Why Become a Nurse in Cincinnati \ Benefits of Having a Nursing BSN Degree

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 in Cincinnati.

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.