If you are a medical professional, then the thought of taking your education to another level will come up at some point. An MS in nursing education is one of the programs that you may have thought about.
But, you may be unaware of a lot of things concerning this degree so, you found yourself here with us. We understand the need to properly educate oneself about anything one is about to venture into. This is why we are so glad you are here and why we are prepared to arm you with all the information you need.
By this, we mean that this article will discuss most of the basic information anyone interested in an MS in nursing education should know. Let us begin by explaining what the degree is all about.
What MS in Nursing Education is All About
Simply put, this degree is taught to people who would upon graduation have all the necessary knowledge and credentials to teach and train other nurses.
To enroll for this degree, you need to have a BSc in nursing; already be serving as a nurse, and perhaps have work experience in a field relevant to the degree. Check out this article that discusses some jobs that are similar to the field we are discussing here. As someone studying for this degree, you would attain proficiency in:
- Pathopharmacological knowledge.
- Leadership skills.
- Health policies.
- Teaching and learning methods.
All these and more are the skills that would make you capable of designing and implementing educational programs for new nurses. Therefore, you are expected to have all these skills before you will be considered to have met all the requirements of the program.
Coursework
The courses that you need to take so that you can become proficient in this field are quite diverse. The courses usually vary by institution and program. Despite this, some courses are fundamental and you are bound to find them or a variant of them during your study. Some of these fundamental courses are curriculum development, leadership development, curriculum assessment, and teaching theory.
Other courses that you would encounter are typically directed towards the clinical aspect. These are also focused on clinical areas like biostatistics, advanced pathophysiology, epidemiology, health ethics and policies, and so on.
Is This the Right Path for You?
This path is not for everyone. We understand the need to further your formal education if you have been in the nursing field for some time now. We also understand if you do not want to further in the direction of patient care.
However, nursing education is not the only option available to you. There is a wide range of options that you can pick from and maximize your skill sets. Then again, this is the right path for you if you have noticed that you are passionate about sharing knowledge and educating the upcoming batch of nurses.
Based on a report by the America Association of Colleges of Nursing, there is a scarcity of nursing faculties, and this shortage is quite severe that it is impeding the growth of this field nationwide. This has resulted in institutions reducing the number of applicants they can admit into the schools. You can click this https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Faculty-Shortage to read this report.
As a result of this shortage, the demand for nursing educators is currently very high. Retirement is another factor that would soon make this shortage even more glaring. So, if you decide on this path, you would be going into a field that is not saturated.
What do Nursing Educators Do?
The tasks performed by nursing educators are quite vast; some of these tasks are:
- Teach the upcoming nurses.
- Evaluate and develop programs and curricula.
- Supervise the clinical work of student nurses.
- Be departmental chairs.
- Carry out reviews for faculty performance.
- Publish textbooks.
- Help advance this field by serving in local boards and institutional committees.
Career Paths
As a nursing educator, a common career choice you can make is working in a nursing school. The school may either be a 2-year or a 4-year college. The 2-year colleges usually provide their graduates with an associate degree which qualifies them as RNs. While the 4-year colleges also qualify their graduates as RNs, however, in this case, they get to function on a higher level like a supervisory job.
Furthermore, with an MS in nursing education, you can become a lecturer in a program for post-graduates. It goes without telling that the higher your education level, the more qualified you get to have jobs that would give you higher responsibility and therefore, higher salaries.
Salary Expectation
The expected salary range in this field varies based on several factors like location, job role, and working experience. However, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics states that nursing instructors at the post-secondary level earn at least $74,600 yearly, as of 2019.
Conclusion
Advancing one’s career is something everyone in a field will eventually consider. Therefore, as a professional in the field of nursing, you would have considered furthering your education, and if patient care is not what you want to do, then you may be considering nursing education. However, you cannot just jump into this without having at least a basic understanding of the field. This is why some important topics about this field have been discussed in this article to help you in your decision-making.
