RN-to-BSN Nursing Degree

In the past, a nursing diploma or an associate's degree in nursing would qualify you for a wide range of nursing positions. Now, nurses who want to work in advanced practice nursing, teaching, or healthcare management are expected to earn at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The BSN is considered the industry standard degree, and is preferred among employers. Registered nurses who hold an associate's degree can greatly increase their opportunities for advancement and higher salaries by enrolling in a RN-to-BSN program.

RN-to-BSN programs are designed for registered nurses who want to further their education, but need to maintain their current job. These programs usually take between 1 and 3 years to complete, depending on the school, the program, and whether the student can apply any transfer credits towards the degree. RN-to-BSN curriculum includes coursework in such subjects as community health, critical care, assessment, research, anatomy, nutrition, statistics, and physiology.

Registered nurses who earn a BSN become eligible for a range of advanced positions, including management and supervisory positions. The programs offer flexible scheduling in order to accommodate the busy schedules of working RNs; classes can be taken at night, on weekends, and even online.

In addition to opportunities for career advancement, a BSN also opens the doors to further education, such as a master's or doctoral nursing degree. BSN programs cover a lot of ground that associate's degree programs don't. BSN students delve more deeply into such subjects as critical care, community health, and research. This additional training prepares students for more complicated nursing tasks and higher levels of responsibility.

Registered nurses who hold a BSN are eligible for a wide range of promotions, positions, and career advancement opportunities. Nurses who hold this degree become eligible for the following positions:

RN-to-BSN degrees also open up the door towards a graduate-level nursing degree. Graduate-level degrees are necessary if you hope to work as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), a nurse midwife, a nurse practitioner, or a university professor.