Nurse Educational Qualification and Medical Errors

Bailey, C. G., Engel, B. S., Luescher, J. N., & Taylor, M. L. (n.d). Medication Errors in 

Relation to Education & Medication Errors in Relation to Years of Experience. 

Retrieved April 21, 2018 from https://lagrange.edu/resources/pdf/citations/nursing/Medication%20Errors.pdf 

A majority of researchers who have explored the association between nurse education and medical errors note that there is an inverse relationship between these two factors. Bailey and his colleagues conducted a study whose findings go against the consensus within the research community. They observed that the relationship between educational qualification and medical errors is direct. This means that the more educated a nurse is, the more medical errors they commit. Bailey and his colleagues particularly established that nurses with associate degrees commit fewer medication errors.

The finding that Bailey and the other scholars made is indeed surprising. It is surprising because it is in direct conflict with the conclusions that other scholars have made. A critical examination of the methods used and the scope of the study can help to explain their finding. The researchers focused on medication errors. It could be that nurses with bachelor’s degree commit more medication errors but perform better than their counterparts with associate degrees as regards medical errors in general. Bailey and his team also failed to conduct procedures that would rule out other factors as being responsible for the higher incidence of medication errors among bachelor’s degree-holding nurses. It could be that some other factor is to blame for the many medication errors that these nurses make. Overall, the article by Bailey and his team reflects the diversity of opinion within the academic community.

Daley, K. (2011). Advanced Nursing Education is Better for Patients. Retrieved April 21,

2018 from http://www.theamericannurse.org/2011/04/12/advanced-nursing-education-is-better-for-patients/ 

In this opinion piece, Daley shares her views regarding the importance of a better-educated nursing workforce. She notes that one of the goals that the nursing community in the US wishes to achieve is to increase the proportion of nurses who hold bachelor’s degrees by between 50% and 80%. While ambitious, this goal represents the commitment of the nursing fraternity to improve care. Daley also states that as nurses receive better education, they are able to handle the complex challenges that define the modern operating environment. Here, she is essentially saying that bachelor’s degree prepare nurses to reduce medical errors and other challenges. Daley concludes with a call for action. She urges all stakeholders to partner so as to enhance nurse education.

The views that Daley expresses in this piece are indeed relevant and insightful. She focuses on the importance of providing nurses with as much knowledge as they need. Bachelor’s degree programs ensure that nurses are adequately prepared to deliver the best possible quality of care. Daley’s views will join the insights that other scholars have shared in forming the basis for the argument that bachelor’s degree programs help to minimize medical errors as compared to associate programs.

Giddens, J., Keller, T., & Liesveld, J. (2015). Answering the Call for a Bachelors-Prepared

Nursing Workforce: An Innovative Model for Academic Progression. Journal of 

Professional Nursing, 31 (6), 445-451.

In this article, Giddens and his colleagues design a model that can be used to improve nurse education. They also examine some of the benefits that result from higher nurse education. The benefits include enhances access to care, lower cost of care and improved patient outcomes. These benefits are what allow the article to be relevant to the research to be conducted. While they do not state it explicitly, Giddens and his team suggest that bachelor’s degrees play a critical role in minimizing medical errors. The nurses who possess these degrees have received the training and insights that allows them to create a safe hospital environment. The researchers also note that associate degrees provide nurses with basic skills and knowledge. It is clear from this article that if the nursing community is to effectively tackle the problem of medical errors, greater effort should be committed to providing nurses with bachelor’s degrees.

As pointed out above, the article by Giddens and his team gains its relevance from the fact that it highlights the impact of bachelor’s degree on patient wellbeing. The research project will examine how nurse education affects the number and gravity of medical errors. The article above echoes the insights and findings in the other articles in this bibliography. The scholarly community is clearly speaking with one voice as regards the need for better nurse education. The insights that Giddens and his colleagues share in their article will undoubtedly help to build the research paper. Thanks to this article, the research paper will have a basis to contend that better nursing education is needed to improve patient experiences.

Gulsun, K., & Hakan, A. (2017). Mobile Technologies and Augmented Reality in Open 

Education. IGI Global.

