During today’s tough economic conditions, there exists an exciting possibility for finding job security. A new study provides a hopeful future for graduates of Shenandoah University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree. It suggests baccalaureate-prepared nurses will most likely receive job offers soon after graduation.
Data from the American Association of College of Nursing (A.A.C.N.) shows the trend that “graduates of entry-level baccalaureate (B.S.N.) and master’s nursing programs are much more likely to have job offers at the time of graduation, or soon after, than graduates from other fields.” An impressive 59 percent of nursing school graduates received job offers at the time of graduation–a number that trumps the 29 percent job offer national average of all professions. Within the six months following graduation, the A.A.C.N. survey found that 89 percent of baccalaureate and master’s nursing graduates had secured employment in their fields.
At Shenandoah University, approximately 55 percent of B.S.N. have job offers at the time of graduation and 90 percent gain employment within six months of graduation.
What is causing this exciting trend of hiring and job security? Several contributing factors affect the medical industry and nursing field. Most notable are the changes brought to the medical industry due to the Affordable Care Act that has promoted a re-conceptualization of the role of nurses within traditional medical care. New and emergent medical technology also demands more skilled and educated nurses who can adapt to the changing trends in medical care. In addition, more medical practices and institutions are moving to raise quality standards to meet consumer expectations for safe patient care, increasing the demand for baccalaureate prepared nurses.
The demand for employers to hire B.S.N. nurses from Shenandoah also remains strong as the university continues innovative partnerships with Valley Health and Inova. Students are rigorously involved in internships, one-on-one preceptorships, residencies and group clinicals. These intensive processes prepare our graduates to make a critical difference in the field of nursing from the moment they graduate and pass their boards.
Visit the Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing at Shenandoah University for more information and the five pathways to a B.S.N., including the new Veteran-to-BSN program.
