To Master or Not

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Besides a school certification for some states,do you think it is worth the expenses to pick up a Master Degree to stay as a school nurse in her late 50's? I think I would get $1000 a year more. Also can anybody recommend a cheap online degree program that requires no campus or clinical visits? I quests I'm also looking at maybe working from home in retirement. :mask:

It's not always about money..........sometimes the satisfaction a degree gives you is worth a little extra money. Why do you want the degree? Answer that and you will have your answer to whether you should do it even though it is expensive.

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No one will tell you, but that BSN helped land your job. My wife took two years looking for work because she was a diploma nurse. She was a diploma nurse with 28 years experience in IMC. She was a diploma nurse with charge experience. Her lack of BS meant everything. All things considered, an inexperienced BSN looks more attractive than a experienced RN with diploma or ADN. The bottom line is seldom pt. safety or satisfaction, the thing higher ups like is what it looks like on paper, that's what impresses other higher ups and the media.

I became an ADN nurse 19 years ago. Worked in a rural hospital starting in acute then moved up to L&D and Nursing Supervisor/ER (you had to be the nursing sup to be an ER nurse). I also was the "baby catcher" in cesareans. And helped in pre-op and post-op. I worked in a larger city ER as well. All with the ADN.

I went back to school to get my BSN after about 12 years because a lot of my contemporaries were doing the same and we went to a private Christian university. I had class once a week 70+ miles from here and would take my young son and leave him with a good friend who had a son the same age and they would have a great time. I'd pick up him after 10:00 p.m. and we'd drive the 70+ miles home.

I did get the school nurse job because I had a BSN - that is required.

But my other jobs I merely had an ADN - but I had ACLS, PALS, MICN certifications as well.

Now I am hospice and wound care.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

I'm sort of in the same boat. That's about what I'd make as well. That's not enough difference a paycheck to make it worth it financially and then considering I'd have loans to pay back then that extra would go towards that. It would actually cost me more money than I'd ever make back. However I still haven't completely written it off just because I've always wanted to teach nursing. However I'm very happy with my job right now so we'll see.

So if your reasons are purely financial then I'd say don't waste your time but if you want it for prestige or more open doors or it's just always been a dream then go for it!

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Specializes in OR, Home Care, Managed Care, Case Mgmt.

I'm working on my MSN through WGU as well. I love them so far! Although all of it is online they are very supportive and I like that you can work at your own pace. The only deadlines are that you complete 8 CU by the end of your term (6 months). That being said, you can also complete more than 8 CUs per term; you're welcome to finish as many CUs as you can manage in 6 months, while only paying one flat fee. I would say I went back for my masters 50% for myself/a sense of accomplishment/ongoing education, 30% for just in case a role I want down the line requires it, 20% because it feels like the right time: stable (knock on wood) telecommute job, I have extra funds to pay for it, and my employer will reimburse a little bit of the tuition. I don't think I'd have gone back to school if I had to take out a loan. I'm done with that! I just finished paying for my BSN earlier this year after 10 years. Have a great week, all!

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