Nursing Jobs Available with a Master's Degree

  • Article by:Health Career Center
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A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is the advanced level degree for registered nurses. This is the next degree to obtain after finishing the undergraduate nursing degree; it’s the standard degree for nurse managers and educators in the field. It is also the next step to becoming a nurse administrator, clinical nurse leader or a health policy expert. There are several quality Master of Science jobs in nursing; this degree allows nurses to pursue greater career opportunities. Take a look at some of the most popular MSN jobs and career opportunities available.

Nurse Practitioner

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) brings a fuller perspective to health care. Nurse practitioners are qualified to treat some medical conditions without the assistance of a medical doctor. They do not need to have the direct supervision of a doctor in many cases, which makes them very valuable in the medical field. They can provide care to patients of any age from newborns to the elderly, with more of a focus on disease prevention and health management.

Nurse Midwife

Nursing professionals with their MSN can also find jobs as a nurse midwife. In this high demand position, the nurse midwife provides prenatal healthcare to pregnant women, newborn care and care for postpartum issues: tracking fetal development, performing physical exams and providing care during the birth of the child. During pregnancy, they act as the primary healthcare provider. When needed, they are able to refer women to specialists to diagnose, treating, and managing diseases.

Nurse Administrator

As nursing administrators, these professionals serve as managerial guidance for other nursing professionals. They must provide leadership while using business skills to provide optimum patient care. Nursing administrators have less contact with patients than their nursing staff; their primary job is to ensure that the nurses that they supervise are meeting the needs of their patients. The goal of a nurse administrator is to advance patient care and provide the best care to as many patients as possible. Individuals in this position are responsible for overseeing the nursing staff, motivating staff, generating budgets, approving spending, managing finances, maintaining records of the facility, ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met, evaluating cost savings and ensuring the efficiency of their departmental operations. There is much more to being a nurse administrator than understanding the healthcare industry because there are many business components of the position.

Nurse Educator

Nurse educators are not only required to be responsible for health care components but also for teaching nursing students. Starting with designing a curriculum for each course they choose to teach, they must also decide on their instruction style. Creating course materials and homework for all of their students during the semester (grade all work, keep grade and attendance records, and oversee the clinical and lab work) while also giving undergraduate and graduate level lectures that prepare the nursing workforce for a diverse, ever-changing health care environment. Additionally, they must also be a supervisor if they are responsible for internships or student teaching.

While you can have a perfectly wonderful nursing career with a RN or BSN degree, MSN-prepared nurses have additional opportunities, earning power and are prepared to work in a world that is increasingly complex.