BSN to MSW??

Guest1144461 · May 7, 2020

Many hospitals use "Care Managers" which are RNs that function in a pseudo MSW role. Why not do that?

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · May 7, 2020

On 5/1/2020 at 6:07 PM, CaFanninRN said:
Has anyone went from a BSN to a MSW degree? I work with families with pregnant moms or new moms and I really feel like that would help me with my current position. Has anyone found a good program to go with that didn’t cost an arm or a leg? Would it be more cost effective for me to find an online BSW program to go through? Thanks in advance!

If you do get a second degree I would recommend getting one on the graduate level. No matter what you end up doing, it'll be more beneficial to you than a second BS/BA.

You may want to look for applicable graduate certificates if you don't want to commit to a degree program...

pro-student · May 9, 2020

Most MSW programs are set up for students whose undergrad was something other than social work. There's often an "advanced standing" option for those who have a BSW and truncates the program but the traditional 2 year MSW is designed from those with no background in social work.

Be aware than FT programs will generally require some kind of practicum/internship/field placement during the whole program (usually on generalist social work skills in the first year and in you specialty in the second). That may be a challenge depending on your work schedule and flexibility.

Personally, I am a huge fan of social work and think you could learn some valuable skills and gain an incredibly important perspective as a social worker. In general, however, I don't think this degree would be considered highly if you decide to stay in nursing. Many will find it hard to see what specific skills or competencies social work adds to a nursing background or will question why you didn't purse advanced education in nursing.

I think a lot will depend on what area of social work you're interested in. There's three main levels: clinical practice or working directly with individuals and families (which typically involves training as a therapist), community practice, or organizational/systems level. Depending on what your career interest and aspirations are, an MPH might give you some of the same skills with a degree that typically more highly regarded by other nurses.