MSN Nursing Education - Worth it?

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Specializes in Education, Skills & Simulation, Med/Surg, Pharm.

Hi! I have been a RN for almost 2 years and I recently got an amazing job opportunity. My previous BSN instructor recommended me for a departmental opening - a faculty position in the skills and simulation lab at a ranked BSN program. So far I love the job. I love teaching. It is the first time I have ever had fun at work. I am still floored that I got this position with only my BSN. I have recently been accepted to a MSN in Nursing Education program at Walden University. What I'm trying to figure out - is it worth it? I know I need a masters degree to teach my own classroom based class (a long term goal) but is that the best route to go? I would eventually like to get my DNP as teaching + direct patient care / clinical based research is something that interests me. Am I making the best decision going this route? Or am I better off waiting to do a NP Program to then get the DNP to teach at the masters level? Any thoughts on my best route would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Congrats on your new position! I will be interested in seeing the responses of our peers. I am in a similar position (minus the new job in an academic position). I too want to teach but also desire to maintain a role that involves direct patient care (in the advanced practice nursing role). I have already started my MSN in Nursing Education at Sacred Heart University with the ultimate plan to obtain my DNP as either Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

I have been told that it would have been easier to get my MSN as an NP or go straight from my BSN to DNP and then work as a nursing educator after obtaining my NP. I understand that getting the MSN as an NP or the new BSN to DNP option might be a more streamlined and less costly option but I am still early in my career and would like to focus on administration and teaching at the moment while I decide what specialty of NP I want to become. If someone needs a more streamline option or would rather focus on the clinical, direct patient care in the advanced practice role and work as an educator on a part-time basis then doing the MSN as an NP or BNS to DNP may be a better option. Best of luck!

!Chris :specs:

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I WAS in a complicated scenario too, and was pursuing a MSN-ed at the time...however, every single advanced role nurse that I spoke to, including faculty, assured me that having my NP/DNP was a way better route to take. I can honestly say that I'm glad I listened and am now pursuing my FNP...for NOW, my goal is to do direct patient care after school, but I know at least a handful of FNP grads who 'worked the field' for a few years and are now in faculty positions. good luck!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I didn't want to be an NP, and chose the MSN Ed track. My primary employment is still at the beside in an ER.

As for faculty, there are huge areas that I wasn't really aware of before taking the curriculum, policy and procedures, clinical ed courses. If you want to be in classroom, you will also be expected to help with accreditation, meeting criteria for developing curriculum, etc. with the rest of the faculty. Shoot, just learning to write good test questions, and how to present concepts, setting academic goals and fitting it into the overall curriculum/nursing program are classes by themselves; and in my opinion quite worth it.

I am adjunct faculty, just teach one day a week. I also didn't go back for my MSN until more than 20 years after my BSN. I enjoy being in the classroom. But I have to admit, I was glad not to be in the whirlwind of developing a entirely new curriculum and writing the goals, and rearranging our entire structure (our state has developed a statewide set of standards for nursing schools, trying for uniformity in new grad abilities), while also moving from an ASN to BSN program.

But yes, for me it was worth it. I learned an enormous amount. If I ever do accept the offers of full time faculty, I know what I'm in for.....

Since I have no particular interest in research, I've chosen not to pursue the DNP or PHD route. I wish you the best in whatever you choose to do.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but if you have an MSN in Education, it may be difficult to find a program to complete a DNP as a practitioner. The DNP should expand on your original Master's degree. There are DNP programs that are education and administration focused for non-NPs wanting to complete a DNP.

I think it is most important to decide what you want to do. Where do you see yourself? Do you want to be an NP? There are many clinical hours involved in an NP program, plus you must maintain practice hours in order to keep the certification. This can be difficult to do if you are trying to teach simultaneously. It can also be difficult to gain per diem employment as a brand new NP if you plan on teaching being your primary job. These are just issues I have witnessed as an educator.

