Skip to content

BSNs are Important


Article shared from TravelNursing.com

Cost vs. reward still a factor for BSN-prepared nurses

By Debra Wood, RN, contributor

When the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its Future of Nursing report in 2010, it set a goal of having 80 percent of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States with baccalaureate degrees or higher by 2020. They saw it as a key step in continually improving the level of professionalism in nursing.

Can we still reach that goal?

The percentage of BSN-prepared nurses or higher continues to grow, although slowly, and in 2015 reached 53 percent, according to the Campaign for Action.

GROW your nursing career with travel nursing jobs at top facilities across the U.S.

Why BSNs are important

“Nursing has changed dramatically in the 21st century; today’s nurses must be prepared to meet increasingly complex health care needs in all settings, serve in leadership roles, master advanced technology, contribute decisively on teams, and support the well-being of all,” said Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and director, AARP Public Policy Institute, and chief strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America.

“Now, for the first time ever, more than half of working nurses have a bachelor’s degree in nursing or higher,” she said. “Having a strong and more highly educated nursing workforce is key to a healthier America, and it’s been thrilling to see nurses answer the call to further their own education.”

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has long supported BSN as a minimal preparation for the professional practice of nursing. It cites the movement of health care from the inpatient to outpatient setting requires nurses who can function more independently. Additional education supports those additional nursing responsibilities.

A BSN demonstrates a nurse’s commitment to professionalism in nursing. A better-educated nurse also provides a better quality of care. Studies have suggested a correlation between RN education level and patient outcomes.

Researcher Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues reported in a 2013 Health Affairs article that a 10 point increase in the percentage BSN-prepared nurses in a hospital was linked with an average decrease of 2.12 deaths per 1,000 patients. Studies also have shown that hospitals with a higher proportion of nurses with baccalaureate degrees experience a greater cost savings.

“We know [hospitals that] have a higher percentage of baccalaureate degree nurses have better outcomes,” said Cleveland State University Dean Timothy M. Gaspar, PhD, RN.

Is a BSN worth it for you?

Despite nurses realizing the connection between a BSN, improved patient outcomes and professionalism in nursing, cost remains a significant barrier to nurses returning to school for their baccalaureate degree, Gaspar said.

The nurses who go for it, however, find that the money, time and energy invested can pay off.

Hospitals increasingly prefer a BSN-prepared RN, but most do not require it, according to the IOM’s follow-up report in 2015. A BSN may open more doors and opportunities to the nurse, as it shows the ability to handle increasingly complex nursing responsibilities.

Additionally, BSN-prepared nurses typically earn more. Hospitals offer pay differentials and greater opportunities for advancement to registered nurses with BSN degrees. The IOM progress report describes a $10,000 gap in average nursing salaries between associate’s degree nurses and BSN-prepared nurses.

The Medscape RN/LPN Salary Report 2016 indicates that BSN-prepared nurses earn $8,000 more per year than RNs with an associate’s degree.

Nurses seeking travel RN jobs may also find that a bachelor’s degree in nursing opens up more possibilities for assignments and can impact travel nursing salaries.

Continue reading article by visiting Why BSNs are Important

Learn more about BSNs:

Nurses Nurture Personal Emotional Health

Article Shared from TravelNursing.com

By Jennifer Larson, contributor

“How are you feeling?”

If the truthful answer to this question is something along the lines of “exhausted” or “fragile,” you’re not alone. As a nurse, your emotional wellness may be a little undernourished these days. The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on a nurses and other healthcare workers who are already struggling with burnout. As a result, the last 18 months or so have taken a toll on many nurses’ mental well-being.

During Emotional Wellness Month, and throughout the year, nurses need to focus on rebuilding and maintaining of their emotional wellness. It’s vital for your personal health, and to enable you to keep caring for patients and doing the work that you’re trained to do.

What is emotional wellness?

Emotional wellness for nurses has a lot to do with being self-aware and developing resilience and coping ability.

