Nursing professionals looking to enhance nursing practice by earning a bachelor’s degree may want to consider an accelerated Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program. For instance, students enrolled in the online RN to BSN program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) can earn their degree in as few as 12 months. By choosing an online degree program, students can benefit from cost savings, boost their career quickly and develop the up-to-date knowledge and skills needed to take on the fast-paced healthcare industry of today.
The Online Advantage
Students who choose to pursue their degree online may benefit from the many distinctions an accelerated RN to BSN program can offer. Students can complete their coursework whenever and wherever is convenient for them. Maintaining a job and family responsibilities while studying to earn a bachelor’s degree is possible with an online degree program.
Plus, students who keep working while earning their degree online also keep earning a regular wage, equating to substantial opportunity cost savings. This adds to the potential affordability of an online RN to BSN program.
Benefits of a Bachelor’s Degree
Professionals who wish to enhance their nursing practice must gain the skills needed to be leaders in the field. Nurses who earn a BSN are educated in key areas such as community and public health, health policy and financing, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and systems thinking.
The U.S. population is aging, healthcare provider shortages persist and care is more varied and complex than ever before. Thus, competent nurses are in demand across a variety of healthcare settings — both inpatient and outpatient — and work in partnership with a number of different service providers. Those who earn a bachelor’s degree enhance nursing practice and contribute their leadership skills and ability to use evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes.
Earning an online RN to BSN can also open up a broader array of job opportunities and result in a significant pay bump. According to ZipRecruiter data, the median salary for RNs is nearly $88,000, as of February 2024. While this figure is impressive, ZipRecruiter reports that BSN-prepared RNs make a median salary of over $125,000 annually.
Nurses of Tomorrow
Organizations like the American Association of Colleges of Nursing support the BSN (or equivalent baccalaureate degree in nursing) as the minimum level of nursing preparation. Magnet hospitals require at least this level of education for all nurse leaders and managers. Several branches of the U.S. military require a baccalaureate degree to practice as an active-duty RN. Nurses must also have a bachelor’s degree to move beyond entry-level positions in the Veteran’s Administration, which is the largest employer of RNs in the U.S.
Clearly, the move toward a more highly educated nursing workforce is widespread. In fact, the portion of RNs in the U.S. who have a bachelor’s degree or higher recently rose above 70%, according to the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey.
To keep up with the dynamic field of nursing, professionals need to consider how higher education can enhance nursing practice — and their competitive advantage in the job market. By enrolling in an RN to BSN program, students can get on the fast track to earning a degree that will prepare them to be the best nurse for their patients.
Learn more about the UNCW online RN to BSN program.
