Nurses play a vital role in patient care. They provide bedside support, assistance, and help with the administration of life-saving treatments. Without nurses, today’s hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities would not be able to function.
What people who haven’t yet investigated nursing as a potential career choice don’t realize is that people who want to go into nursing get all kinds of different degrees. Registered nurses (RNs) can become licensed after completing associate programs or obtaining a nursing diploma, which is what most people do. There are, however, benefits to earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree that every nurse should know about. Read on to find out about a few of them.
1. More Job Opportunities
While there are plenty of places that will hire RNs without BSNs, obtaining an undergraduate degree will open up a greater range of job opportunities. After getting a BSN, nurses can apply for jobs at schools, in clinical research, or even working for the US Military. Recently, there has been a push among hospitals, home health care services, skilled nursing facilities, and even primary care physicians’ offices to require BSNs.
2. Better Pay
Nurses who invest in their education can expect to see returns in the form of better-paying jobs. RNs with BSNs qualify for a greater range of more advanced positions, many of which come with better pay. Nurses who obtain their BSNs can expect to make significantly more than they did before completing undergraduate programs.
3. Learn New Skills
Every RN has the basic skills required to provide clinical care. Nurses who hold BSNs have the benefit of extra schooling that allows them to learn and practice new skills. During a BSN program, students will have the opportunity to develop crucial critical thinking skills, learn how to communicate and collaborate more effectively with patients and the rest of their care teams, and exercise greater cultural competency.
4. Improved Patient Care
The fact that nurses get the chance to develop and hone crucial skills during BSN programs often means they are able to offer better patient care. Higher education in nursing can make a difference when it comes to medical outcomes, with patients receiving care from nurses with a BSN experiencing lower average mortality and failure-to-rescue rates. Improving patient outcomes should be the goal of every clinical practitioner, including nurses.
5. Career Development
Nurses who plan to continue their schooling beyond an undergraduate level will find that a BSN is a necessary stepping stone to master’s and Ph.D. programs. Nurses who plan to move on from clinical practice to explore careers in medical research, management, administration, or teaching also need to obtain BSNs to further their careers.
5. Ease of Program Completion
It’s easier than ever for practicing RNs to earn their BSN degrees. Today’s RN-to-BSN programs offer greater flexibility to accommodate nurses who plan to continue working while they complete their degrees, many of which can be completed entirely online. Of course, those who prefer to attend school full-time and obtain their BSN degrees as quickly as possible also have plenty of options.
Take the Next Step
For RNs interested in providing better patient care, getting access to a wider range of employment opportunities, or advancing in their careers, the next step is clear. Start investigating RN-to-BSN programs, learning about eligibility requirements, and preparing to submit applications today.
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