Nursing is a well-respected and essential profession that requires many years of training and hands-on experience. There are various levels of education that a nurse can undergo to follow certain career paths.
A master’s degree is required for more qualified and specialty positions such as pediatric nurse or family nurse practitioner. If you’ve recently finished graduate school, you might be considering one of these options as the next step in your career. In this article, learn what you can do with a master’s degree in nursing to help further your career.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
A master’s degree in nursing provides a student with more in-depth knowledge and experience within the nursing profession. Completing an MSN degree offers more opportunities and financial security for students.
All students that wish to take on this challenge will have to have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) as well. Completing a master’s in nursing can take between two to three years depending on the school’s curriculum.
Is a Master’s Degree Important?
When a student graduates with a master’s degree in nursing a whole new range of opportunities opens up. Graduate school allows students to specialize in one particular area of healthcare they are passionate about, which means they are far more likely to find job satisfaction and interest in what they do.
Advanced degrees mean that nurses have better working hours or they can apply for management positions as well as a higher salary. It was found that those with an MSN degree can earn up to $10,000 more per year than those with a BSN degree.
What Jobs are Available With a Master’s?
Graduate school enables students to gain more skills and experience in a professional setting, which means some are able to do more niche and in-demand jobs compared to standard registered nurses.
1. Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse anesthetists are currently the highest-paid nurses in the medical profession. Their job is to administer anesthesia to patients before surgery or any other medical procedure, this role also includes informing the patient on what type of anesthesia they are receiving and carrying out physical exams to ensure the patient is fit enough to receive the drug.
It is important that these nurses stay with the patient throughout their surgery or procedure to monitor their vital signs and make adjustments to the amount of anesthesia needed to keep the patient safe and free from pain. The average salary for a nurse anesthetist in the United States is around $195,610 per year.
2. Nurse Midwives
Midwives are known for helping women give birth, but they actually do a lot more than that. They specialize in women’s reproductive health and can help women of all ages through any issues they have with their reproductive organs.
These nurses also help women through every stage of their pregnancy, from prenatal visits to helping them deliver the baby safely and take care of it after it’s born.
As a result, it can be an extremely rewarding experience. Midwives work with a number of other healthcare professionals such as dietitians, physical therapists, and doctors to provide their patients with the care they need during this crucial time. An average midwife’s salary in the United States is around $102, 396 per year.
3. Nurse Practitioners
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse that has a higher level of education in a specific area such as family practice or pediatrics. These types of nurses provide their patients with empathic care based on the best acute care techniques dependent on the patient’s illness.
Nurses in these roles have various duties such as creating patient treatment plans, administering tests, performing physical exams, and administering primary and emergency care. In certain states, nurse practitioners have full practice authority which means they can also prescribe medications. The average salary for a nurse practitioner in the United States is around $116,224 per year.
4. Nursing Educator
A nursing educator is responsible for inspiring and teaching the next generation of nurses. Training can be both on-site within a healthcare setting or in the classroom. They help to guide newly qualified nurses to face the challenges of the healthcare system.
These nurses are usually employed by educational institutions but can also be found in hospitals and clinical settings to provide nurses with on-the-job support.
Other roles taken on by these educators include research, mentoring, instructing labs, acting as clinical coaches, and serving as administrators. For those that don’t like the idea of being limited to just patient care, a nurse educator role can be extremely interesting and fulfilling. A nursing educator can expect to earn an average salary of $104,975 per year.
5. Family Nurse Practitioner
Family nurse practitioners administer primary and specialty care to patients of any age. These nurses have a focus on preventative care and monitoring patients’ long-term health. The daily duties of these nurses could involve anything from developing treatment plans to treating acute and chronic illnesses.
If you’d prefer to focus on something more specific, there are opportunities to obtain further training in certain areas such as pain management, dermatology, and orthopedics. Having an extra qualification can further broaden your horizons and means that no two days at work will be the same!
Nurses work alongside doctors in numerous settings such as clinics and urgent care facilities. It is important that doctors and nurses foster good relationships in order to give their patient’s the best care possible. The average salary for a family nurse practitioner is around $114,199 per year.
The Bottom Line
There are so many benefits to completing a master’s degree in nursing. With this degree, you can apply for a range of higher-paid positions that require a certain level of expertise and skills. We’ve included just some of the great career paths available, which will you choose?
Please note that salaries change due to the state you work in amongst other external factors and should be researched to provide up-to-date information.