Pros & Cons of MSN Educator vs MSN NP

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 31, 2018

If you are still torn ... then it would be best to wait to enroll until you are fairly sure (recognizing that few people are ever 100% sure of any decision like that.) I have seen too many people invest a lot of time and money on a graduate degree only to decide after graduating that they don't really like the jobs they are now qualified for.

What type of job experiences have you had? Have you done much staff or student education in your workplace? If not, you should get some experience with that at the BSN level before investing a lot of time and money getting an MSN in that field. Some people love it and are good at it, but you won't know until you try it. So get a little experience in it at the BSN level -- unit educator, etc. -- or just helping to teach unit orientation or precept orientees and students, etc. to see how you like it.

The same is true of the NP role. Would you be more interested in an outpatient NP role, working in a clinic? or an inpatient, acute care NP role? If you think one of those roles is what you really want, get a job in the type of environment you would be working in so that you can "check out the role" up close. For example, if you would expect to be working in a clinic, then get a job in a clinic at the BSN level and see how you like it. Some people love, some people hate it. But again, you won't know until you try. So try it before investing lots of time and money.

As for me, I specialize in staff education and quality improvement. I like teaching & supporting nurses in a hospital setting to provide the best practice possible. So I work to make things better for both patients and staff through teaching and evidence-based practice projects. The pay is fairly good (hospital rates) ... but with "bankers hours."

Good luck with whatever you decide.

allnurses Guide · Jul 31, 2018

I chose education because I have zero desire to work as a nurse practitioner.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jul 31, 2018

If you are still torn ... then it would be best to wait to enroll until you are fairly sure (recognizing that few people are ever 100% sure of any decision like that.) I have seen too many people invest a lot of time and money on a graduate degree only to decide after graduating that they don't really like the jobs they are now qualified for.
What type of job experiences have you had? Have you done much staff or student education in your workplace? If not, you should get some experience with that at the BSN level before investing a lot of time and money getting an MSN in that field. Some people love it and are good at it, but you won't know until you try it. So get a little experience in it at the BSN level -- unit educator, etc. -- or just helping to teach unit orientation or precept orientees and students, etc. to see how you like it.
The same is true of the NP role. Would you be more interested in an outpatient NP role, working in a clinic? or an inpatient, acute care NP role? If you think one of those roles is what you really want, get a job in the type of environment you would be working in so that you can "check out the role" up close. For example, if you would expect to be working in a clinic, then get a job in a clinic at the BSN level and see how you like it. Some people love, some people hate it. But again, you won't know until you try. So try it before investing lots of time and money.
As for me, I specialize in staff education and quality improvement. I like teaching & supporting nurses in a hospital setting to provide the best practice possible. So I work to make things better for both patients and staff through teaching and evidence-based practice projects. The pay is fairly good (hospital rates) ... but with "bankers hours."
Good luck with whatever you decide.

I just want to add I have a LARGE number of faculty peers who pursued NP and hated it and are now in academia. It took many hoops for them to get here and (anecdotally) they all wish they had thought more about their decision at the time. So if you REALLY don't know what you want yet, wait until you do.