Nursing is a highly sought-after profession. Nurses are responsible for undertaking several responsibilities in various healthcare settings. However, their common objective is to ensure quality care to patients, enabling them to live healthier lives.
Gaining expertise and skills to stay current is essential in the field of healthcare and the nursing field is no exception. Skill upgrades are possible though professional trainings, experience and academic programs. Consequently, more nurses are choosing to enroll in master’s programs. Just like other professions,pursuing advanced education unlocks managerial and entrepreneurial opportunities for nurses.
If you are on the fence about whether or not to go for a master’s, reading the following benefits of the degree shall help:
- Better Salary
Higher education leads to a raise in a nurse’s salary. A nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) may earn around $73,000 annually. At the same time, a nurse with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can earn up to $90,000.
According to BLS, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and NPs make as much as $117,670 after completingtheir masters. Furthermore, about 39% of nurses receive some form of funding for their advanced nursing education, which makes paying for classes a little easier.
- Flexible Working Hours
There is no getting away from the fact that nursing can be a fulfilling career. That said, working hours are not ideal for the most part. Even for newly minted nurses, 12-hour shifts are taxing, and no one wants to work on the holidays.
A master’s degree qualifies you for managerial roles, many of which come with more standard 40-hour work weeks. To avoid additional testing requirements, you can look for one of the online MHA programs no GRE required to become a nurse manager. As a nurse manager, you will not have to work the night shifts. In addition, you may be able to take more time off.
- Preparing Future Nurses
An advanced degree can help nurses become educators. It will not only help you to fulfill your desire but also allow you to prepare nurses for the real-world challenges they will face in their careers. Do you remember how challenging nursing school was and how much you valued having a knowledgeable and enthusiastic instructor, mentor, and guide to get you through it? Well, you can play the same role in aspiring nurses’ lives.
- Long Career
The workplace of a registered nurse is typically one that is clinical, such as a hospital or a physician’s office. Unfortunately, many of these facilities are understaffed. As a result, nurses are stretched too thin and do not get enough time to rest.
Their duties also involve standing on their feet for extended periods and lifting heavy objects, which leads to severe back and leg pain. These physical issues typically reduce the length of their career. A master’s degree allows you to transition into roles demanding less physical exertion, such as teaching and administration. It increases your chances of having a long career.
- More Autonomy
Since employers value and appreciate advanced degrees, they will grant you more discretionary authority at work. On top of that, most states are granting full practice authority to nurse practitioners, allowing them to work more independently. Working with little to no supervision is a rewarding experience that makes earning a master’s degree a worthwhile pursuit.
- Diverse Career Options
Even if you do not want to work in nursing, an MSN paves the way for a world of possibilities. People with advanced degrees in nursing are highly sought-after in various industries. You can broaden your horizons beyond typical nursing jobs and find work as a health coach, safety director, community services manager, quality improvement director, and so on.
- Develop Additional Skills
Earning a master’s degree helps you build specific skills and core competencies in informatics, advanced practice nursing, and leadership and administration. Nurses who enroll in an MSN degree program can specialize in the desired area of study while gaining the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their chosen field.
MSN programs often cover the following topics:
- Healthcare evaluation
- Data analytics
- Evidence-based practice
- Advocacy and policy
- Filling The Gap
America is facing a big vacuum in the healthcare industry. It particularly stands true for nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners. According to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities for well-qualified nursing professionals are expected to increase by 45% between 2019 and 2029. An advanced degree in nursing will allow you to bridge the gap in the medical field and help the industry provide better healthcare services for the general public.
Conclusion
As a nurse, your schedule is perhaps already jam-packed to the gills. A postgraduate nursing program may feel like an unnecessary burden on your already hectic schedule. Indeed, returning to school is a serious undertaking, requiring a great deal of time, commitment, and financial resources. However, if you want to have a successful career, earning a master’s degree holds the key. Provided the benefits listed above, the endeavor will yield great returns in the long run.