To meet the accelerating changes within the healthcare delivery system, a Master’s Degree can prepare nurses, at the graduate level, to manage the delivery of nursing and health care services across the spectrum of settings. A Master’s Degree will allow nurse graduates the management knowledge and skills needed to perform effectively and assume leadership positions in health care delivery organizations. Graduate degrees allows professionals advancement in roles of nursing and healthcare management. Nurses with Master’s Degrees have more opportunities and many more areas of employment are open to those who earn graduate degrees. Nurses with Master’s Level Degrees can provide direct patient care at an advanced level, conduct research, make changes within public policy, manage within healthcare systems, and implement solutions that bring about change in healthcare. These skilled professionals will continue to be in demand to fill roles allowing nurses to focus many areas of practice.
Can I Continue My Career As A Nurse While Pursuing My Degree?
Most Master’s Degree Programs are offered in a full-time, part time and an online format for flexibility in current careers. Each student must find the right program and format to fit their individual needs.
Where Will I Find Employment With A Master’s Degree?
- Managed Care Organization
- Nurse Managed Clinics
- Community Clinics
- Hospital Systems
- Healthcare Centers
- Insurance Companies
- Data Management Companies
Making The Shift From Registered Nurse To Master’s Level Healthcare Manager
Designed for nurses with Associate’s Degrees only, these RN to Master’s Degree programs can take between two and three years to complete with requirements varying by school and based on the student’s previous coursework. Many programs are available in a classroom setting however many are also available online or in a blended classroom or fully online format. The Bachelor’s Degree content missing from an Associate’s Degree curriculum is built into the beginning of the Master’s Degree programs curriculum. The number of RN to Master’s Programs has more than doubled in the past twenty years.
Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Programs
The traditional post-Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program is the most widely chosen program for those seeking graduate degree completion. Course work builds on undergraduate competencies to allow the student concentration on a particular area of focus. The requirements vary from program to program and between different institutions. Most programs can be completed in 18-24 months when taken as a full-time program of study.
Dual Master’s Degree Programs
Nurses seeking a graduate degree with a concentration specific to
related field of study often choose a dual MSN program. Some of these dual degrees may include:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Science in Nursing(MSN)/Master of Public health (MPH)
- Master of Science in Nursing(MSN)/Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Master of Science in Nursing(MSN)/ Master of Public Administration MPA)
Post Master’s Certificate Programs
Another option is a Healthcare Management certification program. These are available to Master’s Degree holders looking to sharpen their clinical skills and nursing knowledge in a variety of areas of focus. These areas of focus may include nursing education, leadership, informatics, and specialty practice.
With new standards of reform, more patients entering the healthcare system and an aging population there will be a demand for a major transformation in healthcare. With this transformation, many more nurses will be needed to serve in primary care and specialty roles and may lead to a need for independent practices. Those who have nursing background combined with Master’s Level Healthcare Management Degrees and Certifications will fill this growing need.