4 Advantages of Getting a BSN
4 Min Read
Completing your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) was the first step in your career. But now that you’ve become a registered nurse, it’s time to take the next step in your professional journey.
Continuing your education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree can open the door to greater opportunities within the field, position you for management roles, and impact patient outcomes. As you contemplate the investment of time and money, you may find yourself asking, is a BSN worth it?
The short answer is yes. Read on to understand why a BSN is an important degree and why more and more of today’s healthcare employers demand it.
Benefits of Getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Higher Salaries
It’s no secret that those with higher levels of education typically earn higher salaries. Increased earning potential is enough for many to understand why a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is worth it.
The average annual salary for registered nurses with an ADN is $77,000. Nurses with a bachelor’s in nursing average $94,000.1,2
Over the span of a typical 40-year career, registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees will earn about $680,000 more than those who only complete an associate degree in nursing.2 This amount doesn’t factor in potential salary raises and bonuses awarded throughout a career, which boosts total earning potential.
- Greater Patient Outcomes
Nurses who earn a bachelor’s degree must complete an additional two years of education beyond the foundations delivered through an ADN. The expertise BSN graduates bring to their work is linked to greater patient outcomes and lower mortality rates.
In a study by the National Library of Medicine, healthcare centers where most nurses hold BSN degrees have higher patient satisfaction rates, and their mortality rates are nearly 11% lower than facilities where most nurses have associate degrees.3
- Career Advancement
Beyond improving patient care, a BSN will advance your nursing career, positioning you to become a clinical nurse manager, nursing supervisor, or charge nurse.
Registered nurses who complete their bachelor’s degree graduate with expertise in systems leadership, healthcare policy, regulatory environments, interprofessional collaboration, population health, and more.
As the BSN is becoming the new minimum education requirement for nurses, it is also the credential required to advance your career even further with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Continuing your nursing education with a master’s degree will unlock a new realm of top-level nursing career potential.
Most MSN degree programs can be completed in two years and prepare you for administrative and education roles in healthcare. With an MSN, you can continue your career in clinical settings as a leader or move outside of direct patient care and into the nursing education field.
- Job Security
Today’s healthcare employers favor nurses who have completed a bachelor’s degree, with some even making it a requirement. In fact, legislators in New York have taken the lead in raising nursing education standards.
The New York state legislature established the BSN as the minimum education requirement for registered nurses in 2017.5 New Jersey and Rhode Island followed suit, and more states are expected to adopt the law.
Nursing job applicants with a BSN are more likely to stand out to employers and may be given priority during the hiring process, regardless of their professional experience.
Choose the Online BSN from The American Women’s College of Bay Path University
The American Women’s College of Bay Path University (TAWC) offers an online BSN program designed specifically for working women. Choose the time and place you learn, and complete your education at a pace that fits your schedule and priorities. You can fulfill your required clinical hours in your current role, allowing you to immediately put your new skills to work and reap the benefits of your BSN.
As a student, you’ll receive one-on-one attention through an interactive, virtual classroom, plus career preparation through the University’s We Empower Learners and Leaders (WELL) program.
The WELL Program offers a safe, real-world setting to define your leadership style and practice top leadership skills. In just four years, you can graduate with your BSN and take the next step in nursing as a leader.
Sources
- Payscale. “Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Degree.” (March 4, 2024). Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Associate_Degree_Nursing_(ADN)/Salary.
- Payscale. “Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree.” (March 27, 2024). Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Bachelor_of_Science_in_Nursing_(BSN)/Salary.
- Incredible Health. “ADN vs. BSN: Determining What is Right for You.” (August 8, 2022). Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/adn-vs-bsn/.
- Nurse Educator, National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Baccalaureate outcomes met by associate degree nursing programs.” Nelda Godfrey, Sharon Kumm, David Martin, Meredith Muenks, Tracy Spaeth, Martha Tucci. (September–October 2014). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24978014/.
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. “Enactment of a Baccalaureate Degree in 10 Years Requirement for Registered Professional Nurses (‘RN’).” (N.D.) Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/registered-professional-nursing/advisory-notices/enactment-baccalaureate-degree-10-years-requirement-registered-professional-nurses-rn.