Why Should RNs Pursue a Bachelor’s in Nursing

Registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees typically earn higher pay, are trusted with greater responsibility at work and experience better patient outcomes. Those are all excellent reasons to pursue a four-year nursing degree, but there’s another important factor to consider: A growing number of employers actively seek nurses with the advanced education and training a bachelor’s degree program provides.

 

What Is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)?

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing provides the most comprehensive undergraduate nursing education available. All nursing majors, whether enrolled in BSN or associate degree programs, learn core nursing skills and complete extensive clinical training to carry out day-to-day nursing care. BSN students, however, receive additional instruction in areas including leadership, public health, health policy, ethics and advanced science topics such as microbiology and pathology. 

While traditional BSN programs are four-year degrees designed for first-time college students, returning students can take other routes to complete the degree. Career changers who hold bachelor’s degrees in other fields can enroll in accelerated BSN programs, which can often be completed in as little as 12 to 18 months. And nurses who already have associate degrees can advance their education in LPN- or RN-to-BSN programs.

 

A New Normal: BSNs Are Becoming Standard for Nursing Careers

As the healthcare industry becomes increasingly complex, the demands placed on nurses also grow. Whether coordinating intricate care plans or managing the daily needs of patients and their families, today’s nurses must draw on advanced clinical knowledge, strong critical thinking skills and the ability to lead and communicate across interprofessional teams.

Employers recognize that a BSN prepares nurses to do all of those things — and it’s why more of them specifically seek nurses with bachelor’s degrees. According to a 2023 survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nearly 70% of employers prefer BSN-educated nurses, with 25% requiring the degree for new hires.

Groups such as the AACN, the American Nurses Association and the National Academy of Medicine are behind efforts to ensure the BSN becomes the standard. New York State’s “BSN in 10” law requires all new nurses to complete a BSN program within 10 years of becoming a registered nurse. While it remains the only state with such a law on the books, many organizations restrict nurse leadership roles to BSN-educated nurses and offer higher salaries to nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree.

 

Why Should You Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?

A BSN represents a significant investment of time, money and effort. The rewards, though, can be even greater.

More Education Yields Better Results

In recent years, several studies have reached the same conclusion: Patients seen by BSN-educated nurses have better health outcomes than those who are not. According to one 2022 study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, a 10% increase in the proportion of nurses with bachelor’s degrees is associated with a 5.5% drop in the odds of surgical patient death. Another AACN study shows that hospitals that increased their proportion of BSN-trained nurses decreased patient length of stay by 8%. 

Why? Part of it has to do with the advanced technical training students receive through a BSN program, as they develop in-depth knowledge of disease and treatment. But they gain just as much from the additional emphasis that BSN programs place on leadership development, data analysis, health practices, and care coordination and communication.

 

Poised for Career Advancement

On average, BSN-educated nurses make $99,000 a year, while nurses with associate degrees earn $81,000, according to Payscale.com. Over the course of your career, that difference can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Widespread nursing shortages mean that nursing roles are readily available, but earning a BSN puts you in line for leadership roles such as nurse manager or case manager, opportunities for which ADN-educated nurses are not eligible.

What’s more, nurses with their bachelor’s degree have the experience and judgment to make some clinical decisions without supervision. A BSN provides the education nurses need to earn that trust to operate with autonomy.

 

Foundation for Graduate and Doctoral Programs

Graduate nursing degree programs, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), can serve as stepping stones to careers in teaching, policy development, healthcare administration and advanced practice. Applicants typically need a BSN to apply to these programs.

 

Empower Your Nursing Practice With a FranU BSN 

Nursing is more than a career. It’s a calling that enables you to use your talents to make a difference in the world. Discover how far you can go with the BSN program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, where timeless Catholic values meet leading-edge techniques and caring, skilled faculty.

First-time college students can begin their nursing path through a traditional BSN program. If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field, you can complete FranU’s accelerated BSN program in just 16 months.

Both tracks are based on a patient-centered approach that stresses the humanity of each individual you’ll serve. And with NCLEX-RN pass rates at or near 100%, depending on your program, you can begin your journey in patient care as soon as you graduate.