The “Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice” is an informative source put forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), that provides the necessary components of a baccalaureate nursing program, as well as a rationale as to how these core components will aid nurses in providing the highest level of competent and effective care. Within this document are nine essentials that when addressed, allow for the graduate nurse to perform as providers, designers, and managers of care in complex healthcare settings. It is a guideline that ensures that the institutions that produce baccalaureate prepared nurses, will produce ones with the highest knowledge base to allow for the most optimal level of