As a labor and delivery nurse at UC Davis Medical’s Women’s Pavilion, Aracely Eres was well aware that advanced nursing degrees are necessary for healthcare because of the industry’s value of education and credentials. More and more hospitals are expecting RNs to make business decisions that affect patient outcomes, leading more practicing registered nurses to seek out RN to BSN programs to advance their education and career opportunities.
Already equipped as an RN with Spanish/English translation certification and volunteer work as an interpreter at UC Davis before going to work at Mercy Medical Center, Eres had a career path focused on making a positive impact on her patients and organization. When a nursing position opened up in labor and delivery, she quickly applied for the job, but soon realized that advancing her education was critical to her future success.
“I believe that the more education you have, the more power you have to drive your career.”
UC Davis is a teaching hospital that requires nurses to hold at least a BSN, so two years after beginning her job there, Eres began looking into online BSN programs. A BSN degree prepares nurses for a broader role in acute care, primary care, and community health settings, and provides education in other important services like nursing management, health promotion, and disease prevention. There is also evidence showing that patient outcomes are better in hospitals with a higher percentage of Bachelors prepared nurses and it helps hospitals advance to magnet status, making it an attractive requirement for many facilities.
After researching potential programs, Eres chose American Sentinel’s RN to BSN program, an online program that she could complete while still working full time. She knew a colleague who was an American Sentinel student and had an excellent experience, and the BSN program had all of the elements she was looking for in addition to being affordable and having a wonderful student support system. Eres’ first classes began in 2013, and after a positive experience while working full-time, she decided to continue into American Sentinel’s MSN program after she completed her BSN in 2015.
For nurses who plan to move into nursing management like Eres had been intending to do, MSN degrees are becoming the minimum education required for management roles because it provides specialized knowledge that hospital employers are seeking. A master’s degree opens up more opportunities, distinguishing an MSN educated nurse as the most qualified candidate for management positions. Eres chose a nursing management and organization leadership specialization for her MSN, ensuring she would have the skills and knowledge to secure a management role in her future. She now has her sights set on becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She wants to make an impact, and knows her education is what will help get her there. As Eres says, “I believe that the more education you have, the more power you have to drive your career.”
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