Which graduate nursing education path should I take?

[ksc0723]

Hello all,

I am an associate's degree RN with a prior BS in psychology and MS in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am working on a NICU currently and just graduated in May. I want to go on for my MS in nursing but not sure what to pursue. I would like to do something in education whether it be at a nursing program, patient education, or staff education and training. What graduate degree should I pursue? I have not completely ruled out NP as well because I enjoy working with patients. I just want to work m-f 8-5 no holidays or weekends and be a normal person. I loathe the hospital hours.

[mvg rn]

If you decide to go the NP route, you might want to think about Pediatric NP and not Neonatal NP. Working in the NICU you obviously like kids, but with a NNP you are almost certainly going to be stuck in the hospital. With a PNP, you should be able to get a job in a doctor's office M-F.

If you decide to get your PNP, you should look at finding a job in peds while you are in school. I know several NICU nurses who have gotten their PNP and had a difficult time finding jobs after graduation because of their lack of peds experience.

Good Luck to you!

[ksc0723]

Thanks for the feedback. I work with NNP and a lot of them have said the same thing about doing peds NP vs NNP.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I don't know about the market in your area, but a Clinical Nurse Specialist might be a good choice too. If you are attending a local university, ask for an interview with the Dean of graduate students about choices in your area. I did that before applying to the school. Later I learned it was a little unorthodox, but I got the help I needed and the Dean and I became friends. We still communicate thru Sigma Theta Tau meetings. PLUS, her secretary made sure I got all the financial help I needed. My graduate degree was almost free.

[noahsmama]

If what you're looking for is "normal" working hours and you like doing education, you may not need to go on for an MSN at all. You could be a lactation consultant, or a PHN doing mom/baby home visits. To be a PHN in most states you need a BSN, but you might not have to do all that much coursework to get the BSN, given that you already have a bachelors degree in another field.

[llg, PhD, RN]

You need to figure out the type of work you want to do before you can hope to pick the right educational program for you. Assess yourself (strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, etc.) to narrow down a career path. Then choose the educational program that will best prepare you for that type of work.

[KarmaWiseRaven]

How about going Holistic's Yes you can do that. Pisst not only am i a LPN ( looks both ways ) and whispers I'm also a Cirtified Hypnotherapist and Massage Therapist. I know Herbology and Oils and I'm currently taking classes to go further in to that field to be come a Herbalist. I know and have been taught and have my certificates in Quantum Healing, Reiki, and Tantra. I believe in treating the person as a whole not just the symptom that got to where they are. Something to think about you already have psych down. these are my thoughts use them as you wish.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

oooh oooh Pick Us! Pick Us! Choose Education!!! My MSN was CS in Critical Care & Education.

Srsly, there aren't enough qualified nurse educators to go around. I know that academic salaries are pretty much a joke, but that is definitely NOT the case in workplace education. If you are concerned about financing your graduate education, there is Fed $$$ out there at most state universities as part of the initiative to increase the ranks of nursing faculty. Go and talk with someone at your local uni to get a better idea of how this works.

Best of luck to you, whatever path you choose.

[ksc0723]

Great feedback. Thanks for the posts so far. A lot of things I haven't considered have been mentioned. Keep the ideas coming :)

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

Sounds like a MSN in Nursing Education would fit what you want to do.