For many years, an associate’s degree in nursing was all that was required for those looking to become a registered nurse. However, while you can still get into the profession with this qualification, more and more healthcare employers are looking for nurses with more advanced qualifications – a BSN is usually required as a minimum. In New York State, nurses can enter the profession with an ASN, but are required to get their bachelor’s degree within ten years thanks to the new BSN-in-10 rule.
The US is currently suffering from a national shortage of nurses, which has led employers to plan for hiring thousands of new nurses within the next few years. But it’s no longer as easy to get into nursing as it once was. The healthcare industry has many reasons why educated nurses are more important than ever. Nurses who hold a minimum of a BSN tend to be more knowledgeable, and in turn, will provide a better standard of patient care. Nurses with advanced degrees such as the MSN tend to be better equipped to handle the pressures of modern nursing. Here’s why more employers are looking for nurses with advanced qualifications.
Improving the Healthcare System:
One of the main reasons why employers are seeking out nurses with advanced degree qualifications is to improve the healthcare system overall. Employers who are looking for Magnet status, which is awarded to recognize the excellent standard of care that they provide to their patients, will often actively seek out more qualified nurses and healthcare staff. And with an increasing number of hospitals and healthcare settings actively working towards achieving Magnet status, it’s no surprise that they are seeking out more educated nurses since the requirement for the award is for at least 80% of nurses in employment to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the profession.
Better Patient Care:
Magnet status is not the only reason behind the growing need for nurses with advanced qualifications. Hospitals that are looking to improve the standards of patient care that they provide and boost their reputation within the industry also have good reason to be choosy when it comes to the minimum qualifications that they will accept from their nurses. Several studies have found that healthcare settings where nurses hold at least a BSN tend to provide better standards of patient care compared to those who do not. The patient mortality risk is decreased by around four percent when just ten percent of the nurses that are tasked with caring for them have achieved a BSN or higher. Nurses who hold a BSN or higher tend to correlate with healthcare settings where patients have shorter stays, lower rates of readmissions, and a lower risk of complications.
Nursing Career Prospects:
Nurses themselves also benefit from the growing need for more advanced qualifications in the profession. When a BSN is the minimum required qualification for a role, nurses have more opportunities open to them for the future when it comes to career progression, since the BSN is often the minimum requirement for programs such as a master of science in nursing or a family nurse practitioner degree program at the master’s level. Nurses who want to advance their careers with further education, specialize in a certain area of nursing, move into a management position or teach and mentor the next generation of nurses will often find that a more advanced degree qualification is necessary to help them meet their career goals.
Nursing Degree Options Available:
While it might be increasingly necessary for nurses to complete more studies and get more advanced qualifications in order to enter the profession, the good news is that nursing degrees are now more accessible, with a wide range of options for aspiring nurses to consider. Those who are looking to change their career from another field to nursing might consider an accelerated BSN program that allows them to get this qualification in half the time compared to the traditional route, and is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject. Online nursing degrees are also growing in popularity, allowing aspiring nurses to enjoy more freedom and autonomy while getting their BSN qualification and making it easier to become a nurse while working and upholding other commitments.
How to Get a BSN:
The bachelor of science in nursing degree is available from all good nursing schools, many colleges, community colleges, and online universities. To get a BSN, you will usually be required to hold a minimum of a GED and demonstrate a strong knowledge and grasp of scientific subjects, particularly biology. In some cases, you may also be required to have demonstrated your commitment to this career choice by getting relevant work experience in a caregiving setting such as volunteering in a nursing home or with vulnerable people in your community. Whether you decide to study for your BSN on-campus or online, take a traditional four-year program or accelerated BSN, you will typically be required to complete work placements in a clinical setting as part of the qualification, enabling you to get the hands-on experience that you need before graduating and starting work as a nurse.
How to Get an Advanced Degree?
Once you have a BSN, you will be eligible to enroll in several advanced nursing degree programs including the MSN degree. You will also find master’s degrees in nursing that allow you to specialize in a certain area such as management or education, or a certain type of nursing like pediatrics or gerontology. Many registered nurses who want to improve their career prospects with an advanced degree will do so while working full-time, which makes online degree programs the ideal choice, although you can find on-campus classes if these are a better fit for your situation. In some cases, your employer might run programs where you can get financial support while getting your advanced degree since achieving the qualification is likely to benefit you both.
Today, nurses are better-educated than ever before, with most employers requiring a minimum of a BSN to ensure excellent patient care.
