Steps to take before Getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree
The field of nursing is one of the few career paths with the ability to change roles by adding relatively little amounts of education. And not just education from a school, but even adding certifications or agreeing to do a RN training program within the workplace can drastically change the nurses day-to-day job duties. Because of this job flexibility many nurses work in the field until retirement, but may have worn many different hats along the way. This kind of flexibility is one of many reasons students choose nursing as a major.
An Associate’s degree is the minimum degree required to become a registered nurse but many nurses find they want to add to this degree through a RN to BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) bridge program. Others choose to earn the BSN through an accelerated direct entry BSN or a traditional 4-year program without becoming a RN first.
Role of the BSN Educated Registered Nurse
The BSN educated RN may work in the same roles as the Associate’s degree educated RN plus a few more. Many large teaching hospitals only hire BSN educated RNs or require Associate’s educated RNs to earn the BSN within a certain amount of time after hire.
Roles for BSN educated RNs include:
- Bedside RN
- Emergency Department
- Intensive Care Unit or Critical Care
- Operating Room
- Labor and Delivery
- Medical-Surgical Floor
- Orthopaedic Floor
- Oncology Floor
- Mental and Behavioral health
- Skilled Nursing Facility
- Long-Term Care Facility
- Education
- Clinical Instructor
- Professor to Associate’s degree or Licensed Practical Nurse students
- Nurse Educator
- Director
- Research
- Informatics
- Administration
- Nursing Supervisor
- Director of Nursing
Direct Entry or Accelerated BSN
The Direct Entry or Accelerated BSN program is intended for those students who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in another major. Instead of taking all the prerequisites required for every Bachelor’s degree, such as English and Math, the Accelerated BSN focuses on nursing classes and nursing prerequisites only. These include Anatomy and Physiology and the sciences.
Some schools offer the Accelerated BSN in programs as short at 15-months. Tuition for these programs may be higher than traditional routes but the student can begin working as a RN faster and therefore earn more money over his or her lifetime.
Traditional BSN
The traditional BSN program is intended for students without a Bachelor’s degree and for those who are not already RNs. For RN’s with an Associate’s degree or diploma the RN to BSN Bridge program would be a better fit due to it’s shorter programs and easily accessible online formats.
Universities across the country offer BSN programs. With so many options it can be hard to know which one to choose.
The top 4 things to look for in a nursing schools are:
- Convenience
- Affordability
- Accreditation
- NCLEX-RN eligibility and “pass rates”
Convenience
Being able to get to school and get to clinical locations on time is very important. Many schools are extremely strict about attendance. They want to instill a sense of professionalism and responsibility in their students so that they become professional and responsible nurses. Often being just a minute or two late for class or clinicals will get a student penalized. Having a reliable car or transportation and living within a reasonable distance to the school and clinical sites is something look for in a school.
Affordability
Nursing schools offer financial aid, scholarships, and grants. Most students can not afford to pay cash for school so schools are usually very helpful in helping students get money to attend.
Accreditation
Reasons to choose an accredited nursing school include:
- Transferrable credits
- NCLEX-RN eligibility
Transferrable credits
Graduate schools may not accept a student into their program who holds a Bachelor’s degree from a school which is not accredited by the appropriate agencies. Nursing schools can be accredited by agencies regionally, nationally, or both.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes agencies for regional accreditation for 2015-2016:
- Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE)) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
CHEA recognizes 56 national agencies for 2015-2016 accreditation but the major national agencies are:
- ACEN (formerly NLNAC) Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is a national accreditation body and is able to provide accreditation to schools offering diploma, Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Post-Bachelor’s degrees
- CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is a national accreditation body providing accreditation for Bachelor’s, graduate, and residency nursing programs
NCLEX-RN Eligibility and “Pass Rates”
The NCLEX-RN is a national exam which must be successfully passed by nursing school graduates in order to be licensed by the state in which they live. Licensure is mandatory to begin practicing as a RN.
Eligibility for the NCLEX-RN is determined by the state’s board of nursing. Before deciding on a nursing school check with the state board of nursing to determine eligibility requirements. Some states will not accept a degree from schools which are not accredited by the right agencies.
Successful “pass rates” of the NCLEX-RN exam is tracked carefully by the state nursing board as well as by nursing schools. This number is a measure of how well students are being prepared to pass the Exam, which is mandatory to start working, as well as how well educated students are upon graduation. The information is public knowledge which can be found on the state’s nursing board website.
