A nursing career is your ticket to loving your work. As a nurse, you can do so much more than care for sick patients. You might find yourself at a school, a prison or working a natural disaster. If you earn your master’s in nursing, you’ll have access to almost any nursing job imaginable.
Teaching
With the national nursing shortage, more and more universities are launching nursing programs to train new registered nurses, and these programs need nursing teachers. While entering the classroom means giving up opportunities for overtime at the hospital, teaching offers numerous benefits. You’ll receive a high salary and lavish amounts of vacation time. You’ll have the opportunity to mentor the new generation of nurses and avoid the physical toil of working directly with patients. You can find many teaching positions with a master’s in nursing, or you can take advantage of new programs that offer large fellowships to nurses who pursue a doctorate. Many nurse teachers continue to perform clinical work on a part-time basis at either a hospital or retirement facility.
Research
You can run your own research studies with an advanced degree in nursing, or you can find numerous job opportunities as part of existing studies. Either way, you’ll be contributing to new medical knowledge. You may find yourself administering the clinical aspect of a trial or working behind the scenes to design safety protocols. Research positions are often available from universities, which offer generous benefits, or at private firms, which give high salaries. Often, you can find jobs that combine research and teaching skills, meaning your workday is varied.
Patient Care
Of course, earning your master’s doesn’t prevent you from continuing to care for patients. Many hospitals encourage nurses to earn a master’s degree; your employer might even offer tuition reimbursement or a salary bump once you earn a MSN. Your job duties may not change, but you’ll be able to provide even better patient care, and you may be able to work on advanced floors. Other nurses and physicians will respect your opinions more. Many master of nursing programs focus on increasing clinical skills; you could become a nurse practitioner and specialize in treating geriatric or pediatric patients. Plus, you might find yourself eligible for promotions into management or administration.
Legal Nursing
Nurses are in-demand in the legal system. You could work on malpractice sites, sue drug companies who knowingly release toxic products or defend a hospital from upset patients. With a master’s degree, your expertise will be highly valued. You can work for an existing firm or open up your own consulting business.
An advanced degree in nursing makes many career opportunities available. With the national demand for nurses skyrocketing, a master’s degree will make you a desirable candidate in one of the hottest career fields. No matter what are of nursing is your passion, earning a master of science in nursing will do wonders for your nursing career.