Yes, You Need A BSN Degree. Here’s Why Every RN Should Get One.
A BSN can lead to more job opportunities, a higher earning potential and improve patient outcomes.
Posted in: Faculty & Staff, News & Announcements, Students
BSN-educated nurses enjoy increased job opportunities, higher salaries, and report better patient outcomes than nurses without one, making them more competitive in today’s job market. But the biggest benefit of earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing is more valuable than money.
If you’re an RN with an ADN, you may wonder if it’s really worth it to go back to school for a BSN. You’ve already passed the NCLEX-RN and have years of experience under your belt. Shouldn’t that be enough?
In 2022, 2 million nurses entered the workforce with a BSN, making it the most common degree for initial licensing. So experience alone might not be enough to keep you competitive in this job market. But beyond staying competitive, evidence shows that having a BSN can enhance your nursing practice.
From increased critical thinking skills to improved patient outcomes, the results don’t lie — more education creates better nurses. And better nurses can demand higher pay and more opportunities.
Building On Your ADN: What More Do You Learn With a BSN?
Your ADN program focused on teaching you basic clinical skills to prepare you for direct patient care. A BSN is a little different — it builds on the practical foundation of an ADN with coursework in critical thinking, leadership, communication, informational technology, and public health.
According to Courtney Reinisch, Family Nurse Practitioner and Professor at Montclair State University’s School of Nursing, a BSN helps nurses develop a global perspective, allowing them to understand the cultural, social, political and economic factors that affect their patients.
“They’re not just considering individuals, but entire populations and communities,” says Dr. Reinisch. “They’re thinking of families, communities, and social determinants of health.”
That isn’t just feel-good fluff, it results in better patient outcomes. Patients treated at hospitals with more BSN-holding nurses had 24% greater odds of surviving an in-hospital cardiac arrest, 24.6% lower odds of mortality, and a 7.8% decrease in length of stay.
A BSN Makes Nurses More Marketable
Critical thinking and leadership skills along with improved patient outcomes have made BSN-prepared nurses highly desirable in the job market.
- The Institute of Medicine has called for 80% of the nursing workforce to hold at least a bachelor’s degree by 2020.
- 28% of hospitals require new hires to have a bachelor’s degree and 72% of employers “strongly prefer” BSN-holding nurses.
- As of 2022, 71.7% of the RN workforce held a BSN or higher.
In order to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly changing healthcare job market, it really helps to have a bachelor’s degree.
A BSN Unlocks Future Opportunities
If you desire to move beyond bedside care, a BSN unlocks opportunities in administration, research, and leadership. You could even use it for non-clinical careers, like pharmaceutical or medical device sales, legal nurse consulting, and more.
A BSN is also a stepping stone to higher-level nursing professions such as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthetist, or Nurse Midwife, which require at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Choosing an RN-to-BSN Program
As a working nurse, it’s important to choose an accredited RN-to-BSN program that allows flexibility for working students, as well as opportunities for hands-on experience and career development.
The RN-to-BSN program at Montclair State University is designed with your schedule as a working nurse in mind. Classes are 100% online and asynchronous, allowing you to complete your coursework on your own time.
Through a partnership with the West Orange Health Department, students also gain hands-on experience while serving people in need.
Founded in 2016, Montclair’s RN-to-BSN program is small and tight knit. “The students get to know each other and build their own community,” says Reinisch. “We include opportunities for students to build connections that result in networking opportunities. We’ve had students recruit each other for job opportunities they think classmates would be a great fit for.”
Affording a BSN Degree
Due to the increased demand for BSN-qualified nurses, some employers may pay for RNs to earn their bachelor’s degree.
As a public institution, Montclair State University is one of the most affordable options in New Jersey.
Pursuing higher education doesn’t have to break the bank, and there are plenty of options to help you pay for college.
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Story by Staff Content Producer Jayda Brown.