As healthcare leaders focus on quality improvement in nursing, an increasing number of employers are focusing their hiring efforts on BSN-prepared nurses. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree not only equips nursing students with the practical, technical and clinical skills required to care for patients at their bedside, but it also promotes healthcare management skills and emphasizes leadership skills in nursing. As a result, nurses who pursue this educational qualification will find that they will enjoy the many benefits of a BSN in nursing.
The Value of a BSN in Nursing Leadership
The BSN is an undergraduate degree program that typically takes students about four years to complete. However, an online accelerated BSN degree (ABSN) is an alternative option available for aspiring nurses who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. This innovative program allows nursing students to build upon their existing educational foundation and streamline their path toward becoming registered nurses. Depending on the pace that the student selects for their program, it can be completed within a year.
Regardless of whether you pursue the BSN degree or the ABSN degree, you will find that this is one of the most valuable and beneficial degree programs for nurses. Not only does a BSN program curriculum focus on evidence-based nursing practices and key clinical skills, but it also promotes critical thinking in nursing, effective communication in healthcare and nursing leadership development.
Why Leadership Skills Are Essential in Modern Healthcare
The modern healthcare landscape continues to evolve, requiring nurses to navigate complex situations on a daily basis. As a result, leadership skills in nursing are essential at every level, not just for the nurse leaders within the organization.
According to the American Nurses Association, some of the most important leadership qualities in nursing are:
- Teamwork in nursing. Nurses must be able to collaborate with one another, particularly across specialty areas, to provide patients with safe, personalized, and effective care.
- Communication skills in healthcare. Expert communication skills not only reduce confusion but also help minimize mistakes in the healthcare setting, making them essential to providing patients with safe care and improved outcomes.
- Ethical practices in nursing. Nurses must rely on their personal values and professional ethical standards to provide patients with safe, responsible and culturally competent care.
The Advantages of a BSN Over an ADN or Diploma
You can pursue licensure as a registered nurse after graduating with an Associate Degree in Nursing (AND) or Nursing Diploma, but many nurses find that it’s more beneficial to invest in a BSN degree program.
BSN-prepared nurses are more well-equipped to navigate the complex challenges of today’s healthcare system. The AACN notes that hospitals and healthcare facilities that have a higher percentage of BSN-prepared nurses are more likely to have improved patient outcomes, such as:
- Lower rates of heart failure and cardiac arrest within their facilities.
- Fewer failures to rescue incidents.
- Fewer procedural and medical errors at the facility.
By investing in a BSN degree program, you may find that you have more job opportunities available to you across a wider range of specialty areas, and you may be able to increase your earning potential over the course of your nursing career. Many nurses find more career growth opportunities when they have earned a BSN degree.
Key Leadership Skills Developed in a BSN Program
The BSN program curriculum requires nursing students to complete courses on human anatomy and patient medical needs, along with courses that develop leadership skills in nursing. While the ADN or Diploma programs focus primarily on basic clinical skills, the BSN degree program allows nurses to become proficient in the core leadership competencies required for career growth in nursing.
The following contains some of the most essential nursing leadership skills that may be developed throughout a BSN degree program:
Critical Thinking and Decision-Making
Nurses are often the healthcare professionals who provide patients with direct care, and many times, they serve as the bridge between the patient and the healthcare system at large. As a result, nurses often have to make swift and effective decisions regarding the needs of their patients. Throughout a BSN degree program, nurses can focus on and hone their critical thinking skills, which allows them to evaluate the best available data and current circumstances to make decisions in a fast-paced, stressful environment.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Throughout the BSN degree program, nursing students can perfect their communication and interpersonal skills, allowing them to provide patients with improved care and better connect with the patients’ family members and caregivers. Some of the ways that nurses can effectively communicate with patients and caregivers include:
- Actively listening to patients.
- Prioritizing cultural competency in nursing and adapting your communication style to meet the needs of the individual patient.
- Being aware of nonverbal cues to better meet the needs of the patient.
- Repeating what the patient has explained to verify that you understand.
