MSN in Education vs. NP - any advice?

[bluesnurse]

I'd greatly appreciate any input, pro or con, especially from nursing instructors!

I've been an RN for 4 years and have always worked in cardiology, including tele, ACCU, and now an OP clinic. It's a good gig but it's not where I want to be in five years. I'd always figured I'd go on for a graduate degree and become an NP after getting some experience. But I'm just not sure it's the best fit for me, either personally or long term career-wise. (I'm 40, FWIW.)

Recently I've been thinking instead about pursuing the MSN/Education route instead. I love to teach; it's my favorite part of my job. It's likely I could get a scholarship, given the need for nursing instructors. Most of all, the idea of teaching *excites* me -- this is the first time I've been enthusiastic about going to grad school! I love working with young people (of all ages) and it seems it would be very rewarding to work with student nurses.

I mentioned this with a nurse friend and she was not very supportive -- she seemed to think I was selling myself short by not going for NP -- "why would you want to deal with bratty students for the same money you make now? NP's have some autonomy!" She has a point about the money, but that's not a dealbreaker for me.

So, for those who are educators, what are the pros? What are the cons? If you had your career to do over, would you choose education again?

Any comments, good bad or indifferent, are welcome!

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

IMO, the pro's outweigh the cons.

I love my job. Granted, every day is NOT a picnic (no job ever is), it does get stressful at times, but it is so rewarding. One of the actual work cons is when students do not succeed. The end of each semester is so bittersweet. It is so rewarding to see your students think, grow, learn, and become RNs.

The other pro's: The lifestyle. Weekends, holidays, summers off. It works well with being a parent.

The pro of getting the MS in education is that you learn how to teach. Learning how to teach is important. Granted, you don't learn more 'nursing' in the program, but honestly, once you've been around the block for a while, you learn how to teach whatever is thrown your way. I am still not 100% confident with every patient we get in clinical, but it's not all about you teaching them everything about the patient. The students are accountable for their own learning as well. And if it is a lecture that you are not well versed in, you have time to learn it. There are millions of resources at your fingertips (I am a big fan of the "Made incredibly easy" series for lectures I don't have experience in).

The other big pro in getting the education degree is the amount of clinical hours. Where I went, I had to complete 90 hours. If I had stayed in the NP program, I would have had to do over 500. I couldn't commit to that at that point in my life. I guess I didn't want it that bad, and deep down, teaching was something I really wanted to do.

I do not at all regret my decision. There is only one major con (that I am really feeling right now): The pay. While I certainly do not feel overworked, I truly believe that we do not get paid what we are worth. I have an ugly student loan that I am having trouble paying off, and the majority of schools want a PhD at some point. I can't even fathom tacking that on to my debt, nor taking the time to do it. As it is, I need to work extra to make ends meet, when would I have time to go to school (and see my family)?

[island40]

I have an MSN in nursing ed and am going back to get a post graduate certificate APRN family practice. What I didn't know in 2001 when I entered my MS program is that APRNs are being prefered over MSN ed because of their clinical experience and they are getting higher pay.

[Goodoldnurse]

You definately want to follow your heart and your state regs. I have found it invaluable to have had the curriculum and teaching courses courses in my Masters in Nursing Education program. It is very hard to understand why we teach the way we do without those courses. We had a new educator in the NP pathway that has changed her pathway to education to understand those nuances. Writiting text questions and knowing about curriculum design is very specialized, just as being a critical care nurse. I am so glad I took the educator pathway, and my students are better for it!

[island40]

Sometimes I get frustrated with the low pay, lack of recognition and friends/family asking why I can't write a prescrition like other MSN nurses can. I feel like I'm lacking something...must be self esteem.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

as far a prescription-writing goes...you don't have that liability either!!