MSN in Patient Safety & Quality

RiskManager · Mar 31, 2016

I do risk, quality and patient safety for a living and am a department head/hiring manager in that field. I personally do not hire anyone who does not have additional training or specific experience in those fields since I don't do entry-level positions. A general degree or experience in law, business or nursing does not qualify you for a position in my department. Actual experience or training in risk, malpractice, professional Liability Insurance, quality or patient safety does. Many people do hire for entry-level positions and may not require actual experience or training in the field.

From that perspective, targeted training/education is a good thing. I am not certain that the degree, as opposed to the specialty certification, would be necessary, unless the position lists a graduate degree as an essential qualification. I would need to see the degree curriculum, but I suspect that it probably covers much the same specialty material as do the certifications, with additional material to make it a graduate degree. From the return on investment perspective, the certification is likely cheaper and would probably be sufficient qualification for a risk, quality or patient safety position. I don't think I have seen any job listings requiring a MSN in patient safety and quality.

lucy100 · Mar 31, 2016

Thank you for the reply. Very helpful insight!

Hoosier_RN, MSN · Mar 31, 2016

Its a degree offered at snhu. Most HR persons I talked to thumbs downed it when I was looking to choose my online MSN. This degree would fall to risk management and as Risk Manager stated, without experience, is a useless piece of paper as the HR persons implied to me. I went WGU BSN-MSN management role, in which I have experience. I hope this is helpful.

nutella, MSN, RN · May 7, 2016

I would love to hear thoughts about this degree. This specialty is not one I have heard much about and I would like to learn more. What is the job outlook with this degree? What type of job titles/positions would you quality for? I have also seen patient safety & Quality as a post-graduate certificate. Any experience or thoughts on this specialty? Thought on degree vs post- graduate certificate?? Thank you!

The degree is actually a MSN degree but offers a specialization in safety and quality, meaning that the curriculum includes the graduate nursing courses and there are specific courses relating to the concentration.

I am a student in that program and chose it because I wanted graduate nursing education but did not want to become a NP and I have worked in clinical management - did not like management - so did not want to study with focus on admin.

There are only few courses left for me and I can say that what I have learned (including the concentration courses) has been very relevant to my work. Like any graduate studies it is more about the bigger picture, connecting the dots, getting in dept knowledge.

My motivation to enter graduate studies was to attain more knowledge, I did not have a specific career goal in mind as I am very satisfied with my work. I hold a specialty certification in my area of work and think that while my specialty cert is very important and proofs that I am an expert in my field, it does not replace the level of expertise I got through graduate studies.

Other students I met throughout the studies have been employed in a variety of positions, many of them in some kind of leadership position, some work in quality.

The thing is this: There are not many position in quality management /quality to begin with. I do not think that entry level positions require a graduate degree but along the road a graduate degree can help you to open other doors, move up and such.

A specialty certification is important nowadays as it proofs that the person has specific knowledge and is able to apply it.

As I mentioned above, I am very happy with my MSN and the concentration, it has changed the way I practice and the way I work with other professionals. Will I ever work specifically in a quality dept? Who knows. There are many other positions but I am not even sure if I would want to give up my very good job, which includes pat contact but not a direct bedside role, and mainly sit at a desk... prob not what I would like.

From my work as a manager I can tell you that if you would like to go into administration/ management a degree specific to that would be most helpful as good management requires specific knowledge and skills. Something like MBA (there is even one that focuses on healthcare...) or nurse management would be probably better. I am not sure what to think of health care administration as a graduate degree.

Nursing education is great but not many jobs/no jobs, clinical nurse leader - nice if you work in some kind of leadership role that does not require big management....

purplecali, BSN · Dec 7, 2017

Hi everyone, I know this post is old but I am thinking in enrolling on the MSN Patient Safety and Quality of SNHU. I work as an RN Case Manager and is working to get my CCM certification and have my Managed Care Nurse Certification as well (CMCN). Have been an RN for a while and an RN Case Manager for 3 years. Will this be something that Case Managers can benefit from? I know we are always surveyed on quality and my company is gearing for the NCQA certification. Any advice will be much appreciated, thank you.

lianoland · Dec 31, 2017

Hi Purplecali - was curious what study guides you are using for prep? I looked at the AAMCN products but they are pricey. Have you taken your exam yet?

purpletzz · Dec 31, 2017

Hi lianoland...yes I have taken my Certified Managed Care Nurse or CMCN. I took it back in 2015. The only prep I used for CMCN is the one AAMCN has provided.

As for the Certifed Case Manager exam or CCM, I am still preparing for it and will take the exam in April. I am using the book by Deanna Cooper Gillingham called Case Management Certification Made Easy.

Hope this helps.