There are many options for nursing specialties, such as becoming a cardiac nurse, flight nurse, forensic nurse, gastroenterology nurse, forensic nurse, geriatric nurse or nurse practitioner. In nursing, you can find a specialty that resonates with your interests.
Nurses have many opportunities, both inside and beyond the hospital. What can you do with a nursing degree? You could choose to work with patients experiencing specific medical conditions, such as cardiac care or gastroenterology. You could alternatively work with patients of specific age ranges, such as geriatrics. You could even look beyond clinical care for exciting opportunities in technology, law, and education. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is your gateway to a wide range of possible futures.
Northeastern University empowers transfer students and career switchers to prepare for a nursing career in any setting. Our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program enables you to earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months if you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 college credits. Then, you’ll be ready to obtain a nursing license and pursue work across a broad spectrum of nursing specialties.
Before diving into the admissions process, take some time to learn more about the BSN credential and why it’s important for a career in nursing. Then, discover some of the many answers to the question, “What jobs can you get with a BSN?”
What Is a BSN? Why It Matters for Your Nursing Career
There are multiple pathways toward a nursing career, including:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Nursing diploma
Of these three, a BSN requires the most amount of education and training. It offers the most comprehensive and in-depth curriculum, with extensive clinical skills training. That’s why employers prefer to hire BSN-prepared nurses compared to nurses with less education. Nurses with a BSN contribute to more favorable patient outcomes.
There’s another reason why having a BSN matters for your nursing career. Unlike a nursing diploma or an ADN, a BSN is your pathway toward earning graduate-level nursing education, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). These advanced degrees can pave the way toward pursuing career advancement and higher salary command.
What Jobs Can You Get With a BSN? Top Career Paths for Registered Nurses
Many nurses choose to work with patients at the bedside, providing care within a clinical setting. With a BSN, you can enter any number of patient care specialties. In the clinical setting, here are a few of the in-demand nursing specialties.
1. Cardiac Care Nurse
Working closely with cardiologists, these nurses provide cardiac care to patients of all ages in hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. The patients they serve have heart disease, are recovering from heart attacks, or are suffering from related conditions.
2. Gastroenterology Nurse
These nurses care for patients who have disorders involving the gastrointestinal tract. Working alongside nutritionists, they also teach their patients how to control digestive issues through diet. Gastroenterology nurses serve patients of all ages in settings that include hospitals, private practices, and surgery centers. Equipped with a BSN, an RN license and relevant experience, these nurses can also receive certification in gastroenterology nursing.
3. Geriatric Nurse
Geriatric nurses assist doctors with the mental and physical care of elderly patients at high risk for injury and disease. To help their patients enjoy a high quality of life, these nurses work hard to keep them mobile and independent. Geriatric nurses work in settings that include nursing homes, retirement centers, outpatient care centers, and private homes.
4. Managed Care Nurse
Serving society’s most vulnerable, managed care nurses help elderly and underserved patients on government-funded healthcare plans stay as healthy as possible. These nurses serve as the liaisons between patients and government agencies. Working in hospitals, telephone triage centers, and health insurance companies, these nurses keep tabs on the physical, emotional and psychosocial state of their patients.
5. Obstetrics Nurse
OB/GYN nurses are in high demand. They care for women during pregnancy, labor and childbirth, and patients with reproductive health conditions. These nurses also assist doctors in performing prenatal and other health screenings. Obstetric nurses work in settings that include hospitals, community clinics, private practices, and gynecology offices.
6. Urology Nurse
These nurses care for patients with health conditions and diseases related to the urinary system, including kidney stones and bladder infections. They also spend time guiding their patients on topics such as preventive care and proper hygiene. Urology nurses work in settings that include hospitals, physician offices, and outpatient care centers.
7. Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
One of several specialty areas available to nurse practitioners (NPs), FNPs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide comprehensive and continuous primary care to individuals and families across the lifespan. FNPs typically work in physician offices, clinics, and community centers. To become any type of APRN, you’ll need graduate-level nursing education and board certification, which allows you to obtain a state-issued APRN license.
Learn the steps for becoming a nurse practitioner with a non-nursing bachelor's degree or non-nursing college credits.
8. Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
These APRNs specialize in women’s reproductive health and childbirth. CNMs guide women through their prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and postpartum counseling. They also provide family planning services, menopause care, health screenings, and health education.
Alternative Nursing Jobs: Unique Careers Beyond the Hospital
What can you do with a nursing degree beyond the hospital? There are several alternative jobs for BSN-educated nurses who prefer nursing outside the traditional clinical environment.
9. Informatics Nurse
These nurses design, test and implement information and communication technologies that use medical data to improve patient outcomes. Managing various technology-based projects, informatics nurses rely on their analytical skills and critical thinking to solve problems innovatively. Work settings include hospitals, healthcare consulting firms, IT companies, and nursing schools.
10. Flight Nurse
Working with paramedics and other healthcare professionals, flight nurses care for critically ill or injured patients in transit to a trauma center by aircraft. With almost every flight being an emergency, these nurses must think fast and work well under pressure. Becoming a flight nurse requires extensive clinical experience and additional certification.
11. Forensic Nurse
Forensic nurses care for victims of sexual abuse, violence, and assault. These nurses gather evidence and testify on behalf of patients in court. They are also liaisons amongst patients, families, social services, and law enforcement.
12. Legal Nurse Consultant
These nurses work as medical experts in legal cases, helping lawyers understand healthcare-related issues. Working as a legal nurse consultant allows for schedule flexibility and varied work environments, such as insurance agencies and hospitals. Plan on gaining clinical experience before transitioning to legal nurse consulting.
13. Nurse Educator
Nurse educators work at teaching hospitals and nursing schools. They teach, mentor, and evaluate nursing students, which includes overseeing them as they apply their skills in lab and clinical settings. Nurse educators might need an advanced degree at some schools.
14. Telehealth Nurse
As a telehealth nurse, you can evaluate patients and provide care remotely. These nurses may work within a large healthcare organization or consult with remote, rural healthcare facilities across the country.
Nursing Demand, Salary and Job Outlook
Nursing is expected to remain an in-demand field for the foreseeable future. While demand can vary based on nursing specialty, geographic location and other factors, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers some statistics to consider:
- Median salary as of May 2024: $93,600
- Job growth rate from 2024 through 2034: 5% (166,100 added jobs)
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
- Median salary as of May 2024: $132,050
- Job growth rate from 2024 through 2034: 35% (134,000 added jobs)
Learn 11 ways to increase your chances of getting into nursing school.
Ready to Earn a BSN Degree?
Northeastern University offers our accredited ABSN program at three locations: near Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island, and in Charlotte, North Carolina. No matter where you attend, you can expect to receive the same quality nursing education taught by experienced, highly supportive instructors. Our students learn in small classes and benefit from personalized support.
If you meet the admission requirements, it’s possible to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months. Our nursing curriculum follows a blended format that combines online coursework with hands-on nursing skills and simulation labs, and clinical rotations.
Contact an admissions counselor today to get started.