Nursing Careers During The COVID-19 Pandemic

It is no secret that there was already a shortage of nursing staff across the country before the current pandemic; however, following the outbreak of COVID-19, the US healthcare system is under increasing scrutiny as it strives to manage the additional pressure.

In these unprecedented times, nursing jobs have become more challenging than ever. Nurses are being put to the test as the front line of defense on a much bigger scale than ever before. Some of the challenges faced by nursing staff include global PPE shortages, fueling concerns over personal safety, and fears of contracting the virus and infecting their own healthy family members.

As well as this, ventilator shortages alongside immensely stressful work environments and longer shifts mean that RNs are increasingly exposed to stressful conditions that require coping mechanisms to safeguard their own well-being.

How Can Studying for a BSN Help?

RN staff would be excused for thinking that this is the wrong time to consider furthering their education, as nursing staff works tirelessly on the front line in order to save lives. However, being responsible for the prevention, containment, and management of patients and staff during this pandemic emergency calls for a set of skills that includes social sciences, management, research, public and community health, and leadership.

BSN training provides nurses with a higher level of knowledge and expertise to provide the level of management and skills needed to guide hospitals and patients through this kind of emergency. BSN graduates possess the knowledge required to make informed decisions and competently work in ever-changing environments, which is vital in times of a pandemic.

You may wonder how this affects you and your current situation as an RN. The Marian Nursing School RN to BSN Completion Program can be done online around your current schedule and takes just seven weeks to complete.

Advantages of BSN Training BSN training is linked to better clinical outcomes and lower mortality rates among patients. This is clearly demonstrated in hospitals that employ BSN nurses who also experience a reduced number of hospital infections by the implementation of infection control practices as outlined in the BSN program.

As the current crisis continues to grip the country, BSN staff are trained to make better, faster decisions on behalf of their patients in an increasingly high-pressure environment. Nurses are qualified to make informed assessments of complex situations in order to develop plans to combat the challenges that the pandemic is throwing at the medical community.

In times of social distancing, the qualification can allow nursing staff to develop greater communication skills with patients, patient families, and colleagues in order to establish trusting relationships and mutually beneficial collaborations that can benefit both patients and staff.

In a high-pressure environment, such as during a pandemic, this ability, alongside the capacity to make quick, accurate assessments as potential patients flood through the hospital doors, is invaluable to the medical community.

In short, the country needs more BSN-qualified nurses, so there has never been a better time to consider furthering your nursing career.

Thanks to Ana