Now, more than ever, skilled nurses are essential to the health and well being of those in need across our global community. That is why it is so important that education systems encourage nurses to constantly improve their practice through gaining knowledge and experience that will contribute to the ever evolving field.

Although registered nurses can begin practicing with their associate’s degree, there are several benefits of them going on to obtain their bachelors of science in nursing.

“Daemen University’s RN to BS degree teaches students unique skills they are unable to obtain in the associate degree program that we think really helps them in terms of their practice. You can only do so much in two years,” said Dr. Cheryl Nosek, chair of the Daemen University Nursing Department.

Nosek highlighted three main benefits of obtaining the B.S. degree, including application to practice, gaining leadership skills and using research and evidence based practice to improve their patient care.

Application to practice

Students learn new methods and skills to apply to their own ways of providing care, as either a practicing nurse or a nursing associate degree graduate who is preparing to enter the field.

This encourages them to look at their own experiences and ask important questions, including “Am I applying these new methods to my practice? Am I using best practice or are there ways I could improve the way work?”

This encourages nurses to dive deeper and continuously apply the best practices available.

Leadership in nursing

A B.S. in nursing helps students become skilled professionals, but also leaders in their field. Daemen graduates are prepared to move into leadership positions in the nursing world, helping to improve patient outcomes and encourage other nurses to learn from them and work towards providing better care as well.

Research and evidence based practice

Students are taught to look at their practice and see what doesn’t seem to be working as well as they would like. They then conduct research to determine if there are better ways to provide their patient care. Not only do they gain more knowledge to directly help their patients, but also they are able to contribute to the field which can benefit the entire nursing community.

Conclusion

Overall, the B.S. degree not only helps nurses to keep their license, but also provides them with knowledge and skills regarding application to practice, leadership and research and evidence based practice in order to improve their care.

Daemen transfers up to 90 credits from students who have graduated with their associate’s degree in nursing, helping them obtain their B.S. degree sooner. This is especially important in regards to New York State’s B.S. in 10 legislation, which requires new nurses to earn their bachelor’s degree within 10 years after they earned their license.

Learn more about Daemen’s RN to BS program today.