Nursing is one of the most valuable and rewarding careers one can pursue. As a nurse, you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
As with many professions, there is so much to learn within the nursing field – technology is evolving, research and treatments are advancing, and new practices are constantly being put into place. Modern nurses need to be able to keep up with the increasing complexities of the job.
Nursing master’s programs are a great way to gain the knowledge and experience needed to not only stay abreast of the ever-changing healthcare field, but also to help advance your career. Regardless of the specific path you have chosen, an MSN program is highly valued and something that can take you even further in your career. Here are a few tell-tale signs you should consider pursuing a nursing master’s program.
- Your career goals may require it.
Even though job prospects are usually abundant for all levels of nursing professionals, certain types of jobs within the field do require advanced nursing degrees. If you aspire to be a nurse administrator or nurse educator, for example, you will need to hold a Master of Nursing, or MSN degree. Goodwin College offers an MSN degree with a robust, 30-credit curriculum that will provide you with the tools needed to qualify for advanced leadership positions in the field.
- You enjoy research.
As previously mentioned, the healthcare field is constantly evolving, largely due to the increase in technology and the increase in medical research. Naturally, to be a nurse, you must be committed to lifelong learning. Perhaps that is why you are considering a nursing master’s program. Beyond your current day-to-day RN responsibilities, you enjoy researching different practices and disseminating those findings. Most MSN programs place a focus on nursing research and utilizing research-based evidence for professional practice. Goodwin’s MSN course, “Seminar in Nursing Research,” for example, helps to develop students’ research skills and analyzes many different medical studies. This analysis is intended to help students affect change, improve outcomes, and to contribute to the development of their nursing skills and knowledge.
- You are a natural leader.
At Goodwin College, similar to other nursing master’s programs, there is a heavy emphasis placed on leadership in the workplace. Goodwin’s MSN nursing classes include subjects such as “Leadership Practices in Organizations Communications” to help grow your managerial skills and learn new strategies for effective communication as a leader in the nursing world.
- You like the flexibility of nursing master’s programs.
Thanks to the increase of technology, some nursing master’s programs offer flexible class structures for busy, working nurses. Goodwin College makes obtaining an MSN degree more attainable than ever by allowing students to enroll part-time. Furthermore, students can complete their MSN coursework fully online, so there is no need to stress about balancing your career with your education, as well as all of life’s responsibilities. Despite popular belief, you don’t need to put your life on hold to earn a master’s nursing degree.
If you can relate to the above signs, then it might be time for you to start researching a flexible, well-rounded nursing master’s program. Better yet, give Goodwin College a call at 800-889-3282 and we can answer any of your questions about our online MSN nursing program.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.