Gulsun and Hakan examine a number of different issues in nurse education. However, what is most striking is their observation that nurses with Bachelor’s degrees are better placed to provide quality care compared to those who have associate degrees. They note that the former nurses possess better critical thinking skills. To effectively minimize medical errors, critical thinking skills are needed. Essentially, Gulsun and Hakan suggest that nurses who are Bachelor’s degree holders are able to use their critical thinking skills to reduce medical errors thereby improving patient outcomes.

The book by Gulsun and Hakan constitutes a fine addition to the literature that will be used to support the argument that bachelor degree-holding nurses are better positioned to tackle medical errors. This is because the book underscores the function that the critical thinking skills that the nurses who possess bachelor’s degrees serves in the modern healthcare setting. Overall, the book is comprehensive and insightful. It offers in-depth discussions on many issues which affect the delivery of healthcare services.

Kutney-Lee, A., Sloane, D. M., & Aiken, L. H. (2013). An Increase in the Number of Nurses

With Baccalaurete Degrees is Linked to Lower Rates of Postsurgery Mortality. Health 

Affairs, 32 (3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0504 

Kutney-Lee joined forces with the other scholars to conduct a study that linked the level of nurse education to the experiences of patients undergoing surgery. The findings from this study highlight the need for nurses to acquire higher education. The researchers established that Bachelor’s Degrees equip nurses with the skills and competence needed to enhance patient outcomes. They particularly observed that “a ten-point increase in the percentage of nurses holding a baccalaureate degree in nursing within a hospital was associated with an average reduction of 2.12 deaths for every 1,000 patients” (p. 579). While it is true that Kutney-Lee and his team do not compare associate and bachelor degrees, their research implies that nurses who possess bachelor degrees are less likely to make medical errors.

The relevance of this article cannot be overstated. The research provides insights which are in line with the main argument of the research. The research paper will seek to show that nurses with advanced degrees commit more medical errors compared to those who possess bachelor’s degrees. The credibility and accuracy of the findings in the article are not in question. To arrive at their conclusion, Kutney-Lee and his colleagues conducted a rigorous study that is in line with scientific protocols. Overall, this article underscores the need for medical institutions to join forces with other stakeholders so as to improve the educational qualifications of nurses.

New Iowa State Degree to Advance Skills of Nurses, Improve Patient Care. (2017). Retrieved

April 21, 2018 from https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2017/06/28/bsndegree 

In this news release, the Iowa State University announces the introduction of a new bachelor’s program. The university proceeds to highlight the factors that have inspired the introduction of this program. The need to improve patient care and nurse competence are some of these factors. In an effort to highlight the need for the bachelor’s program, the university cites research which has shown that advanced nursing education enhances patient care. In the news release, it states that when nurses possess bachelor’s degree, they are able to minimize medical errors, infections, deaths and injuries. The university adds that the bachelor’s program will equip nurses with skills and competencies that they can immediately apply to real hospital settings.

The research that will be conducted will aim to provide insights which can be integrated into nursing practice. It will particularly challenge the nursing community and medical institutions to invest in advanced nurse education. The decision by Iowa State University to offer a bachelor’s program shows that the research to be conducted has implications for the real world. The university is a representation of the many institutions which now recognize the importance of advanced nurse education. While the news release sounds accurate, some questions regarding objectivity can be raised. It could be that the university simply wishes to attract attention to its new bachelor’s program. This would explain why the university chose to highlight the wide range of benefits that result from advanced nursing education. The fears of bias are quelled when one examines the other literature in this bibliography. Bachelor’s degrees are simply better than associate programs. The Iowa State University news release is therefore a credible, accurate and insightful source of information.

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P., & Hall, A. (2016). Fundamentals of Nursing. 

Elsevier Health Sciences.

Potter and his team focus their book on nurse education. While they do not examine how nurse education affects medical errors, they address the various skills and competencies that nurse gain when they pursue different educational programs. These scholars note that associate degrees provide learners with basic concepts and skills. While they are important, these skills and concepts are not sufficient to enable nurses to provide quality and safe care. On the other hand, bachelor’s degree programs cover a broader scope of nursing issues. As such, it ensures that nurses are fully prepared to take on the challenges that they will encounter in their engagements with patients. This book essentially encourages students to opt for bachelor’s degrees, if possible.

