Career Outlook and Prospects with a Masters of Nursing

While many other industries are struggling in today’s economy, the medical field continually has job openings available. The average age continues to rise due to the aging baby boomer population, meaning there’s a larger elderly population in need of care. Add that to the growing general population, and you can see why nurses with advanced degrees are in demand and the nursing field continues to grow.

Nursing Career Outlook

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for the nursing field is rated as “excellent” with employment expected to grow much faster than average job growth in all fields. From 2008 to 2018, there will be about 22 percent more nursing jobs available, bringing the overall total to over 3.2 million jobs. That’s a lot of nurses!

Of course, some types of nurses are in higher demand than others. In terms of employers, nursing job growth will increase most in physician offices, home health care services, and nursing home facilities. Hospitals will also continue to need a high volume of nurses.

The graph below shows the projected growth rates for RNs in different work environments:

Advanced Nursing Careers

When you earn a master’s degree, you’ll be able to choose from one of four advanced nursing paths: nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse midwife, or certified nurse anesthetist. Nurse practitioners are in highest demand, in part because this is a more general field where you’ll specialize in a certain type of medicine and work directly with patients. However, you can make more money in one of the specialized certified fields, or by specializing as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, in a type of medicine where nurses are in high demand, like critical care or geriatrics.

Due to the decreasing number of physicians going into general practice, the demand for qualified nurse practitioners continues to rise. In my facilities, the nurse practitioner often fills the role of a general practitioner, seeing patients of all ages to treat general ailments and educate people about their health. In some cases, the nurse practitioner will work under the supervision of another doctor; in others, they have the ability to run their own practice. This depends on state regulations; in some states, nurse practitioners even have the authority to prescribe medication.

Reasons to Earn an Advanced Nursing Degree:

To qualify for higher-level positions
The ability to earn a higher salary
To remain competitive in the field
To advance your current career
To go into nursing education
To fill management or leadership positions

Daily Responsibilities

If you earn your masters of nursing, how will your duties differ from your current tasks as an RN with just an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree?

In general, your level of responsibility will increase, since you’ll have advanced training in your field. In some states, earning your master’s degree even allows you to practice medicine without the direct supervision of a doctor. This means that you will see patients from start to end, following through with their entire medical care.

Your specific daily responsibilities will depend greatly on the advanced track you choose to take. Your degree can qualify you for many positions, including management roles, educator, advanced nurse practitioner, and more. You could end up leading a team of nurses, go into practice for yourself, teach nursing at a college or university, and more.

In addition, with a master’s degree, you’ll be able to specialize in an area of medicine that interests you, rather than doing general nursing work with many different types of patients.

Top Online Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs

Earning a Master of Science in nursing (MSN) degree will open a world of career possibilities within the nursing profession. Listed below are the best accredited online universities that confer MSN degrees.

MS in Nursing RN to MSN in Informatics MSN in Education RN to MSN in Leadership	Walden University — The BSN to MSN program at Walden University will help you advance your leadership skills and prepare you for management within the healthcare industry. The RN to MSN program will allow you to expand on your ability to positively contribute to society through the care you give to patients. Specialty MSN degrees are also available in informatics, education, and leadership. Click Here
MSN in Women’s Health MSN in Midwifery MSN in FNP	Georgetown University — Georgetown University offers two Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees through online programs: Midwifery/Women's Health and an FNP specialization. These degrees are accredited and available at the campus as well, but online programs have the advantage of providing students with greater flexibility and convenience. Students are able to work and turn in assignments when and where they choose and progress through the program at a pace comfortable to them. Click Here
MSN in Nurse Practitioner	Kaplan University — The MSN from Kaplan University will prepare you for leadership positions that offer higher income potential in healthcare. A MSN in Nurse Administration focuses on the principles of personnel management, policy development and implementation, budgeting, and the use of information technology. A MSN in Nurse Education helps develop students for roles as faculty or educators in colleges, schools, continuing education programs, and other positions that require nurse education. Click Here
MS in Nursing MSN in Health Administration MSN in Health Education MSN in Health Informatics	University of Phoenix — An MSN from the University of Phoenix will enhance your knowledge, skills, and potentially your career path as a registered nurse. Within its MSN program, the University of Phoenix offers areas of specialization in healthcare administration, health education, and nursing informatics. Click Here
MSN in Nurse Educator MSN in Educator Bridge	Capella University — The MSN in Nurse Education from Capella University help graduates prepare to meet the future demands of patients. Nurses need to learn from their teachers the best practices in the healthcare system. The MSN in Nurse Educator Bridge is a specialization that provides extensive healthcare education. This degree provides nurses with a bachelor's degree in fields other than nursing the opportunity pursue a Master of Science in Nursing. Click Here