Any NPs with an MBA?

Specialties NP

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Specializes in Family Practice, Primary Care.

I've been approached by upper management at a few different places of me being a good candidate to move into management, but they think I'd be a more attractive candidate with another degree. I know there's the MHA and MBA, and the DNP which seems to be MBA-lite.

Anyone have one? Has it been useful? For the management jobs within my company I've seen posted I'd need my MSN (that I have) and under preferred it says MBA preferred, especially as you go higher up they want you to be an NP with an MBA as well, but I'm not sure if an MHA or DNP would substitute for it.

I like the idea of getting an MBA because it gives me flexibility if I ever got a job offer or opportunity outside of healthcare. The program near me would allow me to double concentrate in finance and healthcare administration/management/policy as well.

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Specializes in Urology.

My mother works a the finance director in a large health system. She reports directly to the CFO of the company. From what I have gathered, nobody in her level, the level below her, or above her has an MHA related degree, only MBA. Lets face it, health institutions are becoming increasingly corporate in their mentality.

I always advise anyone looking to get into that type of work to get an MBA instead of an MHA. No offense to those who have an MHA but a lot of insitutions want MBA's in upper management. I've even thought about getting my MBA at one point but I hate how the corporate world works. Ide much rather be seeing patients and doing the work that is associated with caring for them.

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

I have a MBA from my life prior to nursing. I get a fair number of calls from recruiters looking to fill health care management positions. I'm not interested in management, but it does appear the NP/MBA combo is attractive.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I was in an MSN/MBA combo in 2005 but dropped the MBA because I thought (at the time) business was "boring."

Well...stupid me! That is the hottest combo going on around my area. Yes, I would definitely go for the MBA!

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

My in-laws are MBAs. I used to want one prior to knowing them. My wife has two BBAs and used to express interest in pursuing the MBA. As we became aware she could be a housewife we ejected the MBA notion. They're a bit "dime a dozen" now. I took the prerequisites for a MBA a decade ago. They weren't particularly enjoyable or high yield. I lacked corporate fiancial management but then the MBA idea dissolved. I cannot say for certain that I even integrated the information into my then administrative position.

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.

Speaking as a healthcare administrator with a MBA, if you want to move into administration, especially upper levels, a MBA is probably the best preparation. A clinical DNP will not do anything to prepare you for the business world, and a MHA can be useful but is limited to the healthcare world. Especially if you ever think about moving beyond healthcare in the business world, a MBA is more generally accepted.

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we became aware she could be a housewife we ejected the MBA notion. They're a bit "dime a dozen" now.

So are BSNs, but that doesn't change the fact that a lot of employers require them for many positions. An MBA may not make you "special," but it may be a requirement for positions that people like the OP want to move into.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.
So are BSNs, but that doesn't change the fact that a lot of employers require them for many positions. An MBA may not make you "special," but it may be a requirement for positions that people like the OP want to move into.

We're talking about two different concepts. Getting a MBA for grins and giggles and hoping for the best is one thing. Having a specific position in mind in which an earned MBA is a criterion is something different.

And yes BSNs are a dime a dozen as well. Professional nurses should have a BSN. Body attendant, task masters (the role most nurses play) should be OJT, IMO.

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A lot of my unemployed friends went and got an MBA after undergrad, they are still unemployed. Much like law schools, an MBA matters when it is tied to a top tier program like Stanford or Penn. As a degree itself its extremely common.

Coupled with an NP degree (or a specific job in mind) it might be lucrative, but just in my experience it's a saturated degree field.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Primary Care.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Dranger, I've heard the same thing, though since I am already in my company and need it to make an upward move combined with my MSN (requires an MSN as an FNP plus an MBA) I *think* it should be ok. If I was making a total career change altogether, I think you'd be right though. I know lots of MBAs that have struggled to find work. I'm also working on becoming fluent in as many languages as possible so that I can make myself more marketable.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.
Thanks everyone for your input!

Dranger, I've heard the same thing, though since I am already in my company and need it to make an upward move combined with my MSN (requires an MSN as an FNP plus an MBA) I *think* it should be ok. If I was making a total career change altogether, I think you'd be right though. I know lots of MBAs that have struggled to find work. I'm also working on becoming fluent in as many languages as possible so that I can make myself more marketable.

How are you learning them? I'd like to learn German as a hobby. I love speaking it.

Fröliche Veinhnachten

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How are you learning them? I'd like to learn German as a hobby. I love speaking it.

Fröliche Veinhnachten

I took German for six years and became pretty good at reading it. During conversation I struggled because I had to think in my head all the time about verb conjugation and word placement...

So when I finally go to Germany to try out my new found second language, it turns out everyone speaks English and wants to practice with me. -_-

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