If you’re a nursing professional with a bachelor’s degree, you may want to consider continuing your education. There are many reasons why a master’s degree in nursing is a good option and here are some of the best.
1. Specialization
A master’s degree allows you to narrow your career path to focus in on an area of specialty. A practicing nurse can choose to go into a growing sector of the nursing industry, like neonatal phrenology. A master’s degree also allows you branch off into a career in nursing education or get into the administrative side of the industry. Many positions with government agencies and universities require a master’s degree for consideration.
2. Commitment
Obtaining a graduate degree demonstrates to patients and employers that you’re committed to reaching for a higher standard of professional and personal development. The fact that you’re continuing your education also demonstrates a willingness to work hard to get ahead and set goals for the future.
3. Increased Income and Prestige
A master’s degree not only opens up career opportunities, it also increases your salary significantly. An example of this would be the fact that the median salary for a nurse practitioner with a master’s degree is $98,000 a year, where a nurse with merely a bachelor’s degree has a median income of about $39,000. Not only will you benefit from a higher salary but you’ll also have the prestige of mastering a subject that you’re passionate about.
4. Personal Satisfaction
Obtaining a graduate degree in any subject is something to be proud of. It means that you care enough about your career and yourself to continue to improve your education and your quality of life. A master’s degree in nursing also allows you to make improvements in the lives of others through your own dedication and knowledge.
The focus on education today is to allow people who want to advance the ability to do so without interrupting their current situation. Modern institutes of higher learning are taking a more realistic, focused approach to education by taking the needs of modern students and employers into account. Ohio University’s Master of Science in Nursing degree program is an example of one of the many online degree programs that are offered by major universities. The OU MSN program is a way that professionals can choose to advance their educations and their future career paths without disrupting their current employment.
