Is it worth it to obtain a masters in nursing education?

[Sirapples]

Hello all, well I am starting to look at rn to msn online degrees and recently sent my transcripts to walden university online. I have always been interested in teaching and a 3 year online program for rn to msn in education seems like just what Im looking for.

My background is with agency, tele float, and general float, and now a position with a Caritas facility on a med/surg ortho floor. In about a year they are opening a level 1 trauma center (er) and I am looking at transfering to it once it opens for the experience.

Now Ive been a nurse for 5 years so far, and a cna for 7 years before that. my current pay is close to 75000 a year (5 11-7 a week) and since Im at a union hospital it will only increase.

Ive done some research and it seems like Ill be making more money a year within the next 4 years than I will with my masters in nursing education... and I dont have to pay any college loans off.

I know this is rather long, but for those who have obtained a masters in nursing education is it worth it? Honestly? Im also wondering about typical 20 year retirement if I stay at the same college to teach, and also looking at those summers off... are they really off? Or do you have committees and so forth to attend none stop? (I could work agency to bump my income in the summer and keep my clinical skills active) And also do colleges in general provide free education to a child if you are a professor?

I know this is a bit but I have a lot of thinking to do concerning this. Any answers greatly appriciated

[Jameslovestravel]

Does anyone who is a community college instructor pick up one day a week at a hospital to up your earnings?

[elkpark]

Does anyone who is a community college instructor pick up one day a week at a hospital to up your earnings?

When I was teaching full-time in a CC ADN program, I also worked two afternoons a week in a clinical position, but I was doing it primarily to maintain/develop my advanced practice clinical expertise. (I didn't really make much money doing it.)

[Moogie]

There are online programs that are far less expensive than Walden or some of the other proprietary, private schools. Most state universities offer either a MS or MSN in nursing education and, as per the trends toward online education, many offer online options either in addition to or in lieu of traditional classroom learning.

PM me if you want some additional information.

[Jameslovestravel]

Is it possible to get a part time hospital job which you could take off a month in the summer? Or can one work part time doing agency work and specify that you want to have the summer off?

I am interested in working at a community college and picking up a weekend shift every week but traveling abroad in the summer. Is that possible?

[elkpark]

Is it possible to get a part time hospital job which you could take off a month in the summer? Or can one work part time doing agency work and specify that you want to have the summer off?

I am interested in working at a community college and picking up a weekend shift every week but traveling abroad in the summer. Is that possible?

If you work on a prn basis (through a hospital "prn pool" or through a staffing agency), you can just tell your employer that you're not available during the time you want to travel. The trade-off, though, is that you're not guaranteed a set number of hours or a particular schedule when you want to be working.

[Jameslovestravel]

Do you think that if one lives in a large city like Atlanta that one can find a hospital that would agree to giving a nurse August off every year? Can I find a hospital that really needs weekend nurses that might agree to give me a month off every year?

[Marshall1]

First, there ARE education loan cancelation programs in place for nursing who get their Masters in Nursing Education - basically, for every year you teach a portion - if not all - of the loan is forgiven. Would you make as much money? Probably not - at least in the beginning BUT if teaching is what you want to do then a little less $ and alittle more job satisfation would be well worth it. The demand for nurse educatators both in the educational system and the healthcare system is only going to increase - part of the nursing shortage we are facing is because there are not enough educators for the nursing programs. I know two people who applied and attend Walden and they are very happy with it. Go for it!!

[lkwashington]

I have thought going to get my MSN concentration Nurse Education. Doing this is not for the money. I love to precept at work. I have had new grad ask for me to precept them. I love to talk and explain. I want to start the program in January to earn the advanced degree. Sometimes it is not all about the money just doing something different and you love. By teaching you can teach the students to be better nurses as you and me. Just a thought.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

First, there ARE education loan cancelation programs in place for nursing who get their Masters in Nursing Education - basically, for every year you teach a portion - if not all - of the loan is forgiven. Would you make as much money? Probably not - at least in the beginning BUT if teaching is what you want to do then a little less $ and alittle more job satisfation would be well worth it. The demand for nurse educatators both in the educational system and the healthcare system is only going to increase - part of the nursing shortage we are facing is because there are not enough educators for the nursing programs. I know two people who applied and attend Walden and they are very happy with it. Go for it!!

The only difficulty with the loan cancellation from what I found prior to going to graduate school is that I had to go to a state school (that didn't have online courses or options for those of us that work M-F, daytime hours) in order to qualify. It could not be an online program from an out-of-state state school. Perhaps things have changed.

otessa

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I am 3 weeks away from completing my MSN in Education from Walden-woohoo!

Very happy with my program at Walden.

otessa