Is it easier to find a job as an RN with a Master's degree?

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

After earning a BSN, I plan to going back to school to get a master's degree to become a nurse practitioner or pediatric nurse. Would it be hard to find a job in those areas?

*** You don't need a masters to be a pediatric nurse. You need at least a masters to be an NP. NP jobs seem to vary depending on where you live. Some areas being saturated with them and some having shortages.

So if you want get a job as an NP then yes a masters makes it easier (or I should say possible). I do not believe a masters will help get a staff nurse job vs a BSN.

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 9, 2011

So much depends on the details that it is hard to say. At my hosptial, if someone applies for a staff nurse job with a Master's Degree -- we ARE more likely to hire them. That's because we would look at them as having the potential to be promoted into a leadership position after they have gotten a year or two of clinical experience. We couldn't say that about someone with less education.

Note though, that if you have not practiced as a nurse ... we would only consider you for entry-level staff nurse positions. We would not consider you for higher level positions even with a Master's Degree -- not until you successfully make that transition to practicing nurse and get some experience behind you.

leenak · Nov 9, 2011

So much depends on the details that it is hard to say. At my hosptial, if someone applies for a staff nurse job with a Master's Degree -- we ARE more likely to hire them. That's because we would look at them as having the potential to be promoted into a leadership position after they have gotten a year or two of clinical experience. We couldn't say that about someone with less education.
Note though, that if you have not practiced as a nurse ... we would only consider you for entry-level staff nurse positions. We would not consider you for higher level positions even with a Master's Degree -- not until you successfully make that transition to practicing nurse and get some experience behind you.

Does this apply to MS-CNL? I have a MS in a non-nursing degree. I am looking at getting my BSN first, then continuing on within a few years to a NP program. I kind of figured that a Direct Entry CNL program wouldn't buy me much over a BSN program.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

Does this apply to MS-CNL? I have a MS in a non-nursing degree. I am looking at getting my BSN first, then continuing on within a few years to a NP program. I kind of figured that a Direct Entry CNL program wouldn't buy me much over a BSN program.

*** The clinical nurse leader seems to be a degree looking for a position. I have never heard of the position of clinical nurse leader in any hospital I have ever worked at. Maybe in other areas but I have worked in four states and never seen or heard of a person in the position of clinical nurse leader in any hospital. In this area there is little interest in hiring direct entry MSNs. The experience with those grads is too little clinical and critical thinking skill combined with too much entitlement attitude. However I am sure your mileage may vary.

Your plan to do BSN, get work experience, then go for a masters nurse practitioner program (if you can find one) is a solid plan that has lead to success for many, many NPs.

AllNursesisCool · Nov 9, 2011

How does one get work experience if hospitals don't want to hire inexperienced nurses? Should I get my CNA license? What other ways are there to get experience?

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 9, 2011

Does this apply to MS-CNL? I have a MS in a non-nursing degree. I am looking at getting my BSN first, then continuing on within a few years to a NP program. I kind of figured that a Direct Entry CNL program wouldn't buy me much over a BSN program.

Yes. We would hire that person into a staff nurse role. Then, if they transition successfully into the professional nursing role ... they would be considered for a unit-level leadership position in a year or two. The MS-CNL entry would give them an advantage for being hired as a new grad because we could see the potential for them to advance without us having to pay for additional education. In addition, we would expect that their additional education might help them be ready for advancement sooner in their careers than other new grads ... but they would have to become a successful staff nurse before we would expect them to be able to "lead" anyone.

So ... again ... the extra education helps a bit, but it doesn't allow you to leapfrog over the requirement of actually practicing nursing doing direct patient care before being given the responsibility of a leadership or advanced practice position.

I'm just talking about my hospital ... but I think our stance on the issue is pretty common.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

How does one get work experience if hospitals don't want to hire inexperienced nurses? Should I get my CNA license? What other ways are there to get experience?

*** In my state one can not apply to a state supported nursing program unless one is already a CNA, with exception made for LPNs and paramedics.

There are several reasons hospitals are reluctant to hire new grads. The primary one is that there are simply too many grads for available jobs. For that you can thank the self serving, false, "nursing shortage" propaganda. The false "nursing shortage" propaganda has lead to a dramatic expansion of nursing programs. This propaganda is put out by those who stand to gain financially by a glut of nurses.

Another reason hospitals are reluctant to hire new grads is the perceived or real steady decline in clinical skills among new grads resulting in increased training costs for the hospital.

I think getting CNA experience will be helpful, more importantly it will allow you to start building a network that may well lead to RN jobs down the road.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

Yes. We would hire that person into a staff nurse role. Then, if they transition successfully into the professional nursing role ... they would be considered for a unit-level leadership position in a year or two. The MS-CNL entry would give them an advantage for being hired as a new grad because we could see the potential for them to advance without us having to pay for additional education. In addition, we would expect that their additional education might help them be ready for advancement sooner in their careers than other new grads ... but they would have to become a successful staff nurse before we would expect them to be able to "lead" anyone.
So ... again ... the extra education helps a bit, but it doesn't allow you to leapfrog over the requirement of actually practicing nursing doing direct patient care before being given the responsibility of a leadership or advanced practice position.
I'm just talking about my hospital ... but I think our stance on the issue is pretty common.

*** I would disagree. It seems everyone and their dog is trying to get into leadership positions and are perfectly willing to pay for their own education to do it. When we interview new grads for a nurse residency program we look for strong ties to the community and for people likely to want to stay at the bedside for longer or permanently. Our hospital seeks to obtain a greater return on the investment it makes in the very expensive training it provides bedside nurses. I think this stance is more common but that is only my opinion and I only have my personal observation to base it on.