As a registered nurse, you are committed to investing in the lives of your patients, day in and day out. But when it comes to investing in yourself, sometimes it can be difficult to find time in the midst of your busy schedule to take steps toward expanding your career options.
If you are looking for a convenient, flexible way to advance your nursing education and career, an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing-RN Completion program can help you pursue your goals while balancing the demands of your professional and personal life.
What Is an RN to BSN Online Program?
A BSN is an undergraduate degree that develops your ability to provide safe, high-quality, patient-centered nursing care. It is typically completed in about four years, though the timeline can vary by program and course load.
As a registered nursing professional, you have already developed a wide array of health care skills and knowledge. An RN to BSN program recognizes your past experiences, creating an accelerated pathway to obtaining your bachelor’s degree that takes into account your existing expertise.
With a busy nursing schedule, you need an option that empowers you to advance your education and career, while balancing your responsibilities at work and home. In online RN to BSN programs, you can complete your coursework from the time and place of your choosing, while cutting out the time and expense required to commute to a physical location.
Courses typically cover a range of relevant nursing topics, such as:
- Community/population-based nursing
- Nursing leadership and management
- Quality improvement
- Health informatics
- Biomedical statistics
The Career Advantages of a BSN
In today’s competitive health care job market, you want to stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs. Pursuing a BSN enhances your skills, knowledge, and qualifications, expanding your options for employment and advancement.
With a BSN on your resume, you can qualify for numerous career paths in the nursing field outside the standard clinical roles, including positions in administration and teaching. The degree can also set you up to pursue a graduate degree down the road, which can help you qualify for advanced practice nursing positions, such as nurse practitioner or nurse anesthesiologist.
However, even if you prefer to stay in the standard clinical setting, pursuing an RN to BSN online can open up new opportunities for employment. Spurred by the 2010 Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Report, hospitals and other health care settings across the country are increasingly expressing a preference for — or even requiring — professionals with a bachelor’s degree for many roles that in the past were filled by RNs with an associate degree. Earning a bachelor’s can qualify you for positions in these institutions, expanding your options when it comes to choosing a place of employment.
A BSN additionally demonstrates to current or potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge you need to advance in the workplace, making you a more appealing candidate for promotions and other opportunities for leadership roles.
Whichever path you choose, earning a bachelor’s can have a positive impact your earning potential. According to the job and salary website Payscale, the average annual salary of a BSN-educated nurse, at $78,000, is about $16,000 higher than that of an RN.
Your Online RN to BSN Through National University
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Expand your clinical knowledge and enhance your communication, critical thinking, and therapeutic skills, through the National University online Bachelor of Science in Nursing-RN Completion.
The National program makes it convenient for you to pursue your degree by providing four- and eight-week courses that are delivered 100 percent online. To apply for the RN to BSN online, California residents and out-of-state applicants alike must have already completed registered nursing certification and an associate’s degree.
Interested in learning more about pursuing your RN to BSN online degree through National University? Complete the information form online and an admissions advisor will contact you soon to help you determine if the program is the right next step for your career.
