BSN Degree a Must for Nurse Practitioners

Although America's health care system seems to have nothing but dark clouds on the horizon, some health care professions are faced with nothing but a silver lining. Most notable is nursing, where the U.S. Department of Labor says registered nurses will make up the second fastest growing segment of the new job market in the United States through the year 2020. However, many employers are already projecting a shortage of qualified RNs that are needed to fill the many new positions the economy is likely to create.

Getting in on the expected nursing boom requires a learn-to-earn mentality. Those interested in nursing as a career can take one of several educational paths on their way to becoming a registered nurse. These include a Bachelor's of Science degree in nursing (BSN), an Associate's Degree in nursing (ADN), or a diploma program. If you're just embarking on one of these paths, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of earning a BSN degree as your initial step towards a nursing career.

Immediately choosing the BSN path is a great way to jump start a nursing career. According to the Department of Labor, nurses with a Bachelor's degree are more likely to advance in their profession. Higher paying administrative positions, for example, usually require a Bachelor's degree. An undergraduate degree like a BSN is also a prerequisite for all graduate nursing programs and a must if your ultimate goal is to work in an advanced nursing specialty as a clinical nurse, a nurse anesthetist, a nurse midwife or nurse practitioner.

Of course, not everyone is just now preparing to enter the nursing profession. Many RNs already hold full-time nursing jobs. Nurses like these can also take advantage of the brighter career prospects offered by a BSN degree by completing a RN-to-BSN program. According to the latest figures available, there were about 600 RN-to-BSN programs offered in the United States.

One place to turn to for a respected BSN or RN-to-BSN program is the University of Phoenix (UOP), the nation's largest online university. The programs are ideal for working adults who want to leverage the benefits of the online learning experience while still drawing a paycheck in their chosen field. The programs combine online class work with supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other health care facilities. Courses typically include subject matter in anatomy, physiology and microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other behavioral sciences, as well as nursing. Students can also expect a sprinkling of the liberal arts as part of the curriculum.

If you're interested in more details about the UOP's BSN or RN-to-BSN programs, it's easy to get answers to your questions by requesting more information on the UOP website. Expect a qualified counselor to follow up on your request in the form of a telephone consult in which you can explore your educational and career goals, scholarship opportunities and the possibility of financial aid.