For nurses looking for new opportunities or those who want to take their career to the next level, completing the online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) can be an important step. Eligibility for more advanced nursing positions, including nurse leadership roles, the potential for increased income and the opportunity to leave shift work behind await nurses with a BSN.
Today’s healthcare environment demands nurses with advanced knowledge and skills to manage increasingly complex patient care. The BSN degree provides the foundation for career advancement and professional growth in nursing. The following are seven important benefits of earning a BSN.
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BSN Programs Provide More Nursing Knowledge and Skills
BSN programs prepare nurses with knowledge and skills many diploma programs do not cover. Examples of areas of BSN study and skill-development include evidence-based practice, nursing leadership, community health nursing and communication skills. Knowledge and skills in these areas apply to a wide variety of nursing positions.
The comprehensive curriculum in BSN programs equips nurses to handle the complexities and demands of modern healthcare delivery, as noted by the American Association for Colleges of Nurses (AACN). BSN education emphasizes critical thinking, research utilization and interdisciplinary collaboration that enhance patient care quality.
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Hospitals Seeking Magnet Designation Need Nurses with Advanced Nursing Education
Through the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers hospitals and other healthcare organizations the highly sought-after Magnet Recognition. Hospitals must meet certain eligibility criteria to receive this designation.
For example, Magnet designation requires 100% of a healthcare organization’s nurse managers and leaders hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, at minimum. The purpose of the designation is to identify hospitals that support nurses in their professional role, resulting in improved patient outcomes as well as nurse job satisfaction.
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BSN-prepared Nurses Generally Earn Higher Salaries
Nurses with a BSN generally earn higher incomes than their RN colleagues with diplomas. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for all registered nurses was $93,600 as of May 2024.
In comparison to RNs as a whole, ZipRecruiter reports that BSN-prepared nurses earn an average of $102,263 annually as of January 2025, with many positions offering salaries well above this figure. This salary advantage, combined with expanded career opportunities in nursing leadership positions such as nurse manager or nursing director, makes pursuing a BSN a compelling investment in professional advancement.
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BSN Preparation Can Lead to Greater Professional Advancement
Although nurses with a diploma, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and BSN preparation can all work in direct patient care, options vary significantly depending on one’s education level. Nurses who would like to specialize in specific diseases, age groups or nursing fields may need a BSN.
The degree is also important for those who would like to pursue positions that do not involve bedside patient care or shift work. BSN preparation opens pathways to administrative roles, case management positions and specialty nursing areas that require advanced educational credentials.
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BSN-prepared Nurses Are Eligible for More Nursing Positions
Advanced roles such as nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, nursing professor and nurse researcher require a BSN and MSN. Also, nurses who want to assume leadership roles in their organizations and within the profession generally require a BSN at minimum.
The Health Resources and Services Administration reports that the nursing workforce continues to evolve with increased educational requirements across specialties. As healthcare delivery becomes more complex, employers increasingly prefer or require BSN preparation for positions beyond entry-level bedside nursing.
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BSN-prepared Nurses Improve Patient Outcomes
Research confirms that having a higher proportion of BSN-prepared nurses assigned to patient care results in significantly improved patient outcomes. Studies consistently demonstrate that hospitals with higher percentages of BSN-prepared nurses experience lower patient mortality rates, fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.
For instance, according to research findings aggregated by AACN, hospitals with 80% BSN-prepared nurses have 24.6% lower odds of inpatient mortality compared to hospitals with only 30% BSN-prepared nurses. In addition, a 10% increase in BSN-preparation in a hospital’s nursing staff correlated with 10% lower odds of death for Alzheimer’s patients and patients with related forms of dementia. Increasing BSN preparation also correlated with improved odds of surviving cardiac arrest.
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A Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing May Be a Professional Requirement in the Future
An increasing number of public and private organizations call for nurses to have a BSN at a minimum due to the complexity of patient care today. This includes organizations such as the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP), the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Public Health Service, to name a few.
Certain states also require nurses to complete a BSN. For example, in New York, nurses who begin their initial RN licensure after June 2019 are required by law to obtain their BSN within 10 years of their initial licensure. Other states continue to consider similar legislation as healthcare complexity increases and research demonstrates the positive impact of BSN education on patient outcomes.
Explore UNCW’s RN to BSN Online Program
Having a BSN opens many doors of opportunity for nurses, particularly RNs with nursing experience. With online programs, it is no longer necessary to travel to a school campus to complete your BSN.
Programs such as UNCW’s affordable, 100% online RN to BSN make obtaining a bachelor’s convenient for a nurse’s busy schedule. Plus, with the online model, professionals can keep working, gaining experience and earning an income while complete their career-advancing degree at a pace that works for them. The flexibility of online learning combined with the career benefits of BSN preparation makes advancing your nursing education an achievable goal.
Learn more about the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s online RN to BSN program.
