What do Nurses Need to Know Before they start on their MSN?
If you're a registered nurse, you've probably thought about the next step in your career. Perhaps you've already started on your bachelor of science in nursing, or you have a bachelor's degree in another field. Most likely, you know nurses who have taken the plunge and embarked on earning a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN). An MSN can open doors to a greater level of responsibility in nursing, and could be the right path for you. But how do you know?
What an MSN Can Do for You
For those who want to transition to family nurse practitioners, the MSN is the way to go. A master's degree in nursing can also lead to a career as a nurse educator, as well as leadership roles in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and many other medical settings.
Right now, you're thinking about earning an MSN, but you're still not sure if you're ready to bite off this much responsibility. Maybe a little self-analysis can help you decide.
Three Steps to Self Acknowledge Before You Enroll for an MSN
1. Are you ready for another demanding commitment?
You remember from getting your associate's degree in nursing that you had to make a big commitment to your studies. With the help of friends and family, you had to plan how you would navigate between home life, family commitments, and possibly a job to devote the majority of your time to study and your clinicals.
While earning a master's degree won't require the same type of commitment, you should have talked to counselors and other MSNs to get a sense of how much time and study you will have to devote to earning an advanced degree. Ask yourself -- and be honest: "Am I ready for this level of commitment? Will I have enough of a support system so I can free myself for my studies?"
2. What is the driving force behind my desire to earn an MSN?
Maybe you've realized that you need to make a transition into a less physically demanding field of nursing, and it appears that the MSN offers you the best chance to make that change, and to make it at a higher level than your BSN will afford.
Or maybe it's just that one of the fields that requires an MSN that are mentioned above offers you the best opportunity to satisfy your career goals -- that is, the most satisfying work you can imagine at this level of your career. Whatever your motivation, once you nail down the reason for it, you will have a better sense of why this next step is important -- and how willing you are to take the leap.
3. Can you manage the financial commitment?
Talk to college admissions and financial aid advisors. You should do thorough research about what revenue sources you can gather to help finance your graduate degree. You may have to obtain a loan; financial aid advisors can help direct you to the best resources for researching lenders in the educational field. They can also help you to learn if you qualify for scholarships, grants, or other financial aid.
If you need to keep working at a job while you're studying, you want to be sure that your employer is in agreement with the time you may need to take off to go to class. Fortunately, many graduate-level degrees can be obtained online, so this will provide considerable flexibility for those who must keep earning while they're learning.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
While you were earning your associate's and bachelor's degrees, you acquired a very broad spectrum of knowledge pertaining to human anatomy and physiology, pharmaceuticals, nutrition, nursing and newborns, acute care nursing, medical and surgical nursing, psychiatric nursing, and much more. You also learned skills that have helped you be a good self-organizer and that have given you an ability to prioritize.
Some other skills and knowledge you picked up in nursing school:
- Succeeding in classroom and clinical settings
- Working as a team member
- Handling stress
- Mastering study and research skills
- Time management
Bet you didn't realize how much you already knew! Your skills and experience may have prepared you for the next step in your career: a master's degree in nursing.
Are you interested in moving your nursing career forward? If you want to earn a Master of Science Degree in Nursing, ECPI University offers this degree at an accelerated pace. For more information, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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