A graduate degree can help you advance in your nursing career. Whether you choose a clinical or non-clinical track, an MSN can give you the skills and expertise to secure leadership and management roles. An MSN can also empower you to start nursing or healthcare practice. Here are seven reasons why it’s worth pursuing an MSN online:
Increase Your Salary
Getting an MSN opens the door to leadership roles in healthcare settings, often leading to higher salaries. Nurses with MSNs can take on many of the same duties as physicians and often are given greater autonomy in their work. For example, nurse practitioners can operate without physician supervision, and NPs can prescribe medication. An RN to MSN education online program offers a way for registered nurses to earn an advanced degree in nursing without leaving the job they love. It also allows students to pursue a particular focus in healthcare, such as clinical nurse leadership, health system management, nursing education, quality, safety, and risk management. An MSN is a great option for nurses who want to advance their careers and make a difference in patients’ lives. With a wide variety of online MSN programs, it’s easy for nurses to find the right fit.
Better Position You for Future Career Opportunities
If you’re interested in pursuing advanced nursing roles like nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse midwife, you’ll need an MSN. In addition to opening up more career options, having an MSN can help you advance more quickly because many hospitals prefer RNs with advanced degrees. Additionally, MSN graduates at William Paterson University often find greater job satisfaction. This is mainly because they can operate more independently than RNs and have the opportunity to contribute directly to patient outcomes. According to the report, advanced practice nurses ranked “liking their work” and building professional relationships with patients among the top reasons for their career satisfaction.
Develop Advanced Nursing Skills
The complexities of nursing in today’s healthcare landscape require nurses to have strong leadership and management skills. Earning an MSN degree can help you develop these critical abilities. An MSN degree can also help you become more specialized in your nursing career. This qualifies you for higher-level positions, often paying more than a general registered nurse role. It can also allow you to enter the field of nursing that is most meaningful to you. Popular specializations for an MSN include psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, nurse executive, and nursing education. Many hospitals and other employers provide tuition remission or reimbursement for nurses working to get their MSN degrees. You can find various nursing scholarships and other financial aid, such as federal student loans, that don’t require repayment. Fill out the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for these types of funds.
Gain Leadership Skills
A nursing degree opens the door to several clinical and leadership roles. MSN programs typically focus on leadership and management skills, helping nurses develop the ability to assess patient outcomes, manage personnel, and implement quality control strategies. RN to MSN programs can also help students specialize in an area of nursing that speaks to their passions and professional goals. Whether that’s psychiatric-mental health, nurse educator, forensic nursing, or senior care, there are several MSN specialization options to choose from to find the right fit.
