to look at the patient as a whole human, not just for his or her medical diagnoses.

References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The essentials of master’s education in nursing. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Publications/MastersEssentials11.pdfLinks to an external site.

Clark, L., Casey, D., & Morris, S. (2015). The value of master’s degrees for registered nursesLinks to an external siteLinks to an external site.. British Journal of Nursing, 24(6), 328-334. https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.12968/bjon.2015.24.6.328Links to an external site.

Fukada M. (2018). Nursing Competency: Definition, Structure and Development. Yonago acta medica, 61(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.33160/yam.2018.03.001

I completely agree that leadership is one of the core competencies exhibited by nurses who have advanced degrees, and that leadership qualities are imperative to guide health care reform and to improve patient satisfaction and quality.  Leadership characteristics are seen in individuals with all levels of education; However, a master’s degree in nursing prepares clinicians and administrators to lead collaborative inter-disciplinary teams toward construction of innovative solutions regarding the issues within our nation’s current health care model (Yoder-Wise, Scott, & Sullivan, 2013).  Nurse leaders who seek out higher level degrees are trained and educated in areas such as cultural awareness, policy, budgets, and quality, while simultaneously encouraged to be innovative and creative in their thought processes and approaches to solutions.

The challenges faced in health care today require collaborative, innovative, and dynamic leadership to create diverse teams who are able to problem solve, create, and execute solutions.  Culturally dynamic teams exhibit innovation unlike those under a homogenous leadership and leading these teams requires cultural awareness, knowledge, and skill.  Increasing such awareness and integrating cultural competencies are facets of many master’s degree programs.  An empirical study by Mareno and Hart (2014) compared the level of cultural awareness and skill between nurses with bachelor’s degrees and those who hold graduate degrees.  The study determined, while more research is needed, nurses with master’s degrees did score higher on cultural knowledge than those with a four-year degree.  This increased knowledge supports the establishment of dynamic and inclusive teams necessary for initiating advancement in health care today.

In effect, leadership does play a critical role in quality improvements, which are crucial to improving health care outcomes and patient satisfaction scores.  Additionally, nurses who seek out further education develop advanced communication skills that are increasingly beneficial to creating and leading diverse teams, building a culture of innovation, and seeking out solutions.  This increased knowledge and skill in leadership helps to ensure a commitment to excellence in nursing and also greatness in the future of our nation’s health care system.

References

Mareno, N., & Hart, P. (2014, March 1). Cultural competency among nurses with undergraduate and graduate degrees: Implications for nursing education. Nursing Educaion Perspectives, 35(2), 83-88. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=3d32c3c8-ed26-485f-99ac-b22412679c10%40sessionmgr4009&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=24783722&db=mdc

Yoder-Wise, P., Scott, E. S., & Sullivan, D. T. (2013, June). Expanding leadership capacity: Educational levels for nurse leaders. JONA: Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(6), 326-328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NNA.Ob013e3182942ca4 (Links to an external site.)

1. What differentiates the practice of a master’s-prepared nurse compared to that of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse?

Education plays a major role in the practice of a master’s-prepared nurse compared to that of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse.  Master’s-prepared nurses have more years of education to assist with the delivery of care of complex illness in a diverse patient population. According to our assigned reading master’s-prepared nurses build on the competencies learned in a baccalaureate of nursing program to develop a deeper understanding of nursing and related sciences needed to fully analyze, design, implement, and evaluate nursing care. Master-prepared nurses can apply learned evidence-based practice plans to promote health, analyze illness, educate communities, and deliver cost effective care. In a literature review conducted by Cotterill-Walker it was apparent that there was a positive gain for nurses to embark in postgraduate nursing studies at master’s level to assist with personal and professional growth leading to an increase ability to positivity influence patient care, leading to an increased potential to improve patient outcomes (Cotterill-Walker, 2011).

1. What is the value of a master’s degree in nursing?

The value of a master’s degree in nursing is astronomical to health care practice. A master’s degree in nursing integrate theory, evidence, clinical judgement, research, and interprofessional perspectives translation processes to improve health practices and patient outcomes. A master’s degree in nursing give nurses the skill set and critical care nursing ability to apply research based practices to culturally diverse patients suffering from a wide variety of illness.

1. What do you consider to be the most essential professional competency for a master’s-prepared nurse practicing in the 21st century?

