Masters Degree in Nursing
Nursing is an often difficult yet rewarding profession. It is also one of the most in-demand professions throughout the world today. A masters degree in nursing enables nursing professionals to gain more knowledge and mastery of the field. Usually, a Master of Science in Nursing degree has an 18 month to 2 year time frame. The program enables nurses to specialize in a specific area of nursing like healthcare administration and research. Most masters in nursing students have a bachelor's degree in nursing. However, some programs allow nurses who only have an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) to earn their bachelor's and master's degree in nursing within one curriculum. Some programs even admit applicants who have no previous nursing background.
The most common Masters Degree in Nursing program is the standard two year course offered by universities. Students who finish their bachelor's degree in nursing are the usual applicants of this program. One alternative to this program is the RN to MSN program (1). This program enables registered nurses (RN) with an associate's degree or diploma in nursing to get a master's degree after graduating from a bachelor in nursing program. The direct entry MSN is another alternative that allows non-nursing graduates to earn an MSN degree by crediting liberal arts subjects into the program.(2) Students under this program must finish a year of undergraduate nursing coursework, get an RN licensure, then finish two years of masteral studies in nursing.
The Masters Degree Nursing program offers different specializations for the student.(3) They can be grouped under the following categories:
1. Clinical Nurse Specialist. These programs usually focus on fields such as adult medical, surgical, psychiatric, and mental health nursing.
2. Nurse Practitioner. These programs focus on skills such as identification of health risks, diagnosis and management of diseases, medical prescriptions, and the promotion of wellness.
3. Nurse Anesthetist. Graduates of this program become candidates for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) certification.
4. Advanced Specialist. These programs train nurses who want to be involved in leadership and administrative roles in the industry. Some of the courses in this program include: administration, informatics, and education.
Literary Citations & Article References:
1) http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/nursing-degrees/index.aspx
2) http://www4.uwm.edu/nursing/academics/master_directentry.cfm