Local hospital now says "BSN or MSN preferred" for all bedside positions?!

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My goodness, I was just getting used to seeing "BSN preferred" at many a big-city hospital in my region. It's not such a thing at the smaller community hospitals in my area as of now, though. Being that it is my Sunday off, I thought I'd look at the nearest big city hospitals' job postings and one in the area has the gumption to request not only BSN-holding, but *MSN* -holding nurses for all bedside positions. Not management. Bedside, direct patient care nurses. Do my eyes deceive me? Has anyone else seen or heard of this going on in their area too??

I'm sure more education is always a good thing, but COME ON! Do you think this hospital is asking too much?

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I am finishing a MSN and have no desire to leave the bedside at this time. I finished the degree because work paid for all of my remaining classes, but I truly love being a bedside nurse. It keeps my options open and in the future I may consider teaching, but for now I am happy

Ok, that was just my opinion and speaking for my own desire. I don't know if you represent the majority in your feeling. I'm glad that you are on the path that suits you.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

Is that some kind of CNS-admin hybrid?

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Is that some kind of CNS-admin hybrid?

What, CRNA?

Become a CRNA

I have only interacted with three of them... one of my distant family members is one and she pretty much hates direct patient care and has had problems getting along with her peers.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

No. Clinical nurse leader.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
No. Clinical nurse leader.

CNL is a newer track designed with a focus on quality improvement at the floor level. So while a CNS focuses on a population ( ie wound care, diabetics, etc) a CNL would work on a floor and focus on the population of that floor only.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I have my MSN-Ed and I am returning to the bedside. While I plan to move on to new graduate education, my expertise will be beneficial to not only my patients, but to my floor as well.

Now I won't lie and say I tried for the floor first after school, but after three years at home with school/children I am slightly removed from bedside to teach clinical and I have no formal academic teaching experience yet.

To be honest I feel having MSNs on the floor is awesome, because nursing is an evolving career and many levels of education can facilitate change.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Ok, that was just my opinion and speaking for my own desire. I don't know if you represent the majority in your feeling. I'm glad that you are on the path that suits you.

Agreed, I don't think I represent the majority, but just stating there are those out there like myself with an MSN who are happily working at the bedside.

I have also known several staff nurses who have gone back to school, gotten an MSN, and then realized they would take a pay cut to leave the bedside so they stay.

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I would not think MSN nurses would want to be at the bedside.
I have an MSN and work gurney-side by choice... and will probably never leave it.
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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
All of this hospital's direct patient care RN positions stated "BSN or MSN preferred" at the bottom of the job listing. It didn't say if they care what the specialization of the degree was, just a MSN (or BSN, but I'm totally used to seeing that by now).

And yeah, I don't know any CRNAs who would (or could stand to) go back to bedside nurssing, lol

Actually, I counted four CRNA's that I personally knew who left anesthesia. Two left because of addiction issues and knew that to maintain their recovery, could never go back. The other two left because of the stress and the BS. The grass is always greener unless you look at it closely.

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Degree dilution is getting a little out of hand.

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I would be interested to know if these hospitals saying "MSN preferred" are paying those MSNs substantially more money than those without.

If not, than its clear they're just taking advantage of the job market. If employers truly valued higher education that would be reflected in higher wages. If they only pay 50cents-$1 more per hr, well, then that's exactly how much more they value it.

Its about money, its always about money.

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Specializes in Public Health.

It IS a business. No matter what, it's a business.

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