No RN experience and pursuing a master's?

tracyam · Jun 8, 2022

I am an academic with a Masters but I still work clinically as I believe it is essential to ensure my teaching is grounded in the real world. I would expect that other desk jobs would also benefit from employing nurses with real life experience. If you don't like nursing then perhaps the skills and knowledge you have gained so far are transferable to another career.

rn771 · Jun 8, 2022

Nurses with a MSN degree in Case Management can get RN case manager jobs straight out of this program without any bedside experience

GraysAnaTummy · Jun 9, 2022

The first question I have asked is why educational institutions are making these direct-entry programs available. Strategically, a product that does not achieve its end result is not worth the investment of time and resources. Customer satisfaction will kill the product line. It is my humble, yet life-experience-backed opinion, that these programs are best suited for:

1. Degree holders in other fields with transferable skillsets who will assume administrative roles that will translate into some financial gain/savings for the institution hiring them, e.g., recruiters, management, healthcare analysts, consultants etc.

2. First degree/inexperienced persons willing to accept entry level clinical/administrative positions with the goal of advancement into more senior administrative roles (those who are not on a bedside nurse career trajectory and prefer to have the educational requirements for advancement in hand).

3. Persons willing to accept entry-level clinical nursing roles with the understanding they'll not utilize their advanced clinical knowledge until they've mastered the basics (those who are on a bedside nurse career trajectory and prefer to meet the educational requirements of advanced practice in one fell swoop).

4. Advanced practice nurses willing to work in shortage areas (especially in rural communities where there's a shortage of medical facilities and physicians.)

I'm certain there are other possible scenarios others could propose.

For those who object to these programs, please bear one thing in mind...

There's got to be a market and a demand or the product won't sell.

If anyone has access to any correlation studies that demonstrate patient outcomes are adversely affected by direct-entry and/or accelerated advanced practice nursing programs, please feel free to share.

Thanks and best of luck and good health to you all, wherever you are in your journey.

weasel · Jul 7, 2022

Hi! I was in the same spot as you. The only "clinical" experience I had was managing a covid clinic. However, I knew I eventually would be working in a hospital. I figured I would try to stay in the covid testing position as long as possible because the pay was great, the hours were flexible, and I was basically my own boss. I figured it was also a PERFECT time to go back to school because I had so much free time on my hands at work.

I decided to go with Capella for my MSN degree. I chose the FlexPath option and finished in less than 4 months. I ended up getting a job at a hospital shortly after and there was nothing negative said about having my MSN already. If anything they were impressed I used my time wisely while awaiting a new grad job on a unit I was passionate about.

I wanted to get my MSN so I can have more options later in my career if I decide bedside is not for me. I don't have kids and right now is the best time for me to get school out of the way. I also get paid more by having an MSN! If anything let that be the reason you go for the degree. If you decide to stick with bedside nursing your hourly pay will be higher.

I say go for it! I highly recommend Capella also! A very cheap and straightforward program that is accredited.