MSN/MBA joint degree question

kids · Dec 6, 2001

Wow , what a timely post...I have just had my worst day ever in any form as a Nurse...was it a client? a family? a doc?...no it was the new regional VP who has dual masters in Nursing and Bussiness who told us repeatedly in our introductory meeting that he is "passionate about the kids"...he unfortunately made it very clear by his comments he doesn't give a s**t about the staff and let us know that he has no problem coming back in a week and "turning out the lights".

When I calm down enough to think in inteligent sentances I will likely post a loudly venting thread...

I don't have any input other than to say, always remember you were a Nurse first. Yes, health care is a bussines but when you have no staff (and believe me that could happen at my agency) your numbers for the quarter will be zero.

-nancy

kids · Dec 6, 2001

Wow , what a timely post...I have just had my worst day ever in any form as a Nurse...was it a client? a family? a doc?...no it was the new regional VP who has dual masters in Nursing and Bussiness who told us repeatedly in our introductory meeting that he is "passionate about the kids"...he unfortunately made it very clear by his comments he doesn't give a s**t about the staff and let us know that he has no problem coming back in a week and "turning out the lights".

When I calm down enough to think in inteligent sentances I will likely post a loudly venting thread...

I don't have any input other than to say, always remember you were a Nurse first. Yes, health care is a bussines but when you have no staff (and believe me that could happen at my agency) your numbers for the quarter will be zero.

-nancy

ICUBecky · Dec 6, 2001

i often wonder if any of our "higher-ups" ever had any bedside nursing experience. i know of a few ppl from college that immediately went to get a master's, in some aspect of nursing, without getting any experience first. i can tell you they know nothing, and i mean NOTHING, about what bedside nurses go through.

i guess this topic is boring...nobody is responding. sorry!!

WashYaHands · Dec 6, 2001

Becky,

I think that having an administrator who has been there, done that in terms of being a nurse in the trenches is a positive thing. If we had more RN's that were administrators I think our work conditions might be better. It might be a challenge to balance the business end with the human end, but at least you would have that balance as opposed to those administrators who operate from the extreme business end of the continuum. Nurses need nurse advocates in administrative positions. As much as we try to serve on committees and become managers that are pro-nurse, sometimes our suggestions fall on deaf administration ears. However, if a nurse is the ear that we are bending to hear concerns, then outcomes might be more positive.

Just my 2 cents.

Linda

MQ Edna · Dec 6, 2001

I agree with WashYaHands. We need more administrators who are nurses FIRST. I do believe as nurse managers we need to have a clear concept of the financial end of healthcare. At one Level I teaching facility I recently worked at, all 6 of the clinical managers (under the Vice-President of Nursing Services) had to go back and get an MBA degree (all already had a MSN).

I recently completed a 60 credit hour MBA program. For me, I am not sure I would have pursued the MSN/MBA route. At the time there was not a convenient program closeby. And, I wanted a graduate degree that would be beneficial if I chose to stay in the traditional healthcare setting AND one that would be benficial if I chose to leave the healthcare in 5-7 years. In my MBA program, I was able to take 9 graduate credit hours from an MSN program and transfer those hours. Although I have not used my degree in a job setting yet, I do not regret one minute of its pursuit. It was so refreshing to network with others outside of the healthcare arena.

Ultimately, you need to decide what your long-term goals might be...is it management in some healthcare setting(MSN/MBA) or do you still want patient contact with more independence(NP/CRNA) There are a lot of excellent programs out there to meet everyones learning needs.

Best wishes in your endeavors!

"K. Lynn"