Healthcare is expected to generate more jobs than any other industry in the coming years, and by 2018 will have created 3.2 million new positions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Out of the fastest growing occupations, ten of the top 20 are in healthcare, and registered nurses (RNs) account for 2.6 million positions. Students who would like to enter the workforce as an RN will find that many schools are increasing their bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) programs. Professionals who would like to enhance their skills or change their careers may want to consider programs that make it convenient for them to pursue higher education.
For instance, Cabarrus College recently announced that courses for its BSN will be available for enrollees to complete online, according to the Independent Tribune.
The program is specifically designed for nurses who already have a two-year degree or other diploma in this field.
Molly Patton, chair for the school's BSN, told the news provider that "the benefit to doing the program online is [clear] when nurses are working full time they don't need to take vacation time or take time off work to take a class." She added that the new curriculum is flexible and convenient, as courses can be taken in the comfort of one's home.
School officials told the news source that the majority of students enrolled in the BSN at Cabarrus are older women, usually in their late 20s or 30s. Aside from work, many of these individuals also have a family to raise, which is what prompted the college to provide the courses online.
The college also holds an orientation day so that students can learn how to access the classes from their computer.
Another institution that recently announced it will add a BSN program is Averett University, according to GoDanRiver.com. The schools has partnered with Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC) to make this program available to students.
Tiffany Franks, president of Averett, told the news source that the program was created because nursing has become the school's most highly requested field of study, and the school did not provide a BSN.
Students who would like to obtain this degree will also find that it can be helpful once they complete their courses and must look for a job. Eric Deaton, chief financial officer of DRMC, told the news provider that nurses who graduate from this program will be preferred when the DRMC hires new employees. He added that as a result, the school's new BSN will provide economic growth to the region.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech University will also add a nursing degree to its offerings, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Hunt Family Foundation (HFF) donated $10 million to the school in order to develop the program and build a new facility.
Woody Hunt, chairman of the HFF, told the newspaper that "this type of initiative promotes strategic economic development" that will help to meet the demand for healthcare workers in the state. The news source reports that last year, there was of shortage of approximately 20,000 nurses in Texas.
Through research and collaborative work, graduates who earn the nursing degree at Texas Tech, as well as those who complete similar programs, are expected to be fully prepared to enter the workforce.
Students or professionals who would like a career in an industry that they know will continue to increase could benefit from a BSN. According to the BLS, the nursing field will increase by 22 percent over the next eight years, creating approximately 581,500 new positions.
