Advanced Nursing Degrees

There is a general feeling that nursing as amanagement, clinical positions and educational
profession needs more of hands-on experienceinstitutes require a master's degree. When you
than pure academic knowledge. There is a reasonpursue a master's degree, you typically learn to
or two there. We are known to laud the role offocus on management and / or clinical specialties
nurses who have excellent practical abilities andand if you so choose, you may prepare to teach
management supervision skills.nursing courses upon completion. Nursing
But apart from the too-obvious hospital care jobs,educators are much sought-after in US, so
nurses have definitive roles to play in many otherteaching can very well enhance your career to
healthcare functions, and even in stellar roles inhelp shape the future of nursing.
healthcare industry. It needs no telling that higher3. Nurses as "doctors" As discussed above, the
education in nursing is imperative for nurses totop echelon in advanced nursing degrees belongs
work in senior positions, many of which areto PhD and now the Doctorate of Nursing Practice
suitable for none else than nurses themselves.(DNP). In recent years, more nurses are
In practice however, there is lukewarm responseproceeding to go for a doctorate degree in
among nursing students to pursue higher degrees,nursing, and accordingly, many institutions too are
perhaps for reasons of convenience and cost. Forexpanding their basket of course offerings to
example, though numbers of nurses having a BSNappeal to more students and also to meet this
degree has increased during the last four decades,growing demand. In fact, about a dozen institutes
yet only about 44% of 2.7 million nurses currentlyhave added a DNP program in their curriculum,
hold a bachelor's degree or higher.according to the American Association of Colleges
Given the advent of advanced medical treatmentof Nursing, and more plan to start in near future.
and progressively longer lifespan of people, thereA doctorate degree in nursing is helpful to teach
is no denying that the nursing practice is set toat university level, conduct research, and even
undergo many changes in sync with technologywork in clinical settings or hospital management.
and need. Keeping this in perspective, in October4. Other options Among other careers pursuable
2004, the American Association of Colleges offor advanced nursing degree holders while
Nursing (AACN) agreed in a resolution to supportremaining in a nursing discipline, nurse practitioner
the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) as a terminaland nurse anesthetist must come first. In case of
practice degree. The DNP will be different fromnurse practitioner, it is usually an offering of
the PhD in that while the PhD has widermaster's degree, whereupon you will qualify to
acceptance as being research-focused to supplanttake the national nurse practitioner certification
the master's degree, the DNP is proposed to beexam. A qualified nurse practitioner is able to
for those nurses who want an advanced practicediagnose and treat many common illnesses as well
role, such as nurse practitioner or nurseas to prescribe medications.
anesthetist. However, perhaps very few schoolsOn the other hand, after attaining a master's
like University of Kentucky have embarked ondegree, if you are interested in becoming a nurse
this new educational path to offer the DNPanesthetist, you need to pass a CRNA (Certified
degree.Registered Nurse Anesthetists) certification
A brief round-up of various advanced nursingprogram. A qualified CRNA can be expected to
degrees is provided below:work independently or in association with other
1. RN to BSN If you commenced your career inanesthesiologists to provide anesthesia services in
nursing with an associate degree or a diploma,case of both surgical and obstetrical patients. A
you may consider attaining your bachelor's degree.CRNA's work may be patient-intensive during
Many advanced nursing positions today arepreoperative, intra-operative and postoperative
increasingly looking for a minimum of bachelor'speriods.
degree. The good news is that a number ofAs can be seen from above discussions, there is
distance learning courses has made this a viableno dearth of career opportunities for advanced
option for quite a few of you who are workingnursing degree holders. In fact, as experts opine,
professionals. Besides, there are flexible programsthe advancement of medical technology will
in addition to distance learning that can be suitablycontinue to enrich and enhance the requirement
timed around your work schedule. In some cases,of nursing personnel who are equipped with one
universities are known to consider your workor more advanced nursing degrees.
experience toward academic credit, which meansLinda Raye is an accomplished writer and editor of
your cost and time to complete your degreewebsite. Her main interest lies in the healthcare
reduce substantially.field with one of her passions being nursing.
2. RN to MSN and beyond Positions in higher