MSN Advanced Generalist

Nursing Students Post Graduate

Updated:   Published

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Hi there!

I am having some trouble understanding the choices available for MSN degrees.

I already have my BSN and am currently practicing as a ER nurse in Texas.

I would like to go back to school, but am not really interested in Education or NP.

I know there is Forensics and Informatics, but now I am seeing this Advanced Generalist option.

Can someone tell me what the Advanced Generalist is and if I might be missing other choices?

-Trena

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

The entire point of the MSN degree is specialization. There's no reason to earn a generalist MSN degree unless you are doing it for personal self-gratification because your BSN curriculum already taught you to be a generalist.

The MSN specialization non-APRN areas include education, leadership, informatics, infection control, holistic nursing, case management, and clinical nurse leader, to name a few. Not all schools offer all MSN specialty areas.

The APRN specialty areas include clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, and nurse midwife.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

So, I just want to be clear............

An APRN is not the same track as NP?

APRN is a MSN degree choice and I would choose one of the specialties you mentioned above?

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
So, I just want to be clear............

An APRN is not the same track as NP?

APRN is a MSN degree choice and I would choose one of the specialties you mentioned above?

An APRN (advanced practice registered nurse) is practicing in one of four MSN specialty areas: nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife or nurse anesthetist.

The MSN specialty areas that do not lead to an APRN role include the others I previously mentioned: leadership, education, holistic nursing, case management, infection control, informatics, clinical nurse leader, etc. Other uncommon specialty MSN areas include patient advocacy and forensic nursing.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

An "advanced generalist" MSN can be very useful for some types of people wanting certain kinds of roles. For example, my children's hospital would be interested an advanced generalist certified in pediatrics for roles such as "program coordinator, " "staff development," "quality assurance," etc. The people with the APRN specialties are not prepared for such inpatient roles. The MSN's in education usually focus only on academic education. And the DNP's and MSN's in Nursing Administration are usually focused on executive leadership positions.

None of the graduate degrees favored by the academic leaders are geared towards mid-level leaders and educators in hospital settings. We are having a terrible time finding qualified people to fill such roles -- and these are attractive jobs with good salaries and great working hours/conditions. And our staff nurses that are interested in careers in mid-level hospital roles can't find graduate education that prepare people for such roles. An "advanced generalist" with relevant clinical experience plus relevant Continuing Education and certification is the best option for most people interested in such work these days. (A CNL degree works well for these roles, too -- even though the creators of the CNL degree had a different role in mind when they created it.)

My suggestion for the OP is to talk to the schools who offer the programs that interest you and find out more about them -- what they include, etc. Find out what kinds of roles they prepare you for and what types of roles their graduates usually get. If those are the types of roles that interest you -- go for it.

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