Earning an advanced degree makes a lot of sense for a number of professions, not least of which is nursing. The field of nursing is one that is rapidly growing in popularity according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, despite the general consensus that a shortage of nursing professionals exists.
Those who possess an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) have met the minimum educational requirements to be an RN. However, with more and more people entering nursing school, those with an ADN might choose to consider the benefits of furthering their education by going for an advanced degree.
These benefits include, but are by no means limited to an average increase in salary, the potential for leadership opportunities, and the ability to be considered for higher roles in the nursing hierarchy.
If you make the decision to earn an advanced degree in nursing, here are some of the best options for you to take into consideration.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
A BSN is the degree that you would need to have in order to apply for any further advanced degree programs. It is a degree that is typically earned while attending a four-year university course and is designed to take your nursing education beyond that of the ADN. This is done by requiring students to take courses that cover more subject matter than the two-year degree.
It was once the norm for more nurses to earn their ADN right out of high school so as to be able to enter the workforce sooner (in about two years). However, the percentage of those opting to go right for their BSN increased to about 42% of all newly qualified nurses in 2017, a trend which hasn’t slowed down.
While the BSN is becoming the first choice for more and more nurses, don’t worry if you chose to start with an ADN. There are a large amount of accelerated programs designed to bridge the two degrees. So, if you have your ADN and want to earn more advanced degrees, look into an RN-to-BSN program or a BSN completion program.
Masters of Science in Nursing
If your highest level of education is a BSN, you can start to explore even further degree options. A Masters of Science in Nursing, or MSN degree, is where nurses can truly find their specific calling, as it is through an MSN program that you can set yourself up for a range of specialized areas of practice.
According to nurse.org, some of the career paths that are open to those who possess an MSN include:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Furthermore, if you desire to one day take on a different role in the world of nursing, such as an administrative or a research based role, the MSN is the right choice for you. Essentially, if you are looking for a way to start focusing on a particular area of practice in your career, your first step is to earn an MSN.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
The idea of earning a doctorate of any kind can be incredibly intimidating. However, if you aspire to shift your nursing career’s focus from the patient level to the system level, then this is the degree to pursue. A DNP offers the opportunity to select from specialties like population health, executive leadership, technology, and health policy.
A Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, or DNP, is a fairly new degree option for nurses that was designed with the intention of educating professionals who would bridge the gap between nursing leaders and direct-care nurses.
The general idea behind this advanced education is basically to allow for more ‘big picture’ solutions to healthcare problems in the US. A 2005 report published by the National Academy of Sciences entitled “Advancing the Nation’s Health Needs,” details the benefits and necessity of practicing nurses being the ones to step up and solve these issues. Thus, the DNP was born, and today there are such programs offered in all 50 states.
A DNP degree covers eight Essentials that have been deemed necessary for all advanced nursing practice roles including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. These Essentials are:
- Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
- Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
- Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
- Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care
- Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
- Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
- Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health
- Advanced Nursing Practice
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
A PhD in nursing is probably one of the more demanding degree options for nurses out there. If you hope to tailor your career to doing scientific research at the highest level, the PhD in nursing is your path.
The similarity between a DNP and a PhD in nursing has been noted by some, with more nurses opting for the DNP route. Make no mistake, though; a PhD by nature incorporates more of a philosophical approach to the science of nursing while a DNP is more geared towards providing for the translation of research into practice.
In other words, while both degrees can help further a nursing career based in research, it is the application of that research that can differ greatly. With a PhD, the possibility of contributing new nursing theories on a larger scale increases.
As can be seen from this list, the more advanced the degree, the broader the scope for impact becomes. The question, then, to ask yourself before plotting out your education is whether you wish to contribute to the development of nursing and healthcare as a whole, or do you want to focus on a specialization in which to excel on a daily-practice level?
Finding the answer will help you to narrow your choices so that you can discover the right degree and program for you.