Rn To Msn: Advance Your Administrative Skills And Advance Your Nursing Career

If you've been working as a nurse for a while

, you probably have wondered if you should pursue an advanced nursing degree. After all, you know that a nurse with a masters degree in nursing (MSN) makes a tidy salary (an average of $72,000).

But if you don't have a bachelor's degree, which is required to pursue a masters degree in nursing, you may feel your ship has sailed

Well, throw a line to the passing vessel, because if you studied for your RN license via an associates degree in nursing (ADN), there are many RN to MSN programs available.

RN MSN Los Angeles Programs

Los Angeles has many fine nursing programs for those nurses wishing to pursue an advanced nursing degree. Many are set up so that you'll take most of your courses online -- at the time that best fits your schedule -- allowing you to continue to take care of patients and provide for your family as you work as a nurse.

There are several reasons you should consider going for an RN to MSN degree. Beyond the pride you'll naturally feel when you finally earn your MSN degree, you'll also find you've opened a door to a management or other leadership career path within the nursing profession.

For example, a nurse who holds a masters degree in nursing can become a faculty member at a nursing program and help train the next generation of nurses. There's a critical shortage of nurses, as you probably well know. What you may not know is how critical is the need for nursing faculty: the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported last year that almost 50,000 nursing students were turned away from nursing programs and colleges/universities due, in part, to a lack of qualified nursing faculty. Study in an RN to MSN program and the masters degree in nursing you will earn will qualify you to teach nursing students.

If becoming a nursing faculty member isn't one of your dreams, pursuing an MSN degree also will allow you to pursue employment as a nursing administrator. Or even a hospital administrator! Your RN to MSN curriculum more than likely will include courses in budgeting, organizational development, health care economics, management and more.

As you research nursing programs, you'll want to find out if the school is accredited by the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), which accredits nursing programs at all levels, or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which accredits nursing programs at the BSN or MSN level. Attending an accredited school is important because you will know that the program has passed a stringent set of requirements set by the accrediting bodies. You also will be eligible for federal financial aid programs if you attend an accredited school.

by: Jean Henshaw

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