Nursing is an in-demand profession in the US with plenty of job opportunities. Nurses play a crucial role in the healthcare industry and are vital for the smooth functioning of any healthcare facility. It’s a demanding career, and nurses have various responsibilities. However, this profession also offers many rewards, like monetary benefits, career advancement opportunities, and personal fulfillment.
Education, experience, and certifications are necessary to secure a stable job in nursing. Most students with a bachelor’s in nursing degree are eligible for entry-level nursing jobs. Advanced degrees in nursing can make you eligible for better jobs. Registered nurses often don’t pursue a BSN degree but possess all the required clinical nursing skills, so they are also eligible to work as nurses in various healthcare settings.
Registered nurses looking to advance their careers can get enrolled in an RN to BSN program. They are proficient in most clinical skills taught in a BSN degree. Therefore, RNs mostly focus on improving and learning their theoretical knowledge in an RN to BSN degree. There are various benefits of pursuing an RN to BSN program. Therefore, various universities offer excellent and affordable RN to BSN degree programs that allow registered nurses to earn a BSN degree in a shorter time.
In this article, we are going to discuss some practical reasons to get into an RN to BSN program.
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1. Career Advancement Opportunities and Job Stability
The main advantage of earning an RN to BSN degree is that it dramatically improves your job prospects and provides new career opportunities. A BSN degree is necessary for pursuing advanced degrees and certifications that ultimately boost your career. Moreover, it provides career advancement opportunities by making you eligible for leadership roles in the nursing profession.
The growing aging population needs more medical attention, so skilled nurses are in demand and the employment rate is predicted to grow by 12% (much faster than the average job growth rate) by 2028, according to the bureau of labor statistics. Hence, many stable jobs are available after graduating with an RN to BSN degree.
2. Variety of Career Pathways
An RN to BSN degree program opens up different career pathways for you. It allows you to specialize in any nursing field of your preference. Over the years, hospital admissions have reduced, and hospital stays have become shorter due to improved medical care. Therefore, nurses are required to provide healthcare services to more patients outside a healthcare setting. A BSN degree equips you with the skills required in diverse healthcare settings.
A BSN degree allows you to work in community clinics, case management, and health maintenance organizations. Moreover, pursuing advanced degrees and certifications after a BSN degree can allow you to work in clinical, leadership, and educational roles in nursing. You can work as a cardiology or pediatric nurse based on your specialization. You can become a nurse teacher to educate and train the next generation of nurses. Moreover, you can also work in a leadership role to introduce positive changes in the field of nursing.
3. Higher Earning Potential
Graduating with an RN to BSN degree can significantly increase your earning potential. According to the data available on Payscale, the average salary of BSN degree graduates is $89,000 per year. Pursuing an RN to BSN degree provides you with a competitive edge that helps you compete for higher-paying jobs.
Your earning potential can also differ based on the state you practice in, the cost of living in the area, your specialization, and your experience. More and more hospitals seek high-skilled nurse professionals with a BSN degree to meet the expectations of the National Academy of Medicine. Therefore, they offer competitive salary packages to recruit and hold on to competent nurses.
4. Better Patient Outcomes
RN to BSN graduates have more knowledge and receive more extensive training, so BSN graduate nurses are associated with better patient outcomes. Comprehensive education and increased autonomy provided by a BSN program improve the level of care provided to patients.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that increasing the number of BSN nurses by 10% in a healthcare setting reduced the patient mortality rate by 10.9%. Moreover, hospitals that employ BSN graduate nurses have patients with shorter lengths of stay and lower heart failure-related mortality.
5. Increased Autonomy
An RN to BSN degree instills confidence in nurses to make critical decisions during patient care, which is necessary for nurses practicing outside of the hospital. The ability to make wise decisions quickly improves patient care and lowers the rate of mortality.
Autonomy is essential for nurses because nurses have to manage new healthcare technologies, make swift decisions, coordinate care plans for patients, and perform many other responsibilities. Requiring the approval of another professional for every task can be tiring, which can prolong the care process and may lead to unwanted patient outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial for nurses to learn autonomy during their BSN degree to provide efficient and effective healthcare services.
The Bottom Line
Nursing is a rewarding career that offers many career benefits and personal fulfillment. Pursuing a BSN degree is the first step in starting a nursing career. Registered nurses can pursue an RN to BSN degree program to get a BSN degree in a shorter time. There are various benefits of pursuing an RN to BSN degree.
Some advantages include better job opportunities, higher salaries, different career pathways, increased autonomy, and better patient outcomes. Hopefully, this article will help you understand some practical reasons to get into RN to BSN program.