The role of highly educated nurses has never been more critical. According to a McKinsey report, by 2025, the United States will have an estimated shortage of almost 450,000 nurses for direct patient care.
Earning a master of nursing (MSN) degree not only prepares nurses for the evolving healthcare landscape but also improves the quality of care they provide to patients. By bridging the gap between fundamental nursing skills obtained in a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN program) and the specialized knowledge at the master’s level, you’ll be able to effectively navigate today’s complex medical environments.
“The BSN is the basic foundation for nursing,” says Professor Carol Patton, a nurse educator and Program Director for the Bouvé College of Health Sciences School of Nursing. “The master’s degree builds on the baccalaureate content, develops skill sets at a higher level, and refines areas of specialization—whereas the bachelor’s is a more general approach to nursing.”
If you’re considering the next step in your nursing career, here’s an overview of what an MSN is and what you can do with this advanced degree.
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What Is an MSN?
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level graduate degree for registered nurses meant to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies in specific areas of nursing. This degree helps prepare nurses to handle more complex clinical roles, including leadership and nurse educator positions.
An MSN degree also allows nurses to explore specialized fields of interest, such as:
- Anesthesia
- Midwifery
- Family practice
“Master’s degree is where you specialize in a particular area,” Patton says. “There are common master’s-level core courses for all advanced practice nurses, but once you’ve completed those, you go into your area of specialization.”
This specialization is crucial since it opens the door to a variety of advanced nursing positions that require specific knowledge, skills, and competencies. Here are seven career opportunities you can expect with this specialized, advanced nursing education.
7 Career Opportunities For Nurses With an MSN
1. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) hold critical roles in the healthcare system and community due to their autonomy, ability to prescribe medication, and treat illnesses.
“In order to become an ‘Advanced Practice Nurse,’ as defined by the American Nurses Association, you must have completed, at a minimum, a master’s degree,” says Professor Joanna Sikkema, Director of the Nurse Practitioner Online Suite at the Bouvé College of Health Sciences School of Nursing. “Advanced Practice Nurses (APRN) can practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP), a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), a nurse midwife (NMW), or a nurse anesthetist (AAN). In most states, these advanced practitioners can practice independently.”
An MSN program equips nurses with specialized knowledge, competencies, and skill sets necessary to perform at this advanced level—emphasizing patient care management, advanced diagnostic skills, and a deep understanding of treatment methods.
“A strong foundational knowledge base in nursing is critical to this role,” Sikkema says. “However, one of the most important things that nurses in this role need to understand is there’s limits to what they can do independently. They need to know when to turn to a colleague or ask for advice during instances of complex patient care and when to refer a patient to a specialist or for high-level care.”
Many APRNs can expect to face some challenges when their responsibilities increase. However, enrolling in a comprehensive MSN program can provide the structured training and mentorship needed to facilitate a smooth and confident professional transition. For example, Bouvé’s MSN program educates expert BSN nurses to transition to the role of a novice nurse practitioner.
“Because of that we incorporate structured courses on role development and role transition for advanced practice roles in our curriculum,” Sikkema says.
2. Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are among the most sought-after healthcare professionals. They routinely perform comprehensive physical assessments, diagnose health issues, and create treatment plans that are integral to positive patient outcomes.
“Nurse practitioners need to be able to complete physical assessments and make a clinical diagnosis that’s accurate,” Patton says. “That means ordering the correct diagnostic tests to rule a diagnosis in or out and then formulating a treatment plan that’s accurate based on the physical assessment. So you have to be able to make clinical judgments that are accurate based on your assessment skills that are within your scope of practice as an advanced practice nurse.”
An MSN prepares NPs to offer a blend of nursing and healthcare services to patients and communities. The training focuses on disease prevention, health management, and education, empowering NPs to lead in patient care settings.
For those considering becoming an NP, an MSN ensures you are well-prepared to meet the challenges of modern healthcare environments and community-based healthcare settings like long-term care, schools, and criminal justice settings.
For example, advanced nursing education can help nurses provide more coordinated care for patients with chronic conditions by educating them on advanced diagnostics, patient-centered communication strategies, and evidence-based treatment planning.
3. Clinical Nurse Specialist
The role of a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is pivotal to today’s healthcare system because it merges deep clinical expertise with a strategic vision to enhance the delivery of care services. CNSs are often valued for their ability to consult on complex cases, setting quality standards, and leading organizational change.
“A Clinical Nurse Specialist is a specialist in a patient population and usually works in the hospital setting as a clinical expert such as a Neurology CNS, a Cardiology CNS, and Oncology CNS,” Sikkema says. For example, a CNS in oncology may develop patient care protocols that reduce recovery times and improve patient outcomes. Therefore, an MSN degree is essential for aspiring CNSs because it offers specialized education in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, and oncology.
