An RN to BSN degree program is specifically designed for nurses with a two-year degree who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While nurses can still work with a two-year degree, a BSN can open the door to better jobs with more responsibility and higher pay.
Registered nurse is one of the most in-demand career fields in the country. Increasingly, employers in Houston and across Texas prefer to hire nurses who have earned their Bachelor of Science in Nursing for the best jobs in the profession.
Entering an RN to BSN program can be a smart move for nurses who want to increase their skill set and give their career a boost.
Reasons to Earn a BSN
Every nurse has their own personal reasons for wanting to earn a BSN. However, there are some universal reasons that impact everyone who decides to make the commitment to earning the four-year degree. They include the following.
Higher Positions
Earning a BSN can lead to promotions. Most employers now consider a BSN as the standard educational level needed for nurses in the best jobs. That’s especially true for those who wish to work in administration, research, consulting and teaching, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Better Skills
An RN to BSN program simply makes graduates better nurses. They learn more in the physical and social sciences, as well as benefitting from more clinical experience. All this makes them better at their job.
Meeting Demand
Nursing demand has never been higher. Many factors are contributing to that, including an aging U.S. population that is staying active longer than previous generations. The entire healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the nation. Numbers from the BLS show how big the demand has become nationwide. The agency expects a 15% increase in the number of nurses by 2026, with more than 438,000 nurses joining the profession.
But the demand is even bigger in Texas.
Texas Nursing Demand
As the second largest state in the country, Texas has a population of almost 29 million. The healthcare industry in the state has expanded as this population has grown rapidly.
The Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies projects the nursing shortage in the state will reach about 60,000 in 2030. The Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area ranks among the top 10 metro areas in the country for the employment of nurses, according to the BLS. Dallas-Fort Worth also is in the Top 10.
The percentage increase of nurses in Texas by 2026 is 24.1%, according to Projections Central, which uses BLS data to look at job demand in each state.
Clearly, earning an RN to BSN degree can position nurses for the top jobs in the profession. For those nurses who want to both maximize their skills and boost their careers, an online RN to BSN program could provide exactly what they seek.