The most essential professional competency for a master’s-prepared nurse in my opinion practicing in the 21^st century is the use of current research and evidence based practice to deliver the most efficient patient care. In a world of every changing health care trends and reform master’s prepared nurses contribute leadership and education in 21^st century practice. In an article that reviewed master’s education and health reform for the 21^st century, it elaborated on how future master’s prepared programs will not only respond to change, but also initiate and shape changes in health care delivery based on Healthy People 2000 public health goals (Long, 1994). In another research article, that reviewed the future of master’s prepared nurses, emphasis was placed on leadership roles to customize patient care, design promotion of health and risk reduction, to deliver evidence-based practice, to design and deliver plan of care, to place accountable on outcomes, and to the development and leveraging of human, environmental, and material resources (Phillips, Swiger, Flores, Clutter, and Reineck, 2012).   Master’s prepared nurses provide a variety of future benefits to health care reform model by implementing learned evidence-based practice which aid in delivering comprehensive care to the community.

References:

Cotterill-Walker (2011). Where is the evidence that master’s level nursing education

makes a difference to patient care? A literature review. Nurse Education Today

32 (2012) 57-64.

Long PhD, RNCS, FAAN, K. (1994). Master’s Degree Nursing Education and Health

Care Reform: Preparing for the future. Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 10,

No 2 (March-April), 1994 pp 71-76

Phillips, S., Swiger, P., Clutter, P., and Reineck, C. (2012). Clinical Nurse Leaders:

Emerging Role to Optimize Unit Level Performance. The USA Army Medical

 Department Journal. (October -December 2012), pp 77-83.

The Value of a Master’s-Prepared Nurse

I agree with you regarding leadership being an essential competency for the masters prepared nurse to ascertain. The knowledge and clinical experience that the masters prepared nurse acquires during their education will provide them with the characteristics to become an effective leader.  The masters prepared nurse will also have to incorporate different leadership styles according to the task that need to be done.  It is also to consider that individuals learn differently, therefore creating an environment that will facilitate learning is also important.

I concur with you in the leadership in nursing should be able to identify areas for growth.  The masters prepared nurse should have the ability to understand the big picture of the organization and ensure that patients experience positive health outcomes.  “Thus it becomes important to educate nurses for emerging roles in health care delivery and designed with the knowledge and skill sets needed to lead change, promote health, and elevate care in various roles and settings” (Gerard, Kazer, Babington, & Quell, 2014).  The masters prepared nurse must demonstrate an understanding of the operations of the healthcare organization including the financial aspect.  An effective leader in the health organization will provide the organization with positive outcomes.

Gerard, S. O., Kazer, M. W., Babington, L., & Quell, T. T. (2014). Original Article: Past, Present, and Future Trends of Master’s Education in Nursing. Journal Of Professional Nursing, 30326-332. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2014.01.005.

I believe critical thinking and judgement are the most important values of a master’s prepared nurse. With the extensive knowledge and skills that comes with obtaining a master’s degree, nurses are able to improve their critical thinking and judgment that was learned in past experiences. Today’s nurses now work in a variety of settings and need to be able to analyze problems quickly and respond efficiently. 

         Part of my position in my current role is to oversee the triage staff. Triage staff often receive calls from very frantic families. I have seen my triage staff handle these calls with confidence and make recommendations quickly to help relieve patient suffering. These nurses utilize critical thinking and judgment to assess the situation and quickly deescalate the family. According to Ludin (2017) “nurses working in critical care settings should be encouraged to improve and develop their critical thinking and decision-making skills to set them apart from other practitioners. This will also prove they are able to provide the same level of care and expectations” (p.6). 

I believe obtaining a master’s degree will only improve my critical thinking and judgement; I will incorporate these into my future nursing practice. 

  Reference 

Ludin, Salizar Mohamed.2017. “ Research article: Does good critical thinking equal effective decision-making among critical care nurses? A cross-sectional survey.” Intensive & Critical Care Nursing 44, 1-10. 

The Value of Master Prepared Nurse

Evidence demonstrates the relationship between a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) in advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) and improved patient outcomes. The Master’s-prepared nurse contributes to developing and leading specialized nursing practice. MSN programs equip nurses with advanced academic knowledge and skills in applying theory to clinical practice, and students are usually required to carry out a research project (Wilkinson et al., 2018). The MSN nurses apply the specialized knowledge and skills to improve patient care delivery and support the achievement of organizational objectives, including delivering quality patient care.

MSN-prepared nurses employ their extensive expertise, networks, and knowledge in health care to create a pivotal role that fosters nursing practice. An MSN degree equips nurses with enhanced communication and nursing practice, enabling them to act as role models and facilitate quality patient care (Kjellaas et al., 2020). Thus, it is evident that an MSN degree has a role surpassing the defined nursing specialist or advanced practice skills. Furthermore, the MSN degree equips nurses with