Consider this important point from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP):

“Being emotionally healthy doesn’t mean you’re happy all the time. It means you’re aware of your emotions. You can deal with them, whether they’re positive or negative. Emotionally healthy people still feel stress, anger, and sadness. But they know how to manage their negative feelings.”

In other words, you’re in control over your thoughts, feelings and behaviors–good, bad and everything in between.

But different people cope with stress differently, according to Grace Kwasman, MBA-HCM, BSN, RNC, CEFM, administrative director of women’s service and patient experience for Adventist Health Glendale. Your age, your particular job and your role at work can all affect your emotional responses to stress. And it’s important for individual nurses, as well as leaders, to recognize that.

“We are all in the same storm, but not necessarily all in the same lifeboat,” said Kwasman.

Make your emotional wellness a priority

Have you ever claimed that you’re too busy to take care of yourself? That’s a common phenomenon, especially among nurses.

“Often, nurses don’t take the time to take care of themselves,” said Charlotte Thomas-Hawkins, PhD, RN, FAAN, a nursing educator and researcher in nurse wellness with the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA).

“Nurses’ emotional wellness is imperative not only during these unprecedented times but each and every day,” said Andrea Petrovanie-Green, MSN, RN, AMB-BC, national director of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing’s Board of Directors.

That means that it’s not only not selfish to prioritize self-care–it’s absolutely necessary that you do so. It’s imperative for your professional success as well as your personal health.

“Making time for self-care will position you to be physically, mentally and emotionally present when providing care for your patients and their families,” said Petrovanie-Green.

Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPHQ, CPPS, past president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), also urges nurses to remember that always putting others first does come with a cost.

“Give yourself permission to take a break!” she said. “As a nurse, we are natural caregivers, and we want to help everyone that comes to us with a need. This is an admirable trait, but it is also one that has to led to our emotional tanks being on ‘empty’.”

Thomas-Hawkins suggested trying a few of these self-care strategies:

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Exercise
  • Self-reflection through journaling

Something else to consider: use care in choosing your personal company, so you can be surrounded by people who genuinely care about you. Finding safe spaces and people with whom to share your feelings can help you nurture and improve–as well as maintain–your emotional-well-being, said ThomasHawkins.

Finding well-being resources and professional help

More people than ever are seeking professional help for their struggles with mental health and emotional wellness. In fact, the results of a survey recently released by the American Psychological Association (APA) show that psychologists are experiencing a significant increase in demand for treatment of anxiety and depression.

You, too, could possibly benefit from seeking professional help–from a psychologist, a counselor, or another person with expertise in helping people with mental health issues.

You might also want to check out the Well-being Initiative, a program launched by the American Nurses Foundation in 2020 to provide resources to nurses across the country who need support in managing the everyday stressors in their lives, as well as the unusual stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And if you’re a nursing leader, encourage your organization to offer help to nurses and other staff.

“Organizations also have a role in ensuring the environment nurses work in is a healthy one and in supporting the nurse in practicing emotional wellness,” said Good. “Support may take different forms, such as offering employee assistance programs, providing nutritional resources, and adequate rest breaks and ensuring time off.”

For additional resources, consider some of the AACN’s ideas for fostering self-care and nurturing emotional well-being in others, as well as the association’s repository of resources for Well-Being in Uncertain Times.

Related:
Self-care for Nurses: 6 Strategies to Maintain Your Mental Health

TravelNursing.com partners with the top travel nursing agencies in the U.S. to provide
thousands of assignment opportunities with great benefits, including employee assistance programs.

FIND TRAVEL NURSE JOBS or APPLY TODAY to get connected with a recruiter.

Learn more about Travel Nursing:

17 Days until Bend Launches!

With just 17 days until our first class of BSN's start in Bend, be sure to reach out to our admissions representatives to get all

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Helpful Hints!

Nursing students often face a variety of challenges, from long study hours to the financial strain of tuition. The coursework and exams can be intense,

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Bend Info Sessions

Join us in an informational meeting to learn all about our NEW Bend, OR campus! Our first BSN cohort starts February 24th!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Bend Campus – February 24th!

