Getting my MBA

I would practice nursing for at least a year or two before making such a decision about grad school that will limit your future career options. An MBA will help you with certain management/administration jobs -- but it will eliminate you from others. Many employers want their nursing managers to have an advanced degree in nursing -- not in another disciplines. Plus, an MBA will not qualify you for any type of advanced clinical positions or nursing education positions.

An MBA can be a good choice for some nurses ... but you might want to actually explore the many options within nursing before you leave nursing for your graduate degree. Rushing into something without first having any experience within nursing might lead you to make a decision you will regret later.

llg

thanks for your advice! i guess i figured it couldn't hurt. the program is set up so i only have to take one online class @ a time so i wouldn't be a full time student. i figured that'd be manageable. you're right though, i'd much rather get experience & figure out if i wanted to pursue the many dif options for nurses. we'll see. i'm just OBSESSIVE about figure out what i want to do in the future (i think its a good thing though).

thanks everyone! i didn't know there were online msn programs. i'll have to look into that for the "possible" future.

I was also thinking taht same thing. I worked as a pedi surgical nurse for a year after graduation . now i'm in the OR, and was thinking about an MBA in healthcare management. It is true that I could get a MSN and also do management. I'm not sure. there are just too many options. I was kindsa thinking an MBA/HCM would be very marketable.But that is true that employers would probably support you more if you stayed in the nursing field. I'm glad i decided to look at this thread. thanks everyone.

Also does anyone know about online nursing programs??? How good are they the classes are excellerated 6 wk courses, and you mee 2X per month and have online stuff the rest of the 6 weeks.

I have seen many people in upper management and administration with a Masters in Health Administration (MHA)

I, too, am interested in an MBA/Healthcare Administration. I'm currently finishing my BSN and work as a nursing supervisor. I really enjoy it. I have spoken to people at the hospital I work at and gotten their viewpoint. Those that have an MBA or MS in Healthcare Adminstration hold Director positions and said that if they tire of the hospital, they can go into healthcare organizations and work. They believe their degree to be more marketable which in turn raises their salary.

I'm interested in online degree. That's what I'm doing now and am very satisfied with it.

Hello. I will be getting my MBA this Fall, just one more class to go to graduate. I am considering to get my BSN too. I would take pre-reqs this Fall for spring admission into nursing school. Ultimately I want to go into healthcare administration and I feel I need clinical experience to do this. I feel like I am getting my degrees backwards as you all have your nursing degree already. I was working in the pharma industry as a manager while I was going to business school. I stopped working to attend school full time. I know I like management, but I want more patient connection. Now instead of looking for another job, I am thinking to get my BSN. In addition, all the jobs that I am interested in require a nursing degree. Unless I find a position where I work myself up. I feel BSN may open more opportunities for me. I would appreciate any thoughts or advice?

One more thing - I'm not sure if bedside care is for me. I plan to volunteer to experience it. How long would you think I would have to work as a RN before I could move into administration? I don't want my MBA to become useless...

I got my RN in December of 2008. I still have been unable to find a job as an RN, except this Fall I will doing flu shot clinics. When it was apparent the jobs for new grads had dried up in the spring of 2009, I was offered the chance to attend an university MBA in healthcare admin. program. in April. I go there one evening a week plus one saturday a month (if not online). I will be done in 12/2010. The entire program including laptop and textbooks/equipment is $25,000.

I am on my third course in the program. I have learned so much about Healthcare industry - and it is a pretty exciting time to be learning about an industry that is on the verge of an evolution of sorts. I am so glad my nursing instructors had us write so many APA papers.It has definately come in handy as I have written eight research papers in the last 4 months. Our thesis project can either be a research project or business plan and we have about a year to prepare it.

I chose to go for it because I am 44, an entrepreneur at heart, and cannot see myself physically being able to do bedside nursing for 10 years. I love helping people, but it seems that the personal time and attention I thought I would be giving to people does not occur anymore. I have always wanted an MBA - This seemed to be a good time to get it.