Advanced Degrees
Is it time to consider moving to the next level? Nursing is a field in which you will spend your lifetime learning. You will learn new things almost every day of your career as information and techniques change. Moving to the next level does not always mean moving toward a managerial position. It just means that you need to keep up with the times and accept more or different responsibilities to keep your skills fresh and keep yourself always prepared to make changes as life dictates them to you.
It also means examining where you want to go next with your career. Are you ready to move from a general unit to a more specialized one? Are you ready to obtain the next level of education? Are you an LVN ready to become an R.N.? Are you an A.D.N. ready to pursue a B.S.N.? Or are you ready to work on a master's or Ph.D.? If you are staying abreast of the advances and needs in the nursing field, you will know that furthering your education is an important factor in managing your career.
One thing for certain is that at least well into the next two decades, health care personnel will be in high demand. Those who can help to educate others to assume these roles will also be greatly needed.
Perhaps you want to pursue a degree in something beside nursing, perhaps health care administration, business, nutrition, communication, education, or even psychology. Think about where you want to be five years from now. People will often ask you that, and although the relevance may seem vague, basically they want you to think about whether you are being proactive and planning your career and your life, or just sitting back and letting it happen. The specific job you hold five years from now may not even exist today, but if you know the general direction you'd like to take, then now is the time to begin to focus on that goal.
It has also been predicted for quite some time that LPNs would be phased out and the R.N.s would some day have to have at least a B.S.N. The nursing shortage crisis has seemed to sideline some of this temporarily, and yet what may emerge from this crisis is a set of standards that brings this plan into reality despite the shortages. This is an issue worth watching and bearing in mind as you fine-tune your career options.
There are many educational programs that allow even the most non-traditional student to pursue the next level advanced degree status. There are LPN to R.N. programs, LPN to B.S.N. programs, R.N. to B.S.N., and R.N. straight to MSN programs. MSN options include NP programs or focus on such areas as clinical nursing, education, management, and health care administration.
Take time to explore the options as well as financial aid considerations. There are many different scholarship opportunities for nurses furthering their education. Start with your FAFSA and proceed as you did for your previous course of study.
Many of these programs offer students independent study programs and even offer credit for work and life experiences. Some offer distance education opportunities where part of the study is online with some actual classroom time or on-campus meetings for exams or presentations. Others offer an entirely online program.
Again you must be sure that your program is accredited. Online education is a terrific option for those who are self-motivated. At this point, you have had clinical experience and will most likely continue to be performing hands-on care and always perfecting new skills. In that case, it's not like trying to learn to be a nurse strictly from a computer or a book.
