A bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) has become the gold standard of nursing practice in many areas. Many hospitals and healthcare systems encourage (or even require) their sites to gain as many BSN nurses as possible. This is due, in part, to research linking better health outcomes with BSN-trained nurses.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing is not just a rewarding academic accomplishment. The education also gives you a broader knowledge base to help save your patients. The comprehensive education and training you will get in a BSN program can increase your scope of nursing practice, and the nursing jobs you can apply for will reflect that.
Plus, a BSN is often a first requirement for advanced clinical roles, leadership roles and continuing nursing education (for example, if you ever want to become a nurse practitioner or specialize in certain types of care).
But beyond those “on the horizon” options, it’s important to know what nursing jobs you’ll be able to apply for after you graduate with a BSN. Will the career options be worth the effort of a BSN program?
Clinical career options for BSN nurses
The most well-known nursing roles are right here in clinical practice! Nurses without a BSN degree might find opportunity to engage in these careers as well (depending on where you are located and who the healthcare employer is). But nurses with a BSN degree will have the most opportunity in these careers.
Please note that these career options are not necessarily entry-level positions. Many roles, like that of a home health nurse and especially the nursing leadership roles may also require certification in certain areas of nursing or years of experience.
1. Registered nurse (RN)
Most BSN graduates typically begin their careers as registered nurses in a hospital, clinic or other outpatient healthcare setting.
When I graduated with my degree in nursing, I did exactly that. I went to a healthcare system and started as a Medical-Surgical nurse (MedSurg nurse). I had my associate’s degree in nursing at the time (an ADN degree), which put me at a slight disadvantage against the BSN-educated nurse in the hiring process.
I noticed that my BSN counterparts had the edge in securing positions in more specialized units such as...
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU): High-acuity floor where you usually have two critically ill patients to care for.
- Emergency Department: Fast-paced environment that focuses on acute care. Be prepared for whatever walks or rolls in on a stretcher through that door.
- Pediatrics: Essential unit for infants, children and adolescents from the ER to the ICU.
- Labor and Delivery: Critical environment for mothers’ childbirth and postpartum care
Additionally, Magnet hospitals (an official designation of healthcare quality) require you to have a BSN if you want to advance in their organization. If they do hire you without a BSN, you are usually given a few years to obtain the bachelor's degree.
2. Public health nurse
As a public health nurse, you will find yourself working in a community setting to promote health and prevent disease. From health departments, community centers, schools and non-profit organizations, there are plenty of places that employ or rely on public health nurses.
Additional education beyond the BSN degree, training focused on public health nursing or certification may be required to work as a public health nurse.
3. Home health nurse
Home healthcare is another rewarding opportunity BSN nurses can consider. In home health, nurses provide care to patients in their homes. This allows patients to recover in a comfortable space. It’s also a crucial role to increase healthcare accessibility since some patients have difficulty leaving the home due to transportation issues, mobility issues or other reasons.
A colleague of mine recently completed his BSN degree and had the opportunity to start working in home healthcare—and he loves it! He gets to travel around his area, providing wound care, while being reimbursed for his time and gas.
His role has real continuity of care which allows him to develop a strong patient care relationship.
4. Travel nurse
Made famous most recently during the Covid-19 pandemic, these nurses have at least one year of experience in the field and are hired to fill temporary positions in various locations.
If you are someone who loves to explore new places and assist in areas of critical nursing staff shortage, this could be your dream job. The travel nursing contracts often cover traveling expenses including room and board. They also vary in length, allowing you to choose contracts and locations that you prefer.
Many travel nurses also schedule breaks for themselves, like taking a month off between contracts. For more on what it’s like, check out Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Nurse: Expert Insight for New Nurses.
Leadership career options for BSN nurses
If you are already a registered nurse (RN), you know that nursing leadership positions can be a whole different job. Nursing leaders often take on quality and safety issues, scheduling and procedures, protecting patient care as well as the well-being of nurses in their charge.
These positions are not for the just-graduated BSN nurses, but they are good careers to work towards as you gain nursing experience.
