RN to BSN Nursing Schools and Program Information

RN to BSN Nursing Responsibilites

Those who go the RN to BSN route work in many facets of nursing.  You will treat, educate, and provide support to patients and their families.  You will often be the main source of information and care for the sick and injured people depending on you.  These nurses may be responsible for creating the plan of action to care for a patient, such as when medications are given, how often, when other treatments should be scheduled, and more.  They direct the licensed practical nurses and nursing aids working with them.

Basic RN’s are far more likely to work in hospital settings, while a BSN will open the door to opportunities in physician's offices, specialty clinics, and more.  A BSN is often required for nurses to work in administrative, research, consulting, or teaching positions. 

RN to BSN Education Requirements

Pursuing an RN to BSN career path means you'll need study skills for the necessary education, a caring nature and good people skills for interacting with your patients.  As an RN you'll be working directly with patients to aid in their care, and may continue to do so once you obtain your BSN.  

Registered nurses who go on to obtain Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing (RN to BSN). RN’s with a BSN often work in more specialized and advanced fields of nursing.  They have more opportunities available to them and have more options.  RN’s who obtain a BSN receive far more clinical training beyond the hospital setting, making them far more employable and able to pursue a wider variety of opportunities.  They go into their BSN with more experience and are very valuable and sought after by their employers.

To become an RN only requires that you complete an associates degree or a nursing diploma program, and then pass the exam to become registered.  A BSN however requires attending an accredited college or university.  Many nurses will become RN’s, find an entry-level nursing position, and then take advantage of tuition reimbursement from their employer to take an RN to BSN course of study.  In this way, the RN to BSN career path can be a much more economical option for many interested in nursing.  Having already become licensed as an RN, additional licensing upon completion of the BSN is unnecessary.  

RN to BSN courses include much more training in communication and critical thinking than your initial RN programs.  Complex issues such as ethics, applying research, cultural sensitivity, and understanding the limits of your knowledge may also be part of your RN to BSN program.  As with most nursing programs, you will learn both in a classroom setting and via hands-on experience in a clinical setting.   

RN to BSN Salarie Potentials

There are excellent career opportunities for those who want to pursue and RN to BSN career path.  The field is growing rapidly and demand for both are rising.  According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average median wage for an RN was $62,450 (according to BLS.gov).  As you move in your career from an RN to BSN, you stand to make more money commensurate with your additional experience, education, and the more senior positions that become available to you.

Find RN to BSN Information By State