The associate’s in nursing science degree is the minimum required to work as a registered nurse, but a BSN degree opens up many more career paths. You can specialize in a given area or move into management while you become the preferred candidate for a traditional nursing job. Many of these jobs have great prospects for the future due to high demand. Let’s take a look at three great career options for a nurse with a BSN degree.
Traditional Nursing Jobs
A BSN is more qualified to work in traditional nursing jobs than an ASN, which is why the Institute of Medicine set a goal of having at least 80% of nurses holding a bachelor’s degree. This is being reflected in a growing number of job requirements. Fortunately, there are programs that allow nurses to get their BSN faster than ever through accelerated BSN programs. If you want to learn more about those, visit https://onlineabsnprograms.com/.
Also, know that a BSN could open doors to less traditional positions. There’s a growing demand for telehealth nurses, for instance. You could also work for insurance companies, whether you do physical exams for people seeking an insurance quote or review medical bills for errors and potential fraud. One side benefit of working for insurance companies is that you’re typically working in an office but may be able to work from home.
If you want to travel, you could earn a decent living as a travel nurse. You could work in different parts of the country or get paid to travel the world. Alternatively, you could work as a flight nurse, taking care of patients as they’re being transported to the hospital via a plane or helicopter. The job can be stressful, but you’ll be put in all sorts of situations and have a real chance of saving someone else’s life.
Specialized Nursing Disciplines
A bachelor’s degree is also necessary to work in specialized areas. For example, a BSN is generally required to work in critical care nursing and as a public health nurse. Legal nurse consultants must have at least a bachelor’s degree as well. You could also work as a forensic nurse and help collect evidence that may be used in court. Nurses with BSNs are increasingly supporting medical research too. They might be asked to supervise patients in a medical trial, for instance.
Administrative Roles
Nurses with a BSN are familiar with the system as well as the mechanics of providing care for patients. This is why they often become case managers, overseeing the treatment of patients. You can also become a quality coordinator, supervising and verifying the quality of care that patients receive.
If you are interested in information technology, you could work as a technology liaison for healthcare staff. You might input medical information as care is delivered or manage electronic healthcare records, or you could test and give feedback on new IT hardware and software. On the other hand, nurses can often become medical billing and coding experts, if they’re not reviewing such documents for accuracy.
The BSN has become the minimum standard for many nursing jobs. Nurses should see this as an opportunity to diversify their options and advance their careers.