MSc in Nursing???

[(ImagineThat)]

Hi all,

I'm a 22year old, soon-to-be RN and I got my final nursing results a few weeks ago. Delighted to say every I've passed everything (results even better than I expected). So the job hunt has begun and I've lined up a few interviews when out of the blue a letter comes in my door offering me a place in the Masters of science in nursing program in the college that I've just finished my Bsc in nursing in. Now I'm not sure what to do, some are advising that I should be focusing on my practice now and leave the academics alone for awhile while others are encouraging me to get it out of the way now while I'm still in the college mindset. Just wondering if anyone could tell me the advantages/disadvantages of pursuing the masters now?

HELP! :) thanks!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

most people who are accepted into legitimate (i.e., not for-profit online) msn programs have a clear idea what they want to study, why they want to study it, and what they intend to do with it when they finish. it is my experience that most new grads can't begin to wrap their heads around such large questions and need some clinical exposures to find that special something that piques the curiosity or drives the vision.

[ClaraRedheart, BSN, RN]

I agree with GrnTea, give it time. If you really enjoy school, then take maybe 1-2 courses at a time towards a masters while working and gaining experience as a nurse, and you can focus up near the end.

[sbostonRN]

As long as you have your BSN now, you have all you need to get into a staff nurse position in a hospital/clinic/nursing home. Get that job, get some experience and focus on your masters later on. There are a TON of different directions you could go in for an advanced degree: NP, CNS, CRNA, midwife, nurse educator, nurse leader, etc. At this point unless you're 150% sure that you know your direction, hold off on a program. Most colleges do no offer every possible program so if you start a MSN and then change your mind on your direction, now you have to deal with transferring and losing credit for some of the courses.