Earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing places you in a position for better jobs and higher pay. The time it takes to earn a BSN can range from nine months to two years, depending on if you have an associate degree, general education credits, and credits that can transfer.
Nurses who earn a BSN make a smart move. Many hospitals now prefer hiring those with a BSN, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. New York has passed a law that requires all new nurses to earn a BSN.
Online degree programs now make entering a BSN program easier for working professionals. Universities design RN to BSN programs for working nurses who wish to earn a BSN.
For Those With An Associate Degree
Nurses who earned an associate degree in nursing (ADN) can often complete their BSN in just nine months.
An associate degree, along with licensure, opens the door to entry-level jobs as a nurse. An ADN offers nurses skills in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and nutrition. Most ADN programs also offer liberal arts courses.
Students can often transfer general education credits, such as in math or history, into a BSN program. If so, they save both time and money when they earn their degree.
Earning a BSN in a Competency-Based Program
Competency-based programs allow nurses to move at their own pace in a BSN program. Houston Christian University offers online nursing courses that give credit for competencies students have mastered, not just completion of credit hours.
Employer-alignment ranks as a key factor in quality competency-based programs. Such programs design the curriculum with input from experts in the field. Those courses offer training in the latest technology and best practices that employers want a nurse to know. Students can quickly put what they learn in class into practice on the job.
Non-Transferable Credits
For those who need to take general education courses as well as BSN courses, an online RN to BSN program could take as long as two years to complete. However, in many cases, students have program credits that will transfer.
Either way, Houston Christian University pairs students with a personal success coach. These experienced nurses help guide students through the program’s coursework. They also provide advice in critical areas such as time management, balancing work and school, and setting goals.
Why Earn a BSN?
The demand for nurses keeps growing. In Texas, the nursing shortage is expected to reach 60,000 by 2030, according to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies.
Nationwide, the BLS projects the number of nurses will grow 15% by 2026. With more hospitals wanting nurses who hold a BSN, those who earn the degree stand a better chance of filling the best positions.
Job prospects aside, a BSN program quite simply makes you a better nurse. Skills picked up as you work through a BSN program include advanced pharmacology, health assessment, pathophysiology, nursing research, and healthcare administration.
Earning a BSN enhances a nurse’s career. The availability of quality online programs that can reduce the time it takes to earn the degree makes pursuing a BSN an achievable goal for working nurses.