5. Charge nurse
A bachelor's degree in nursing is designed to prepare you for eventual leadership roles, with the charge nurse as the most logical next "step up" in the chain of command in nursing.
You will coordinate the daily operations on a specific unit, such as assigning patients to nurses, and act as a liaison between staff and management. Your courses in the BSN program help prepare you for this key role.
6. Nurse manager
Another step up in the chain of nursing command is the role of nurse manager. These nurses oversee an entire unit's nursing staff, budget and quality of care on a specific floor.
You will be a part of the hiring and firing process for nurses on your unit as well. Hospitals routinely would like to see a minimum of a BSN degree for a nurse manager position.
7. Clinical nurse leader
Clinical nurse leaders have an interesting role. They work to improve patient outcomes by implementing evidence-based practices and coordinating care across multidisciplinary teams. Healthcare providers rely on clinical nurse leaders to standardize care across their locations.
There are also higher levels of management and executive-level leadership roles you can obtain if you decide to go beyond the BSN degree, such as Director of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer.
Specialized career options for BSN nurses
A BSN can put nursing specialties more within reach. With 2 years of practice in these specialized fields, you can become certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center® (ANCC) in most of the following specialties. Visit the ANCC website and read up closely on any nursing specialty you want to pursue as the requirements can be different and even change over time.
As you can imagine, these specialties typically require additional training or certification in their respective areas, and those often involve years of experience in the area of specialty.
8. Critical care nurse
Critical care nurses work in the intensive care units. Here you will provide life saving interventions for patients suffering from severe illnesses or injuries. This bedside nurse commands advanced clinical skills and the ability to make quick decisions under pressure due to the life-threatening illnesses they are combating.
9. Oncology nurse
Oncology nurses specialize in caring for patients with various cancer diagnoses. Oncology-specific healthcare facilities, like dialysis clinics, need nurses who understand what cancer patients are facing and what they go through.
In this field, you will provide treatment and (equally as important, in my opinion) emotional support. Advanced training programs and certifications will surely enhance your career options in oncology.
10. Pediatric nurse
Pediatric nurses care for the "little ones." In this field, you specialize in the healthcare of children and adolescents, addressing their unique developmental and medical needs.
Pediatric nurses work in children's hospitals, clinics, specialized outpatient facilities and even as school nurses.
11. Geriatric nurse
Many nursing career paths begin by caring for older patients. A geriatric nurse's work will focus on the care of elderly patients. Here you will find yourself managing chronic conditions and addressing age-related health concerns. With the "greying" of America, this specialty is expected to grow accordingly.
12. Psychiatric nurse
This one hits close to home. I'm a former nurse currently in Psychiatry residency, so I may be biased, but this is one of the best specialties in all of nursing.
You will find a rewarding career doing your part for patients with mental health issues. You can work in various outlets from inpatient to outpatient. Mental health nurses can work at all levels from RNs to the advanced practice role of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).
13. Nurse educators
With the BSN under your belt, you could also pursue a nursing career path that leads to education. If you think you'd like to teach nursing students, you can start teaching initially as a Licensed Practical Nursing instructor.
Or, with your BSN, you could also take on teaching opportunities in a less formal setting in the hospital, educating fellow nurses on certain subjects. BSN nurses can also supervise nursing students through their clinicals, if that's something your healthcare facility participates in.
If you enjoy teaching, earning a master's of science in nursing (MSN) degree can help you influence the next generation of nurses.
Non-traditional career options for BSN nurses
Most people don't realize the unbelievable versatility of a nursing career. Believe it or not, you don't have to work in healthcare. Nurses can find opportunities in the corporate world, the legal industry, government, technology and more.
14. Nurse informatics specialist
Nurse informatics specialists work at the intersection of technology and nursing. Here you will focus on electronic health records (EHR), data analysis, helping onboarding new healthcare employees and improving healthcare systems through technology.
