MSN HELP!! FNP or EDUCATOR

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, DOU/Step-Down.

I am beginning my MSN in May 2014 (YAY!!!!!)

But I am torn between the FNP and Nurse Educator track.

I want to educate, but I also don't want to be confined to education.

I know I can educate at a college level, clinically, community, etc.

But can FNP take me more places, or not really?

Can I educate with a MSN-FNP and not the MSN Education?

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

When I was a student in a VN/practical nursing program back in 2005, one of my instructors had a MSN degree and worked as a women's health nurse practitioner.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I say go for FNP. You can absolutely teach with that credential, and you won't be limited to education.

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FNPs (and other advanced practice nurses) can teach, but people with MSNs in education can't be advanced practice nurses (without returning to school, that is). The tide may be slowly turning now that so many MSN Ed programs are popping up, but nearly every ADN or BSN teaching position I've seen over the years specifies what advanced practice specialty credential the college/university requires candidates to have. The only "generic" nursing education positions I've seen over the years have been for community college ADN programs that are looking for someone to teach anything, regardless of whether the person has any clinical experience in that specialty or not. BSN programs are typically looking for someone with specific advanced practice specialty experience and credentials (although, as I said, that may slowly be changing).

Of course, you always have the option of doing one or the other and then completing a post-Master's certificate in the other specialty.

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