Question to all the managers regarding hiring MSN staff nurses

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm currently a nurse working with my BSN at the bedside. I'm in grad school and wanted to complete my MSN in education. But after lots of thought, I decided against that area of study. I'm now in the Executive MSN or Administration tracks(both are very similar and I have a semester to narrow down which one will be my focus). My question/dilemma is this. I have been a nurse for just under 1 year..would many places consider hiring an adminstrator/director who has less than 2-3 years of experience? Also, would managers/clinical directors hire a staff nurse with certifications in med/surg and gerontology, and a MSN in administration(or executive MSN) who wants to work at the bedside? Would you wonder why someone with such a degree and certifications would want to work at the bedside? Or would it be acceptable to you provided that's the choice of the nurse? I like working at the bedside, but I want my MSN in administration. I just don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

[kayern]

:idea:This will not be popular but I feel graduate school should have a minimal years of experience requirement. How in the world does a novice nurse with less than one years experience know what to get a masters in? Just my opinion.

[tila.12]

I agree with kayern. Nursing is something that requires many years of honing in skills after licensure. A friend of mine was in a RN-MSN program that turned RN's into NP's with no experience in nursing. Right after passing the NCLEX she was on the fast track to becoming a NP. How can you properly assess and diagnose patients when you have no real experience at the bedside? The same applies to being an administrator with no real experience to speak of at the bedside. How will the staff nurses function with a DON who has less experience than all of them, as little as 3 years? How will this DON know how to handle the MANY crises that may arise? If there was a minimal years of experience requirement then young nurses would be able to see what areas they are really interested in, and excel at as well.