This is a growing field in nursing that is not as well known as other career options. Additional or advanced education, specific clinical experience, or certification may be required to work as a nurse informatics specialist.
For more about the role, check out What Is a Clinical Informatics Nurse? Exploring This Data-Driven Nursing Niche.
15. Forensic nurse
Forensic nurses work with law enforcement to provide care to victims of violence, collect evidence and testify in court cases.
If shows like CSI, NCIS, Bones, Cold Case or Forensic Files (to name a few) interest you, this could be a match made in heaven. Most forensic nurses work in settings like hospitals, community anti-violence programs, coroner’s and medical examiners offices, correctional institutions and psychiatric hospitals, according to the International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Additional or advanced education, specific clinical experience, or certification may be required to work as a forensic nurse.
16. Legal nurse consultants
Legal nurse consultants assist attorneys by reviewing medical records, providing expert opinions and advising on healthcare-related legal cases.
If you were ever interested in law, a career like this could really scratch that itch. Legal nurse consultants can operate as their own consulting business or work for legal firms specializing in healthcare cases. This is one role that you'd definitely need some experience to go along with your BSN.
Experience and additional training might be required to work as a legal nurse consultant.
17. Nurse entrepreneur
Nurse entrepreneurs start their own businesses, such as consulting firms, wellness centers or healthcare product companies.
This sector of nursing will require a combination of nursing expertise and business acumen. Nursing is a gigantic industry, and it's robust enough to support all kinds of businesses that market exclusively to nurses. It's kind of wild when you think about it!
Experience and additional training might be required to work as a nurse entrepreneur.
18. Flight nurse
Flight nurses provide critical care during air transport for patients. Your flights could be for patients suffering from emergencies or for private travel for other healthcare needs.
You must be skilled in trauma care and prepared to work in high-pressure environments. If you especially enjoy the high-stakes side of nursing, this role--or that of a critical care transport nurse, might be awesome for you.
Experience and additional training might be required to work as a flight nurse.
19. Occupational health nurse
Occupational health nurses work in corporate settings to ensure workplace safety, provide health education and manage employee wellness programs.
Experience and additional training might be required to work as an occupational health nurse.
Most people don't go into nursing expecting to work a 9-5 office job in a corporation, but this role can give you exactly that!
BSN nurses are well-positioned for advanced education
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", goes the famous quote by Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu. What I am implying here is that your BSN can honestly be the catalyst to a journey you can't even imagine right now.
A BSN degree is usually the requirement for graduate degree programs in nursing. You might not be interested in more education now, but know that the BSN degree at least sets you on the right level to pursue advanced nursing degrees later on. Some of the best roles in nursing include....
- Nurse practitioner
- Nurse anesthetist
- Nurse midwife
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Nurse researcher
All of these careers require a master's degree or higher, and a BSN is the first box to check if you want to get into those higher nursing degree programs.
How to earn a BSN
There are actually a few different ways to become a BSN-educated nurse. I will mention the two most common.
Traditional BSN programs
A traditional bachelor's of science in nursing program is designed for students with no prior nursing education.
You enroll at a university and either start your prerequisites for nursing (or you have them already completed and start your nursing courses). This pathway typically takes four years to complete and includes classroom instruction, clinical rotations and general education courses.
RN to BSN programs
This pathway to a BSN degree is tailored for registered nurses who already have an Associate degree in nursing (ASN or ADN).
The RN to BSN is often offered online or in a hybrid format to accommodate working nurses. A program such as this can take as few as 12-18 months to complete.1
Embracing the Possibilities of a BSN Degree
My journey in nursing benefitted immensely from continuing education in nursing. Think of the BSN degree as a gateway to a versatile career in nursing.
Whatever path you choose with your BSN is up to you. My goal is just to give you the spark to start this journey with a fire in your soul that drives you to a fulfilling career in this wonderful profession we call nursing.
If you like the sound of that, check out 7 BSN Courses to Expect During Your Nursing Education Journey.
American Nurses Credentialing Center® is a registered trademark of American Nurses Credentialing Center
1 Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each term.
