Are you ready to take your nursing career to the next level? Maybe you dream of inspiring other nurses in a leadership role, or perhaps you envision yourself preparing the next generation of nurses as an educator. Regardless of what you may have in mind, earning your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) could be a great way to advance your career beyond bedside care while gaining some valuable new skills in the process.
What Is an MSN Degree?
An MSN is a graduate-level degree designed for registered nurses (RNs) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing who want to prepare for roles in nursing leadership, education, and other specialized practice. These degrees are often offered with a number of concentrations (such as leadership, education, or informatics), allowing students to choose the path that best aligns with their interests and career goals.
Most MSN programs consist of about 36 credit hours, with both part-time and full-time enrollment options available. Programs may also be offered online, in person, or a combination of both (hybrid), so students can choose the format that works best with their schedules and unique learning styles.
Key Benefits of Earning an MSN Degree
From empowering you to advance your career to broadening your clinical knowledge, there are many benefits of MSN degrees for RNs already working in the field.
Career Advancement and Leadership Opportunities
First, an MSN degree can help prepare nurses for more advanced positions in the field that require a graduate-level education. With coursework covering essential topics such as strategic thinking, resource management, and change leadership, MSN-educated nurses may be better prepared to manage diverse teams, improve healthcare systems, and confidently lead. The MSN degree online at Shawnee State University (SSU) prepares nurses for such advanced roles as:
- Nurse Manager - A nurse leader who handles the day-to-day operations of a nursing department or team.
- Clinical Nurse Leader - A nursing professional who makes recommendations and implements changes to directly improve patient care outcomes.
- Director of Nursing - A nurse leader who manages and oversees nursing teams within an entire facility, such as a hospital or medical office.
- Nurse Educator - A nurse who teaches and prepares aspiring nurses or provides continuing education to practicing nurses to shape the future of nursing. They may teach in nursing schools, community colleges, universities, or in clinical settings.
Transitioning into Nursing Education
In addition to preparing nurses for more advanced roles in their fields, students who opt for an MSN with a concentration in nursing education could also transition to rewarding careers as teachers. With MSN coursework in areas like instructional design, curriculum development, and clinical teaching, MSN graduates with an education focus can explore work opportunities in colleges, universities, and even hospital education/training departments.
Nurse educators play a critical role in the advancement of the field, especially when it comes to training and preparing future generations of nurses for the challenges and opportunities of this type of work. With faculty shortages affecting many facilities, there's a greater need for knowledgeable and passionate nurse educators than ever before.
Expanded Clinical Knowledge and Specialization
No matter which concentration you choose as part of an MSN program, a graduate-level education in the nursing field can significantly deepen your clinical expertise and offer new opportunities for specialization in niche areas of the field. With the advanced coursework completed in an MSN program, you'll have the ability to strengthen your own understanding of such practice areas as:
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Health assessment
Even in nursing education and leadership tracks, clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice remain an emphasis, preparing you to make a difference wherever your path takes you next.
Increased Salary and Job Security
When compared to their BSN-educated peers, nurses with an MSN typically earn significantly higher salaries. Consider, for example, that the average annual salary of an RN in the United States is $87,868. A nurse manager, on the other hand, has an annual average wage of $102,684. That's a difference of nearly $15,000 per year, or $150,000 over the course of 10 years.
While many factors can affect pay, roles that require an MSN (such as nurse educator, manager, and clinical specialist roles) tend to be associated with higher pay. In addition to the potential for a higher salary, having an MSN degree could also offer a greater sense of job security and upward mobility in an increasingly competitive healthcare job market.
Flexibility and Accessibility of Online MSN Programs
The MSN program at Shawnee State University is offered in a convenient online format that may be ideal for busy RNs already working full-time or having other essential life responsibilities. With a 100% online curriculum designed with working professionals' needs in mind, students can more readily juggle school, work, and family.
During their time at Shawnee State, nursing students can work at their own pace with asynchronous coursework while drawing on knowledgeable and experienced faculty for personalized support.
At SSU, the online MSN program consists of 36 credit hours and is available with both part- and full-time enrollment options to suit every student's needs. Up to nine transfer credits may also be applied to our MSN program, which can reduce your time to completion even further.
Common MSN Specialties
For those looking to personalize their graduate school experience further, SSU's online MSN program offers two different tracks or concentrations. These include a nursing education and nursing leadership track, each with its own unique coursework.
Master of Science in Nursing Education
A Master of Science in Nursing Education can be an ideal path for those interested in teaching future generations of nurses to handle the challenges and opportunities of this profession. SSU's MSN in Nursing Education, in particular, prepares nurses to become faculty at the college/university level or even to teach as clinical instructors in healthcare facility training programs.
Our nursing education curriculum covers some essential skills that today's nursing educators need to know, including:
- Pedagogy
- Nursing curriculum design
- Student evaluation
Some examples of specific courses taught in this program include:
- Teaching Methodologies and Needs Assessment
- Nursing Instructional and Active Learning Strategies
- Healthcare Policy, Issues, and Trends for the Nurse Educator
- Curriculum Development and Evaluation in Nursing Education
Today, perhaps more than ever, there's a dire demand for nurse faculty at the national level. In fact, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), there was a nurse faculty variance rate of 7.8 percent in October of 2023. Likewise, schools surveyed reported a need to "create an additional 103 faculty positions to accommodate student demand."
Prepare to bridge the educational gaps in nursing by obtaining an MSN in Nursing Education. This degree equips you to empower aspiring nurses with a high-quality educational experience, contributing to the ongoing excellence of nursing schools.
Master of Science in Nursing Leadership
Meanwhile, SSU's MSN in Nursing Leadership is ideal for nursing professionals looking to advance into supervisory, management, or other leadership roles in the field. The coursework covered in this program covers important topics like healthcare finance, human resources, and systems management to prepare nurses for success in executive-level leadership, administration, and strategic healthcare planning. Some examples of courses taught in this track include:
- Human Resources in Healthcare Systems
- Financial Resource Management in Healthcare Administration
- Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
- Healthcare Policy, Legal, and Regulatory Management for Nursing Administrators
When you become a nursing leader, you can do your part to shape a more positive workplace culture for current and future nursing professionals. Likewise, you can take proactive measures that improve patient outcomes while advocating for policies that could have a positive effect on healthcare for entire populations.
How Long Does It Take to Get Your MSN Degree?
The amount of time it will take to earn your Master of Science in Nursing will depend on many factors, including your enrollment status and how many courses you're prepared to take each semester.
At SSU, enrolling full-time is the fastest track to completing your MSN. With this option, completing the degree in as little as 20 months (or five semesters) is possible. On the other hand, part-time students should be able to complete the program in 32 months over the course of eight semesters.
With multiple start dates available throughout the academic year, you can time your entry into the program to best suit your busy schedule and career goals.
Why Choose Shawnee State University for Your MSN?
Earning your MSN degree can be a great way to advance your skills and transition into exciting new areas of your field, all while enjoying the potential for higher pay and better job security. Of course, choosing the right program is essential to getting the most out of your experience.
At Shawnee State University, we offer an online MSN degree that's ideal for working professionals. In this flexible program, you can work at your own pace while choosing from two MSN degree specialties: nursing leadership or nursing education. Regardless of which one you choose, you'll enjoy small online class sizes while learning practical skills that you can apply directly to your work.
Plus, with affordable tuition (including in-state tuition for Ohio and several counties in Kentucky), this "place-based" opportunity is ideal for those who want to make a difference locally.
Get in touch to learn more about this program, our supportive faculty, and our career-focused curriculum. Ready to take the next step? Begin your application today!