Advice: Do I need an MSN to promote?

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Jan 13, 2016

I can't speak out of experience for Navy, but in the Army, you definitely need your Master's to make Major (O-4). I have a good friend who made LT in the Navy a few years back and she was starting to look at Master's programs, likely for promotion purposes. She got out before she could make good on her threat to return to school.

Figure in the service that if you stay in much beyond the rank of O-3, they will be looking to pull you from the clinical/bedside aspect of nursing and put you in leadership positions that may or may not have anything to do with nursing at all. If you don't like never-ending fluff, then management (much less prolonged military service as a nursing officer) probably isn't for you. That was one of my biggest beefs with the Army as I never wanted to be a manager/non-clinical nurse and I was suckered in by those recruitment posters of Army RNs caring for their patients...y'know, at bedside. They don't tell you that ends about 4 years in and you can look forward to sitting at a desk tending to paperwork instead. :sniff: :sleep:

Good luck!

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2016

You do not need a masters to get promoted to Major in the Army. I was promoted 2 years ago with out one and their are several Captains who are on the promotion list that came out today who do not have a masters degree. With that being said a masters degree will help get you promoted to Major as the Army draws down. There is nothing in the regulations that state you have to have a masters to be promoted to Major but it could end up like the AF; if you do not have a masters you can go to the board but will not get picked up for promotion.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 15, 2016

The AF recently decided to hide advanced degrees from view by the promotion board for Major. A degree could still help you, because individual supervisors still can use work on an advanced degree as bullet material and in ranking the people they supervise. You are required to have one to meet the board for Lt Colonel.

Bottom line, it is possible to promote on job performance. I still recommend that you find a degree program you are interested in. Generally, it doesn't have to even be a nursing masters.

deftonez188 · Feb 4, 2016

I appreciate the feedback.

I've been accepted to a few different Master's programs for things I'm interested in but of which aren't nursing related (one isn't even closely related to healthcare).

In your opinion, do you think the board would look at a non-nursing masters as an example of lack of 'commitment' to the profession?

Psychcns · Feb 4, 2016

If you became a nurse "because medicine is awesome" why not go for nurse practitioner.

deftonez188 · Feb 4, 2016

That's an option I've considered. The clinical requirements with my family obligations make it unlikely outside of DUINS.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Feb 4, 2016

If you don't like never-ending fluff, then management (much less prolonged military service as a nursing officer) probably isn't for you. That was one of my biggest beefs with the Army as I never wanted to be a manager/non-clinical nurse and I was suckered in by those recruitment posters of Army RNs caring for their patients...y'know, at bedside. They don't tell you that ends about 4 years in and you can look forward to sitting at a desk tending to paperwork instead.

This! I was going to say the same thing. Lol

deftonez188 · Feb 5, 2016

Yes, you're probably right SoldierNurse22

I've tangled with some of the administrative side of the house. Not really my cup of tea - generating endless data and 15 meetings a week really brought me down

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2016

Meetings to have meetings to plan for meetings.