Some nurses may be surprised to learn how many ways there are to advance a nursing career. The ever-changing landscape for healthcare in the U.S. has created opportunities for nurses who wish to take on leadership or teaching roles and who are seeking educational choices that allow them to continue working as a nurse while earning an advanced degree.
Most nursing degree programs offer long-term educational planning for nurses who have earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, with option of entering a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. These academic programs allow you to begin studying at different points of your nursing career.
Administrative
If you currently hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), consider earning a master’s degree. Most healthcare management and leadership positions require clinical experience as well as an MSN. Chief nursing officer, head nurse, clinical nursing manager, director of nursing, and nursing coordinator are just a few of the possibilities available to you if you earn an MSN.
Many nurses choose to seek an educational route to advance their career and move into administrative positions as they age. Nurses are well aware of the physical demands of the job, and the longer they practice clinical nursing and patient care, the more the physical demands of the job may become difficult. Instead of leaving the field entirely, experienced nurses can continue their education and use their current level of training and expertise to open doors to new opportunities.
Educational
If you’ve ever been inspired by an instructor, then you understand the power of effective teaching. If a career in nursing education interests you, there are a wide range of instructional opportunities available within the nursing profession, including teaching at universities, community colleges, or technical schools. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported that over 64,000 potential students were turned away from credentialed nursing schools in 2016 alone due to a shortage of faculty and clinical resources.1The demand for skilled, experienced nurses to teach in clinical settings is high. You may find it rewarding to share your experience and knowledge as a nurse educator at a teaching hospital to help mentor the next generation of nurses. Teaching can also be an especially good career for parents since teaching allows you to maintain a schedule that more closely resembles that of your children, and some faculty positions offer nine-month teaching schedules and even summers off.
Teaching positions within the nursing profession require you to be a registered nurse with a valid license and several years of on-the-job clinical experience. Some nurses choose to continue caring for patients in addition to teaching classes, allowing them to maintain their clinical skills while pursuing additional goals. Nurse educators not only teach courses and conduct clinical training, they are also role models for their students. Similar to other educators, those who teach nursing skills create lesson plans, evaluate educational programs, and oversee students’ clinical practice.
Online Education
Technological advances now allow accredited universities and colleges to offer online classes in nursing to registered nurses, making pursuing a BSN or MSN more accessible. Online nursing classes allow licensed nursing professionals to pursue enhanced areas of study such as leadership, administration, and education. Flexible class schedules provide nurses the freedom to attend classes outside of work hours and family time.
Many employers offer tuition assistance programs, such as tuition reimbursement or third-party billing for classes toward a BSN or MSN degree. Whether you are a recent graduate or you’ve been out of school for decades, there are many educational opportunities available to help you continue your professional growth and expand your career path within the nursing profession.
Learn more here about how AHU Online can help you reach your career goals.
Sources:
- “Nursing Faculty Shortage,” American Association of Colleges of Nursing, last modified April 26, 2017, http://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Faculty-Shortage.
