Confused! Want a masters degree - but, in what????

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Specializes in school nursing.

I graduated with my BSN in Spring 06, worked 3 months of adult med-surg. Then, I ran like he** as fast as I could to school nursing (which is what I really wanted to do in the first place).

I love school nursing! Should I get a masters in education, nursing, public heath????

What have other school nurse's done?????:nurse::confused:

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

I'd go with either public health or education.

If you work for public health, then I'd def. go through public health. If not, I'd go education.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i've been thinknig about that too. I thought about getting a masters in nursing education or even informatics. But honestly i am probably 2 or 3 years from even starting. I want to wait until my little sprout is a little more self sufficient.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

One of my best friends is a school nurse -- with her MSN as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with a minor in Community Health. She is happy with that combination.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i thought about a MSN as a NP that but wondered how i'd complete clinicals while working full time and tending to the family.

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I'm right there with you. I'd love to get my Nurse practioners license. With a baby at home and working full time I'm not sure that will ever come about. Clinicals could possibly be done during weekends and over summers? I just wish I could still work in the school with an ANP degree. No one will want to pay me!

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Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.

There are NP programs around here where a lot of the courses are online and the clinicals aren't all days. Those are the programs I am looking at, as I will have to continue to work through grad school also. Believe it or not, there are a lot more options for Master's programs in Nursing than BSN programs. You should research some programs and see what you come up with. I also found that the state university program is not the least expensive here. It looks like it if you look only at the cost per credit but the state university piles on literally thousands in fees that the private ones don't. There are also more financial options available at the private schools. I think that if you want to stay in school nursing that NP is the way to go.

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Specializes in school nursing.

Thanks for all of your great replies. The good thing about having a BSN is there are so many options for getting a Masters. Unfortunately, there are so many options that it is very confusing!!!

I just don't know if i want to do something as intense as NP. And what the heck is the difference in NP and CNS - I cannot tell!!!

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I'm right there with you. I'd love to get my Nurse practioners license. With a baby at home and working full time I'm not sure that will ever come about. Clinicals could possibly be done during weekends and over summers? I just wish I could still work in the school with an ANP degree. No one will want to pay me!

In one of the districts I worked, NPs in school nursing or pediatric/adolescent nursing got differentials for Master's and for certification since teachers were getting that in their field.

It may be hard to keep up the clinical hours in the school setting if it isn't run like a clinic.

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An advanced degree would be benefincial in any area.

I am partial to the Masters in nursing. We will never be accepted as experts in the school in education, so I favor getting the advanced degree in our own domain.

A masters in nursing is also more marketable if for whatever reason you are not working in a K -12 setting any longer.

A public health masters in nursing is a strong degree for the school nurse. A masters in nursing in special needs children, child health or informatics, or nursing leadership is also a good investment.

I agree with the other post that said the FNP or PNP advanced licensure would be difficult to maintain in a school without a School Based Health Clinic. You would need to work evenings or weekends to maintain the practice requirements. But I know many school nurses who swear by that combination.

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Specializes in school nursing.
An advanced degree would be benefincial in any area.

I am partial to the Masters in nursing. We will never be accepted as experts in the school in education, so I favor getting the advanced degree in our own domain.

A masters in nursing is also more marketable if for whatever reason you are not working in a K -12 setting any longer.

A public health masters in nursing is a strong degree for the school nurse. A masters in nursing in special needs children, child health or informatics, or nursing leadership is also a good investment.

I agree with the other post that said the FNP or PNP advanced licensure would be difficult to maintain in a school without a School Based Health Clinic. You would need to work evenings or weekends to maintain the practice requirements. But I know many school nurses who swear by that combination.

Thanks for the great info. I am leaning towards a CNS in public health nursing. The problem is that I am in Texas and cannot seem to find a program near me. I do have info about Rush University in Chicago. I khow they are online....but that has got to be really expensive.

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University of Illnois Chicago also has an all online MS in PHN. Check your Texas schools.

Another:

U of South Alabama.

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