Nursing is a rewarding field that boasts compelling opportunities for advancement. For many registered nurses, the clearest path forward involves the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). This respected degree opens the door to numerous types of nursing jobs in addition to helping RNs improve nursing confidence and quality of care.
If you are interested in taking your nursing career to the next level, the BSN is worth pursuing. This program can help you develop the advanced nursing skills and knowledge that today’s top healthcare employers demand. You will emerge with a respected academic credential and also with a broader skill set that can be put to use in many professional settings.
As you consider furthering your nursing education, it’s important to answer a few questions: What is a BSN nurse — and what can I do with a BSN? We will provide a deep dive into the BSN below, touching on degree advantages and relevant career opportunities.
What Is a BSN Nurse?
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a respected undergraduate degree program that emphasizes evidence-based practice and comprehensive skill development. Becoming a BSN nurse means obtaining a BSN degree and, with it, valuable preparation for a variety of nursing roles and opportunities.
Differences Between a BSN and Other Nursing Qualifications
The BSN is often confused with other nursing acronyms, including those that reference educational achievements or levels of nursing. We highlight several of these below, revealing how they differ and when certain qualifications are worth pursuing:
- ADN/ASN – The associate degree in nursing provides exposure to basic clinical concepts, such as pharmacology and health promotion. This program often takes two years to complete, and upon graduating, students can sit for the NCLEX exam and become a registered nurse.
- RN – Registered nursing forms the typical career pathway for those who have graduated with their ADN or BSN (and passed the NCLEX-RN). Responsible for providing practical patient care and emotional support, RNs hold greater autonomy than licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) or nurse aides.
- BSN – The BSN is a four-year nursing program available to established RNs or those who wish to become RNs. The ultimate goal is to promote strong clinical reasoning while helping nurses prepare to take on niche or specialty roles. Compared to the ADN, the BSN may place a greater focus on research and evidence-based practice. The BSN can be a go-to precursor to graduate-level study, though RN to MSN programs are also available.
- MSN – Upon completing their BSN, some nurses may seek graduate-level opportunities that allow them to prepare for specialized or leadership roles in nursing, such as APRN (advanced practice registered nurse), nurse educator, or nurse administrator.
- DNP –The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree represents the highest level of practical nursing education and is designed to prepare nurses for the most advanced level of clinical practice, leadership, and policy-making roles in healthcare.
- PhD – The PhD in Nursing is a research-oriented doctoral degree that prepares nurses for careers in academia, research, leadership, and policy development within the healthcare sector.
5 Advantages of Pursuing a BSN for Career Advancement
Many RNs pursue their BSN simply because this represents the logical next step in their academic trajectory. This is an excellent reason to get a bachelor’s degree, but there are other benefits worth considering:
1. Expanded Career Opportunities
The ADN may be the minimum academic barrier to entry for aspiring RNs, but increasingly, employers expect more. Niche or senior RN positions in particular are reserved for baccalaureate-trained nurses, who receive more autonomy and opportunities to pursue specialties they find interesting.
2. Higher Salary Potential
In general, nursing provides excellent wages, and BSN nurses often enjoy access to higher-paying positions. What’s more, as a precursor to the MSN, a BSN degree could pave the path for even higher earnings as a nurse practitioner.
3. Preparation for Graduate Studies
While many RNs are happy to complete their education at the bachelor’s level, some aspire to eventually work as nurse practitioners (NPs) or advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). These positions are only available to candidates with their master’s degrees. Research-intensive BSN classes can prepare future graduate students for challenging Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) coursework.
4. Increased Competitive Edge
The nursing field has a strong outlook, but RNs may encounter fierce competition as they seek the most in-demand job opportunities. The BSN could provide a competitive edge by conveying greater competence and a clear commitment to ongoing skill development.
Also worth considering? Evolving employer preferences and requirements. According to a notable survey from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), more than 70% of healthcare employers prefer to hire baccalaureate-trained RNs, while one-quarter of these employers have gone a step further and made the BSN a hiring requirement.
5. Leadership and Management Skills
BSN curricula explores evidence-based practice and cutting-edge clinical research and nursing leadership. Through this program, aspiring nurse managers can acquire important management skills that eventually allow them to guide and shape the nursing workforce.
One of the BSN curriculum’s most compelling courses — Nursing Leadership and Management — delves into leadership styles and models, especially as they relate to the nursing code of ethics.
What Can You Do With a BSN?
We’ve touched on numerous benefits of the BSN, but one of the most notable advantages involves sheer versatility; a BSN makes it easier to pursue a range of nursing careers or niches. These include both conventional roles such as registered nursing as well as specialty positions and even administrative opportunities. We discuss several of these in detail below, along with several lesser-known options available to baccalaureate-trained nurses.
Traditional Nursing Roles for BSN Graduates
The ‘typical’ path for a BSN graduate involves working as a registered nurse, although many baccalaureate-trained RNs eventually move into senior-level nursing roles or focus on specific healthcare settings or patient populations. Common nursing opportunities available to BSN graduates include:
Registered Nurse (RN)
Though it is possible to become an RN upon graduating with an ADN, the BSN also provides a reliable path to becoming a registered nurse. Adopting this approach, aspiring RNs can streamline their educational path and secure better preparation for the NCLEX-RN exam. From there, many RN positions could be available, including general roles in physician clinics or specialized positions.
Emergency Room Nurse
Providing urgent care for patients with acute or life-threatening health problems, emergency room (ER) nurses can expect to work under pressure. Their interventions save lives while also allowing them to provide valued support for trauma surgeons, ER doctors, and other emergency medical specialists.