Exciting news, Bend! The future of nursing is here with Sumner College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. If you're passionate about healthcare and

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH | JANUARY 2025

Congratulations Reece for being the January 2025 Student of the Month at Sumner! Congratulations on your accomplishment!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Virtual Tours at Sumner College

Curious about how we prepare future nurses for real-world challenges? Take a virtual tour of our advanced simulation labs and see firsthand how we equip

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Nursing Over the Years

The nursing profession has evolved significantly from its origins in familial caregiving to the modern, highly specialized field it is today. Key milestones include Florence

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Back to School Made Easy

Going back to school has never been easier with the support of our dedicated admissions team at Sumner College. Whether you're looking to advance your

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Bend Countdown!

🚨49 DAYS UNTIL LAUNCH!🚨 Get ready, Bend! The future of nursing starts right here with Sumner College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program –

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Start Your Nursing Career in 2025!

🎄Enroll Now & Start Your Nursing Career in 2025! 🎄 As the holiday season approaches, there's no better time to give the gift of a

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

A Second Career in Nursing

It’s never too late to begin! Regardless of your stage in life, nursing is an excellent option. There is always a demand for dedicated nurses,

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Average Nursing Salary in Oregon

Did you know? Nurses in Oregon make an average salary of about $114,694, or $55 an hour. In the Portland area this is about 264%

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

5 Nursing Trends Heading into 2025

In an ever changing career its important to know what may be coming your way. Here's 5 things to look for in theNew Year! The

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH | DECEMBER 2024

Congratulations Kymra for being the December 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Congratulations on your accomplishment!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Continuing Your Education with a BSN

Many individuals enter the nursing profession driven by a desire to help others. As they gain experience, many seek to advance their careers to provide

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from Sumner College! We are grateful to all of our students for entrusting us with taking their nursing dreams to reality.

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Upcoming Info Sessions

Looking for some more information on our programs? Join us for an info session! Our upcoming info sessions are all at 11am, November 26, December

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Why Become a Nurse?

A career in nursing offers one of the most exciting, rewarding, and dynamic paths in the healthcare field. With over 4 million registered nurses in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Welcome New Class Start November 18!

Happy first day, and welcome, to our newest class starting today, November 18! Thank you for choosing Sumner College to continue your educational career! Dream

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

What Are Clinicals?

If you have been researching nursing schools, you may have seen the word "Clinicals" before but not known what they are. Clinicals are a safe

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Sumner College Student of the Month | November 2024

Congratulations Olga for being the November 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Olga was inspired to join Sumner College's nursing school after hearing about

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Sumner College Student of the Month | October 2024

Congratulations Benjamin for being the October 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Benjamin is a compassionate nursing student who learned about Sumner College through

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Thank you, Veterans

Sumner College thanks and values our veterans on this honorable day. If you or someone you know has an interest in continuing education, please see

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Nursing in the 21st Century

21st Century nursing is the glue that holds a patient’s health care journey together. Across the entire patient experience, and wherever there is someone in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Paying for Nursing School- Scholarships

Sumner College understands that every student’s financial situation is unique. Our financial aid department can provide you with more information about Oregon financial aid options

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

How to Prepare for Nursing School

Nursing school can be intimidating, but here are some helpful tips for you to make the most of your time and studies. As always, feel

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Bend, Oregon, Our New Home!

In a recent article with the Bend Bulletin, our School President Joanna Russell shared how we are enrolling for February 24, 2025 at our newest

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

RN to BSN – Career Upgrade!

Here at Sumner College we offer a program for current Registered Nurses, to further their education in a flexible schooling style and get a Bachelors

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Niche Award!

Exciting news! Sumner Nursing College was recently ranked by Niche, listed as #1 in Best Value Colleges in Oregon, #1 in Best Value Colleges in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Check Out Our New Campus!

Welcome to our new campus in Bend, Oregon! We are excited to be welcoming the first BSN cohort February 24th, 2025. Stay tuned as we

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Dream It! Do It!® Request Info