New MSN Degree

[Jodi Dotson]

I recently graduated with my MSN in Education and needing some advice on how to job search for positions with the new degree, I currently work at a nusting home as a staff nurse and want to advance in my career, any advice would be great

[llg, PhD, RN]

What type of job interests you? Are you interested in teaching for a school of nursing? Staff development? what?

[DizzyJ DHSc PA-C]

You need to narrow down what you want to do. With you MSN you can teach, go into admin/development, or continue working as a floor nurse.

[Jodi Dotson]

I would like to get into clinical nurse education or research nursing. I really liked my public policy courses also. I live in a rural area so to achieve this I would have to commute to the bigger cities to land a position like these. I believe a recruiter would be beneficial so my job search would be less intense.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I've never had much luck with recruiters helping me with my search ... but it wouldn't hurt to talk with one. If you are limited in your ability to move to another region, then the odds of them working for a facility in your current region who have jobs that would suit you are slim.

However, it might be helpful for you to contact the in-house recruiters of local facilities that do the kind of work that interests you. Let them know you are available and looking. They might have some suggestions for you ... or they might not of some possibilities for jobs that are being discussed at their facilities but that are not yet posted.

I assume you are regularly scanning the job postings of possible employers in your area. And being an active member of any local chapters of relevant nursing groups might help, too. In other words -- network.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

How about talking to your place of employment and telling them about your new qualifications. I have very remote experience in long term care but from my recollection, these are typically corporate-run and are part of a larger chain of facilities. Typically, there is a nursing expert that oversees some of the system-wide operations in a role that would be called a CNO in hospitals. I would talk to that person or the DON? Have you done some leadership roles in the facility? That would also be a start.

I know you may feel overqualified (as nursing homes are typically staffed by RN's and LVN's even in leadership roles) but I felt that when I worked in such setting, there was a need for an expert who can apply evidence-based practice to change protocols and do some teaching to the staff at a level higher than nursing basics. There was pressure to meet state standards and annual inspections were a big deal and this could be something you could work on. You would have to be more creative with how you can present this.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Are you a member of y our state nurses association? That might open up some doors.

[PICUGuy]

I also have an MSN Ed. I second what Juan stated. Check with your facility to see if they have openings. If they don't, you might consider looking for Nursing Fundamentals clinical instructor positions. Those clinicals often take place in LTC facilities, which would make you an ideal candidate, and it would give you some experience in hands on education similar to an in house clinical nurse educator. Once you have formal experience as an educator, a lot of new doors will open. Good luck to you!