Post-BSN: What are the Next Steps?
When you have completed your BSN degree and passed your licensing exams, you will be working as a registered nurse, most likely in general nursing. This is a great step, as it can help you work out where your interests and passions lie, and give you an indication of the area of nursing you would like to specialize in. If you are considering your next steps or planning your educational journey toward becoming a nurse, there are plenty of options for you to think about.
How do you become a nurse?
Firstly, in order to become a nurse, you must complete a BSN, which is a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. This usually takes around four years, and covers a range of skills, topics and experiences that will help prepare you to pass your licensing exams and work in nursing. The licensing exams can differ depending on your state, so it is important to think about what state you want to be practicing in. Once you have successfully completed these steps, you can start working as a practicing RN.
What is an MSN?
There is plenty of room for career growth within the nursing industry, with many different routes to take. The more advanced and specialized areas of nursing require a higher level of qualification, and once you have completed your BSN you may begin to think about an MSN degree. This is a Master’s of Science in Nursing and will help prepare you to undertake nursing leadership roles or to work as a nurse practitioner. There are many different types of nurse practitioner, for example, a Family Nurse Practitioner, and the BSN to FNP pipeline can be a rewarding and challenging one. You will gain more knowledge and insight into your chosen area, developing the new skills required as well as building upon your existing ones and learning how to apply them to new situations you may encounter.
Furthering your education is a great idea, as it makes you eligible for a larger number of jobs, as well as giving you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge, meet new people and help support your patients in more ways. In general, the higher the level of job you are interested in, the higher the level of qualifications it will require, so it is important to know what the requirements are so that you can plan your courses and education accordingly.
Career Outcomes
When considering your career options, an online MSN degree can help make you eligible to apply for a larger range of more specialized roles, be these leadership and managerial, or advanced clinical positions. A common career outcome of an MSN degree is to become an NP. Nurse practitioners are mid-level practitioners, and their main focus is on promoting patient wellness through educating them. They are non-physician clinicians, which means that they can perform some of the diagnostic and clinical functions of a doctor, without being trained as one. Furthermore, in some states, nurse practitioners can practice independently, without the supervision of a physician.
You will choose an MSN that specializes in a specific area, to help prepare you to work in these roles. Some of the roles you could train to work in include:
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Responsibilities include:
- Assessing and diagnosing patients
- Prescribing and managing medication
- Providing counseling
- Providing emergency mental health care services
- Consulting
- Educating families and staff
- Generalizing, or specializing in areas such as forensics
Work settings include:
- Schools
- Substance abuse programs
- Trauma centers
- Correctional facilities
- Military facilities
- Prisons
- Family Nurse Practitioner
Responsibilities include:
- Patient education
- Assessments
- Prescribing medication
- Managing treatment plans
Work settings include:
- Clinics
- Community centers
- Hospitals
- Areas with historically long waiting lists for physicians, such as rural areas
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Responsibilities include:
- Treating different illnesses and injuries
- Prescribing medication
- Physical assessments
- Developmental check-ups
- Providing emotional support and advice to patients and families
Work settings include:
- General hospitals
- Children’s hospitals
- Healthcare facilities for younger people
What are the benefits of learning online?
There are numerous benefits when it comes to studying for a degree online. With a subject such as nursing, there are practical classes, internships, and placements that you will have to engage with to allow you to put your new skills into practice in a workplace environment. However, there is also the chance to study a lot of the coursework online, which means you have more control over your schedule and learning location, as well as the pace at which you learn. An online degree, especially at Master’s level, is incredibly challenging, but there will be plenty of benefits once you have completed it. A couple of the benefits of online learning are:
Location
If your local institutions do not offer the type of course or level of qualification you need, then this can affect your career progress. You may have to study something else, which could be a waste of time and money, or not pursue the qualification at all. With online courses, your physical location can become less of a barrier, allowing you to access education from different institutions to help you find the course you need. Furthermore, learning at home gives you the ability to have more control over your learning pace and environment, which means you can create an area to learn it that works for you and your learning style.
Flexibility
Another benefit of online learning is the flexibility it affords you. The courses are designed to be studied alongside your current role and shifts, which means you don’t have to drop everything in your life in order to study. It also means that you can continue to earn money alongside the degree, making it more cost-effective. Self-paced and flexible learning is very beneficial, as it gives you more control over when and how you study.
Furthermore, if you do not enjoy learning in a classroom environment, and cannot commit to full-time, in-person education for any reason, online courses can provide you with a high level of education in a way that works for you.
