{"id":12021,"date":"2024-01-19T14:45:41","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T19:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/?p=12021"},"modified":"2024-12-13T16:27:58","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T21:27:58","slug":"what-can-you-do-with-a-bsn-degree-besides-nursing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/what-can-you-do-with-a-bsn-degree-besides-nursing\/","title":{"rendered":"What Can You Do with a BSN Degree Besides Nursing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cMost registered nurses begin as staff nurses in hospitals or community health settings. With experience, good performance, and continuing education, they can move to other<\/em> setti<\/em>ngs<\/em> or be promoted to positions with more responsibility.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS<\/a>)<\/p>\n

As a registered nurse (RN), your career revolves around patient care. Between patient assessments and laboratory testing, your clinical responsibilities are important for keeping your facility \u2013 whether that\u2019s a hospital, outpatient clinic, or doctor\u2019s office \u2013 running smoothly, and for keeping your patients well. However, if you\u2019ve been working as an RN for some time, you may be wondering what\u2019s next for you. Direct patient care has granted you great experience, but what else can you do besides nursing? And what steps do you need to take to get there?<\/p>\n

Like most registered nurses, you likely began your career with an associate degree in Nursing (ADN), followed by completion of the NCLEX licensing exam. But in order to really level-up your career, and step outside of the bounds of patient care, you might be considering a bachelor\u2019s in Nursing (BSN) degree.<\/p>\n

While upward mobility is possible for experienced RNs, most non-clinical nursing jobs<\/a> require some advanced education in the field. Fortunately, this doesn\u2019t mean several more years in nursing school. Licensed RNs have the ability to earn their BSN part-time through a flexible, online RN-to-BSN program<\/a>\u2014taking just 12 months to complete.<\/p>\n

Before you jump into any continuing education program, though, it\u2019s important to understand the outcomes. What can you do with a BSN degree besides nursing and patient care? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n

7 non-nursing jobs you can pursue with a BSN degree<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t sweat \u2013 there are a variety of in-demand careers available to BSN degree holders. And, you are not the only one who is looking to make a career change! Whether it\u2019s because of burnout or simply eagerness to grow, many registered nurses leap into other areas of nursing that do not require clinical duties or bedside care. As explained by the BLS:<\/p>\n

\u201cSome nurses move into the business side of healthcare. Their nursing expertise and experience on a healthcare team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based, and chronic care businesses. Employers\u2014including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations\u2014need registered nurses for jobs in health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

So, what are some of the popular options available to you? Here\u2019s a look at seven jobs you can pursue with a BSN degree besides nursing.<\/p>\n

Nurse researcher:<\/h3>\n

Nurse researchers work on a team to uncover new data, treatments, processes, and updates in the medicine. They design scientific studies and ultimately develop research that can be used to improve healthcare as we know it.<\/p>\n

Health or fitness coach:<\/h3>\n

Nurses have an incredible understanding of health and wellness, which can be applied to other fields like health and fitness coaching. Both types of coaches help people on their wellness journeys. Health coaches teach others how to live healthy, happy lives\u2014such as those struggling with chronic conditions who struggle to feel good. Fitness coaches promote physical activity and help clients develop workout routines, specifically those who are new to fitness and unsure where to start.<\/p>\n

Aesthetic nurse:<\/h3>\n

Aesthetic nurses are still nurses, however, they work in medical spas or other types of spas to provide holistic and cosmetic treatments to their patients. Aesthetic nurses might offer facials, laser skin treatments, tattoo removals, aesthetic surgeries, fillers, or IV vitamin therapies, to name a few. This is an alternative way to help people feel good about themselves, without doing bedside nursing.<\/p>\n

Nurse informatics specialist:<\/h3>\n

Informatics nurses act as a liaison between medical staff and the technologies and systems they work with. Specifically, they find ways to use technology and data to support nurses and improve patient outcomes. They do not provide patient care, but rather develop, test, and implement programs and policies in medical facilities, using information technology.<\/p>\n

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Are you interested in beginning\u00a0a career in<\/em> nursing?<\/em> Learn more about our various nursing programs<\/a> at Goodwin!<\/em><\/h3>\n

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Pharmaceutical sales rep:<\/h3>\n

Pharmaceutical sales representatives enjoy a flexible career connecting medical facilities with the medications they need. In pharmaceutical sales, you can expect to teach clinicians about various drugs and treatment options for patients, including new and emerging products. BSN-educated nurses already have a lot of background in pharmacology, which can be leveraged in this profession.<\/p>\n

Nurse consultant:<\/h3>\n

The nursing consultant job is exactly as it sounds: these professionals consult others in efforts to improve nursing care and other health programs. There are different types of nursing consultants<\/a>, including clinical nurse consultants\u2014who assess healthcare facilities and practices\u2014as well as legal nurse consultants, who help legal authorities understand injuries or other health-related topics on trial. Nursing consultants may work in legal settings, research labs, insurance companies, private offices, and more.<\/p>\n

Nurse educator:<\/h3>\n

In short, nurse educators teach others about nursing\u2014working to develop the next line of nursing staff. However, there are different types of nurse educators (and the job requirements vary for each). With a BSN degree, you may work in practical training programs, such as those in hospitals, to teach aspiring nurses the fundamentals of patient care and facility operations.<\/p>\n

Pursue a leadership role in nursing with your BSN<\/h2>\n

If you have several years of experience under your belt, and go back to school<\/a> for your BSN degree, you will be well-positioned for management and leadership roles after graduation. And, nurses who move into leadership positions are sure to reap the benefits. Medical and health services managers, such as nurse administrators and clinical managers, have the potential to earn six-figures in a non-clinical role. These professionals are responsible for tasks like:<\/p>\n