Should I go back to school for MSN?

schooldistrictnurse · Sep 8, 2014

Guess it depends on what you ultimately want to do. If your goal is to continue as a school nurse, what would be the advantage of the additional degree? If you have other goals and a MSN would be advantageous, then yes.

Kschaefer90 · Sep 8, 2014

I think that it would just help me overall to know more about children & body systems, etc. I'm not sure if I would be able to do at school additionally as a NP (prescribe, diagnose, etc.), so it would be additional knowledge and pay increase.

OldDude · Sep 8, 2014

Everybody has an opinion, of course, and mine is unless your aspiring for some administrative, teaching, or NP position outside of the school setting all that stuff isn't worth the investment versus what little you would be compensated by a school district for those achievements - if anything at all. In my district, school nurses (RNs) are on the same pay scale as teachers; regardless of their level of training.

schooldistrictnurse · Sep 8, 2014

What I did just for additional knowledge was take the national certification exam for school nurses. The reviewing I did before the exam was a great refresher and I actually did learn some new things. No extra money but that wasn't my goal.

Wave Watcher · Sep 8, 2014

In my school district...nurses do not get a pay raise for a higher degree. It is not in the budget for us. Unlike our teachers....for every advance in degree they get a pay raise. I would check into the "pay raise" situation first. I am finishing up my BSN but I am well aware it will not increase my pay at my job nor give me a promotion. BUT it does make me more marketable in the nursing arena if I never needed to switch jobs. Good luck!

100kids, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2014

I personally waited until I knew what I wanted to do with my Masters. That helped me decide if it was the right route. Since I got certified as a School Nurse Teacher and started teaching Health class I knew I would need to get my Masters within 5 years but I have decided the better choice is for me to get my Masters in Education rather than Nursing. Sometimes where you're going helps light the right path to get there. Good Luck!

amoLucia · Sep 10, 2014

To Wave Watcher - are you in the teachers' union (assuming they have one)? Some schools include their nurses in their union. If unionized teachers are eligible for enhancements, you could be too. Maybe ...?

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Sep 11, 2014

For me, it was more a personal goal than professional. I did Health Care Administration (essentially and MBA in health care) although I have brought more of it to my school practice than I originally anticipated. I am fortunate enough to be in a district where I was allowed tuition reimbursement and a step increase/track change. I did the whole thing online (from a brick and mortar school in my state). It was hard but good for my brain! I learned a lot!

PrayeRNurse, ASN, RN · Sep 11, 2014

I am working on my MSN/FNP I know that their is no pay incentive. I work with a very poor population and hope to bring a clinic into the district. In some area's of Phoenix the districts have FNP's overseen by a MD at several schools. They are able to schedule appointments for the students. It is the only care that they can get as they are for the most part undocumented people. No education is wasted.

Wave Watcher · Sep 13, 2014

To Wave Watcher - are you in the teachers' union (assuming they have one)? Some schools include their nurses in their union. If unionized teachers are eligible for enhancements, you could be too. Maybe ...?

No, we do not have a teacher's union. 2 years ago we were given the same requirements as teachers for CEU's and working teacher staff days. We are required 12 CEU hrs that are to be completed on our own....they do not pay for them nor can we do them during a "staff day". Now, if a teacher is still continuing his/her education then that counts during the year as their 12 CEU hrs, BUT if a nurse is in college continuing his/her education (like me)....it does NOT count. They see us as the step-children (in a bad way) of the district.