MBA or MSN

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I want to be in leadership.. but what should I go for?

Can someone with a MSN tell me how your career is going?

and same thing from someone with an MBA that came from BSN is it very different?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

In my experience and observation, a BSN AND an MBA will open as many doors for you as an MSN.

Do you want to be in administration? If so, I'd say go for the MBA, because that will be much more tailored to the business end of things, something that most MSN leadership programs focus very little on.

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Eventually I guess be a hospital administrator, if it happens? 
 

what do you really learn on MSN?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
14 minutes ago, emipn said:

 

what do you really learn on MSN?

Really, not anything that actually serves or helps me in my role as a director. The only use it's served is the actual degree in hand, which has opened many doors for me, ngl.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,PACU/ASC, Endo , Aspiring RN Disruptor.

I have searched and searched for a clear answer on this but I don't think there is one. My organization now requires not just any masters for a leadership position. They require an MSN! Having said that, after searching everywhere I really do believe to satisfy the learning for the reality of leadership in today's nursing landscape are the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) degree,  MSN/MBA.

CNL focuses on patient outcomes, operations, education, and the many things the magnet is focused on. A lot of hospitals are reaching for the magnet status and having an understanding of teams, operations, evidence-based practice.

The MBA sets you up to be very marketable in all sectors of healthcare. A lot of people in my organization are nurse leaders and have MPAs.

 

I am currently pursuing FNP and an MHA- Informatics. I couldn't decide either.

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6 minutes ago, RNCHN said:

I have searched and searched for a clear answer on this but I don't think there is one. My organization now requires not just any masters for a leadership position. They require an MSN! Having said that, after searching everywhere I really do believe to satisfy the learning for the reality of leadership in today's nursing landscape are the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) degree,  MSN/MBA.

CNL focuses on patient outcomes, operations, education, and the many things the magnet is focused on. A lot of hospitals are reaching for the magnet status and having an understanding of teams, operations, evidence-based practice.

The MBA sets you up to be very marketable in all sectors of healthcare. A lot of people in my organization are nurse leaders and have MPAs.

 

I am currently pursuing FNP and an MHA- Informatics. I couldn't decide either.

Do you think your going to be more marketable having a MSN or MBA?

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
3 hours ago, emipn said:

Do you think your going to be more marketable having a MSN or MBA?

What do you want to do with your career and where do you want to work?   Not all careers in nursing management and not all organizations are the same.  For example, I have both an MBA and an MSN because I am in nursing leadership.  In the past, my organization promoted BSN prepared RNs.  Now my current leadership is requiring masters prepared RNs for nurse management positions, where there is a preference for MSNs.  On the other hand, within my facility it is considered icing on the cake if you are an MSN prepared nurse with an MBA too. 

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Hi,

I have an MBA and a BSN, I work for a Fortune 50 health insurance company as a manager in case management.  I have more education than all of my leadership team members, some of whom only have associate degrees but have been around forever. The MBA isn't doing me a bit of good and didn't have anything to do with my getting this entry-level management position, it was my tenure and experience with the company that did that.   I'm pretty frustrated because I have the student loan debt to contend with and can't seem to get out of this "nurse manager" bucket I've worked myself in to.  I have the MBA and am gifted at data analysis so would love to go into the reporting side of things, but because I'm a nurse manager and don't have the official experience to back up a change in course, I can't seem to get out of this linear path I'm on.  This is a huge company with tons of opportunity, but tenure and knowing people seems to be the way up the ladder for those of us who are already here.   I don't think my MBA is worth the paper it's printed on, and am currently pursuing an MSN in Leadership and Management from WGU.  I wish I had done that instead of the MBA to begin with.  
Something else I didn't consider...with my 30+ years of nursing experience and BSN, I can't teach nursing classes part-time after retirement without the MSN.  I would like to teach a bit after retirment...but I can't teach nursing with the MBA, and I can't teach business unless I can add something other than nurse and nurse manager to my resume.

 

Just my thoughts.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,PACU/ASC, Endo , Aspiring RN Disruptor.
3 hours ago, cosmicmama said:

Hi,

I have an MBA and a BSN, I work for a Fortune 50 health insurance company as a manager in case management.  I have more education than all of my leadership team members, some of whom only have associate degrees but have been around forever. The MBA isn't doing me a bit of good and didn't have anything to do with my getting this entry-level management position, it was my tenure and experience with the company that did that.   I'm pretty frustrated because I have the student loan debt to contend with and can't seem to get out of this "nurse manager" bucket I've worked myself in to.  I have the MBA and am gifted at data analysis so would love to go into the reporting side of things, but because I'm a nurse manager and don't have the official experience to back up a change in course, I can't seem to get out of this linear path I'm on.  This is a huge company with tons of opportunity, but tenure and knowing people seems to be the way up the ladder for those of us who are already here.   I don't think my MBA is worth the paper it's printed on, and am currently pursuing an MSN in Leadership and Management from WGU.  I wish I had done that instead of the MBA to begin with.  
Something else I didn't consider...with my 30+ years of nursing experience and BSN, I can't teach nursing classes part-time after retirement without the MSN.  I would like to teach a bit after retirment...but I can't teach nursing with the MBA, and I can't teach business unless I can add something other than nurse and nurse manager to my resume.

 

Just my thoughts.

Hi, 

I just read this and felt the same way. I am really interested in data science and have found some ways to learn

There are websites and boot camps that can guide you in building a portfolio to enter the data career path. Some do come at a cost but there are some elementary things you can delve into now to start. 

Datacamp.com

coursera.org

nursingdatascience.org

If you're interested in going back for your MSN then Nursing Informatics may be an option. 

And if you're interested in teaching, consider being a preceptor for a nurse leadership/ administration student. 

 

Just some ideas. 

 

Take Care, 

 

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
On 10/18/2020 at 7:25 AM, cosmicmama said:

Hi,

I have the MBA and am gifted at data analysis so would love to go into the reporting side of things, but because I'm a nurse manager and don't have the official experience to back up a change in course, I can't seem to get out of this linear path I'm on.  ..... I don't think my MBA is worth the paper it's printed on, and am currently pursuing an MSN in Leadership and Management from WGU.  I wish I had done that instead of the MBA to begin with.  

Just my thoughts.

I do not understand how your MBA was worthless.  I started entry-level nursing leadership with a BSN and MBA.  However, my organization is going to Magnet and has challenged all nurses in nursing management to receive either an MSN or a DNP.  With that said, does the fact that you are choosing an MSN in Leadership mean that you plan to remain in the career path of nurse management?  

By the way, if you really want to move out of nursing management into the data science world, you can gain additional skills/certificates.  In addition, you can impress the hiring managers through showcasing your talents by volunteering additional time on related projects within your organization.  Hiring managers and senior leaders need to see what you can do before they will be open to taking someone without years of work experience and placing them into a new role.  Good luck.

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Sounds like MSN would open more doors than the MBA from what I am hearing..

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
5 hours ago, emipn said:

Sounds like MSN would open more doors than the MBA from what I am hearing..

Yes, an MSN in all nursing clinical and educational specialties is better to open doors for those specialties.  An MSN in leadership is also better for nurse leaders and managers.  In addition, a combination of an MSN with an MBA is the more impressive choice.  

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