Advanced Nursing Degrees

Copyright 2006 Linda Rayereduce substantially.
There is a general feeling that nursing as a2. RN to MSN and beyond Positions in higher
profession needs more of hands-on experiencemanagement, clinical positions and educational
than pure academic knowledge. There is a reasoninstitutes require a master's degree. When you
or two there. We are known to laud the role ofpursue a master's degree, you typically learn to
nurses who have excellent practical abilities andfocus on management and / or clinical specialties
management supervision skills.and if you so choose, you may prepare to teach
But apart from the too-obvious hospital care jobs,nursing courses upon completion. Nursing
nurses have definitive roles to play in many othereducators are much sought-after in US, so
healthcare functions, and even in stellar roles inteaching can very well enhance your career to
healthcare industry. It needs no telling that higherhelp shape the future of nursing.
education in nursing is imperative for nurses to3. Nurses as "doctors" As discussed above, the
work in senior positions, many of which aretop echelon in advanced nursing degrees belongs
suitable for none else than nurses themselves.to PhD and now the Doctorate of Nursing Practice
In practice however, there is lukewarm response(DNP). In recent years, more nurses are
among nursing students to pursue higher degrees,proceeding to go for a doctorate degree in
perhaps for reasons of convenience and cost. Fornursing, and accordingly, many institutions too are
example, though numbers of nurses having a BSNexpanding their basket of course offerings to
degree has increased during the last four decades,appeal to more students and also to meet this
yet only about 44% of 2.7 million nurses currentlygrowing demand. In fact, about a dozen institutes
hold a bachelor's degree or higher.have added a DNP program in their curriculum,
Given the advent of advanced medical treatmentaccording to the American Association of Colleges
and progressively longer lifespan of people, thereof Nursing, and more plan to start in near future.
is no denying that the nursing practice is set toA doctorate degree in nursing is helpful to teach
undergo many changes in sync with technologyat university level, conduct research, and even
and need. Keeping this in perspective, in Octoberwork in clinical settings or hospital management.
2004, the American Association of Colleges of4. Other options Among other careers pursuable
Nursing (AACN) agreed in a resolution to supportfor advanced nursing degree holders while
the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) as a terminalremaining in a nursing discipline, nurse practitioner
practice degree. The DNP will be different fromand nurse anesthetist must come first. In case of
the PhD in that while the PhD has widernurse practitioner, it is usually an offering of
acceptance as being research-focused to supplantmaster's degree, whereupon you will qualify to
the master's degree, the DNP is proposed to betake the national nurse practitioner certification
for those nurses who want an advanced practiceexam. A qualified nurse practitioner is able to
role, such as nurse practitioner or nursediagnose and treat many common illnesses as well
anesthetist. However, perhaps very few schoolsas to prescribe medications.
like University of Kentucky have embarked onOn the other hand, after attaining a master's
this new educational path to offer the DNPdegree, if you are interested in becoming a nurse
degree.anesthetist, you need to pass a CRNA (Certified
A brief round-up of various advanced nursingRegistered Nurse Anesthetists) certification
degrees is provided below:program. A qualified CRNA can be expected to
1. RN to BSN If you commenced your career inwork independently or in association with other
nursing with an associate degree or a diploma,anesthesiologists to provide anesthesia services in
you may consider attaining your bachelor's degree.case of both surgical and obstetrical patients. A
Many advanced nursing positions today areCRNA's work may be patient-intensive during
increasingly looking for a minimum of bachelor'spreoperative, intra-operative and postoperative
degree. The good news is that a number ofperiods.
distance learning courses has made this a viableAs can be seen from above discussions, there is
option for quite a few of you who are workingno dearth of career opportunities for advanced
professionals. Besides, there are flexible programsnursing degree holders. In fact, as experts opine,
in addition to distance learning that can be suitablythe advancement of medical technology will
timed around your work schedule. In some cases,continue to enrich and enhance the requirement
universities are known to consider your workof nursing personnel who are equipped with one
experience toward academic credit, which meansor more advanced nursing degrees.
your cost and time to complete your degree