Nurses with a masters don't do beside nursing ?

Nurses General Nursing

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last night i heard a nurse say something that i thought was kind of disturbing.:banghead: she was talking about another nurse whom just received her masters, and how she can't believe she is still going to do bedside nursing.

she then said(loud enough for patients to hear) " if i get my masters, you'll never see me in beside nursing" i'll have a much better job, and won't have to deal c- patients".

when she said that, i cringed. i know nurses with masters have a higher eduacation, but does it mean that they will never work as a beside nurse again? are they above bedside nursing?

i may pursue my masters, because i would love to teach... however i don't see myself thinking i'm too good for beside nursing just because of a masters degree.

anyway tell me what you think...

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

As a master's prepared nurse I have had direct patient contact as a consultant to other nurses and to doctors--I evaluate patients and assist with prescribing treatment. I do whatever is needed when I'm there too. I'm not above anything. I've also had my own practice where I saw my own patients.

I think the MSN nurses who say they'll never do bedside nursing again are kind of unknowing of what reality is. Maybe they don't do BEDside nursing but most of them will care for patients directly and indirectly. It all depends on the day.

Anybody who makes that kind of comment within earshot of patients is below par and probably has no business pursuing higher education as a nurse. I once had a DON who had a PhD in nursing and she did not consider herself above getting involved with patient care if necessary. That nurse is indeed entitled to her opinion but she has no business loudly expressing it for patients to hear. That could be considered placing the patients in emotional jeopardy. She would fail the CPNE of Excelsior College if she pulled a stunt like that during testing. If it is wrong for a potential new grad, it is wrong for a seasoned nurse. Shame on her.

Specializes in LTC.

Thanks every one for enlightening me on this topic. Its nice to hear that nurses with masters still keep an open mind about what nursing entails: thats caring, compassion, and humility.

last night i heard a nurse say something that i thought was kind of disturbing.:banghead: she was talking about another nurse whom just received her masters, and how she can't believe she is still going to do bedside nursing.

she then said(loud enough for patients to hear) " if i get my masters, you'll never see me in beside nursing" i'll have a much better job, and won't have to deal c- patients".

when she said that, i cringed. i know nurses with masters have a higher eduacation, but does it mean that they will never work as a beside nurse again? are they above bedside nursing?

i may pursue my masters, because i would love to teach... however i don't see myself thinking i'm too good for beside nursing just because of a masters degree.

anyway tell me what you think...

i don't see where the comment was disturbing. if nursing is like other fields then people who get master's degrees are looking for growth options which may take them away from "line work", "floor work", "production work", "bedside" or whatever it is called in the given field. one kind of work is not better than the other objectively speaking but a person may have a subjective preference for one over the other. so some people with master's degrees might keep doing the "floor work" and others may consider themselves as having moved on to a different kind of work. it's no big deal either way.

I find it very unprofessional when a healthcare worker says things like this in front of patients! Big pet peeve of mine! :madface:

Some people only have taste in their mouths! :nono:

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

When I was a CNA, I worked under a bedside nurse who had a master's. She was an excellent nurse. I had no issues with her anyway.

Truth is, lack of clinical experience will bite you in the end. I know a few theory/clinical instructors who were passed by for promotions because they lacked clinical experience.

I have seen people who simply float through school, get one degree after another and think they are "nurses". They have a master's degree and count their rotations as clinical experience. Those are the people looking for jobs right now. I've seen a few "nurses by degree only" types who realize the administration jobs are filled try to go into clinical nursing until somthing more to their taste opens up. They dont last, cant handle the non-ideal, outside the book aspect of nursing.

Specializes in LTC, case mgmt, agency.

I actually work with a Nurse Practitioner who also does " bedside " nursing part-time. She also teaches at the community college and helps out her husband who is a MD at his office once a week. She has always done some form of bedside nursing and says she'll never give that up.

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I don't have a problem with her sentiment that she'd like to get away from the bedside, so much as the way she said it. I'd like to leave the bedside some day, not that I am averse to hard work or that I don't take good care of my patients, but I just don't feel fulfilled by my work as a bedside nurse. This is why I am continuing my education, in hopes of finding opportunities to provide care for people in a capacity other than direct bedside care.

Bedside nursing, for me, is not the end goal of my career aspirations. I still give it my all and do my best for the people I'm entrusted to care for, but as I said, it's not fulfilling to me. I have moments of fulfillment, when I've done something good, like gotten someone's pain under control, or eased their anxiety about a procedure or medication by sitting down and talking with them, or when I've learned something new, but the overall job just doesn't leave me feeling like I'm living up to my fullest potential.

I know a lot of nurses who want to remain at the bedside, and have no desire whatsoever to continue their education or to work in any other capacity. They are happy with where they are. I would really hope that these coworkers of mine would not judge me harshly for feeling the way I do. Of course, I would never express my feelings in the way the person in the OP did. That was just tactless.

Specializes in Medical.

My postgrad qualifications aren't in nursing (health ethics, social health, health sociology, medical anthropology) so I probably don't count but... I'm here 40 hours a week, wiping bums and dealing with c- patients :)

Specializes in Telemetry.

If i had my MSN, i would ONLY work the floor as flexi just to keep up my skills. It would not be full-time. Honestly, when i get my BSN i don't plan on working the floor but as flexi. There is nothing wrong with working at the bedside. However, it does get old quick.

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
I don't have a problem with her sentiment that she'd like to get away from the bedside, so much as the way she said it. I'd like to leave the bedside some day, not that I am averse to hard work or that I don't take good care of my patients, but I just don't feel fulfilled by my work as a bedside nurse. This is why I am continuing my education, in hopes of finding opportunities to provide care for people in a capacity other than direct bedside care.

Bedside nursing, for me, is not the end goal of my career aspirations. I still give it my all and do my best for the people I'm entrusted to care for, but as I said, it's not fulfilling to me. I have moments of fulfillment, when I've done something good, like gotten someone's pain under control, or eased their anxiety about a procedure or medication by sitting down and talking with them, or when I've learned something new, but the overall job just doesn't leave me feeling like I'm living up to my fullest potential.

I know a lot of nurses who want to remain at the bedside, and have no desire whatsoever to continue their education or to work in any other capacity. They are happy with where they are. I would really hope that these coworkers of mine would not judge me harshly for feeling the way I do. Of course, I would never express my feelings in the way the person in the OP did. That was just tactless.

I see myself being a bedside nurse for my entire career. I cant articulate why, but its how I feel, that its where I belong. But I dread people of this nature, who dont continue their education simply because they are not trying to get away from the bedside.

I have an ADN, went into travel nursing so its not a good option at this point to try to advance my degree. Even online programs require you to go into a class like, eh, once a month or something. I cant make that commitment when I move from one side of the country to another.

At the end of 2009, begining of 2010, I plan on being done with travel nursing and go back to staff. I'll have a better idea of where I want to do it too at that point. Once I have a staff position, I will get my BSN. It is the least I will accept from myself. Its what I think I should do.

IDK why people associate higher degrees with getting away from bedside nursing. Just cause you are at the bedside doesnt mean you shouldnt improve yourself.

I think a Nurse with Master's should continue doing bedside nursing at times to see what is the "real world of nursing", not just sit behind the desk (depends on the job). During shift shortage people/nurses should put joint effort in the department. A nurse with ADN, BSN or MSN all should work together to take care of the patients. Unfortunately, sometimes not so reasonable decisions come from someone who has forgotten the "bedside" care and what is to take care of 7-8 patients during a short-staffed period. It is not safe...One nurse to 4 patients in CCU?!...It is not safe! Administrators, managers should look into that. :coollook::coollook::coollook:

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