How Long Does it Take to Earn an MSN?
When you’re already working as a nurse it can feel like you don’t have time to go back to school to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Who has two or more years to study in a graduate program while you try to juggle work, family, friends, and other obligations? The good news is, with the growing popularity of online education and accelerated programs, it’s now possible to earn a degree sooner than you might think.
What is the Master of Science in Nursing all About
The MSN could equip you with specialized skills you will need to render high-quality services in a specific niche. With an MSN, you are in a position to handle most of the healthcare services a physician handles. This is very important in the modern day society where physicians take longer to train and have a long list of patients to attend to in a day. A good example of an MSN graduate in the workplace is a nurse practitioner.
Some of the areas you could specialize in as an MSN graduate include Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Nursing Education (NE). These focuses call for you to take a leadership role and can lead to you educating the next generation of nurses. If you see yourself as a teacher or a leader, one of these could be the concentration for you.
Why Do You Need an MSN?
Earning your MSN sets you apart from registered nurses (RNs) and BSNs. Registered Nurses handle a little bit of everything related to healthcare. They really don’t have the qualifications or knowledge to strike out on their own and work without the supervision of a physician.
With an MSN, you can specialize in a specific niche and be the senior authority in that healthcare topic. If you are not interested in furthering your practical nursing education, you can still stay a nurse but venture into administration hence being the right person for those leadership or management positions, the finance liaison or the person in charge of policy generation and implementation.
Some MSN holders might even venture into teaching and training roles that put them in charge of nurses earning their degrees or diplomas.
How Long Will it Take to Become an MSN
A typical MSN program takes two years to complete, while in school full-time. One of these traditional programs requires long hours in classrooms and slow-moving semesters with large gaps between one set of classes and the next.
There are alternatives, however. Online classes give working students the convenience of studying in their own time without driving to classroom meetings. Additionally, accelerated schedules allow students to complete their degree faster without long breaks.
Of course, not every student is going to be well suited to the online or accelerated environment. Students who graduate from these programs are generally highly-focused, very disciplined, and familiar with the rigors of academic work.
Are You Ready for the MSN?
It goes without saying that earning an MSN degree is a great deal of work. Are you ready to put in the time, effort, and dedication it will take to earn this degree? It’s also important to know which type of program you would do best in and what suits your current lifestyle, whether you have work obligations or a family to take care of.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I ready to move ahead?
- Do I have the finances, time, and mental energy to put into earning a degree?
- Am I willing to make sacrifices so I can focus on my degree?
If you answered yes to the following questions, you could be ready to earn and MSN degree and take the next step!
Are you interested in earning a Master of Science in Nursing degree and advancing as a nurse? If you want to learn more about online classes you can take at your convenience with an accelerated schedule to help you graduate sooner, you could find yourself at home at ECPI University. For more information, contact a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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