Pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) is one of the primary ways of becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). The ADN program offers a wide variety of career possibilities and enhances nurses’ competitiveness compared to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). I believe that nurses who have acquired ADN work directly with patients and healthcare professionals and thus participate in improving patient outcomes. Further, nurses who have obtained ADN qualifications are better placed to pursue advanced nursing degrees that guarantee better opportunities and increased job responsibilities. Pursuing an ADN program aligns with my nursing goal of acquiring extensive analytical, management, and communication skills essential in fulfilling my role as an RN.
I intend to transition from a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) because the latter offers an excellent opportunity to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Becoming an RN increases my chances of getting hired and increases my competitiveness and marketability. There is an initiative that requires hospitals to hire 80 percent of graduate RNs by 2020 (Williams & Howard, 2017). I believe ADN offers a clear pathway towards becoming a full-fledged RN possessing extensive knowledge and skills because the hospitals are likely to incur penalties if they do not adhere to the directive. In this way, I will become competitive in the job market and ultimately get hired alongside Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prepared nurses.
The other reason why I intend to pursue the ADN program is to improve patient outcomes in medical facilities. Studies show that ADN-prepared nurses actively participate in the provision of high-quality healthcare services subsequently improving patient outcomes (Williams & Howard, 2017). LPN-prepared nurses do not make major impacts in hospitals. The opportunities for LPNs to make significant changes are limited because the highest rank they can occupy is supervising nurse assistants performing basic duties like bathing patients or changing their pants. I believe that obtaining an ADN qualification grants me more responsibility to produce significant impacts in the hospital that ultimately improve patient outcomes. With ADN, I can competently assume advanced supervisory roles. In this role, I will be able to monitor the activities of LPN and nurse aids and ensure that patients access high-quality healthcare services.
Pursuing ADN provides varied opportunities for career growth and development. My nursing goal is to acquire critical, analytical, management, and communication skills that enhance my ability to execute my roles as an RN. My goal is to demonstrate impeccable clinical knowledge to address the varied challenges and increased nursing demands witnessed in the health sector. I believe that pursuing ADN places me in a better position to grow professionally. With ADN, I can easily transition to BSN through which I can become a nurse leader or a director in a medical institution. Pursuing an ADN program creates an opportunity to advance evidence-based practice essential in providing quality healthcare to patients. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) highlights nurses’ need to engage in continuous education to improve their skills and competence (Williams & Howard, 2017). Thus, I think acquiring an ADN qualification is one step away from pursuing an advanced nursing degree, which offers a broad array of opportunities and responsibilities.
Nurses advance their education to access more job opportunities and become more competitive in the job market. Moreover, they pursue progressive nursing education to take good care of their patients and improve patient outcomes. I believe pursuing an ADN program fulfills the mentioned desires and creates a pathway for professional growth. Indeed, the ADN program offers opportunities to pursue other advanced nursing degrees that guarantee more job opportunities. I feel that ADN will help achieve my nursing goal of assuming management positions and, consequently, utilizing acquired knowledge and skills.
Reference
Williams, T., & Howard, P. (2017). An academic-practice partnership model to grow and sustain advanced practice nursing. Journal of Nursing Administration, 47, 629–635.