ESSENTIAL IX

e-Portfolio Essential IX: Baccalaureate generalist nursing practice

Laura Ellis
Frostburg State University

ESSENTIAL IX

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides specific qualifications

for nurses seeking a bachelors level competency in nursing practice. The AACN has nine
essential requirements of a professional nurse including number nine; Baccalaureate
Generalist Nursing Practice. The focus of Essential IX is that baccalaureate nurses
integrate knowledge, skills, and attitude and serve as the bridge between the patient and
the healthcare environment. The baccalaureate prepared nurse is able to translate their
assessment findings into a care plan with the physician. They are able to integrate their
knowledge and experience into professional care for diverse cultural, spiritual, ethnic,
and age populations (2008, pg. 30).
Exemplar
The selected exemplar represents integration and understanding of the
comprehensive health assessment. Comprehensive health assessments are the foundation
of nursing a patient care. In order for a nurse to be safe, independent, and proficient in the
field, they must be able to perform a comprehensive health assessment. This exemplar is
reflective of what the AACN states is a baccalaureate prepared nurse.
Reflection
This semester long assignment, the comprehensive health assessment,
demonstrates the ability to obtain subjective information and objective findings and
organize them into a detailed report. According to the AACN, baccalaureate trained
nurses must be able to conduct comprehensive and focused physical, behavioral,

ESSENTIAL IX

psychological, spiritual, socioeconomic, and environmental assessments of health and

illness parameters in patients, using developmentally and culturally appropriate
Approaches (2008, pg. 31). Not only does this exemplar demonstrate assessment skills
but also the ability to recognize transition of care needs and discharge planning as seen in
the patient outcomes and nursing interventions section. The ability to do identify patient
education and transitional care needs is indicated by the AACN as a requirement of the
baccalaureate trained nurse. The comprehensive health assessment completed the Health
Assessment course of Frostburg State Universitys BSN program exhibits the ability to
assess a patient from head to toe and evaluate their psychosocial, cultural, spiritual, and
nutritional health. Given that the primary role of the nurse is to assess and monitor
changes at the bedside in a clinical setting, the comprehensive health assessment is of the
utmost importance to the professional nurse.

ESSENTIAL IX

4
References:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate

Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, DC.