Explain how scope of practice changes between an associate and baccalaureate nurse.

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An associate nurse’s scope of practice includes providing basic patient-care such as administering medicines, observing patient conditions and giving health education, recording patient data, assisting with diagnostic tests and treating other healthcare providers. The associate nurse must also follow the orders of physicians and adhere to protocol within the medical setting.

A baccalaureate-trained nurse, on the other hand, has a wider scope of practice. This includes advanced skills like critical thinking and managing patient care plans involving family members or medical professionals. A baccalaureate-level nurse is able to manage teams of nurses and provide care in a wide range of situations, including acute diseases to chronic illnesses. A baccalaureate provides nurses with a deeper understanding of the theory behind nursing, which allows them take on more leadership roles like teaching or mentoring new nurses. Additionally, they could be prepared for more specialized jobs such as developing policies or focusing on new research initiatives.