Tuition
Most schools require 120-180 credit hours and credit hours can be anywhere from $300-1600.
Obviously, the range is huge.
Additional costs include:
- Program fees
- Uniform costs, including shoes
- Equipment costs, such as a stethoscope
- CPR certification fees
- Lab fees
- Transportation costs
- Student health insurance to be purchased through the school if the student does not have it
- Meals during class and clinicals
- Parking for school and clinical sites
To help pay for school financial aid, scholarships, and grants are available.
Financial Aid
Most schools, and certainly those which are accredited by the appropriate agencies, offer federal financial aid.
Scholarships and Grants
Nursing school scholarships are available to those who qualify.
Length of Time
Traditional BSN programs take about 4 years to complete. This includes all non-nursing prerequisite classes as well as nursing prerequisites and nursing classes. The nursing program itself is about 2 years.
Clinical hours are included in this time as well. Some schools require as many as 800 clinical hours to graduate from the program. This number is determined by the board of nursing for each state but many schools exceed this requirement.
Requirements for BSN Degree
Requirements for BSN degree vary by university and include both general education requirements to complete prerequisites prior to nursing school admission and nursing school admission requirements.
General education requirements include:
- College Academic Distribution
Requirements (CADR) completion which is completion of 6 subject areas
- English
- Mathematics
- Social Sciences
- World Languages
- Lab Science
- Senior Year Math-Based Quantitative Course
- Fine, Visual, or Performing Arts
- Academic Elective
- Good GPA
- Not always a specific number for Freshman
- Personal achievements
- Volunteering
- Community service
- Leadership activities
- After-school activities
Requirements for the nursing school program include:
- Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Completion of required prerequisite courses, usually some sciences, math, and english courses
- Resume
- Three reference letters
- About 100 hours of healthcare experience as volunteer hours or employment
BSN Curriculum
Prerequisite coursework is completed during the first 2 years of the traditional BSN program then the student can apply to nursing school for the last 2 years.
BSN curriculum include:
- General education
- Nursing prerequisites
- Nursing school coursework
General education courses include:
- English
- Math
- Foreign language
- Computer literacy
- Communications
- Humanities
- Natural Sciences
- Social sciences
Nursing prerequisites include:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Math
- Microbiology
Nursing school curriculum varies by school as well as course titles, but generally includes:
- Nursing care for the geriatric adult
- Nursing care of infants, children, and adolescents
- Nursing care of adults
- Maternal and Newborn Health
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Nursing Ethics
- Wellness Promotion
- Research and Evidence Based Practice
NCLEX-RN Exam and Licensing
For any nursing school graduate to become a registered nurse he or she must pass the NCLEX-RN exam. This is true for Associate’s degree as well as BSN graduates. The NCLEX-RN is a national exam for which schools teach students the information they need to pass.
NCLEX-RN Exam Eligibility
The State will verify the student meets all the requirements and is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination through the application process. Prior to admission most schools will verify the student is eligible to be licensed.
RN Salary
BSN educated RNs typically make $67,000 to $77,000 per year. RNs usually work for an hourly wage. Overtime, working the night shift which offers a shift differential, and taking educational classes are a great way to earn extra money. Salary also rises quickly with experience and certifications.
Location
Location tends to affect nursing salaries. The more desirable a location the less money RNs typically make. However, if the city has a high cost of living employers must pay higher wages to attract and keep RNs.
Certifications
Many certifications are available to RNs. Often a year or so of experience is required to take certification exams.
RN Jobs to Expect
New graduate RNs should seek positions entitled:
- New Grad RN
- Nurse Intern
- Nurse Internships
- New Graduate RN Program
New graduate RNs need to be trained within a chosen specialty. Nursing school is designed to teach a very broad set of skills which are used in every area of nursing. When the graduate chooses a specialty the employer will teach new skills specific to the specialty and be sure the RN is safe before working without the direct supervision of a preceptor.
RN Employment
Bachelor’s educated nurses are able to work in a variety of healthcare environments. These include:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Long term care facilities
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Physician’s offices
- Education for Associate’s level nursing students or below
- Management
- Nursing Leadership
- Research
- Large teaching hospitals which require a BSN for entry-level RN position
OTHER NURSING DEGREE PROGRAMS
- ACCELERATED
- ADN
- MSN
- DNP
- NP
- CRNA
- CNM