While aspiring RNs can become licensed with an associate’s degree in nursing, those with BSNs are better prepared to tackle the challenges of providing healthcare in Kansas. In addition, BSN prepared nurses receive higher salaries, because their education results in a higher level of problem solving and enhanced patient care.
The Institute of Medicine called for 80% percent of the country’s nursing workforce to have BSNs by 2020. According to the Kansas Board of Nursing, 1,061 nursing students in the state were enrolled in BSN programs in the 2012-13 school year.
A January 2015 article in The Kansas Star summarized the health problems faced by the residents of Kansas. It reported that an analysis by the Trust for America’s Health indicated that spending on public health in Kansas is the 44th lowest in the country. Specific problems that Kansas faces include:
- A rise in the cancer death rate since 1990
- A rate of occupational fatalities that is more than 50% higher than that nationally
- Immunization rates among the lowest in the country
A Comparison of Salaries Among ADN and BSN Prepared RNs in Kansas
Employers in Kansas show a strong preference for job candidates with a BSN, offering them higher salaries for their additional level of expertise.
Salary information from the Kansas Department of Labor reveals the difference between the salaries of BSN prepared RNs and those with ADNs. Those with BSNs were paid an average of 47.3% more per year in 2013:
Nurses in Kansas who have BSNs can earn more than these figures indicate according to an analysis by the US Department of Labor:
Salary Analysis of Nurses with BSNs in Key Regions of Kansas
The US Department of Labor provides an analysis of salaries for RNs with bachelor’s degrees throughout metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas of Kansas: