Seeking advice on Masters programs

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I started working for a hospital that will pay for 100% of continuing education degrees, but of course there are stipulations that are making it difficult for me to determine what makes the most sense.

The ones I'm deciding between are Masters degree in nursing leadership and management, a nurse practitioners masters program, or a joint MSN/MBA program.

The stipulations with the nurse practitioner program is that you (might) have to move to a different hospital in the region hours away after you graduate and this is based on need. My life situation does not allow me to move so my option for nurse practitioner program is just to pay for it myself and not use the 100% scholarship program. The next two options Masters in leadership and management or MSN/MBA would allow me to stay at my hospital and get the degree 100% paid for. The thing here is i dont know the types of jobs, pay demand for jobs with either of those two degrees.

If you have the hospital pay for the degree you agree to work for 3 years for this hospital.

It would seem to me that the nurse practitioner might be the best in terms of pay and demand, as opposed to the two degrees that I could have my hospital pay for.

Does anyone have any insight on this situation?

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So if you really cannot move, then eliminate the NP program (paid for by the hospital) altogether from your decision.

Since the agreement is that you'll have to work for the hospital for 3 years, are there likely going to be management opportunities, and is that what you want? Or are you content with earning the degree and working

If you're considering paying for a NP program, maybe think about what you want to do everyday after you finish your degree. The day of the NP will be vastly different than a leadership position. There is another recent thread on this site about a NP student very disappointed with his/her program & the fact that students had to find their own preceptor sites.

Where I live, NPs do not necessarily make more $ than nurse managers/admin.

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Thanks for the reply golden. Its a little difficult I guess for me to decide really between what I'd rather do just because I'm quite unsure what types of jobs I could or would get with the MSN/MBA or the leadership and management degrees. Obviously things such as DON, but I'm sure there are tons of other jobs that I'm not even aware of. I have about a year of nursing experience so obviously I've got to get a good amount more experience which is what i planned to do while I was continuing my education.

My main goals and priorities are to get a job that will be in demand without difficulty of finding a job after I graduate ,pay very well and offer a good work/life balance with my family. I know you can continue to work the floor with a masters in leadership etc, but obviously you could do management as well, just wasn't sure the demand or pay for a masters level nurse with a leadership or management masters degree.

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In acute care, there are positions such as educator, infection control, and certain coordinator jobs that don't require an MSN but might make you more competitive. MSN is certainly preferred for many leadership jobs but I don't think the concentration you choose is too important. I chose the Education concentration & nursing education is a great field you may consider. The jobs I have interviewed for after getting my MSN did not necessarily pay more than floor jobs, though, so I wouldn't expect to make much more money after finishing the degree.

Going into management will give you worse work/life balance. You will never be able to clock out.

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4 minutes ago, Golden_RN said:

In acute care, there are positions such as educator, infection control, and certain coordinator jobs that don't require an MSN but might make you more competitive. MSN is certainly preferred for many leadership jobs but I don't think the concentration you choose is too important. I chose the Education concentration & nursing education is a great field you may consider. The jobs I have interviewed for after getting my MSN did not necessarily pay more than floor jobs, though, so I wouldn't expect to make much more money after finishing the degree.

Going into management will give you worse work/life balance. You will never be able to clock out.

Thank you. That information is helpful to me. Do you feel like nurse practitioner (even if i had to pay for it myself) would be better in terms of pay and work/life balance?

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Maybe some NPs can weigh in, or you might want to make a post under the NP specialty?

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