| The complexities of a changing medical
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| | manufacturer, and managed care
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| field in technology, advanced
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| | organization (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 2005).
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| information, and facing a growing
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| | Salary Benefits of advancing a degree
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| leadership role among nurses has
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| | from RN to BSN
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| increased the need for a degree of a
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| | Advanced nursing degrees create new
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| Bachelor of Science in Nursing among
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| | career opportunities and justify an
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| registered nurses (RN to BSN). This
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| | increased salary. An RN and a BSN will
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| higher level of education takes
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| | receive the same salary for the same
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| commitment and dedication and in the
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| | nursing position, but as the BSN moves
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| following article, we will outline how to
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| | through the ranks to a higher position,
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| achieve these goals.
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| | salaries tend to increase. For example, a
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| Advancing your nursing degree - The
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| | promotion to a management position of
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| difference between RN and BSN
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| | head nurse with a BSN has a higher salary
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| Beginning a career in nursing for those
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| | than being the floor nurse with an RN.
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| who desire an abbreviated education will
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| | Education Opportunities and Education
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| get an associate's degree (AD) which
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| | Cost
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| usually involves 2-3 years of schooling.
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| | In 2004, there were 600 RN to BSN
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| A nurse may also follow a diploma
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| | programs in the United States. Many RN's
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| program, usually through a hospital, that
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| | use the tuition reimbursement from their
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| is also 2-3 years in length before
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| | employer as an incentive to go back for
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| becoming an RN. According to the Bureau
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| | the BSN. There are also accelerated BSN
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| of Labor Statistics Sample Survey, 70% of
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| | programs for those individuals who
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| nurses have AD or diploma level degrees.
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| | already attained bachelor or higher
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| An RN must also pass all required
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| | degrees and wish to go into nursing.
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| examinations such as the NCLEX-RN
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| | There are more than 165 of these programs
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| (National Council Licensing Examination
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| | in the United States. These programs are
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| for Registered Nurses) before practicing
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| | 12 to 18 months in length (U.S. Dept. of
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| with patient contact.
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| | Labor, 2005). In choosing the appropriate
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| For many nurses looking to advance their
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| | program, it is necessary to choose
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| careers, a BSN is the natural next step.
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| | whether to work in a classroom setting or
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| It is a 4 year program that includes
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| | study through an online RN to BSN
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| research oriented learning, leadership
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| | program.
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| training, and liberal arts. Many of the
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| | The classroom setting has many benefits
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| students that are enrolled in the BSN
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| | which include peer contact and live
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| program are previous RN's with associate
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| | lectures. Sharing experiences with others
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| degrees or diplomas. They are now going
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| | and learning from other previous
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| back to school with all the hardships
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| | like-minded RN's is a great benefit. The
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| involved; financially, time
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| | dilemma with classroom education for most
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| inflexibility, family and other
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| | nurses is the stringent scheduling and
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| outstanding commitments.
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| | time management needed to attend class
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| The differences between an RN and BSN are
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| | and work around an RN's busy schedule.
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| not necessarily clear to the patient who
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| | An online nursing degree course is the
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| is being treated with basic care. A nurse
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| | other alternative. It is a way for nurses
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| treating a patient won't be asked,
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| | to work while continuing with their
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| "excuse me, are you a RN or a BSN?" Yet
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| | education with flexibility around time
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| the differences lie within. The education
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| | commitments. The non-clinical portion of
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| gained, the additional technical
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| | the classroom courses are given online
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| training, and the potential advancement
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| | and the clinicals are usually arranged at
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| are not immediately recognized by the
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| | a medical facility near the nurse's home.
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| patient. A nurse with a BSN can review
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| | There may be timed lectures or the nurses
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| research papers, advocate for the
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| | may do lectures at their own time with
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| patient, work with leaders in the
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| | assignments being sent to the lecturer by
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| hospital or medical facility with
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| | fax or mail on designated due dates.
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| confidence and advanced management
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| | Examinations are usually offered online.
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| skills. A nurse with an RN may have all
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| | Many times the online school follows a
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| these abilities, yet a BSN enhances them
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| | semester schedule and has a set start and
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| and increases advancement opportunities.
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| | finish date, though this is not true for
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| Career Opportunities with a BSN
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| | all schools. To learn more about online
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| RN's return to school for a number of
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| | RN to BSN programs, refer to your school
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| reasons, yet many are personal in nature:
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| | of choice and learn what that school
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| To become leaders in the nursing
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| | offers.
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| industry, advancing their careers, or
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| | Conclusion
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| move to the next level and receive a
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| | Personal satisfaction, a qualitative
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| master's or doctoral degree.
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| | factor that can not be measured or
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| Management-level nursing requires an
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| | quantified, is what many BSN students say
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| advanced degree such as a BSN. According
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| | is most important about receiving their
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| to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau
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| | advanced degree. Our society is advancing
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| of Labor Statistics, in management,
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| | in all areas, with technology and
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| nurses can become anywhere from the
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| | intellectual expertise. The information
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| assistant head nurse or head nurse, to
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| | is available and the prerequisites allow
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| assistant director, director, and vice
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| | many RN's to attain an advanced degree;
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| president and upwards. Other career
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| | the determining factor is, we must
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| opportunities include research,
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| | advance as a society and create leaders
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| consulting, and teaching. A nurse with a
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| | in all areas of industry. A BSN gives the
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| BSN can manage a home health care clinic
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| | degree and knowledge and critical
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| and ambulatory services, etc. Nurses can
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| | leadership skills for an RN to advance in
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| also move into the business side of
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| | the world of medicine, business, and
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| nursing to becoming an manager of an
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| | personal achievement.
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| insurance company, pharmaceutical
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| | Copyright 2006 Michael V.
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