Degree question

[Jan_80]

Hello to all!

I'm a RN with a BSN and BS in Biology. I've been a nurse for 3 years now; doing home care and ER. I want to get out of the clinical setting and do administrative work. I'm researching in other job alternatives and I came upon a degree: MBA in Healthcare and Life Sciences. Does anyone know what I can do with this degree? Many thanks if you do :)

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Sounds like an interesting degree - it's becoming pretty well known that "plain vanilla" MBAs aren't in high demand in healthcare, so maybe that has prompted this new slant.

However, if you are interested in moving into administrative roles in healthcare, you need to get an MSN - this is the gateway degree for nurses. I'm not saying that this is all it takes because you will also need to meet experience requirements, but it's rapidly becoming a requirement even for first level managers. A nurse cannot get far without an MSN. This is the level that includes curricula that prepares a nurse to lead from a position of nursing advocacy. No other graduate degree will provide the same preparation.

FYI - the 'other' graduate degree that is most popular in healthcare is an MHA -from a program that includes an internship. I guess our industry is not really open to educational programs that do not include some form of practical experience that is similar to clinical practicums. In my part of the country, MBA combo degrees (MSN/MBA, MHA/MBA, MSN/JD, etc) are really attractive to employers.