5 Ways Higher Education Helps Land Advanced Nursing Roles

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Over the past years, the pandemic made us further realize the significance and value of healthcare workers. Doctors and nurses blurred the lines between professional and personal lives to curb the disease while distancing themselves from their loved ones. Surely, this sacrifice demands a great share of your will and determination. Nonetheless, it’s also crucial to realize that healthcare is one of the most rewarding careers in the world today. On average, nurses make between $80,000 to $110,000 a year, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nonetheless, your career growth is also dependent on how qualified you are, your experience and expertise, and whether you’re up to date with the advancements of this sector or not. One way to tick all of these boxes is to opt for higher education and sharpen existing skills alongside building new ones. Besides, most healthcare organizations only consider candidates with higher academic credentials. It is, undeniably, your path towards career advancement and your only avenue to achieve a leadership position.

Suppose you’re already working as a nurse. In that case, you’d know how difficult it is to manage your personal and professional life due to the gruelingly hectic schedules. Pursuing higher education will only make it more difficult to keep your head. Fortunately, given the popularity of eLearning, you can now pursue a Master of Science in Nursing FNP Online Program with ease. Online degrees offer you enough flexibility to manage personal and professional life while also completing your education side by side. Plus, since they’re affordable, you won’t have to worry about paying off student debt for the next decade.

Now, let’s discuss more benefits of higher education.

Opportunity to Land Leadership Roles

Since higher education in nursing is now easily accessible – thanks to online education – nearly all healthcare organizations have listed MSNs and DNPs as necessary for nursing leadership roles. Besides, skills and knowledge obtained through these degrees are also essential for every nurse working in an advanced position.

Nurses may also opt for a master’s in a leadership program to land a senior role in their nursing careers. This degree offers theoretical knowledge and practical experience that prepares nurses to take on leadership roles in the future. It also instills leadership skills like time management, decision-making, problem identification and resolution, critical thinking, conflict management, etc.

Meet The Requirements Set by Your Employer

As mentioned earlier, most organizations have listed advanced degrees as a prerequisite to land a higher role or any role at all. For this reason, you are required to either complete an advanced degree or at least enroll in one and pursue it during your work tenure.

Some organizations may even fund some percentage of your higher education. Otherwise, the position will eventually be offered to someone who meets the requirement, has an advanced degree, and possesses the desired skills and experience. Even if you do score a job without higher education, you’ll get a lesser salary than someone with higher education in the same role.

Acquisition of New Skills

A bachelor’s degree in nursing will only set the foundation for your career. It will only teach you a handful of skills and concepts that’ll get you started in your nursing career. However, to progress in your career, you need to earn a master’s degree or equivalent.

A master’s degree will offer you real-time practical experience that will help you during your career. Otherwise, you may gain this exposure in the hospital environment but note that it’s far more complicated. You won’t always get the opportunity to learn in the hustle and bustle of emergencies, especially when there’s no room for mistakes.

It is better to walk in prepared by learning all the skills beforehand. These skills don’t necessarily include soft skills like time management, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, attention to detail, and communication. These also include technical skills like working with Telehealth tools, leveraging advanced systems and software, etc.

An Opportunity to Pursue Your Passion

Most people dive right into the nursing career because they have a passion for caregiving. However, some people may have more defined aspirations. For example, some people may want to work in hospital administration or the neonatal or anesthesiology department. So, to boost your chances of landing in these specialized nursing fields, you may opt for higher education in the same domain.

You may pursue a master’s degree in leadership, hospital management, neonatal healthcare, nurse anesthesia, gerontology, or any healthcare field. What’s more, it will offer you an edge over other candidates aiming for the same role. A master’s degree will also speed up the pace of your career advancement.

Keep Yourself Updated with New Knowledge and Technology

There’s no denying that technological advancements have significantly altered how the world works and operates today. Technology is gradually penetrating every sector and industry, easing routine and tedious procedures. However, it has especially changed the game for healthcare professionals. Instead of accumulating piles of paperwork, they can work with digital records. Likewise, instead of physically interacting with patients, they can leverage Telehealth tools and provide their services.

To get acquainted with these new systems and transformations in healthcare, nurses must pursue higher degrees. It’s the reason why most nurses are going back to school these days. Upskilling and reskilling have become a significant priority for most healthcare organizations since medical breakthroughs and technological advancements are widening the skills gap. However, higher academic programs enable nurses to keep pace with the emerging trends and developments of the ever-evolving healthcare field. 

The Bottom Line

Nursing is undoubtedly a challenging yet highly rewarding and lucrative career of this era. Nevertheless, to earn those rewards, you must meet the requirements set by the modern-day nursing industry. Higher education will help you land advanced roles in nursing by imparting relevant skills and expertise and offering practical nursing experience. You may even pursue your passions by redefining your line of career. Plus, some employers have listed advanced degrees as a requirement for advanced roles in nursing. Besides all of that, you’ll need higher education to keep yourself up to date with the developments and new norms of the field.