If your desire is to be an NP, you can certainly teach as an NP. I would only suggest that you have at least 2 years of NP experience before you take a FT teaching job. I think nurses often discount the important of the nursing education focus. There are many topics we are not experienced in as nurses or NPs: curriculum development, testing and assessment, systemic evaluation, accreditation, etc. Those are topics that you will not be educated on in an NP program, but you will need to understand in order to be a successful faculty member.

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Specializes in OB, Women’s health, Educator, Leadership.
I think it is most important to decide what you want to do. Where do you see yourself? Do you want to be an NP? There are many clinical hours involved in an NP program, plus you must maintain practice hours in order to keep the certification. This can be difficult to do if you are trying to teach simultaneously. It can also be difficult to gain per diem employment as a brand new NP if you plan on teaching being your primary job. These are just issues I have witnessed as an educator.

If your desire is to be an NP, you can certainly teach as an NP. I would only suggest that you have at least 2 years of NP experience before you take a FT teaching job. I think nurses often discount the important of the nursing education focus. There are many topics we are not experienced in as nurses or NPs: curriculum development, testing and assessment, systemic evaluation, accreditation, etc. Those are topics that you will not be educated on in an NP program, but you will need to understand in order to be a successful faculty member.

I am constantly amazed at how many people discount this very large part of the role of an educator. ts almost as if they think "I'm a nurse therefore I can be an educator and design curriculum" All nurses teach as that is part of our jobs however if you plan to teach, take the proper courses to prepare you to do so.

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Ob/Gyn, Clinical teaching.

I have been following this post because I am at the point of making up my mind on what to go in for as it concern my MSN-- I understand that if one has to maintain certification as an NP you have to also maintain practice hours. Does this also apply to the CNS. Correct me if I got it wrong. I see myself pursuing a career in nursing education and research but I just need to know what route to follow... will MSN in education then Phd get me to where I hope to be in the future or will it be better to do the MSN the DNP program or even the CNS and then the Phd or DNP..

I really know that there are so many experienced nurses in this website and I will love to hear from you..if you have links to where I can get more info, please feel free to post also..

:up: Thanks!

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I don't think it is worth getting an MSN in nursing education, me and my friend graduated last year and still are working on the floor as med surg nurses. The colleges only want to hire you if you have a PhD. You can work per diem as a clinical instructor but I don't think you will find any full time job as an educator unless you get your PhD. Go for your NP there is a lot more potential for jobs.

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Specializes in Education, Skills & Simulation, Med/Surg, Pharm.

I graduate with my MSN in nursing education in a year. I'm happy I did it. I love my current full time job in a BSN program. It'll open up a lot of opportunities. I already have found numerous job postings of things I want to do that require a MSN so it's great. I have no interest in direct patient care being my primary job. I have no interest in being a manager. So it depends on what you want.

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Specializes in Adult Psych.

I'm actually very interested in becoming an clinical instructor.I want to pursue a further degree but I love direct care and being on the floor, so I think clinical instructor is something I would enjoy and be able to manage. Just to clarify, you can become on with a MSN in education?

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I'm actually very interested in becoming an clinical instructor.I want to pursue a further degree but I love direct care and being on the floor, so I think clinical instructor is something I would enjoy and be able to manage. Just to clarify, you can become on with a MSN in education?

You can get an MSN with a specialty in nursing education. I graduated in 2013 with mine and it has opened a lot of doors for me. I started school part-time in 2011 and since then, the amount of educator programs has grown tremendously. I initially started as a clinical instructor while I was in school. It was a lot of fun actually, and the pay was great in my opinion ($40 with a BSN, 20 hours a week).

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Specializes in Education, Skills & Simulation, Med/Surg, Pharm.
I'm actually very interested in becoming an clinical instructor.I want to pursue a further degree but I love direct care and being on the floor, so I think clinical instructor is something I would enjoy and be able to manage. Just to clarify, you can become on with a MSN in education?

Education degrees were the first advanced nursing degrees. It's been a more recent and unfortunate trend for educators to be APRNs with no formal training on how to educate. I started my MSN in Nursing Education in January at Capella. I'm taking classes #6 & #7 currently and I'm very happy with my program and my choice. Plan to become a CNE when I graduate.

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