The Master of Science in Nursing Degree is an advanced Master’s Level Degree available to RN’s, BSN’s and people with Bachelor’s Degrees in other fields who then take the nursing program and specialization to achieve the competency in nursing. An LPN may aspire to become an MSN, but will have to first achieve an RN license. Job postings for MSN degrees show that they make on average 70% more than an LPN. The largest roadblock for an LPN to do this is the waiting list involved in traditional nursing schools. Online nursing education is the key to furthering a nursing education while maintaining a job and fitting a busy schedule.
There are many concentrations that an MSN candidate can select. Topics such as community health, agency management, nurse educator, the care of women and the care of children are just some areas of specialization. Core classes may be pharmacology, disease processes and prevention, human resources and agency management.
In a traditional Nursing School an RN may expect to take as many as three years to achieve an MSN, depending on whether they are licensed or have an ADN or BSN degree. The time required online is often shorter, and can be managed around a work and home schedule. In that way the RN continues with hands on competencies, and maintains tenure at a job. The candidate can expect an online program to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
An example of an MSN program for someone who already is a registered nurse follows: The online Master of Science in Nursing Education program requires completion of 48 credits unless the student has credits that will transfer from another school or has earned life credits. In those cases fewer credits will be required. Specialization within the MSN program can lean toward Healthcare Management or Nursing Education. Requirements may vary from one school to another, but the amount of course work is pretty typical for a Master’s program. This path requires about two years completing.
An accelerated approach to the MSN may be the route for a person who has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in another field. The student will obviously have to pick up sufficient nursing course work to be able to qualify for an RN and pass the national exam. That person will also be eligible to test for various competencies and life credits to go with the Bachelor’s degree. Core course work will then be the required path. Coming from this direction an MSN degree will require three years. Although the liberal arts portion of the degree will already be complete, the BSN to MSN candidate will spend about a year achieving an RN, and then do the advanced nursing studies.
When looking for opportunity to lead in the community, and provide a valuable service, an MSN is a desirable degree. The average yearly income for a Master’s level nurse at this time is $79,000. The job outlook is good, due to concerns with maintaining our health and the aging of the baby boomers. A need for Master’s Level nurses is a continuing concern.