Potter and his team clearly understand the value of nurse education. The discussions that they offer highlight the implications that nursing education present for patient outcomes. The fact that the scholars are respected authorities in their respective fields imbues the book with credibility and authority. For example, Potter has authored a number of other works which explore different issues in healthcare delivery. The insights from the book will be integrated into the research paper with the goal of creating arguments that are solid and based on sound evidence.

Tulenko, K. (2012). Insourced: How Importing Jobs Impacts the Healthcare Crisis Here and 

Abroad. Lebanon: University Press of New England.

In this book, Tulenko explores a wide range of issues which shape the experiences of nurses. The issues range from the shortage of nurses to the challenges that nurses face as they deliver care. One of the most important subjects that Tulenko addresses in the article is the impact that bachelor’s and associate nursing degrees have on patient outcomes. Citing research, he observes that patients who receive care from bachelor’s-holding nurses have better outcomes. This is as opposed to patients who are treated by nurses who only have associate degrees. These patients tend to suffer such harm as that resulting from medical errors. Tulenko is cautious to point out that simply improving nurse education does not go far enough to enhance patient wellbeing. Concerned stakeholders also need to address the nursing shortage and improve healthcare delivery systems.

Tulenko’s book is indeed relevant and comprehensive. As one reads the book, they are able to recognize that the US healthcare system faces a serious crisis. The book also underscores the role that better nurse education can play in addressing this crisis. This book echoes the findings that other researchers have made as regards the link between nurse educational qualifications and patient experiences. It will form a helpful addition to the other literature that will be consulted as part of the research process.

Why do Hospitals Value Nurses? (2018). Retrieved April 21, 2018 from

https://online.nsc.edu/articles/rn-bsn/why-hospitals-value-nurses.aspx 

The role that nurses play in the delivery of medical services is the primary focus of this article. However, the article sheds some light on the difference in patient outcomes that results from varying levels of nurse educational qualification. It is pointed out that nurses who have earned bachelor’s degrees present medical institutions with a number of benefits. The benefits include lower mortality rates and improved patient outcomes. The article also notes that patients recovering from surgery face a lower risk of death when they are cared for by a nurse with a bachelor’s degree.

The article above enhances one’s understanding of the value of advanced nurse education. It confirms the findings that other scholars have made that bachelor’s degree instills in nurses the values and competencies they need to minimize errors. This article appears on the website of Nevada State College. This fact indicates that educational institutions wish to join the nursing community in delivering quality healthcare. The article should assure nursing students that the extra years that they spend in school as they pursue bachelor’s degrees will be rewarded through improved patient experiences. Thanks to this article, the research paper will integrate insights from an educational institution that is at the forefront of delivering education to nurses. Moreover, the article highlights the practical relevance of the research paper. The need for better nurse education is not some theoretical issue; it is a real matter that shapes the delivery of healthcare services in the actual world.

Why the Push for BSN Nurses? (2012). Retrieved April 21, 2018 from

https://academicpartnerships.uta.edu/articles/healthcare/why-the-push-for-bsn-nurses.aspx 

Appearing on the website of the University of Texas Arlington, this article examines why a greater focus on bachelor’s degree is emerging. Basically, this article indicates that the world is responding to the calls for increased investment in better nursing education. It begins with an exploration of the impact that nurse education has on patient outcomes. Patients who receive care from nurses with bachelor’s degrees and other advanced education programs make quicker recoveries and suffer fewer negative experiences. The article cites research that has established that a 10% increase in the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees results in a 5% drop in deaths and complications. The article adds that advanced education enhances the skills of nurses. Another issue that the article mentions is that professional associations are among the bodies that are calling for better nurse education.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the need for nurses to pursue bachelor’s degrees. As they do this, they position themselves for greater impact on the welfare of patients. The article gains much of its authority and credibility from the fact that it cites scholarly research. This article will help to build the research paper since it confirms that when nurses have bachelor’s degrees they are able to effectively minimize medical errors and other issues that compromise patient wellbeing.