Stale MSN degree? Use it or lose it?

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Telemetry.

I am graduating next spring (May 2012) with my MSN. I am currently an RN on a med/surg/tele floor. I work 24 hours a week and love it! I love the hours, my floor, and my co-workers. I don't plan on picking up extra hours on the floor.

I went back for my MSN for a few reasons: 1. I only have an associates in nursing and felt it might be limiting in my future. 2. my employer would pay for. 3. I am super motived and love school.

My conumdrum is that I don't think I will be doing anything different with my MSN after I graduate. So my question is, if I don't start utilizing my MSN in say, the nurse education field (my specialty), would the degree go "stale" after a few years? I know I will always have the degree, but do I need to be using it to keep it fresh?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Hmmm... good question. I think the true answer is "a little," but not a lot. It's fine to remain in a staff nurse position ... but I would recommend taking on some leadership responsibilities within that staff nurse role. Can you be an active participant in a unit or hospital committee? Can you volunteer to precept more advanced orientees or nursing students? Can you work on a project and maybe do a poster at a conference about it? Can you be a speaker at a local/regional conference? etc.

Finding some ways to be a leader and use some of that education will help keep you moving forward, learning, etc. and prevent some of that "staleness" that can happen. You need to interact regularly with other nurses at an advanced level, read the literature on current trends, etc. to keep up to date -- and being involved with some projects can help you do that. If you don't, there is a danger that some of your advanced role knowledge/skills will become outdated even though your bedside care remains current.

But you can do those things as a staff nurse.

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Specializes in Care Coordination/ Insurance Assessments.

crapola. graduated on Aug 09, still trying to get hired as an RN, let alone use my MSN degree. I have been secretly concerned about the stale RN, AND MSN aspects......

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Another option might be looking for a part-time/adjunct clinical instructor positions in a local nursing program. I've known lots of nursing who do that in addition to a full- or part-time staff nurse position, and that gets your "foot in the door" in nursing education and uses your degree.

Best wishes!

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crapola. graduated on Aug 09, still trying to get hired as an RN, let alone use my MSN degree. I have been secretly concerned about the stale RN, AND MSN aspects......

Youve been unemployed for 5 years with an RN and MSN??

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