Advancment

[UTBME]

hello,

i am currently a biomedical engineering student but i am considering doing a second degree bsn degree. i was wondering what opportunities there are for advancement in the nursing field are. i wanted to know how realistic it is to become a staff nurse in the icu with 2 years of experience and also head nurse with 5 years experience. is this something typical or should i expect moving up to take longer?

thanks

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

One of the appealing things to me about nursing is that there is so much room for advancement, especially at the graduate level.

If direct patient care is your forte, you can become a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist (CRNA).

If you like management, there are lots of opportunities there after a few yrs experience. They sometimes require an MSN for administrative positions, but BSN's can often serve as nurse managers.

If teaching is more your thing, you might consider becoming a nursing professor.

If you like coordinating care for complex patients, maybe case manager or clinical nurse specialist would be a good route to follow.

By the way, many hospitals do hire new graduates as ICU staff nurses. Sometimes they require that you complete a new grad internship which may last a few months.

Good luck!