Having and bachelor’s degree in the science of nursing (BSN) opens many doors for the registered nurse (RN). Amongst the opportunities also come additional expectations and responsibilities. In the new testament Jesus Christ refers to this by saying much is required of those that have received much (Luke 12:48). This is true for BSN-prepared RNs, but one must consider the risks and the benefits.
Opportunities and Expectations
Job Employment Opportunities for BSN-Prepared Nurses
Having a BSN makes it easier to get a specific desired position. Among other things a BSN prepared nurse is more confident. When multiple applicants are desirable in similar ways and are being considered for a nursing position, the RN with a BSN will likely be selected.
Some countries require the BSN and will not allow nursing students to sit of the board exam without first earning their BSN. After the BSN is achieved this also opens the door for higher education like nurse practitioner or a master’s in nursing. A BSN education encompasses more learning around leadership, research, the history of nursing, the trends in nursing. This additional knowledge is beneficial to the BSN-prepared nurse and improves their everyday nursing skills. In general BSN-prepared nurses have better patient outcomes. A nursing instructor at the community college level must have a BSN degree or higher to teach. BSN-prepared nurses are more likely to advance professionally. The RN who has earned a BSN can apply for several positions previously unavailable. Some employers require a certain ratio of nurses that have their BSN while others will only hire nurses with their BSN. Branches of the military for example require the RN to have a BSN. Having a BSN also makes one eligible to be a legal nurse consultant. Most school districts require that the school nurse has a BSN (Black, 2014, p. 14). Expectations and Responsibilities A BSN-prepared RN has more responsibility and has more expectations placed upon them. The BSN-prepared nurse is expected to perform at a higher level. In a court of law for example, the RN actions will be measured by their level of education among other things. Many manager positions require a BSN and with manager positions come more responsibility and a wider range of duties compared to the RN on the floor. Managers also must attend more meetings than the RNs on the floor, work out issues with family members who are upset, deal with angry patients, and be the middle man between the upper management and the people working on the floor. A benefit to this is less physical demand on the body since managers are on their feet less. This fits well for aging nurses who are not ready to retire who may want to keep working. Adversely, additional stresses on the mind are frequently attached to manager positions. A BSN degree may very well be the requirement in the future. Some countries already require this. A bachelor’s degree has long been associated with professionals. Should nursing change to fit into this tradition? Should all nursing programs be phased into becoming facilities that award bachelor degrees in the science of nursing? The Institute of Medicine has recommended that by the year 2020, 80% of RNs be BSN prepared according to McEwen, White, Pullis, and Krawtz (2014). Generally speaking, individuals with a bachelor’s degree are looked upon as educated, intelligent, committed and reliable. Among other things BSN-prepared nurses in general are paid more. Although an RN with a BSN has some disadvantages, there are by far more benefits to having the BSN.
As a new nurse that was approaching my first anniversary of employment, I made the very tough decision to return to school to obtain my BSN. I began the RN-BSN program with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in August of 2015. My life was already very busy, along with having two children, a husband, and reentering the workforce in a new field, I decided that taking one course at a time would work best for my busy schedule. My focus was to take as many classes as possible, without breaks by following the start dates with the UTA program. There were pre-requisite classes from other schools that I overlapped with the RN-BSN classes because I wanted to complete the program as quickly as possible.
The national shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) has helped generate formidable interest in the nursing profession among people entering the workforce and those pursuing a career change. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in 2002, the national population is continuing to grow and age and medical services continue to advance, so the need for nurses will continue to increase. They report from 2000 to 2020 the predicted shortage of nurses is expected to grow to 29 percent, compared to a 6 percent shortage in 2000. With the projected supply, demand, and shortage of registered nurses and nursing salaries ever-increasing, the nursing profession can offer countless opportunities. But first one must determine which educational path to pursue, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Associate Degree in nursing (ADN). Most will initially be educated at the associate degree level, even though the American Organization of Nursing Executives (AONE) has recommended a baccalaureate level as a minimal for entry-level nurses. With the expanding number of RN to BSN programs available there is always the option to further one’s education at a later date. The benefits for acquiring a BSN over an ADN include a better knowledge for evidence-based practice, an increased advantage for promotion, and the necessary gateway for higher education.
Megginson, L. (2008). RN-BSN education: 21st century barriers and incentives. Journal Of Nursing Management, 16(1), 47-55.
