What is a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN)?

Becoming a nurse can be rewarding, both professionally and personally. As a key part of medical facilities, nurses are responsible for keeping track of medication, administering care, and a variety of other duties. If you're wondering what a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) can do for your career in the medical profession, let's take a look at some of the requirements and benefits of earning a BSN degree.

Educational Nursing Requirements

If you wish to become a nurse, the coursework for the degree includes learning about chemistry, biology, anatomy, physiology, math and social science. There should also be a practical component where you will perform the duties of a nurse in a real hospital environment.

Earning a bachelor's degree in nursing can provide you with more comprehensive training. If you're looking to earn a bachelor's in nursing, you have several options for your education. Some RNs who have earned associate degrees go on to earn their BSN while working, in order to take on more responsibilities at their jobs. Others come from a bachelor's degree program unrelated to nursing and use their previous education to jumpstart their BSN program.

Benefits to Earning a BSN

There are many benefits to getting a bachelor's in nursing, such as:

• The degree can be completed along with your work, so there's no need to stop nursing for the duration of the training period. This option is chosen by many students who already work as registered nurses and who wish to rise further in the profession.
• Many hospitals and other healthcare environments prefer nurses who have earned a BSN--a trend which is only increasing as time goes on.
• You get one step closer to receiving a master's degree or a doctorate. Studying for your bachelor's degree will allow you to gain far more knowledge about nursing than what you were taught in your associate degree classes.
• Many hospitals now have an option for nurses to pursue higher education along with their regular work, and the fees for the education are reimbursed by the hospital. This means you could study for your bachelor's without having to take out a loan to pay the college fees.

What You'll Need to Become a BSN

Getting a bachelor's degree in nursing requires more effort than getting an associate degree in nursing (ADN). You should consider the following points before enrolling for the degree:

1. BSN Prerequisites

Different BSN programs have different requirements for candidates looking to enroll. Talk to the administrators at the college where you want to complete your BSN course to find out what the prerequisites are and whether you have the necessary documentation to prove you have completed them. In addition to having the background knowledge about nursing, this will help you better understand your coursework.

Some medical careers institutions build the typical prerequisites into the BSN curricula, and may even offer accelerated (fast!) BSN degree programs, and "RN to BSN" programs for those who have already completed the prerequisite courses. Still others may offer a "Bachelors to BSN" approach, meaning that if you already hold a Bachelor's degree (in anything), you can earn a BSN quicker. 

2. Handling Heavy Workloads

The coursework for BSN is much more comprehensive than an associate degree, and it takes a lot of hard work to develop educational and clinical competencies. In addition to covering the subjects included in the associate program, you will also have to learn in detail about emergency care, nutrition, health assessment, public health and the various issues and trends in the world of nursing.

3. Time Management

If you are studying for your BSN along with having a nursing career, you will need to know how to divide your time between work and studies. A nurse's schedule can be very hectic, and so can a student's. You need to find a way to ensure that you will be able to give time to both pursuits without shortchanging one or the other.

4. Communication Skills

This applies just as much to an associate degree in nursing as to a bachelor's degree. You need to be able to work well in a group and have productive communication with your fellow nurses, the patients, and the doctors. You will also often have to deal with stressed family members of patients and need to know how to calm them down and help them deal with the patient's ill health.

5. Stress Management

The work of a nurse is very stressful, as is studying for your BSN. You need to know how to handle all that stress and not let it break down your willpower. It would be helpful to have a support system in place made up of close friends and families who can help you deal with the stress and be there whenever you need help.

Are you interested in the field of nursing? If you want to earn an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), consider ECPI University. With both an RN to BSN program as well as a Bachelor's to BSN program, ECPI University offers an accelerated course of study where degree programs don't take 4 years to complete. If you'd like to learn more, contact a helpful admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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