The baccalaureate degree in nursing prepares women and men as liberally educated, beginning level professional practitioners of nursing who are prepared to provide culturally competent primary health care nursing in partnership with clients and interdisciplinary colleagues. They fulfill professional and social responsibilities through active participation in professional, social, political and cultural arenas, and advocate for and promote optimum health through empowerment of individuals, families, groups, and diverse populations in the community. Today's BSN-prepared nurse must possess a wide range of knowledge, skills and competencies that go far beyond knowledge of nursing theory and practice. Professional nursing is a self-directed and interdisciplinary practice with shared responsibility for achieving the goal of empowering clients to assume responsibility for giving directions and making decisions that promote, restore and maintain optimum health. The BSN-prepared nurse possesses the personal and professional characteristics of empathy and compassion, a well developed value system, the ability to communicate and work in partnership with others of diverse values and cultures under challenging and difficult circumstances, and the emotional stability to perform in a professional manner under pressure.
Nursing is also a physically demanding profession and calls for considerable strength and stamina.
Damp, Dennis V. Health Care Job Explosion . Opportunities in Nursing Careers . VGM Career Series, 1995.