The demand for nurses is in an all time high; there are even cases of outsourcing their services from the developing world where they are not comfortable with the remuneration and working conditions. There is also a corresponding demand for nurses with advanced degrees. To appreciate that the shortage is a national issue, you only need to consider that we are in the tenth year of what statisticians have projected to be thirty years of nurse shortage. This also translates to a shortfall of a similar of highly educated nurses. It essentially gives postgraduate nurses an edge over their counterpart with just a first degree. But all is not lost on the nurses with only the first degree since there is a cheap online BSN to MSN programs which can put such nurses with the right footing with the master holders.
The skills in the BSN are enhanced in the MSN. That‘s why all the coursework of the degree has its advanced version in the masters. For instance, we have advanced statistics which is an advanced version of the initial statistics in the Degree program. Others include the foundations issues in the nursing, advanced pathophysiology, nursing research and science, professional issues in nursing, foundation of interactive care, transitional to advanced practice nursing and health policy and leadership.
Something that needs to be understood with MSN is the fact that the programs are designed with the end career in mind. For instance, the training program may be tailor-made to a teacher. This means that the curriculum is designed for preparing the MSN holder to teach after graduating. The program may be designed to the nurses in practice or any other of the several options open to the MSN holder taking a MSN. However, even though the end result may land any of the graduates to a different field with those particular skills there are some common skills which are shares by all the MSN graduates. All MSN graduates are supposed to be armed with these skills after satisfying the examination board;
- Conducting and participating in any nursing research studies which everybody ought to know after conducting and participating in several research studies in course of the program.
- Applying the theories and models which he/she has learned in the class to give high-quality nursing care. This is important because what as been learnt need to be put to practice for it to be beneficial to the consumers of the health care services.
- Exhibit leadership and knowledgeable attributes after the MSN program.