In a highly competitive economy, many individuals strive to obtain the highest degree possible in order to stay relevant in their given field. Obtaining a Registered Nurse to Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN degree) may give you the training you need to improve your skills, and advance your career. This article will discuss tips for finding the best RN to BSN program, the benefits of obtaining a nursing degree, and what you can expect while pursuing a BSN.
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Finding the Right RN to BSN Program
Nursing as a profession has made tremendous advances over the last decade and is ever-evolving within today’s economic and political culture. Any RN to BSN program of study should be one which has also evolved to include a strong focus on evidence-based practice and applied learning. The coursework should focus on the knowledge and skills that will actually help with the advancement of your nursing practice.
Additionally, the length of the program and flexibility of course scheduling is very important to anyone balancing school with work and family life. When choosing a RN to BSN program, it is important to evaluate your current schedule to determine if you would best be suited for a classroom based or online nursing program.
Benefits of a BSN Degree
While an Associate’s degree in nursing provides much of the technical and scientific knowledge necessary for safe and effective patient care, the Bachelor‘s degree nursing program builds upon those skills in a way that stimulates critical thinking and, additionally, provides the professional perspective necessary for performing in a management or leadership role. The growing need for health care in this country has also led to numerous advanced practice roles for nurses, including nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse leaders. Many graduate nursing degree programs require a BSN for entry.
With more and more hospitals seeking magnet status, an accreditation given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a BSN is an important step for a nurse’s career advancement.
RN to BSN Degree Requirements
In order to prepare registered nurses for career and academic advances, attention is shifted from the hands on technical skills utilized at the bedside to a more global focus on the profession as a whole. This includes courses which offer opportunities to become better nurse leaders or managers, courses which further investigate pathophysiology and physical assessment and apply this understanding to acute patients, and those which broaden the scope of nursing practice to include a variety of cultures and communities.
Part-Time Degrees in Nursing
This will vary from school to school. In some cases, students will be assigned a very specific starting and ending point and are also required to complete their program in a sequence determined by the college. Other programs, like at Rasmussen College, for example, students can take as few or as many courses as they choose. This provides incredible flexibility to today’s nursing student, who is often balancing a job and a family.
RN to BSN Online Programs
Students who enroll in an RN to BSN online programs have already completed the clinical requirements necessary to acquire a nursing license. The kind of experiences provided in an online RN to BSN program is created to support professional development based on real-world nursing. Students in the RN to BSN program are immediately able to apply new knowledge to current patient care. Traditional BSN education focuses heavily on historical theories and perspectives. While this is a critical foundation of the four-year nursing degree, we online RN to BSN programs developers have created courses which add the concepts of evidence-based nursing, making the program exciting and applicable to today’s nursing practice.
Challenges and Advantages of RN to BSN Programs
A big challenge RN to BSN students face is the daily balance of school, work, and family. The Rasmussen College program assists with this by limiting busy work and providing focused, applicable assignments and projects. The flexibility of course and sequence selection also makes it more likely that students will be able to tailor their program to fit the ever-changing demands of their lives.
The biggest advantage for students will be the ability to apply weekly course experiences to their personal nursing practice. Oftentimes, the BSN graduate will not fully appreciate the increase in knowledge and professional perspective that their new degree has provided until they have moved on to new roles or a graduate program. The intent to provide rigorous, interesting curriculum that sparks further inquiry and improved patient outcomes for those who are already working as a registered nurse.
Investing in Your Future
Reaching a terminal degree in your lifelong profession of choice is one of the most fulfilling and significant milestones in your life. Nursing is one of the few professions that allow for these times to refocus and regenerate. It is the hope that the RN to BSN program will be a memorable and exciting stepping stone for those who are on this incredible journey!