Omaha, NE (September 10, 2015) - Furthering your career may be one of your main goals as a travel nurse, and luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Travel nursing jobs leader, Aureus Medical Group, shares all you need to know about RN to BSN.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, RN employment is projected to grow by 19 percent between 2012 and 2022, which is faster than the national average. Needless to say, there is a lot of room for growth when it comes to career development.

However, in fast-paced and increasingly technological environments like hospitals and clinics, there are few things that new nursing grads as well as veteran nurses need to know about how the landscape has changed for educational requirements.

What's on the horizon for travel nurses?That's why we recently spoke with V. Goodwin, a Nursing Student Outreach Director with Aureus Medical, to gain some insight into the exciting career opportunities of travel nurses and what they can do to further their careers. Goodwin made it clear right away that in the future, one degree in particular will have a lasting influence of nurse career development: a bachelor's degree in nursing.

"Ever since the Institute of Medicine stated back in 2002 that they wanted to see 80 percent of the nursing workforce educated with a Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN), there has been an increasing requirement by employers, particularly hospitals, to have BSN RNs on staff," Goodwin said. "This has made it more difficult for those with their Associate Degree (ADN) to find work in hospitals or to be accepted into new grad residency programs."

Goodwin reinforced that this doesn't just apply to new grads, however. Even employed RNs are being encouraged to obtain a BSN to move forward in their careers. There is also a noted push for nursing practitioners, RNs working in nursing informatics and nursing educators to enter the workforce in greater numbers.

Needless to say, there are many options for a potential nursing student or even seasoned RNs to hit the career development reset button.

What's driving the demand?In the past several years, the U.S. healthcare system has become much more technologically and clinically advanced, which means that nurses will be expected to become knowledgeable in not only patient care, but also hone their administrative and tech-related skills. Utilizing the extra training and course material from a BSN allows RNs to treat more complex illnesses, which in turn, makes the U.S. a healthier and more knowledgeable place. Additionally, nurse practitioners are also in high demand due to the increase in physicians in primary care environments.

As a result, it's important that nurses fully understand the requirements of a BSN, whether they are in school for nursing or are planning on obtaining a more advanced nursing degree in the future. Although a BSN is more of a general degree, there are areas of focus that are especially attractive to hospitals and clinics. Regardless, growing in your nursing career will likely require this degree. 

Read the full article for more on career development for nurses.

About Aureus Medical Group:

Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide.  With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire.  Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years.