As a bachelor’s level nurse, would a dual healthcare management master’s degree program be an advantage and which ones would best help me to pursue a career as a healthcare manager? There are a variety of dual master’s degrees to help advance the careers of BSN’s, some of which include:
Master of Science in Nursing /Master of Public Administration
Nurse Administrators are finding that the healthcare industry has become a business requiring the application of nursing with essential business theories. This allows nurses to combine knowledge and skills from nursing with the knowledge of the public sector and public policy. The Master of Science in Nursing /Master of Public Administration (MSN/MPA) program allows nurses to improve the quality of healthcare delivery to specific populations and communities. Graduates of an MSN/MPA program are often employed by the government, non-governmental community agencies, voluntary organizations and non-profits in community-based health promotion and disease prevention, disaster preparedness, economics and management of public health care systems, and policy-making to ensure health care access. The public administration portion of the program often focuses on the management of resources, finances and accounting, organizational analysis, statistics, program evaluation, strategic planning and operations, economics and marketing, as well as leadership theory and behavior, law, and the social impacts of management.
Master of Science in Nursing /Master of Public Health
A Master of Science in Nursing /Master of Public Health (MSN/MPH) dual degree program allows nurses to advance into healthcare management careers in primary care, population-based practice, program administration, education, and research. Careers combining public health and nursing can be both rewarding and challenging. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that nursing jobs will increase by 26 percent between 2012 and 2020. Some of the reasons for this growth are an aging population, with older people having more medical problems than a younger population. Nurses will be in demand to educate and provide care for patients with a variety of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, dementia, diabetes, and obesity.
Master of Science in Nursing / Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing (MBA/MSN) dual degree equips students with the skills and knowledge needed for management and leadership in today’s evolving healthcare settings. The curriculum combines core business skills in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, management, and leadership while maintaining a focus on nursing roles and practice, health care research, ethics, policy and finance in the health care system. The dual degree provides students opportunities to develop cross-functional business management skills while preparing them for advanced management and executive positions within the healthcare field.
Master of Science in Nursing / Master of Health Administration
By completing the Master of Science in Nursing and a Master of Health Administration dual degree, nurses with a background in direct patient care can move into administrative management positions and business administration. The dual degree allows nurses to gain the skills needed for high-level nursing careers with coursework including financial management, ethics, law, international policy, public relations, administrative leadership, informatics and computer technology, human resources, and strategic planning.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health service managers earn a median annual salary of $80,240 and nurses with administrative skills and master’s degrees can make significantly more. For nurses looking to further their graduate education and their healthcare management careers, a dual master’s degree can lead to a brighter future.