BSN Degree 101: What Is a BSN, Courses, Pathways, & Careers
Nurses are a crucial link in the chain of the medical field. They play an essential role in providing healthcare services and advocating for health promotion. Especially nowadays during the pandemic crisis, their impact has caught our attention even more.
But, have you ever posed the question of what it takes to become a nurse and what requirements are there to complete? There’s no doubt that it requires a significant amount of dedication, empathy, hard work, and, needless to say, studying.
BSN Degree Meaning & Overview
You might be asking yourself: what does BSN stand for, and what does it entail? A BSN or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an undergraduate degree program that serves as a foundation for many nursing roles. In addition, it is a great opportunity for registered nurses to advance in their careers.
RN programs teach basic nursing skills. These skills include nursing theory and clinical practice. On the other hand, BSN programs further elaborate on these in more detail.
This type of program introduces students and current nurses to different topics such as:
Safety - Using the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of nursing and applying them while complying with safety measures.
Health Promotion - Using verbal and non-verbal communication methods to convey health promotion to the patients.
Leadership - Teaching nurses how to develop their leadership skills and how to use them in the healthcare field.
Research - Teaching research methods in nursing science and their application in real-life scenarios.
Quality - Preparing qualified nursing professionals with a legal and ethical framework.
What Can I Do with a BSN Degree?
Individuals who have earned a BSN degree are qualified for supervisory positions at hospitals or managed care facilities. There are a significant number of positions where you can work with a BSN Degree. A BSN graduate can become a:
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Specialist
Nurse Manager
Nursing Director
Public Health Nurse
Health Educator
Case Manager
Quality Coordinator
Director
Pediatric Nurse
Public Health Nurse
Critical Care Nurse
Medical and Health Services Manager
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BSN Pathways
When it comes to earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, you may follow one path or another. From entering the medical field for the first time to leveling up, there are countless reasons and ways for you to become a BSN graduate. The most common BSN pathways are:
Traditional four-year college degree
The traditional four-year college degree is the most frequent way of getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This BNS pathway is followed by people who haven't completed a postgraduate degree.
LPN-to-BSN
Another common BSN pathway is when professionals who already have earned a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification want to earn a BSN degree.
This pathway is one of the most common ones because an LPN-to-BSN bridge program allows students to earn the credits they need to qualify for an RN license faster, making use of their previous education and training, and at the same time, reach the criteria for a BSN.
RN-to-BSN
As mentioned previously, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed for Registered Nurses wanting to earn a BSN.
The RN-to-BSN pathway is very commonly followed by individuals who already have an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). The RN-to-BSN bridge program will make use of your existing ADN training and qualifications and will use it as a basis for your new coursework, saving you time and effort.
The RN-to-BSN program is commonly two years long.
Accelerated or direct entry
Accelerated BSN is a program designed for people who have a bachelor's degree in a different area of study. This program can be completed in 11 to 18 months, and it includes additional coursework and clinical experience.
But, there is an exception for students who already have nursing experience and education. These students can take a bridge program to avoid repeating the coursework and clinical experience they have already completed.
BSN General Admission Requirements
To be part of a BSN program, you have to meet certain qualifications.
BSN admission requirements
The admission requirements for a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree may vary from college to college. However, the typical requirements include having a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average or a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 gained during their most recently finished degree program.
RN-TO-BSN admission requirements
When entering an RN-to-BSN Completion program, students should have completed the admission process, including:
Holding a valid, active registered nurse license in the state where clinical experiences will be performed.
In the basic nursing program, you must typically have a grade point average of 2.50 or higher.
Being a graduate of a nursing associate degree program.
Completing the program's online orientation.
BSN Courses & Clinicals
Of course, BSN courses are more advanced, and you don't necessarily see them in an ADN program. That is because when you are studying to earn a BSN degree, at the same time, you are becoming a professional nurse generalist, capable of providing specialized healthcare services.
Core curriculum courses vary, but usually, they include the following:
Professional nursing
Health assessment
Family nursing
Leadership
Medical and surgical care
Nursing management
Public health
Psychosocial nursing
Biology
Chemistry
Sociology
English composition
Statistics
Ethics
Technology
Nutrition
When it comes to clinical practice, students should complete a total of 700 to 800 hours, depending on the program. In order to successfully fulfill their clinical experience, students will have to take care of patients of different age groups, from children to seniors.
Should I Pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing?
The answer is yes, definitely! Taking into consideration all the advantages that come with it and countless opportunities that we have mentioned above, a bachelors of science in nursing degree is definitely worth giving a try if you are someone who already is a part of the medical field and wants to advance or if you’re taking your first steps toward becoming a nursing professional.