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 Pediatrics.

My mother has her MSN from Villanova. She is a full time floor nurse. She worked for awhile for different colleges as a clinical instructor and lecturer but the money is so much better in floor nursing(and she still worked relief while doing that). I've never heard her mention anything about not doing bedside nursing because of her masters. That comment I hope is isolated to that person.

Specializes in ICU, Education.

I just got my Master's in October and have had several people ask me, "What are you still doing here?" While I am all of a sudden not to keen on my employer (recent merger), it was not my goal to leave the bedside right away...I just wanted to have an impact at the bedside. I will be leaving as soon as my tuituio reimburesment contract ends, but not because I don't like the bedside.

I graduated with my BSN in May. I had a handful of professors that worked PRN bedside nursing to keep up their skills. Those professors made the best clinical instructors by far. The professors that did not continue to work were awful in clinical. I can think of many, many situations in which a clinical instructor did not know how to work and IV pump, Kangaroo pump, etc. etc. I know that this is a little off subject, but if you have a masters in nursing, and you are doing any kind of teaching, you need to keep up your bedside skills.

I have two masters (three counting my wife) and up till four years ago worked bedside. But, at 58 I'm working on that NP, lol!

Specializes in ICU, Education.
I have two masters (three counting my wife) and up till four years ago worked bedside. But, at 58 I'm working on that NP, lol!

HAAA!

I have to be honest that I am working on my Masters right now. I miss bedside nursing and am currently an educator in a clinic. I work M-F, no weekends, no holidays, no nights. Never opposed to working bedside nursing but my family life is much more manageable with my current schedule and place of employment that I wouldn't trade for ANYTHING!

otessa

Specializes in Critical care.

I have my MSN and though I do not work in direct patient care on a full time basis, I still work as I can in the ICU on a PRN basis. I miss patient care at times, but I also like my autonomy of my current position.

I know more than a handful of nurses who have MSNs or PhDs and still work PRN doing bedside care. I had one faculty in my doctoral program who still worked PRN on the medical unit at the VA in San Antonio...Taking a full load of patients 8-10 per shift...

Anyhow, I think everyone has something to offer in whatever position they are in, that is why they are there to begin with.

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
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 was just speaking from my own interactions with coworkers. I'm also an advocate of lifelong learning, and would encourage anyone to continue their education, whether it be in nursing or underwater basket weaving. Just so long as one is learning.

I have a master's and a doctorate degree in nursing. I worked for the past five years doing prn at the bedside in my spare time. Some months I have spare time to work, others I don't. But I don't feel like I'd never work the bedside because of an advanced degree. I'm an educator, and train future nurses, so I need to know what is happening at the bedside. It has been an eye opener for me.

I am so glad to hear that you still do bedside at times and keep an idea of what the rest of us do "in the trenches". So many times I see MSNs and PHDs who haven't worked in 400 years (a gross exaggeration-lol) at the bedside attempt to implement unrealistic policies and changes with no understanding of what we deal with. Kudos to you and the fortunate students who are lucky enough to have you!!!:yeah:

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I also want to point out that once you have an advanced practice degree, most places will not hire you as a staff RN unless you give up your APN license. This is due to the liabilty that you are held to the standard of the highest license you possess.

This is something I hadn't seen mentioned.

Do BSN nurses do bedside?

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

You bet yer bippie BSN nurses do bedside nursing!

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