Looking for a Second Career? 5 Reasons to Consider an Accelerated BSN Program

If you are thinking about pursuing a second or even a third career, you are not alone. While you may have once found satisfaction in your first career, you might be looking for a total change or want to finally pursue something you’ve thought about for years. If you are considering nursing, an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree provides an exciting new door into this field. Here are five great reasons to pursue a new career as a nurse.

 

1. Enjoy job security

 

Being a nurse provides you with paid sick leave and vacation time so that you can function at your best. It also gives you a chance to work overtime, which adds to the job’s earning potential. Furthermore, you can expect your income to rise as you gain experience and become better educated. Plus, some hospitals offer career ladder initiatives that reward the growth of nurses who show initiative.

What’s more, you can graduate from accelerated nursing programs with the confidence that you are going into a high-demand area of work. In Texas, specifically, there is a shortage of registered nurses (RNs) because the baby boomer generation increasingly needs care, and many RNs are heading to retirement. 

The demand for RNs is likely to grow, too, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. RN job growth is expected to hit 12 percent by 2028, a faster-than-average rate. Thus, you can feel secure while at school that you will graduate with many job opportunities ahead, rather than wondering whether you will find work afterward.

 

2. Try something new

 

An accelerated BSN program can be a great choice for someone who wants to try a second career later in life. If you’re in your 40s or 50s and your kids have left home, the next chapter for you might be to go back to school.

If your family is supportive and you have researched the expenses and time involved in returning to school, then the step that follows is to enroll in a program to pursue your nursing dream. This is the chance to try a new career, and it doesn’t matter what your age is or what you did beforehand. If you have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline, then you are likely eligible to apply to an accelerated BSN program.

 

3. A rewarding experience

 

Being an RN is a rewarding job. You can look forward to helping others in ways that significantly impact the course of their lives. 

For example, you will care for those who are ill, providing not only physical help but also emotional support and empathy that can be just as important, if not more so, to their healing process. You will likely be someone they remember for years after they return home from the hospital, clinic, or another setting.

As you go about the workday, you can expect to interact with a lot of people. For those who are social or lonely, this interaction is very much welcomed. Not only will you communicate with patients throughout the week but also their families, including the parents of young patients. 

Plus, you can learn a lot from those you meet who come from other walks of life. When you care for someone with a critical illness, you will likely find yourself feeling grateful for your own good health. Gratitude is an amazing feeling, and it’s one that an RN can expect to experience regularly.

 

4. The potential to advance in your career

 

A great part about nursing is that you can pursue a specialty and move into higher positions. By continuing with school, you can earn a master’s degree as a nursing leader or focus on providing primary or acute care to specialized populations, such as infants. 

When you graduate from an accelerated BSN program, you hold the key to further career paths. There are many areas to pursue if you want to down the road.

You can also expect that your career will last for as long as you want it to, as there will always be a need for nurses. The same longevity cannot be said for other career paths. 

As you gain experience in nursing, you will find that your skills expand and that your confidence grows as you take on more responsibilities. All of this adds to the satisfaction of the job, as well as benefits patients as you will be providing them with better care.

 

5. Help to improve patient care

 

In addition to the points above, you can also work to improve patient care. Being able to have a role in healthcare reform brings extra meaning to the role of an RN, and you can complete the accelerated program within less than a year.

The opportunity to have this impact through your everyday actions, all with schooling under a year in length, is huge. It’s no wonder that nursing is a popular choice for a second career.

Becoming the best nurse possible

When you graduate with your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, there is a lot to look forward to, including helping improve healthcare provision, having a new career, and job security. When you choose the accelerated version of the program, you can complete it in a short time as you have many of the prerequisites from your first bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject.

As you pursue this second career, make it a conscious effort each day to be the best nurse you’re cable of being. You deserve a fulfilling job and giving it your all will be the way to achieve one. Plus, when you are the best RN possible, you ensure that the care you provide is top-quality. 

Give your second career 100 percent and you’ll achieve personal growth as well as help others. Then, when you retire one day, you can look back on these years and be proud of what you accomplished, rather than regret what could have been if you had only tried your hand at nursing. Go for it!