The majority of the medical students are well-aware of various healthcare courses like nursing and doctorate programs. However, many fresh college graduates need to research the offered programs a little more. Suppose you have completed your Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In that case, you will know what to expect from an MSN degree.
An online master’s in Nursing Science is gaining popularity among medical students. Many sectors were affected by the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19, especially the healthcare sector. Over time, people started realizing the true worth of healthcare and why more people need to invest in a healthcare career. Those students who wish to work in a professional medical setting can easily opt for the MSN degree.
Most importantly, those students have a better chance of qualifying in this field and have already done their bachelor’s in nursing. Now, you must know why this is the right program for you and the benefit of getting qualified. The primary reason will be a successful career, with good salary packages in the beginning.
Before moving forward with what else to expect from this program, let’s know more about the term.
Online Master of Science in Nursing:
Whoever has a degree in MSN is known as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Such nurses can typically become Clinical Nurse Specialists or Nurse Practitioners. After the global pandemic, the need for MSN degree holders increased even more. Therefore, this program holds a lot of significance in the nursing sector. The ccne accredited online msn programs allow you to advance your medical career. Not just that, but these programs further assist you in providing comprehensive healthcare services to the public.
Now, let’s discuss what to look for in an online MSN degree.
What are the requirements to enroll in this program?
Before proceeding ahead, please ensure that you have read all the requirements:
- You need to finish your bachelor’s in this field before applying for a master’s.
- There is also a need for an unencumbered and active registered nurse license.
- A letter of recommendation is needed, with adequate grade point averages.
- Most of these MSN degree programs take up to 24 months to complete.
- They usually include either a thesis module or a fieldwork module.
- If you choose the thesis module, you will have to do extensive research on nursing in the last year.
- For fieldwork, you will need approval from the university to work at a hospital or any other medical institute.
What roles will you learn from this degree?
An important thing to consider here is whether this degree program complements your career goals or not. This degree will broaden your knowledge about the nursing sector, preparing you for education or leadership roles. As mentioned above, you will become an APRN through this degree program, with a chance to do advanced clinical work under supervision. That means that this program is an all-in-one package, which can either transform you into a nurse educator/leader or make you a registered nurse. Once you understand what you expect from your future, it will be easier to align it with this degree.
Is this degree program accredited?
If a third party accredits a degree or course, this validates a degree program. Moreover, before investing your time and money in any degree, you must confirm the accreditation status. It will help you in determining if an educational institute offering a particular course is reliable or not.
There are two accrediting bodies for the nursing field:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
These programmatic accreditation bodies are capable of verifying the accreditation status of an education institute. In this way, you will know if you are performing your MSN from a well-accredited institute or not.
Who will be the faculty members?
It is highly critical to find an online MSN degree program that offers a highly credential faculty. Faculty members who have relevant practical experience in the nursing profession will be the ideal role models. Students need professional teachers who are capable of facilitating them in different courses. If a particular institute offers doctorate-level faculty with comprehensive experience in teaching healthcare, opt for it.
What are the outcomes of this degree?
By choosing this degree program, you will specialize in different roles of a nurse practitioner. The primary outcome usually comprises a successful career in nursing, which is everyone’s primary objective. Some lucrative MSN degree program careers are listed below:
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Certified Nurse-Midwife
- Clinical Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS)
All of these are rewarding degree outcomes, which are as per the healthcare sector’s needs. This wide variety of nursing careers shows the real potential of this degree program, making you fully capable of advancing in nursing.
Why are MSN degree programs so important?
Ever since COVID-19 disrupted everyone’s lives, the nursing sector faced a shortage of nurses. Also, qualifying for a nursing degree is challenging, and only a few students can pass it with adequate grades. Eventually, this led to a market gap, with more job openings in the nursing sector and only a few nurses to cater to these positions.
Over time, nurses with MSN degrees became more valuable to manage professional healthcare affairs without needing much guidance. It happened because MSN degrees permitted professional nurses to gain advanced skills and expert knowledge to be more practical. As an MSN degree holder, you will experience growth in salary and career, with job security. Moreover, scoring this degree will provide you with the ultimate satisfaction to work in this sector.
The Bottom Line:
After knowing the basics of an MSN degree program, consider this field to excel in your career. With this degree program, you will gain additional nursing experience and receive better working opportunities as well. So why not enroll yourself in this degree program and shape your future in the best way possible? After all, learning more about a particular field would not do you much harm but only benefit you in numerous ways.