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Bachelor's Degree - Nursing Degree Source

If you look at the classified advertisements under nursing opportunities, you will likely see that many of the available jobs list a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) as a job requirement. This is not true for all of the advertisements, of course, but most of the jobs that offer the highest salaries and best "perks" call for a nurse to have her BSN.

This may be because employers prefer to employ nurses who have more learning experience. A BSN program is a four-year program and it includes learning about nursing management and supervision. Many employers may prefer to hire nurses who have this type of leadership knowledge.

Some people choose to complete the entire four-year program at once, and there are many colleges that offer this type of program. Typically, the first one or two years are spent learning general education requirements, and then the last two to three years are for nursing courses.

However, rather than heading straight towards working on earning a BSN, some nurses opt to first earn their Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) because it is a two-year program and because it will allow them to begin working as an RN immediately upon completion of the program. After earning an ASN, a nurse needs to only complete two more years to earn her BSN.

There is also a specific program called an RN-to-BSN program. It is offered at many nursing schools, both online and on campus. This program was designed with working nurses in mind, so it is very flexible. It also provides credit for skills learned through experience.

For nurses who are already working, choosing to earn a BSN to increase job potential and earning possibilities is often a smart choice. However, it is not easy, given that most nurses work long hours - many nurses frequently have to work double shifts and overtime on a regular basis. For these nurses, an online nursing program may be the best choice because it will allow them to work at their own pace and on their own time (whenever that time may be).

It is important to be careful when choosing an online nursing school, or any nursing school, for earning your BSN. It is essential that the school be accredited by either the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This will ensure that your school is teaching under nationally established standards for nursing education.

For more information, see www.careerdegreesource.com.