The topic of "ADN versus BSN" is one that has plagued the nursing profession for decades. Does a nurse’s level of education really matter? Can ADN nursing graduates perform their duties as well as BSN graduates? These are the types of questions that continue to be debated by policymakers, educational organizations and associations, and the general public. This may be because nurses are now one of the least educated health care roles when compared to other health care professions that are now requiring bachelor degrees or higher for entry. A more likely reason is undoubtedly due to the growing body of evidence suggesting that BSN graduates are more prepared when entering the workforce than their ASN counterparts. These findings have made some hospitals decide to only hire BSN prepared graduates or higher. Linda Aiken, director of the center for health outcomes and research at Penn State, recently stated "the evidence base is growing, and a number of hospitals are acting on it” (Burling, 2010). If employers prefer BSN prepared nurses, why don’t more of them offer pay differentials or other incentives to return to school? The answer to that question is still unknown. The Veterans Administration (VA) is one exception. The VA leads the country in employing the most registered nurses according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2011). The VA made the decision a decade ago to establish the BSN as a requirement for new hires. The VA devoted $50 million in approximately five-years to help
I wish I had enrolled in the RN-BSN program sooner than this time. Before the RN-BSN program, I did not fully understand my role as a nurse. I had no knowledge of the functions of the Nurse Practice Act and the Board of Nursing. Nursing research was just a part of nursing curriculum. I have no prior knowledge of the evidence based practice. However, my trajectory into the RN-BSN program changed all that. I feel more confident and equipped as a professional nurse now than before. My two specific examples of change in behavior as a result of RN-BSN program are, one, changes in my skills and two, attitudes toward family dynamics, values and believes. The complexities of nursing practice, healthcare policies, and patients' needs lead to the
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
The nurse who chooses to return to school is secure, is not afraid to face change, and views education as preparation for the future (Altmann, 2011). Nonetheless, returning to school can cause disruption, which may lead to feelings of self-doubt. Developing coping strategies helps to alleviate these concerns. Personally, the decision to continue my nursing education revolves around my job. As an advocate for the mental health population, I want to become a leader who influences the future of mental health services in our region; education will help me achieve these goals.
INTRODUCTION There are many things that affect a student’s enrolment as a nurse the student must be competent in the many registration standards that the Nursing Midwifery Board of Australia have set. The stigmas attached to students with Impairments and or Criminal histories and the ineligibility to register. Nursing is defined by the International Council of Nursing (2014) as collaborative care of individual’s any age health or ill of all communities, groups, in all situations. Health promotion, illness prevention and the care of unwell, disabled and dying people are included in the nursing practice. Encouraging a safe environment, research, contributing to shape health policies and health systems management, and education are also key nursing
There has been great debate in the nursing community for years regarding what should be the educational requirements for a practicing nurse. There are currently many options for men and women to enter the field through LPN, ADN, and BSN programs. More recently, programs have been popping up allowing accelerated BSN obtainment through second degree programs. The debate stems from the conflicting ideas of whether nursing as a whole is a trade, requiring an associate’s degree, or should be considered a profession, often requiring a Baccalaureate degree. In this paper this author will use past nursing history, current medical demands and advancements, and clinical patient outcomes to argue that the minimum education for a nurse should be a Baccalaureate degree.
This is a great opportunity for students to evaluate themselves and acknowledge their weaknesses and strengths. This paper will discuss my success plan in nursing program.
A nurse with only a two year college experience is not going to nearly have as much experience and knowledge as a nurse who has gone through two extra years of schooling and training. Also, in today’s society, nurses are required to have a BSN rather than only a two year degree due to all of the medical advances that have taken place. It is overall, in my opinion, more beneficial to have a BSN along with a RN for more job opportunities and also to have the extra training and experience acquired to work successfully in the field of
Nursing encompasses several levels of education and licensure. For decades the differentiation between these levels has been debated, primarily between the differentiation of the Associates degree in Nursing (ADN) and the Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). The associate’s degree, which began with the intention of creating a technical nurse, has developed into being “equivalent” to a bachelors degree (Hess, 1996). The two degrees however are not equivalent, the bachelors educated nurse receives two years education beyond the associate, in the liberal arts and upper division nursing courses
McEwen, M., Pullis, B. R., White, M. J., & Krawtz, S. (2013). Eighty Percent by 2020: The Present and Future of RN-to-BSN Education. The Journal of nursing education, 1-9.
The BSN program helps the nurses in many ways including utilizing the process to the full scale and it will encourage nurses to use their skills like educating the patient as we’ll as creating new nurses. Because of the new health care reform, the BSN program will also aid in filling the gap from the influx of patients. The baccalaureate degrees and BSN program helps prepare students for the significant part they are going to play in reinforcing the new healthcare reform. At present, I utilize and develop nursing care plans in the nursing process, even though it needs some corrections due to the nature of my work. The highest standards of nursing can only be achieved through better research and advanced training.
The school is adequately preparing me and teaching me what I need to know to become an excellent nurse. I will be equipped to work in many areas and will keep the door open to different opportunities. In fact, I specifically chose a school where I would earn a BSN degree so I can have the option to become a nurse practitioner if I decide I want to. Another way a BSN degree in nursing is helpful is if I were to ever decide to become a teacher, I could go back to school and get my master’s degree quicker than I could without a BSN degree. Having multiple options with this degree is both helpful and comforting. Simply as a nursing student, my role is to be the best student I can. By preparing my best and utilizing my resources, I know that I am pleasing God in my studies, no matter the test score. As a nursing student and then as a nurse, I will have to work my absolute hardest so I can achieve excellence. In the end, my hard work will pay off and please