Although you may not need a master’s degree in nursing, there are several good reasons to get one. Among these reasons are a greater number of job opportunities, new responsibilities on the job and higher pay. Although there is plenty of demand for a nurse with a bachelor’s degree, there is a growing demand for those with a master’s degree.
A master’s degree is becoming essential for advancement
Although there is plenty of work for a nurse without having a master’s degree, many of the programs offered now do not have that option. There is such a demand for the nursing master’s degree that a nursing program will be one that bypasses the traditional bachelor’s degree and is designed so that graduates have a master’s degree when they have completed the program. Although a nurse is always learning new skills on the job, there is a limit to how far these new skills will take a nurse. In most medical environments, advanced skills will be found in someone with a master’s degree. Hands-on experience combined with education is difficult to compete with in the healthcare professions.
Entry level positions are growing
There are a greater number of new jobs opening up that are specifically for those with a master’s degree. There are several reasons for this. In general, the entire healthcare field is growing, and this is reflected in the number of positions being created for nurses. In fact, in many areas of the country there is actually a shortage of nurses. In large metropolitan areas that have large nursing staffs, those with a master’s degree are often in supervisory roles. However, nurses are also beginning to take some of the extra work from a doctor in healthcare environments across the country. The extended education of a nurse gives them the knowledge needed to do many routine procedures a medical doctor has done n the past. This has helped to keep the cost of healthcare down while still providing quality care to patients.
The pay is usually more
Much of the difference in pay for a registered nurse is dependent upon the supply and demand for nursing is a particular area soft the country. It is possible that a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing can make more money in one part of the country than a person with a master’s degree in nursing working in another part of the country. However, in general a person with a bachelor’s degree will have a starting salary of $48,000. This is no different from a person with a master’s degree. However, those with a master’s degree will not be doing the same jobs. In time, the master’s degree will produce higher incomes because there are simply more opportunities. The key to a higher income with a master’s degree is to choose a specialty area such as anesthesia. These are among the highest paid nurses in the profession.
If you have not yet selected a nursing program yet, it would be a good idea to go ahead and pursue a master’s degree in nursing from the beginning. If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, upgrading your education to a master’s degree is straight forward and the education needed can be done part time while you are working full time.