Considering going for MSN in Administration

[Jena Bauer]

I am currently in my final year of nursing school for my ADN and am looking at what to do next. I'm considering continuing my education and getting my MSN in Administration. I'm based out of Texas and looking at Lamar University, Texas Tech, and University of Arlington at the moment. I am looking for anyone who is in school for their MSN or has already received their degree for advice! I feel so lost about whether it is worth it to spend more money to continue my education and can't seem to find good information online. Thank you to anyone who can help!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you want to be in administration and management, you need to get experience first. How can one manage what one has never done? I waited until I had nearly 10 years experience to go back to school for my MSN in education. I needed that experience to have the expertise to be able to educate new nurses to our specialty.

[JKL33]

8 hours ago, Jena Bauer said:

I am currently in my final year of nursing school for my ADN and am looking at what to do next.

What's next is to see what the real world of nursing is about. ?

There is truly no rush to leap into another formal degree program as long as you aren't stagnating altogether, which you won't be if you are learning and growing as a new practicing nurse.

If nothing else, consider the idea that practicing as a nurse might confirm your preliminary idea of being interested in management, in which case you will be more confident about spending the money and doing the work for the degree. There's also the possibility that practicing as a nurse will give you insight that does not support your initial idea of going into management, or that you might develop an interest in some other area of nursing that is even stronger than your thoughts about management. In any case, you will be more confident that you are spending your time, efforts and money wisely if you gain a little experience before making your decision.

Congrats on being almost done with this leg of your journey.

[MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN]

Do you actually want to do bedside work, get that experience? Just curious if you went into your ADN wanting to be a bedside nurse (first or at all) or looking to go straight to a desk somewhere?

[cparks]

Get some clinical experience first. This is JUST my opinion and from personal experience... administrators And leaders who have no clinical experience can have a difficult time relating to their team. Leadership isn’t about being in charge or being the boss, it’s about leading your team through a combination of your clinical experience and the knowledge you gained in leadership.
I am just starting my leadership journey, 6 months as Assistant Director of Surgery. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done and if I did not have my 10 years of periop experience I would be screwed!

btw, I’m not saying you can’t do it.... I’m just saying it’s super stressful being a new nurse. To add a leadership role (especially if your leading nurses with years of clinical experience) is crazy stressful and crazy hard.