Should I go for my MSN?

[kejRN]

I have been thinking of getting my Master's degree for several years now. I started with my ADN and went back for my BSN after 3 years of working. I have been a nurse for 8 years now, with experience in Ortho/Med-Surg, and Labor and Delivery. I have thought about and actually started a program geared towards Nursing Education, but I am not convinced that that is what I want to do for the rest of my career. Over the years, my mind keeps drifting towards being a Nurse Practitioner, either Family Practice or Women's Health. I think part of my hesitation is that I don't feel like I am smart enough to be an NP. I know there are several good programs in the area I live in. Any tips or suggestions on how I can make this important decision? Thanks!!

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Can you shadow an NP for a day or two to get a better feel for the practice? Acute care vs Primary care NP programs are becoming the norm, so you'd have to make a choice there too.

Why do you want to get your Master's? Do you want more responsibility? More autonomy? More money? Just a change? Consider the motivations behind returning to school to help you identify which direction would best help you reach those goals. If your primary motivator was a higher income, for example, you might consider the salary of area NPs vs what you could make teaching clinical as an adjunct faculty in addition to your clinical role.

[kejRN]

Thanks for your reply. I have thought about going back for my Master's because I am not sure if I want to do bedside nursing for my whole career. I have RA, which I was diagnosed with before I started nursing school, and I am not sure if I will physically be able to be a floor nurse in 20-30 years. I don't feel like management is the route I want to go, same with education. But, there is something intriguing about the challenge of being a nurse practitioner. Once I decide, then next choice would be which program to chose.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

NP track is grueling so if you're not sure you want it, then you are better off doing something else. Look into CNL, case management, or more generic MSNs. Better yet, wait until you are more sure of what you want to do.

[SmithRNclassof97]

If you don't go for it you may regret it. I started my master's degree program in 1999. I went full time for a year but withdrew after earning 28 credits despite my GPA of 3.8. I spent the last 17 years regretting my decision to leave. Since its been so many years, those classes I took amount to nothing and I have to start all over. I'm now in an online MSN program that is very flexible. I can't stand to spend another year angry with myself for leaving graduate school so many years ago. Go for it now because time passes quickly. You won't regret it.