- Communicating with patients and their caregivers promptly and thoroughly.
Evidence-Based Practice and Research
Evidence-based practice in nursing is defined as the practice of providing patients with comprehensive, personalized care based on the best available research findings. Evidence-based practices are the anchor of the modern healthcare industry, and nursing students who enroll in a BSN degree will have more time and ability to learn how to interpret and implement the latest research findings throughout their program.
Management and Organizational Skills
Management and organizational skills may be considered soft skills in the nursing profession, but they are some of the most important skills a nurse can develop. Throughout the BSN degree program, nursing students have an opportunity to learn more about the healthcare management skills required to navigate the ever-evolving healthcare industry landscape. By focusing on developing these skills, BSN-prepared nurses will be able to provide thoughtful input when it comes to resource management and streamlining operations within a healthcare facility.
Leadership Roles Available to BSN Graduates
Within the nursing profession, BSN graduates have access to more specialized leadership positions than registered nurses without a BSN degree. Some of the leadership roles that may be available to you after earning a BSN degree include:
Clinical Leadership Roles
Nurses who graduate with a BSN degree have more opportunities to pursue clinical leadership roles, such as being a charge nurse. Charge nurses are leaders within their specific unit, and they work to oversee unit operations within a designated shift. Some charge nurse responsibilities include overseeing the transition of shifts within the unit, answering the questions of nurses currently caring for patients within that unit and monitoring staff schedules to ensure operational efficiency.
Educational and Mentorship Roles
BSN-prepared nurses also have the opportunity to take on educational and mentorship roles within the profession. Some nurses with a BSN choose to pursue a career path as a nurse educator, in which they create and implement training programs to help registered nurses expand their skills. Others enjoy having the opportunity to mentor nurses with less experience in the field, as it can be a rewarding personal and professional endeavor.
Administrative and Policy-Making Roles
Throughout their careers, registered nurses with a BSN degree may be able to pursue administrative roles. When a nurse feels ready to shift from the bedside to the office, they can consider administrative roles, such as nurse manager or healthcare administrator positions. These roles still provide nurses with an opportunity to serve patients and advocate for their needs, but in a way that might provide them with more work-life balance.
The BSN Pathway to Advanced Leadership Opportunities
By opting to pursue a BSN or ABSN degree, you will put yourself on a pathway to advanced leadership opportunities. Your BSN degree will allow you to focus on:
Preparing for Graduate Studies
If you are interested in pursuing an advanced practice nursing position or nursing leadership opportunity, then you may need to earn a graduate degree in nursing in the future. Both the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program typically require nurses to have earned a BSN degree previously before applying.
Bridging Clinical Expertise and Strategic Leadership
The foundation that you build throughout your BSN degree will allow you to expand upon your clinical expertise and apply your critical thinking skills in strategic leadership settings. By developing expertise in evidence-based practice and focusing on your leadership skills in nursing, you will be able to enjoy new growth and opportunity throughout your career.
Focus on Nursing Leadership Development at Marymount University
The nursing shortage crisis is impacting all levels of healthcare, and there has never been a greater need for qualified nurses and intuitive nurse leaders. At Marymount University, we offer an online Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree that allows you to build upon your existing educational foundation and expedite your pathway into the nursing profession. This degree program emphasizes critical thinking in nursing and equips students with the leadership skills required to specialize within the profession.
Learn more about our degree programs and apply to Marymount University today.
Sources
https://online.marymount.edu/programs/online-accelerated-bsn-program?schoolsrc=44144
https://marymount.edu/academics/majors-programs/
https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Benefits-of-the-BSN.pdf
https://www.nursingworld.org/content-hub/resources/nursing-leadership/leadership-in-nursing/
https://www.nurseleader.com/article/S1541-4612(22)00194-X/fulltext
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/communication-techniques-in-nursing
https://www.nursingworld.org/content-hub/resources/workplace/evidence-based-practice-in-nursing/
https://www.nursingworld.org/content-hub/resources/nursing-resources/charge-nurse-vs-nurse-manager/
