Nurses played a monumental role in the healthcare sector’s response to the pandemic. They led the testing and screening of people for COVID-19—the novel virus across the world. However, the focus on nursing management itself was amiss which led to severe mismanagement of nurses leading to nurses contracting the coronavirus and getting terminated as well. The healthcare sector has started rectifying this by prioritizing nursing professionals with higher education over doctors for nursing management roles in the last two years. If you are an experienced nurse with an undergraduate degree, pursuing a Master’s degree in nursing will benefit you greatly. You also have the option of Nurse CEUs. This article aims to nudge you further in that direction by sharing six benefits of a master’s in nursing.

Flexibility in job roles

There is little to no room for margin of error when working as a nurse, especially if you are working in the emergency department. Nursing practitioners with a master’s degree enjoy much more flexibility in their operational hours as they have less direct interaction with patients. Due to the managerial nature of jobs for nursing practitioners, their job revolves around ensuring smooth nursing operations for providing consistent and quality care to nursing patients. 

High Demand for Nurse Practitioners

There has been a rapid increase in demand for nursing practitioners who have acquired a graduate-level qualification as they learn healthcare management during their MSc. In Nursing (MSN) education. This degree builds upon nurses’ clinical knowledge by adding technical knowledge about healthcare systems. As an aspiring nurse, you can apply for MSN online, making it easier and more convenient to acquire the degree. The program is also short and can be undertaken by employed nurses from the comfort of their homes. 

Acquiring Management Skills

Management or managerial skills encompass knowledge and skills of the various job functions that fall under the domain of a manager. These job functions generally refer to the operations of finance and administration, human resource management, and procurement and logistics management. In an MSN program, you will learn a structured approach to these job functions, as good management of these functions is critical in the time-sensitive nature of nursing care. During your Master’s, you will also learn software such as Microsoft Excel for budgeting and management functions, harbor efficient management practices, and build up your IT skills. As a result, nurse managers and supervisors with this skill set can function better by managing their job functions using modern and structured tools.

Taking on Leadership Roles

Nurses with a graduate degree and extensive experience can take on leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings involving nursing care. Once you have become a nursing practitioner, you will have the luxury of choosing the roles of nurse managers and supervisors and higher-level roles involving nursing programs and research studies. 

Autonomy

As a nurse practitioner, you are given a great deal of autonomy in your respective role. This includes having the power to make decisions concerning the recruitment of staff and their routine and long-term management. If you are a veteran nurse with a graduate degree, you will make the most of this autonomy to apply your vision and shape your nursing best suited to provide patient care in your respective healthcare setting.

Experience growth

Often nurses face stagnation in their respective roles financially and in their career trajectory due to the lack of a Master’s degree. Hence, it is of the utmost importance for nursing professionals to acquire a Master’s degree to get ahead in their respective careers. Nursing as a career will always be high in demand due to its bond with healthcare. Therefore, an MSN qualification can be quite liberating for you as a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree and considerable experience in nursing care. Consequently, you will attain a well-deserved increment in your income and benefits, leading to your financial growth. Nursing professionals progressing in their careers receive their due financial rewards and have higher motivation for doing their jobs. You are also likely to feel fulfilled for the years of devoted service you provided to patients. All these facets can reduce various burdens in your life and contribute to your growth as an individual. 

Final Thoughts

The combined response of nursing and healthcare systems to the pandemic demonstrated the dire need for nursing practitioners who have attained graduate-level degrees. Through this graduate degree, you will be able to acquire management skills and substantially increase your demand in the nursing arena and the healthcare sector at large. As a nursing practitioner, you will have the liberty to apply for leadership roles and consequently experience greater autonomy, decision-making power, and flexibility in your respective job role. Moreover, with a higher education degree, you will be able to progress in your career, gain financial stability, and ultimately grow as an individual. The benefits of having an MSN cannot be understated, as it allows you to transcend your career by complementing your wealth of experience with a graduate degree.