Registered nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing are often referred to as BSN nurses, distinguishing them from the rest of the RN force. While an associate degree is the standard requirement for registered nurses today, a Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) is aimed at broadening skills in clinical leadership, research, public health, and healthcare policy. As such, the BSN nurse responsibilities tend to be more involved and in-depth than those of the average nurse.

If you’re considering a career in nursing, it’s important to research your degree options and the possibilities beyond graduation. Let’s explore the benefits of a BSN and the core responsibilities of a BSN nurse.

BSN vs. BSN Nurse

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a four-year undergraduate degree that prepares students to become registered nurses (RNs). It is founded on core nursing responsibilities, covering the sciences and patient care, but also enhances students’ knowledge in advanced topics like leadership, research, public health, and the heatlhcare system as a whole.

A BSN nurse is an informal title used to describe a registered nurse with a Bachelor’s in Nursing degree. With a BSN in hand, combined with an RN license, these nurses can pursue advanced roles and specializations beyond basic patient care. For example, many BSN nurses go on to secure jobs in education, administration, and community health.

The key difference is that “BSN” refers to a degree, while “BSN nurse” refers to a professional nurse who has earned a BSN degree.

How BSN Nurses Can Differ from Other Registered Nurses

While most registered nurses (72%) have a BSN degree or higher, not all begin their careers in this way. In fact, less than half of RNs enter the profession with a bachelor’s degree—most pursue shorter tracks, like an associate degree in Nursing (ADN) to start out, then go back to school to complete their BSN. And there are good reasons for this.

Research shows that BSN-prepared nurses tend to deliver higher-quality patient care, experience lower patient mortality rates, and possess deeper critical thinking skills than their counterparts.

An associate degree in Nursing is great for entering the nursing workforce and becoming eligible for RN licensure. These programs develop the fundamental skills and ethical qualities needed to become a great nurse. However, a BSN degree is designed to build upon these basics, providing a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, communication, leadership, advocacy, and continuous learning. BSN classes prepare nurses to better assess complex situations, apply research to improve outcomes, and advocate for safer, more effective care in clinical settings.

Beyond the bedside, BSN-prepared nurses often take on roles in care coordination, patient education, quality improvement, and team supervision. Their expansive training poses them not only to deliver excellent care but also influence healthcare systems and policies that impact larger patient populations, too.

Are you a working RN looking to level-up your education? Download our free guide to becoming a BSN nurse here.

Key Responsibilities of BSN Nurse

Now that we understand the influence of a BSN nurse, let’s explore what they do.

At a high level, BSN nurses handle a multitude of patient care tasks, like administering medication and monitoring vital signs, as well as advanced responsibilities like researching new treatments, managing nursing teams, and teaching the next generation of RNs.

Here is a deeper look at some o the key responsibilities of a BSN nurse:

• Advocate for patients, taking into their preferences and rights
• Administer medications and treatments safely and effectively, following precise and sometimes complex protocols
• Apply critical thinking, research, and evidence-based practice to coordinate patient care
• Develop and implement care plans, while consulting and collaborating with the larger medical team
• Document patient care, along with medical histories and symptoms, accurately and in compliance with organizational standards
• Educate patients and their families about diagnoses, procedures, medications, and home care instructions
• Evaluate patient health through comprehensive health assessments
• Help support and shape protocols or policies in healthcare, to guide the larger field and quality of care
• Lead nursing teams, particularly Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), delegating tasks as needed
• Look for ways to improve quality of care, including enhanced patient safety, workflow efficiency, and patient care outcomes
• Observe patients and monitor their progress
• Operate medical equipment for diagnostics and patient monitoring
• Stay on top of advancements in research, treatments, and clinical studies in order to provide the best possible patient care
• Support public health through wellness initiatives, health education, population health strategies, and prevention programs
• Teach emerging nurses, preparing them for future careers in patient care

Learn more about common RN responsibilities here.

Work Environment of a BSN Nurse

BSN-educated nurses often qualify for more job opportunities than associate degree holders, and the reason is two-fold: On one hand, some employers require that candidates hold a bachelor’s degree. For example, the U.S. military, as well as many schools throughout the U.S. look for BSN nurses. Additionally, many employers prefer to hire BSN degree holders, due to their in-depth education and skillsets. A study from 2022 found that roughly 28% of nursing employers require new hires to hold a bachelor’s degree, while 72% express a strong preference for BSN-prepared nurses.

Registered nurses with a BSN or ADN can work in a variety of environments, such as:

• Hospitals
• Ambulatory care environments
• Residential care facilities
• Home health care settings
• Physicians’ offices
• Government agencies

However, BSN nurses are often preferred in:

• Magnet-recognized hospitals
• Public health agencies
• Research settings
• Specialized practices or centers, such as Oncology, Labor & Delivery, Neonatal, and Surgical units
• Teaching environments, whether in hospitals or colleges
• The U.S. Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.)

Learn more about the many career possibilities with a BSN degree!

Becoming a BSN Nurse

There are a few different routes you can take to becoming a BSN nurse. As described above, about half of nurses enter the workforce with their associate degree, and many go back to school to pursue a Bachelor’s in Nursing. This can be done through a flexible, online RN-to-BSN program, which allows working RNs to advance their education and get a bachelor’s degree in a just one year part-time.

About 45% of nurses will enter the field with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing as their first degree. And a small percentage of RNs actually started in a completely different field, then later changed careers to nursing through an Accelerated BSN program.

At Goodwin University, you can create your own path and choose a nursing degree that aligns with your scheduling needs and professional goals. Visit us online today to explore our many nursing programs, or call 800-889-3282 to speak with our admissions team.