Baccalaureate Education as an Entry-to-Practice Requirement: Why It Matters Now More Than Ever.

Abstract

Given the nursing shortage, nurse educators and leaders are responsible now more than ever to advocate for baccalaureate education as an entry-to-practice requirement for registered nurses. The world today is complex, with population health issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, high patient acuity and climate change. Accordingly, a nursing workforce that receives high-quality education is required. In this paper, an overview is provided about the evolution of a baccalaureate degree in nursing as an entry-to-practice requirement. We highlight evidence about patient outcomes associated with baccalaureate-prepared nurses, identify gaps and examine the nature of workplace environments in optimizing contributions stemming from baccalaureate-prepared nurses.