Nursing is a viable career option for anyone who wants a stable job that helps people. Nurses have several possible avenues to start their career, and some are better than others. While lesser degrees may be faster and less expensive, there are some powerful reasons that a Bachelors of Science in Nursing is the best way to go.
1. Increased Marketability
A BSN is a good way to improve your position on the job market. There is a very strong demand for nurses, but the best jobs are still highly competitive. If you want to secure the best position, a BSN is a good way to make that happen. Compared to lower degrees, a BSN carries more weight. This makes an applicant with a BSN more appealing to most employers. In some cases, a BSN may actually be required, leaving nurses with lower degrees ineligible. If you want to give yourself flexibility and power in the job market, a BSN can definitely help.
2. More Career Paths
A BSN can open more career opportunities. A BSN will prepare you for a wide variety of leadership positions. With a BSN, you can consider working as a charge nurse or a nurse coordinator. This degree is a stepping stone to furthering your career, giving you access to higher level positions and more advanced job opportunities. A BSN is also more versatile outside the health care context. You can leverage a BSN to find work in other fields with far more success than other degrees.
3. Better Compensation
Since a BSN requires more schooling than other nursing degrees, it often commands more rewards. Nurses with a BSN earn more money. They also get better benefits and superior working conditions. Most people do not go into nursing for the perks, but such things are certainly worth a consideration when picking a degree to pursue. In fact, some hospitals and clinics will even pay for nurses to complete their BSN, making it an even more lucrative career opportunity.
4. Superior Knowledge
There is a reason that a BSN demands more respect in the workforce. A BSN requires more time and work, which means that nurses are better prepared for the demands of the job. Since these degrees have more coursework and fieldwork associated with them, nurses have a superior knowledge base and skill set to take with them. A BSN provides training not only in medicine but in leadership and communication as well. This is not merely a question of marketability, but it can improve your performance on the job, equipping you to better treat patients in life and death situations.
5. New Requirements
Although there are job openings for nurses at all levels, there has been a push in recent years to get more nurses with a BSN in the workforce. In fact, the Institute of Internal Medicine started an initiative to get 80 percent of all working nurses to have a BSN by the year 2020. While this is not an actual requirement, it does reflect a growing trend within the health care industry. Hospitals, clinics and medical practices want nurses who are thoroughly qualified and completely prepared for the demands of the job. A BSN is one way to raise the standard of care offered in a facility, which is one reason why having one can get you ahead of the game.
Nursing is a career that can be personally and professionally gratifying. To give yourself the best opportunities for advancement in this vibrant field, a BSN can be an excellent choice.
See also: How To Get An RN to BSN Online
