There are many different reasons to advance your nursing career. Whether you are looking to gain more responsibilities, take on a leadership role, increase your salary, or earn more respect within your field, there are a variety of paths that can help you achieve your nursing goals. One of the most common ways, however, is by earning a Master’s in Nursing (MSN). This advanced nursing degree will provide you with the skills, resources, and experience needed to take your career to the next level.

What are some of the MSN degree job opportunities you may encounter in Connecticut post-graduation? Here are some potential career paths to consider after earning your MSN degree.

Nurse Manager/ Nurse Administrator:

A nurse manager or administration position is a great career for somebody who wants to take the next steps from registered nursing to a leadership role. This career choice still provides you with the opportunity to be patient-facing while also overseeing the nursing staff of a particular department (or multiple departments), to ensure everything is running efficiently. Some of the responsibilities of a nurse manager or administrator include:

• Recruiting and supervising the nursing staff
• Managing department or healthcare facility finances and processes
• Being the liaison between the staff and upper management

The career outlook for nurse managers continues to grow and according to the United States’ Bureau of Labor Statistics, is projected to increase 20 percent by 2026.

Nurse Educator:

For those seeking MSN degree job opportunities where they can contribute to the growth of the future nursing community, a nurse educator could be a natural fit. Nurse educators, like most educators, need to be excellent communicators who can clearly articulate the subject matter to students and evaluate them accordingly. An MSN degree can provide you with the communication, leadership, and organizational training to be able to prepare and teach a nursing curriculum to aspiring nurses. Nurse educators can work in a variety of environments including teaching hospitals and educational institutions like colleges, community colleges and trade schools. With the demand of nurses in the United States continuing to rise, the job outlook for nurse educators is also predicted to increase to help prepare and be a resource for the next generation of nurses in the workforce.

Advanced Nurse Practitioners:

If you want to advance your career while staying on the clinical side of nursing, then an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (APRN) route is the way to go. APRNs have advanced, specialized training in primary or specialty care and they are responsible for coordinating patient care in a variety of healthcare environments. An APRN’s list of responsibilities varies depending on the clinical setting and areas of expertise. That said, because of their advanced training, APRNs have more autonomy than RNs and have much higher decision-making power when it comes to a patient’s health and treatment plans. Similar to other advanced nursing careers, APRNs can expect a positive career outlook and demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, APRNS jobs are predicted to grow 31 percent by 2026, making this a smart advanced nursing career choice.

Regardless of your reasons for wanting to advance your career, rest assured there are many MSN degree job opportunities in Connecticut if you are ready to take that next step. If you are hesitant to pursue your master’s, and need that extra push, rest assured that there are flexible programs available. If you are looking to pursue a top-level leadership role in nursing, Goodwin College’s MSN degree program may be the perfect fit. Our MSN curriculum is flexible, cost-effective, and designed to prepare graduates for some of the most respected MSN degree job opportunities available. You can read about our MSN career outcomes here.

In addition, Goodwin also has a career services department that offers lifetime support to MSN graduates, assisting in searching and securing an advanced nursing career. For more information about Goodwin’s MSN program, contact 800-889-3282 or visit us online today.