A BSN is a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. There are many different type of nurses, but a BSN requires more education than other nursing occupations. A BSN nurse is a type of registered nurse that has obtained a 4 year degree from an accredited college or university. This type of degree program consists of science based courses that provide the knowledge and skills necessary to begin working in this particular healthcare industry upon graduation. A BSN nurse must have people skills to work directly with patients, but also have extensive medical knowledge to offer treatments and care. It is also possible for a BSN registered nurse to seek employment at numerous settings including hospitals, clinics, nursing care facilities and other specialized care units. Pay for a BSN registered nurse is dependent on a wide range of factors.
What Does a BSN Registered Nurse Do?
The job description for a registered nurse with a BSN must both offer assessments and treatments to patients. This type of nurse is a caregiver that works directly with patients and takes directions from doctors and other healthcare professionals in authority. A BSN registered nurse does not necessarily diagnose or determine the course of treatment, but they provide the care and treatment that is determined by the physician. A BSN registered nurse can be employed in a variety of setting including hospitals, schools and other healthcare facilities. Even though the settings change the type of care provided remains mostly the same.
It is required of a BSN registered nurse to analyze a patient’s condition and offer the treatment that is necessary. Giving medications and tracking medical records is also a part of the job description for this type of nurse. A BSN registered nurse also has the ability to provide care to patients that are in critical condition and this requires extensive charting and monitoring of their condition. A nurse with this level of education must have the ability to look over medical orders and ensure that there are no problems with the course of treatment ordered by the doctor. This means that a BSN registered nurse has many duties that combine to make up their daily tasks. Every day on the job is different and a nurse of this caliber must be able to think quickly on their feet.
Median Salary in the United States
The median salary for a BSN registered nurse working in the United States is between $49,851 and $130,200. The actual hourly salary average is $22.93, but the gap in annual median salary is quite large. The disparity in the median salary range can be attributed to a wide range of factors spanning from experience to state of employment. The median annual bonus of a BSN nurse is about $507 and is included in the median figures stated above.
Certification Importance
Salary for a BSN registered nurse can increase based on certification. For example, a BSN nurse with Certified Critical Care training has a median salary of $65,275. This is up substantially from the median salary of an uncertified BSN nurse that is at just $49,851. This clearly shows that BSN nurses with more certification and specialized training will often receive higher salaries.
Percentile and Pay
Taking a closer look at the salaries for a BSN registered nurse can be achieved by looking at the lower and higher percentiles. Those that are in the 90th percentile of BSN nurses have a median salary of $90,118. However, those that are in the 10th percentile have a median salary of $60,444 annually. This shows the large difference in salary between the 90th percentile and the 10th percentile of BSN employees in the United States.
State and BSN Salary
Even though experience and certification play a part in salary, the state that you are employed in also makes a big difference. Some states are widely known to have a higher median salary for BSN registered nurses than other states. The state with the highest median salary for a BSN registered nurse is not surprisingly California. California often offers higher compensation for a variety of occupations, but this is mostly due to the fact that the cost of living is higher in this state than in others. Other states that also have a high median salary for BSN registered nurses include Florida, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The median salary range for these high paying states is between $81,780 and $62,347.
Education and Requirements for Becoming a BSN
A BSN registered nurse must have entry level education through a high school diploma or a GED. Completion of a Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing program is also necessary. This is often a 4 year program through an accredited college or university. After completion of the nursing program is achieved all candidates must pass an examination of the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse.
