Marketable Degree Combo: RN & MSW

Jules A, MSN · Jan 30, 2010

I think the only advantage you will have is if you want to do a quickie MSN program to become a RN. It has been my experience that having another degree like your MSW even if you wanted to be a psych nurse isn't as impressive as you might hope. Good luck.

elkpark · Jan 30, 2010

Other degrees don't really offer much advantage in nursing -- just as a nursing degree would not be a big help to someone looking for a career in social work. You probably would have an advantage in getting into case management, but that would still require that you have significant (as in at least a few years) clinical nursing experience.

If you really want to be a nurse, you may well be best served to cut your SW studies short and get right into a nursing program. Your prior BA/BS gives you somewhat of an advantage there, as you are eligible for accelerated BSN or direct-entry MSN programs if you want to go that route.

Is your interest in social work more in the medical or psych area? Lots of social workers looking at "jumping the fence" are interested in becoming psych NPs. You can get into a direct-entry program to do that, but it still involves learning all the "basic," hands-on nursing stuff and getting licensed as an RN before getting the advanced practice certification.

How deeply have you looked into nursing so far?

MSW_Student · Jan 30, 2010

I have been looking pretty deep.

I will finish my MSW because I started it and Im not a cut short kind of person. I would love to find a good program that would accept me into the accelerated RN or BSN after my Masters. I know I need a few science pre-req's so I have time. But, If i could find a program that only took 18 months or so that would be great.

I live in the Bay Area, Ca

Also, I found a ELM MSN that accelerated the RN portion. If I took just those classes (to get the RN) would I have to finish the BSN in order to take the test and be registered? Could I drop the program after I tested?

elkpark · Jan 30, 2010

I will finish my MSW because I started it and Im not a cut short kind of person. I would love to find a good program that would accept me into the accelerated RN or BSN after my Masters. I know I need a few science pre-req's so I have time. But, If i could find a program that only took 18 months or so that would be great.
I live in the Bay Area, Ca
Also, I found a ELM MSN that accelerated the RN portion. If I took just those classes (to get the RN) would I have to finish the BSN in order to take the test and be registered? Could I drop the program after I tested?

What's the difference between dropping out of a social work program and dropping out of a nursing program? But, seriously, you might be able to do that and get licensed, and you might not. It depends on how the program is structured. I attended an MSN program (as a traditional, experienced RN student) that included a direct-entry program, so I was in classes with the direct-entry students. At my school (I'm not saying this applies to all, or even most, DE programs, but it definitely did in this case), the DE students were not eligible to sit the NCLEX until after they had completed the first year of the Master's portion of the program (the second year of their three-year program), because they didn't have enough clinical hours in the first year to meet the state requirements and the school somehow counted their second year (Master's specialization) clinical hours as clinical hours towards being eligible for the NCLEX. Other schools don't work that way. Another issue is whether the school grants a BSN after you complete the basic nursing portion of the direct-entry program. Some do, some don't. If you go to a school that doesn't, even if you're able to test after taking just the basic nursing courses, you would then be a person who had a nursing license but no nursing degree. There have been reports here (there was a thread just within the last several days) of people who have successfully gotten licensed in their home state (or, at least, the state in which the school was located) in that circumstance (not completing a DE program) but then had difficulty getting licensed in another state when they wanted to move, or were unable to get into further nursing education later on, because they hadn't completed an approved nursing program and therefore didn't meet other states' educational requirements. I'm not sure the limited amount of time you would save taking that route would be worth the professional roadblocks it might cause you in the future.

Best wishes for your journey.

Hmongirl · Nov 15, 2010

Hi! I'm interested in this topic because I am stumbling the same question. Right now I'm currently working towards my BSW but I have this question inside my head that I want to do nursing too. Can you tell me more info if we can get into nursing after the MSW? Thanks!!

chicagonurse2b · Jul 2, 2011

i realize this is a pretty old thread. so hopefully you've found your answer by now. at any rate, this combo could be helpful, but not really necessary working in social service.

due to "community based service rule 132" you would be able to petition individuals more easily with your lcsw.

as for working for a hospital, that combo would better suit you in the social service area as a therapist more than a psych nurse, or to run a social service oriented program. hospitals use lcsws for the rule compliance, but typically a nurse would run the department.

however, community based programs would eat you up. because you would offer a clinical component around physical health that is much needed in the arena; in addition to working as a therapist. you can theoretically do what most psychiatrists won’t and they probably couldn't afford you. :jester:so, this would probably be best suited as a part-time gig, depending on your goals.

personally, i would pursue psychiatric nurse practitioner; that covers the gamut.

gluck!