Does A Register Nurse Need A Masters Degree

If yous're wondering how to get a nurse practitioner, the process can be broken up into unproblematic steps. It all starts with earning your MSN degree. Then in one case y'all enter the nursing field, y'all will exist able to gather the experience and certifications y'all need to become a nurse practitioner.

Nurse looking at clipboard with patients

With many experienced nurses deciding afterward in their careers that they want to become nurse practitioners, it makes sense for prospective nursing students to think almost pursuing an MSN from the start of their nursing educational activity. You may ask, "What are the benefits of earning a main's degree in nursing?" You might also be curious most how to become a nurse practitioner with a non-nursing bachelor's caste.

Marquette University's Directly Entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program makes it possible to transform your not-nursing bachelor's degree into an MSN. The Direct Entry MSN is an invaluable route to earn your degree and enter a new career every bit a nursing leader in equally few as xix-21 months.

Beginning we'll discuss why it makes sense to become a nurse practitioner, and then we'll explain the process of how to go a nurse practitioner in five steps.

Why Go a Nurse Practitioner?

There are many reasons to become a nurse practitioner (NP). NPs can provide care that differs from registered nurses. They tin can bridge the gap betwixt RNs and primary intendance physicians while serving populations in need of quality intendance. Like the nursing profession in general, the demand for nurse practitioners exceeds the supply. In fact, the role of the profession is growing and so speedily that U.South. Globe News & Written report recently named nurse practitioner every bit #1 in its listing of best healthcare jobs and #2 in its overall list of the best 100 jobs for 2022.

Nurse with patients answering why start you career with an MSN

Run across more of the benefits a MSN degree can offer you.

Among the many nurse practitioner benefits are opportunities for career specialization and growth.

Some of the specialties inside advanced practice nursing (APRN) that yous tin can pursue as a nurse practitioner include:

Astute Care
Developed Health
Family Wellness
Gerontology Health
Neonatal Wellness
Oncology
Pediatric (Child and Adolescent) Wellness
Psychiatric/Mental Health

The telescopic of services nurse practitioners can provide still varies from state to country. However, as the demand for healthcare services increases, the number of states that allow nurse practitioners a full scope of exercise is increasing. The number of nurse practitioners nationwide is growing quickly; at nowadays, at that place are more than than 325,000, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

5 Steps to Get a Nurse Practitioner

For those who are interested in becoming a nurse practitioner only exercise not currently have a nursing degree, the answer to the question, "How practice I get a nurse practitioner?" can seem complex. Still, with a not-nursing bachelor's degree, you tin still access an elite nursing education and become a nurse practitioner on an accelerated timeline. Permit's examine the steps you will need to take before inbound this new career field.

i: Earn an MSN Caste

For non-nursing bachelor's degree-holders, the commencement pace toward becoming a nurse practitioner is to get a master'southward caste in nursing. You could first earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and and then an MSN degree, but there is a more direct route bachelor.

Enter Marquette Academy'south Direct Entry MSN program. Offered at Pleasant Prairie and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, our accredited program lets you leverage your previous, non-nursing available'southward degree to earn an MSN in xix-21 months.

Because you already have a available's degree, you likely have many of the not-nursing liberal arts credits required for a nursing degree. Yous may need to take a few additional courses to fulfill the prerequisite requirements. Typically students with Available of Arts degrees need to take a few scientific discipline courses, such as anatomy. And so once in the program, you will focus exclusively on nursing theory coursework. This singular focus on nursing is what allows united states to provide a comprehensive masters'-level nursing education in under ii years.

During this time, y'all'll:

Complete didactic coursework, either online or in-person, designed to conform multiple learning styles.
Engage with professors, clinical experts and peers while participating in agile learning activities, discussions, assessments and exams.
Gain hands-on feel in our high-fidelity simulation center.
Put what you've learned into do via clinical rotations at some of the area'southward pinnacle healthcare facilities.

2: Obtain Your Nursing License

Upon graduation from our Straight Entry MSN program, the next step is to sit for the National Quango Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®). This footstep is crucial, as yous must pass the NCLEX to receive nursing licensure. To help students ready for the NCLEX, we administrate practice exams each semester.

1 of the great things about applying for a nursing license in the state of Wisconsin is that the state belongs to the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). This ways that nurses can apply for a multistate license, allowing them to practice in more than thirty states without the need to apply for a new license.

3: Gain Feel in the Field

This step likely comes as no surprise, but it's an important one. Prior to kickoff clinical rotations in a post-master's certificate plan, you need at to the lowest degree one year's worth of professional nursing experience. The reasoning is uncomplicated: Earlier pursuing an advanced nursing position, you need to understand what it'due south like to work as a nurse in the field. Too, while you may leave our programme with an MSN degree, you're going to learn a lot in that outset twelvemonth of working — both about nursing and well-nigh working with other healthcare professionals.

4: Obtain a Nurse Practitioner Document

Once you take a year of experience, you lot can put your skills and knowledge to work and pursue certification equally an advanced practice nurse (APRN). At Marquette University, we offer a number of certificate options, including:

Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) (developed or pediatric)
Primary care nurse practitioner (NP) (adult or pediatric)
Health systems leader

Typically, post-master'southward certificate programs and the time it takes to earn a certificate will vary from school to school. In addition, during the program you will work with patients during clinicals under the direction of nurse practitioner preceptors.

5: Secure Your APRN Licensure

After completing your post-master's document specialty plan, you volition sit for your APRN licensure exam. Later obtaining licensure, nurse practitioners will work with private land boards of nursing to complete the necessary steps to practice and prescriptive dominance.

It's worth noting that while many states participate in licensure compacts, these do non apply to being a nurse practitioner. To acquire more well-nigh your state'due south APRN licensure requirements, visit NursingLicensure.org.

Leverage Your Non-Nursing Bachelor's Caste to Earn an MSN in 19-21 Months

Marquette MSN student Shelby standing by lockers

Ready to make the jump to a career in nursing? With iii plan starts each year, our accredited 2nd-degree MSN plan lets yous start working toward condign a registered nurse sooner. To find out if Marquette Academy's Directly Entry MSN plan is right for y'all, give us a call, or fill out the grade to have an admissions advisor accomplish out to you.