Published Nov 10, 2014
hpvarnad
2 Posts
After graduating nursing school I plan on getting my BSN, I was just wondering why I should go on and get an MSN; what doors would an MSN open for me that a BSN wouldn't?
akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P
3,523 Posts
That depends entirely upon what you want to do. MSN is usually "overkill" for a floor nurse, but perhaps you're into teaching... the MSN gets you considered for those jobs. Remember, MSN is when you can really start to specialize academically.
AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P
2,587 Posts
MSN you can do education like the above poster said or you can become a nurse practitioner.
HPRN
Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN
6 Articles; 11,936 Posts
Management positions, teaching positions in some schools, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist. It all depends on what you want to do and what you think is worth it. I work bedside with my MSN; however, that MSN will allow me to transition into an education role when I am no longer physically able to work bedside.
RunBabyRN
3,677 Posts
In addition to what the PPs have said, I have actually seen one hospital that requires MSN for floor nurses. In this market, they have that luxury. Really, unless you plan to go into education, there's not much need for it unless you're looking at advanced practice.
emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B
2,942 Posts
Indoor work, no heavy lifting.
Nurse-Prestige
37 Posts
The higher the degree, the better. MSN is great because you can specialize (CRNA, NP, etc.), and you would have a lot more opportunities.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
The BSN is a generalist nursing degree, whereas the MSN is the specialist nursing degree. Hence, the entire point of earning an MSN degree is specialization.
The most common MSN specializations are nursing leadership, nursing education, and the advanced practice concentrations (CRNA, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and nurse midwife).
Other MSN specialties that are not as common include case management, nursing informatics, holistic nursing, infection control, utilization management, clinical nurse leader, and diabetes care.