In addition, Clinical Nurse Specialists play a crucial role in mentoring other nurses, sharing their expertise to elevate care standards across healthcare settings. This mentorship is critical to most facilities because it helps novice nurses become more effective in their role and provide quality patient care—which has a significant impact on a healthcare facility’s bottom line.
According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, CNSs can generate revenue by billing for services, and even reduce avoidable costs by implementing improved practices that reduce hospital-acquired conditions.
Given their essential and complex role in healthcare, an MSN degree is fundamental for clinical nurse specialists.
4. Nurse Educator
Nurse educators don’t make an immediate impact on patients—oftentimes referred to as indirect care—but they play a pivotal role in the development of the next generation of caretakers. They do this by focusing on sharing their experience and expertise in the nursing profession by imparting valuable knowledge that can aid in the development of clinical skills and advanced nursing practice.
As a result, this role is appealing to nurses who enjoy the rewards of mentoring others. In addition, they have the unique opportunity to shape healthcare policies and practices through their influence on future nurses. This can be incredibly powerful for nurses who want to ensure that healthcare facilities maintain quality patient-care practices.
Earning an MSN is essential for any aspiring nurse educator because it serves as a critical stepping stone for enrolling in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. That doesn’t mean an MSN doesn’t provide immediate value to your career progression though. This advanced degree equips nurse educators with the necessary academic credentials to not only teach effectively but also contribute to academic research that informs them on best practices in academia and education.
5. Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists represent one of the highest-paying nursing roles, primarily due to the high level of expertise required to administer anesthesia safely. Their work is essential to patients’ painless experience during a wide range of medical procedures, such as minor surgeries and major operations.
Nurse anesthetists can fill a critical gap in healthcare access. For example, while they can either work independently or with anesthesiologists, many practice autonomously in underserved areas. Therefore, nurse anesthetists are often the primary providers of anesthesia care in many rural hospitals.
This autonomy, combined with the high level of responsibility, makes this position both challenging and rewarding—appealing to nurses who want to make a significant impact in patient safety.
MSN programs focused on anesthesia equip nurses with detailed pharmacological, physiological, and diagnostic knowledge to perform effectively in these roles. This specialized training covers everything from the basics of anesthesia to complex anesthesia techniques for different types of surgeries and patient conditions. As of 2022, Nurse anesthetists are required to further their studies and must obtain a DNP in order to practice.
6. Nurse Midwife
Nurse midwives provide comprehensive care focusing on obstetrics, gynecology, prenatal, and postnatal care. They offer female patients holistic care, including medical, psychological, and social services.
This role is particularly fulfilling if you’re passionate about women’s health and value deep personal connections with patients. This is because nurse midwives often follow their patients through some of the most significant moments of their lives—from pregnancy to childbirth and beyond.
Nurse midwives also frequently enjoy a more predictable schedule compared to other nursing specialties, which is highly attractive for nurses who want a better work-life balance.
MSN programs in midwifery are designed to prepare nurses with the skills to manage women’s health care related to childbirth. These programs provide rigorous training in both the theoretical and practical aspects of midwifery, ensuring graduates are well-prepared to handle the various challenges associated with women’s health.
7. Nurse Manager and Leadership Roles
Leadership roles in nursing are crucial for driving operational excellence and enhancing patient care.
“Nursing management and leadership is a very dynamic field right now,” Sikkema says.
Those in this field are tasked with pivotal responsibilities that range from shaping clinical practices and policies to leading healthcare teams. Therefore, nurse managers and leaders need a robust combination of clinical expertise and management skills.
An MSN education is crucial for preparing nurse leaders to effectively:
- Oversee teams
- Manage both labor and financial resources
- Implement new policies
By touching on these topics, an MSN program ensures nurse managers are able to tackle various leadership challenges in all healthcare settings.
Despite the amount of high-level responsibility, these roles are particularly appealing for nurses who want to significantly influence care standards. Beyond that, leaders in nursing enjoy greater autonomy in their roles which gives them a strong voice in high-level decision-making.
Enhance Your Career with an MSN Degree
Accredited MSN programs ensure that the education provided meets the high standards required for advanced nursing roles, making this qualification widely recognized and respected in the healthcare industry.
For nurses aiming to further their education and expand their career opportunities, the Bouvé College of Health Sciences’s School of Nursing offers MSN programs that combine rigorous academic standards with practical, real-world application. These programs are designed to provide master’s-level nursing students with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and competencies pertaining to advanced nursing practices and leadership in healthcare settings.
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