MSN working bedside nursing

Daisy Joyce · Sep 10, 2018

My very first job after I graduated from BSN, there was a nurse on my floor with an MSN. She wasn't a manager, wasn't any kind of NP.

Regular floor nurse with an MSN.

Nobody knew her reasoning, she never explained it to anybody. But she was kind of aloof and stand offish.

A good enough nurse, but never talked about herself (or about much else, either.)

grand_theft_avocado · Sep 10, 2018

Daisy Joyce said:
Nobody knew her reasoning, she never explained it to anybody. But she was kind of aloof and stand offish.
A good enough nurse, but never talked about herself (or about much else, either.)

But has anyone asked her directly about it, if she never explained herself voluntarily?

I've been searching for various nursing programs, and I realized that depending on the state, it is sometimes more affordable for people who graduate with non-nursing bachelors to transition into nursing by doing MSN programs, instead of a second bachelors. Perhaps weird, but I guess it's the schools' fault for making tuition/funding like that. I've also seen schools that offer MSN bridge programs to their own students, I.e. after you graduate with your non-nursing bachelors, you enroll in their MSN, and take the NCLEX when you're done. Duke is one example.

bd2rn · Sep 10, 2018

But do those programs actually teach basic nursing? I know for a fact that some "higher level entry programs" for teachers do NOT prepare people to be teachers, even though they claim to. That can certainly be true in nursing as well. Just because it costs less, that doesn't mean you'll gain the knowledge and skills you need. It's not just a credential that is needed, it is a huge body of knowledge, as well as skills and practical experience that simply cannot be "transmitted" over a few months, as in a MSN-entry program.

grand_theft_avocado · Sep 11, 2018

Supposedly, if the claims made by those institutions are to be trusted or taken seriously. (I'm personally a bit skeptical sometimes, because I am pretty disappointed in America's educational system in general, but that's another topic).

I was referring to programs like the "Masters Entry Clinical Nurse (MECN)" at UCLA, where non-nursing bachelors train for their career in nursing w/in 2 years and come out "prepared to practice nursing at the bedside in a hospital setting" as RNs. To be honest, I have no idea why they award the MSN instead of the BSN if the point of the program is to let you work as a floor nurse when you're done, but whatever. At the end of the day, programs like those end up being more affordable to certain people, either due to wacky government laws (I'm looking at you, FAFSA) or because of straight up tuition cost differences. The UCLA program I wrote here costs $60,000 for 2 years. Steep, sure, but it seems like a lesser evil than those ABSN programs that cost upwards $80,000 for no reason. Sad. If only there were better ways to pick our poisons.

Virgornc1, MSN, RN, CNM · Sep 19, 2018

Hi all,

There was a question why one would work bedside with an MSN.

I got my masters after 25 yrs of bedside nursing, so I can speak to that.

The moment you get masters in any field, you become salaried. What that means is that you are on call, work 50 hrs a week, and have no life, all for one measly salary.

I realized that half way through the program, but refused to quit.

My dream of being a MSN has been fulfilled, I make about 50K more per year that the MSN who does the job that I'm qualified for, and I have a life. I close that door after my shift and I have no headache.

My boss loves me and knows I'm not going anywhere.

My MSN has taught me to understand workflow from the big picture and ultimately made me a better bedside nurse.

I don't regret jumping through the hoops of MSN at all but know that if I ever worked as an MSN, I would have been back at bedside by now, because my quality of life is so much better on bedside.

In my unit, there are 6 other MSNs that also work bedside, from educators to practitioners. Some of them have left to do MSN work, but all ultimately returned.

Entry level MSN? Well, I'd be scared to have that on my bedside team. There is so much critical thinking to be done at the bedside fast, that someone like that would just jeopardize the whole ecosystem on the floor.

Direct entry MSN as NP: way safer. They have time to consult a senior and nobody will drop dead. Plus, there are plenty of outfits that will hire them, because nobody with any nursing experience wants to do it.

elkpark · Sep 19, 2018

But do those programs actually teach basic nursing? I know for a fact that some "higher level entry programs" for teachers do NOT prepare people to be teachers, even though they claim to. That can certainly be true in nursing as well. Just because it costs less, that doesn't mean you'll gain the knowledge and skills you need. It's not just a credential that is needed, it is a huge body of knowledge, as well as skills and practical experience that simply cannot be "transmitted" over a few months, as in a MSN-entry program.

They teach the same "basic" nursing content and include the same clinical hours required of the state BON for any nursing program in order for graduates to be eligible for licensure, albeit typically at a pretty minimal, "hurry up and get through it" fashion.