Improve Your Nursing Career with a Master’s Degree

Welcome back to EarningDiary.com.Registered nurses that want to advance their career should consider enrolling in a Masters of Science in Nursing program. Not only does a MSN program provide more training and education, it also prepares nurses for new opportunities, with more responsibilities, and a higher salary. It’s the best way to improve your nursing career.

Characteristics of a Masters of Science in Nursing Program

The Masters of Science in Nursing program covers theories and concepts of nursing science and healthcare management. Several colleges and universities offer this program to registered nurses that want to further their education in the nursing field. The typical prerequisites for this program is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree and a state RN license. Most colleges will ask for GRE test scores, references, and essays.

The program consists of 18-24 months of courses. Many grad students work while attending classes and may take longer to complete the degree. In addition to classwork, there is a lot of clinical work, seminars, and roundtable discussions. Some of the topics covered include hospital management, premature baby care, and social and economic causes of health problems.

The University of Cincinnati offers several nurse practitioner programs online including the Masters of Science in Nursing. The college also offers several specialties including Adult-Gero Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Nurse-Midwifery.

Improve Your Nursing Career
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More Opportunities Available with a MSN Degree

The Masters of Science in Nursing program opens several career paths including nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse leader, certified nurse midwife, and nurse anesthetic. Nurse practitioners are able to prescribe medications, diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries, give immunizations, order lab services, and manage chronic problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes. Some of the Nurse anesthetics are responsible for providing anesthesia to patients in two-thirds of all rural hospitals. Some of the settings they work in include operating rooms, outpatient surgical centers, and dental offices.

Clinical nurse specialists provide specialized care for patients in hospitals and mentor hospital staff. Some of the common specialties nurses can work in include pediatrics, neonatal, oncology, neurology, and psychiatry. Clinical nurse leaders work with research groups to address costs and improve patient outcomes. Certified nurse midwives graduating from an American College of Nurse-Midwives approved program will have a better salary and more experience. They typically provide prenatal and gynecological care, as well as deliver babies in hospitals or homes.

With More Responsibilities Comes Higher Salaries

A Masters of Science in Nursing degree gives nurses more opportunities and a higher salary. The median salary for a registered nurse is $65,470, while the median salary for a nurse practitioner is $89,960. The best-paid 10 percent of registered nurses made more than $94,720, while the bottom 10 percent of registered nurses earned less than $45,040. The highest-paid 10 percent of nurse practitioners earned $120,500 and the lowest-paid 10 percent of nurse practitioners earned $64,100.

The Masters of Science in Nursing degree is a valuable investment that nurses should consider making. It broadens their career opportunities and gives them a better understanding of the nursing field.