Labor and Delivery Nurse
Labor and delivery nurses assist patients during and immediately after childbirth, typically under the supervision of obstetricians or nurse midwives. By proactively addressing patient needs, they can bring greater comfort to those undergoing the extraordinary physical and emotional challenges of childbirth. Additionally, L&D nurses monitor vitals, measure contractions, and complete fetal assessments.
School Nurse
School nurses provide basic care in K-12 settings, where they work with students and staff members to promote health and well-being. Often, this involves completing health assessments and writing care plans. School nurses also administer first aid in response to acute injuries and chronic health concerns. Their work often involves coordinating follow-up care.
Home Health Nurse
Responsible for providing high-level care outside of the conventional medical setting, home health nurses monitor vital signs and complete physical assessments, much like they would in a typical healthcare practice. This improves access to care for patients with mobility impairments. Home health nurses may also collect blood samples, administer medications, or (in some cases) respond to emergencies.
Hospice Nurse
Centered on palliative care, hospice nursing calls for a wealth of compassion. Hospice nurses focus on improving patient comfort above the search for a cure. This role involves regularly checking vital signs and administering medications. In addition, hospice nurses offer emotional support for patients and their loved ones.
Geriatric Nurse
Primarily working with senior patients, geriatric nurses address many chronic conditions related to aging. They bring a proactive approach to care, ensuring patients are properly examined and monitored so that health issues can be detected and addressed early on.
Specialized Nursing Fields for BSN Graduates
There is a lot to appreciate about the nursing opportunities highlighted above, but some nurses feel drawn to specialty fields that call for baccalaureate training. Specialized BSN career paths include:
Pediatric Nurse
Pediatric nurses provide targeted care for patients as young as newborns and as old as 18. These nurses draw on extensive developmental knowledge to help young patients feel more comfortable and confident while addressing various chronic and acute conditions that are common in younger populations.
Oncology Nurse
Employed in oncology offices, radiation therapy centers, or acute care hospitals, oncology nurses help patients manage severe symptoms of cancer while also assisting with detection and assessment. Some oncology nurses specialize in infusion care, administering everything from chemotherapy to electrolyte replacements.
Psychiatric Nurse
As behavioral health professionals, psychiatric nurses assess, diagnose, and treat patients with a range of mental health concerns. Along the way, they build therapeutic relationships that encourage and empower their patients. Many provide support during crisis interventions or assist with psychiatric rehabilitation.
Cardiac Nurse
Typically working under the supervision of cardiologists, cardiac nurses monitor chronic heart conditions or provide support in treating acute issues such as heart attacks. Some work in intensive care or cardiology units, although others may assist with surgery. Common tasks include recording EKG rhythms, using defibrillators, running IV drips, and administering medications.
Surgical Nurse
Surgical nursing is a nuanced specialty that involves many important roles. Some surgical nurses are known as scrub nurses, focusing on prepping patients for surgery. First assistants are trained as perioperative nurses and play a critical role in suturing, wound management, and other essentials.
Public Health Nurse
Eager to promote wellness and drive disease prevention initiatives, public health nurses use their extensive nursing skill set to serve entire communities rather than focusing on individual patients. They collaborate with numerous professionals to identify key health risks and boost access to health services across the community.
Occupational Health Nurse
Focused on worker populations, occupational health nurses strive to understand and prevent workplace injuries. This role calls for a unique balance between promoting worker health and helping businesses maintain a desirable bottom line. The primary goal, however, is to help employees do their jobs as safely as possible.
Informatics Nurse
Nursing informatics brings a data-driven approach to modern healthcare. As tech-savvy professionals, nursing informaticists implement cutting-edge systems that organize and synthesize a wealth of clinical data. The insights they produce can spark innovation or improve access to care.
Flight Nurse
Trained to provide emergency care aboard aircraft, flight nurses administer prehospital treatments, with the recognition that medical care should not stop when patients are in transit. Flight nursing opportunities include a variety of civilian and military roles, which may involve medical evacuations or air transfers.
Beyond the Hospital: Alternative Jobs for Nurses With a BSN
While it is common for BSN nurses to work in physician practices or hospitals, there are many amazing opportunities available beyond the scope of standard clinical care. Examples include:
Nurse Educator
The registered nurses of tomorrow are eager to learn from experienced professionals, who can not only instruct them on nursing theories and evidence-based practice but also provide valuable insights into what the profession is really like and what it takes to succeed as an RN. These professionals introduce students to essential clinical skills in the healthcare setting.
Legal Nurse Consultant
Serving as expert medical witnesses and working alongside attorneys, legal nurse consultants lend their expertise as opposed to providing direct patient care. They often play an influential role in medical malpractice cases. Appearances at trials are possible, but many work largely behind the scenes, reviewing medical documents and advising legal professionals.
Nurse Case Manager
Responsible for coordinating patient care, nurse case managers work with numerous healthcare professionals to ensure a strong continuum of care, complete with support from family members or other caregivers plus access to community services. Their work is primarily administrative but can have a huge impact on patient outcomes.
Nurse Administrator
Nurse administrators handle the many complex organizational components of nursing. They may be responsible for recruiting and training nurses, though other common tasks include scheduling shifts, setting budgets, and monitoring compliance.
Advance Your Nursing Career at Baker College
No matter which nursing roles you find compelling, you could benefit greatly from expanding your professional skill set. Depending on your career goals, this might mean seeking your BSN degree.As you examine nursing programs in Michigan, consider pursuing your BS in Nursing at Baker College. We are here to support you through every step of your nursing journey. Reach out to learn more about our nursing opportunities or to apply to one of our nursing degree programs.