Benefits of Having a Nursing BSN Degree

Our nation’s health care system is more complex than ever, making the benefits of having a BSN degree indisputable. Not only do we need more nurses, we also need them to have a strong body of knowledge that can adapt in an ever-changing environment and facilitate better patient outcomes.

A BSN degree from Xavier prepares you to meet current health care demand as well as pursue a more advanced nursing education in the future. More specifically, our ABSN program equips you to:

• Provide competent, compassionate care across the lifespan.
• Practice across the continuum of health care environments.
• Gather and synthesize new patient information.
• Apply clinical reasoning in simple and complex situations.
• Interact effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds.
• Collaborate with others in the delivery of safe, quality patient care.
• Adapt to advancements in medication and health care technology.
• Understand how health care policy plays into nursing practice.

Better Patient Outcomes

Extensive research performed by the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing shows that the more BSN-prepared nurses a health care facility employs, the better the patient outcomes. Several other studies have also come to a similar conclusion, including one that compared inpatient cardiac surgery mortality rates to nursing education levels. The study found that as a hospital increased its number of BSN-prepared nurses on a unit, patient mortality decreased.

Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine published a report on The Future of Nursing in 2010 that called for increasing the number of BSN holders in the U.S. workforce from 50% to 80% by 2020.

For these reasons, many health care employers prefer to hire nurses who have a BSN degree or higher. These nurses have a broad perspective of the profession given the liberal arts and humanities requirements of a bachelor’s degree. They also have a rich understanding of how culture, economics, and politics play into patient care.

Hospitals seeking Magnet® recognition are among the health care employers that seek nurses with high levels of education. Considered the “gold standard” for nursing excellence, Magnet status means that 100% of a hospital’s nurse management staff has a BSN or graduate degree. While there is not a specific mandate for direct care nurses, Magnet hospitals tend to have a higher number of BSN degree holders providing direct patient care.

Better Career Opportunities

With nurses in high demand all over the country and our ABSN program providing a 16-month transition into the profession, there’s never been a better time to apply to our School of Nursing.

With a BSN degree, you can:

• Earn a high starting salary with a good benefits package.
• Enjoy a high level of job security and professional advancement.
• Pursue a wide variety of career paths, from critical care to administration.
• Practice in diverse health care settings, from hospitals to corporate clinics.

Contact us to learn more about the benefits of having a BSN degree.