Nursing is an ever-changing and complex field of education that has constantly been evolving to open up a great variety of career paths for its people. There have been many degrees and online programs specifically in this field to help nurses step up their careers. Healthcare facilities have seen an increasing demand for services, especially in nursing. It has become important to promote and educate people about the multiple roads a good nursing degree can open for students and how it can help them secure their desired job in this field. These jobs range from a nurse practitioner specialty to a high-level executive position. Either way, a good degree never fails to provide them with a well sought-after place in the nursing world.
Registered Nurses (RNs), after achieving a degree in Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), have been opting to further their education by choosing to have a degree in Doctor of Nursing Practice or a DNP. A DNP is the highest level of nursing degree that one can obtain and ultimately opens all sorts of careers. But DNP graduates tend to get more skilled in leadership roles, allowing them to overlook the systems that make up this industry and bring about necessary changes with positive effects and promote healthcare education in a wider spectrum.
CAREER PATHS:
The nursing industry has expanded into various branches and fields to provide better exposure to the students looking to further their education. Advance education in nursing took a great leap due to the hard times seen during the pandemic, which put nurses on the front lines of this fight. Nurses got promoted to bigger and better jobs. Some of the career paths nurses can look into are discussed here:
- Nurse Practitioner:
Nursing students who have been looking to expand their nursing skills and practice to a more professional setting and trying to place themselves in a clinical space with plenty of patient exposure can look into becoming Nurse Practitioners. This particular nursing field allows them to gain the expertise to diagnose and analyze patient health details and plan their treatment and medications accordingly. On average, nurse practitioners can earn nearly $91,000 a year. However, their salary rises only moderately over the next five to ten years compared to other nursing fields. Additionally, this nursing field opens the gates for them to advance their clinical abilities and allows them to specialize in their desired field that falls into this career path. There are a bunch of roles to choose from, which include:
- Family nurse practitioners (FNPs)
- Pediatric practitioners (PNPs)
- Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs)
- Women’s health nurse practitioners (WHNPs)
- Adult nurse practitioners (ANPs)
- Chief Nursing Officer:
Chief Nursing Officer is a high-executive level position for nursing units in a hospital or any general health care organization. The main requirement for this job is good leadership and communication skills because they are the people who are not only in charge of directing the nursing staff and their policies but are also overseeing the daily management and planning needed to provide adequate treatment to the patients, manage budgets, inspect the purchases of supplies and equipment and also serve as a link between junior medical staff and the senior staff. In the U.S., chief nursing officers earn salaries up to $124,000 per year.
- Chief Nurse Anesthetist:
A Chief Nurse Anesthetist or a CRNA is among the most highly sought-after DNP careers. They have the role of overseeing the administration of anesthesia and their crew of anesthesiologists. This job requires good leadership and communication skills to keep the patient well informed and ensure their satisfaction and compliance, along with a challenging ability to work under pressure. They must assess the patient’s health status, monitor the type and dose of anesthesia chosen to be administered, and maintain it throughout the surgery. A master’s degree plus work experience is the minimum requirement for this position, but earning a DNP degree would make them an even more qualified candidate. CRNAs earn an average annual salary of around $181,040 annually.
- Nurse Educator:
Some trained nurses who have a passion for teaching and treating patients can opt for this field. Educators must be Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates to teach the next generation of nurses in colleges and universities. The higher the level of education, the more advanced level of courses the educator will be able to teach. Their role usually ranges from teaching high-level courses to doing research work, including performing, publishing, and staying up to date with research findings. It is a perfect blend for people who want to combine their love of teaching with their desire to heal patients. Nurse educators can earn around $75,000 per annum, with salary fluctuations between $41,000 and $117,000 in annual earnings. This salary also depends on the location of their jobs.
- Health Policy Analyst:
A health policy analyst helps analyze health-related strategies and provides statistical data and policies. These analysts work in hospital settings and use data and research to compile what has been affecting the current policies on communities and determine the likely effects of prospective policies. DNP graduates who have clinical experience, research and analyzing skills, and keen knowledge of policy assessment can opt for this field. Health policy analysts earn about $60,000 annually.
CONCLUSION:
Nurses who have been wanting to specialize in any particular field or want to achieve a high-level education can look through a bunch of choices and opt for any field that suits them. The nursing world has seen a considerable increase in the list of aspiring fields for fresh graduates to choose from. If you’re unsure of what you’d like to specialize in, you can still get an MSN by visiting https://