subject: Entry Msn Degree Programs: The Fast Track To A Nursing Career [print this page] If you've been wanting to pursue a nursing career but are worried that a) you already have a bachelor's degree and it's not in nursing and, b) you fear it will take too long for you to go back to college to earn that BSN, not to worry: there are many graduate nursing schools that will allow you to earn a registered nurse's license in less than two years.
Many of these programs, particularly Los Angeles graduate nursing schools, then allow you to go on to earn a master's degree in nursing (MSN) as you continue to work in your new nurse career. The MSN portion often can be taken almost virtually online, allowing you to earn the degree at times that are convenient to your schedule.
Nursing is a great career. Nurses who go into administration (those with the masters degree in nursing) will find that they've entered one of the fastest growing arms of health care.
If you enroll in one of the Los Angeles graduate nursing schools, you'll soon find yourself immersed in all things nursing. The programs for nursing students who already hold a bachelor's degree in any subject often are quite intense and will see you living and breathing your studies. After all, you'll be taking your didactic (classroom) and clinical classes in just months, compared to those who earn a BSN in the traditional four years.
Yet this shouldn't be a problem for you. College graduates who decide to change course and enter in an MSN Entry program often are older and committed to their nursing school education. You also will probably have a higher grade-point average than a "typical" nursing student and so you should be able to get through your MSN Entry program with "relative" ease.
Once you've completed the RN portion of your MSN Entry curriculum, you'll be eligible to sit for the RN licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN. Pass the exam and you'll be able to start work as a Registered Nurse.
You'll then start your masters degree nursing portion of the curriculum. MSN Entry programs of this kind generally are fully or partially online, so you'll be able to begin your career as a working Registered Nurse while you pursue your master's degree. Receive your MSN in two-four years and you'll be able to move up into nursing administration.
There's a critical nursing shortage looming for this country. Some experts (the journal Health Affairs) has estimated a shortage of 256,000 registered nurses in 2025. Part of the reason for the looming shortfall is a current shortage of nursing faculty. Earn your masters degree in nursing and you can become part of the nursing shortage solution by teaching another generation of nurses.
