You've done it--you've worked hard, studied for years, and crammed for so many tests that you sometimes can't remember your own name--but you did it. You earned your bachelor's degree in nursing, proving to employers that you're exactly the kind of driven, dedicated, passionate RN they want to employ. And you were right. They hired you almost on the spot.
But as the years go on and you're passed-over for promotion after promotion, you may start to ask yourself why? You're just as dedicated, just as driven, and just as passionate as those who got to level up. So why not you?
Perhaps they have more experience. After all, experience is key in any field. But do you really have to wait so long to get where you want in your career? Isn't there a shortcut?
In a word: yes. You could get a master's degree in nursing. Granted, an advanced nursing degree isn't exactly an easy shortcut, but it is a great deal faster than waiting to outclass all of the RNs hired before you. So what are your options?
Health System Leadership: Become a Nurse Manager
If you're planning to go back to school and the idea of becoming a nurse manager is attractive to you, by earning a MSN with a concentration in health systems leadership, you may get the opportunity to do just that. This degree could prepare you for a possible career as a nurse manager, a program manager, or even a program director, all of which could lead to an increase in salary.
Where a registered nurse in 2012 got an annual median salary of $65,470, a medical and health services manager had a median annual salary of $88,580, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS also states that growth in the fields of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 23% between the years of 2012 and 2022 as opposed to a growth of 19% for RN's. With a master's degree in health system leadership, you could be the boss.
Nursing Education: Become a Nurse Educator
Ever given teaching a thought? As a registered nurse, you might have had to teach new nurses the ropes on more than one occasion. Did they ever turn to you, after the fact, and tell you how much they appreciated your experience and teaching ability? You may have the knack to go back to school and get your master's in nursing with a concentration in nursing education. With it, you'd be trained for a career where you can help shape future nurses. You could have the opportunity be that one teacher who makes all the difference in that student's life, the one who they come to visit years after they've graduated. Granted, with an annual median salary of $66,100 according to the BLS, teaching may not give you a great raise in income over the average RN to start with, but the average nurse doesn't have the privilege and satisfaction of being able to teach entire groups of future nurses what they have learned from years of experience in the field. Teaching your wisdom to another is the greatest gift you could ever give to anyone, and with a master's degree in nursing education, you could give that gift to hundreds of people.
What Other Opportunities are there with a Master's in Nursing?
Simply put, a master's degree in nursing can put you ahead of the game when it comes to your future in nursing. You will have expanded your education beyond what most people aspire to, and that can command respect from your peers as well as yourself. Accomplishing goals in education can also be its own reward.
Do ittttt!!! I am and I love it!! A little challenging but u can do it!!"@nathalieangela: Think I'm doing the nursing program with ECPI"
— Nwenna (@NwennaRee) March 30, 2015
BSN to MSN in As Little As 15 Months!
If you're interested in progressing your education and working toward excelling in your nursing career, contact ECPI University. With their Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in either Health System Leadership or Nursing Education, you could turn your bachelor's into a master's in as little as 15 months. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
Gainful Employment Information
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.