MSN (not CNL) as a bedside nurse- thoughts?

[meanmaryjean]

I completed my MSN Ed last year, and because of budget cutbacks and all, have not been able to get into staff development as planned. I dabbled in academia for a while, but it's not really my thing.

So, I continue to work at the bedside. I LOVE patient care, and love teaching as well. So I serve a preceptor, do research and present inservices.

Our hospital's clinical ladder program last year added a level 5 for MSN-prepared bedside nurses. I was the only nurse to achieve this level. (800+ bed tertiary care facility in an urban area)

The more I consider it, the more I am convinced that there IS a place at the bedside for the MSN-prepared RN to do direct patient care.

Thoughts?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

My comment has consistently been - - who wants to spend 40-100,00 bucks on an education to work weekends, nights and holidays, ad infinitum? If you do, then so be it. But is there compensation for your education?

Best wishes!

Some people simply enjoy getting advanced education for their own personal fulfillment. I will graduate at the end of this semester (if all goes as planned) with my MSN in education. While I don't plan to jump into education full-time, I feel that I have bettered myself and opened up doors of opportunity for the future. I do love my current full-time clinical job (most of the time- we all have those horrendous days that make us question ourselves) but wanted to have the option to change my career focus in the future. That MSN makes it possible for me to teach in an ADN program or find a position within staff development should I choose to no longer work at the beside or become physically unable to meet the demands of bedside nursing. Plus, adding an adjunct or per diem faculty position also offers the opportunity for additional income while maintaining clinical skills.

[Compassion75]

I believe an MSN is a great benefit eisp if you want to go into case managment. Currently I am working as a home health case manager and have also worked in hospice. I have been stromgly considering going back to school for my MSN esp with all of this health care reform and care coordination focus. As a case manager you have the choice of direct or indirect patient contact and can still be in a quasi bedside/administrative role making a huge benefit to pts. It definetly has its perks of more autonomy, better scheduling, ect. I see alot of older nurses and nurses with disabilities or chronic health problems such as myself find fulfilling careers in nursing case managmenet. And many of them enhance their credibility, opportunities for promotion, and salary with and MSN and experience, not to mention making extra money on the side teaching. I have been forced to be creative in creating a career trajectory due to health issues and really considering how to make an MSN work for me...

[MyCall2Nsg]

I am with you 100% on that. Certainly there is flexibility and lots of options with that. THe sky is the limit!! I too love the bedside have have been there what seems like a long time into my career. Now that I am on my way back to school I am thninking about my old time favourite saying "I will be the MSN Prepared Nurse at the bedside." Of course others feel its a waste of resources but knowledge is power how can that be a waste!!