Advanced Degrees in Nursing

If you are one of the more ambitious people in life and want to take your nursing career to the next level while at the same time increasing your pay, you need to consider advanced degrees in nursing. Once you have your BS in nursing and work in the nursing field you may find that you want to take your career to the next level. In order to do so you need to get an advanced degree that will allow you to work in practically any health field. A masters in nursing degree will allow this to happen. You will not only be able to access many more positions than you did with your RN qualifications, but you will also be able to ask for and receive better pay for your work.

Open Doors

Once you decide you want to take your nursing career to the next level you will discover that there are many more positions available for you. An advanced degree will allow you to enter more medical fields and become a nurse in those areas. You will be able to become any of the following:

  • Anesthesia Nurse
  • Nurse Manager
  • Nurse Administrator
  • Nurse Practitioner

You can also take your Masters Degree in Nursing and become an educator who helps other people fulfill their dream of becoming a nurse. All of these areas of nursing and teaching pay more than the basic RN degree and at the same time have more responsibilities.

Advanced Careers Explained

Once you have taken your nursing education to the next level and have your Masters Degree you can become a specialized nurse. These nursing positions have higher pay rates, much more responsibility and thus stress and of course they have more prestige and recognition. You will often be the nurse in charge in your area. Some of the more common advanced nursing careers are outlined here to help you decide if continuing your education is something you would like to o.

  • Nurse Anesthetist: This is one of the fields of nursing that becomes an option once you have a Master’s Degree. This position allows you to work in the operating room or other area that requires the use of anesthesia. As a nurse anesthetist you will be able to provide a valuable service to patients who are undergoing procedures and need to be put to sleep. This position requires you to be a quick thinker and able to handle emergencies. You will receive a lot of training for this job. While this position is one that can be very stressful, the compensation is also very good compared to other areas of nursing.
  • Nurse Practitioner: A nurse practitioner can perform many of the same duties that a doctor does. As a nurse practitioner you may be employed in doctor’s offices or after hour medical care facilities. Nurse practitioners can read X-rays, prescribe many medications and make a general diagnosis. This position has a lot of stress due to the enormous amount of responsibility.
  • Administrator: If you would like to become a head nurse, department manager or even a nursing home administrator, continuing your education and obtaining your Masters Degree is the path you should take. As a head nurse or administrator you will be in charge of other nurses in the department or even the entire facility, such as being administrator of a nursing home. Nurse administrator do not have a much patient interaction as other nurses and spend most of their time in an office rather than on the floor with patients. If you prefer to work with patients, you should consider other advanced positions; however, if you are interested in moving as far up the ladder as possible, this could be a step that you should consider.

These are just a few of the different positions that you can move into once you have completed your Masters in Nursing. This list shows that earning higher degrees allow you to earn more money in higher positions.

If you have graduated nursing school and have your Bachelor’s degree you should consider your future career and determine exactly what it is you want to do in five or ten years. If you see yourself moving up the nursing ladder you should look into advanced degrees in nursing to help you reach your goals.