What is a BSN Nurse and is it the Right Career Path for You?
Nurses are always willing to lend a helping hand. From assisting doctors during surgery to helping patients out of bed, nurses are used to sacrificing themselves for the good of others. Most of the times the response of nurses seems so natural, and people don’t realize how much they do.
What Does BSN in the Healthcare Field Mean?
BSN simply stands for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. If you are interested in earning a BSN, then you’ll be required to attend a bachelor’s program in a university or college. You can also earn your degree online.
BSN Curriculum
When you move from an RN nurse to a BSN nurse, you will use the education you previously received in college. In addition, microbiology, health assessment, pathophysiology and research topics are some of the nursing topics that are covered in most nursing schools. You may also be required to complete clinical rotations to help you apply skills that you learn in class.
Benefits of Earning a BSN
A different title is not all you may get when you become a BSN. You might also experience some of these other perks to your new job.
- Career advancement
- Higher salaries
- Leadership roles
- Better job opportunities
Job Responsibilities for Nurses with a BSN
With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you’ll qualify for leadership jobs which often come with a higher salary and less supervision from other physicians. Regardless of whether you’re just starting out or you are already a nurse holding an associate’s degree, this degree is a great option if you would want to advance in your career.
The specific roles of a BSN registered nurse (RN) often depend on the healthcare setting, experience level, and patient population. However, some of the common responsibilities include communicating with doctors, care and safety, maintaining records and administering medications. Most RNs experience an evolution in their research and critical thinking skills as well as improved patient care methods after earning a bachelor of science in nursing.
Other BSN nurse Responsibilities
Coordinating departments: A BSN equips you with management strategies, and you can be tasked with the responsibility of cording communication among departments in a healthcare setting. For instance, you may be given the responsibility of overseeing the transfer of patients from the emergency department to critical care. This administrative responsibility is highly satisfying because it involves making the healthcare organization more efficient and improving the level of patient care. Just like other BSN responsibilities, being a department coordinator comes with an increased salary.
Supervising other nurses: More experienced and qualified RNs are often in charge of nursing shifts, however, with a BSN you might step into a more formal supervisory position. This doesn’t only mean a higher salary but also puts you on a leadership track to higher administrative positions.
Collaborating nursing care treatment plans: A BSN degree program involves extensive education in treatment and care plan collaboration, and this will give you more confidence to provide care and support to patients and be able to treat specific conditions or illnesses. As a BSN nurse, you may also be tasked with supporting patients through the different phases of treatment including finding specialists if necessary and coordinating with caregivers.
These are just some of the BSN healthcare nurse responsibilities. However, in more complex healthcare systems, more opportunities may require advanced nursing degrees. This is partly why the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has predicted that soon a bachelor’s degree will become the minimum qualification for professional nursing practice.
The Future of Nursing Careers
The U.S. Department of Labor has predicted that the U.S. healthcare system will require over 430,000 RNs by the year 2026. Fortunately, RN to BSN online programs are now offering more flexibility, especially for working nurses.
Are you interested in going from RN to BSN? If you want to take your career to the next level with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, consider ECPI University for your education. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions representative today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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