February 6, 2025 • 20 mins
This podcast was one of the top 10 podcast episodes of 2024. I am bringing it back as a replay for your enjoyment as I work on new episodes for 2025.
Ever wondered how an advanced degree could help your nursing career? With 17.4% of registered nurses holding a master’s degree, Bonnie explores the transformative benefits of higher education in nursing.
She breaks down the advantages, from enhanced job opportunities to flexible work schedules, and shares personal anecdotes on how further education broadened her perspective, reinforcing the vital role of nurses in healthcare. Whether you're contemplating further education or seeking to leverage your current qualifications, this episode is filled with valuable advice and real-world examples to fuel your career growth and maximize your potential.
Tune in for an inspirational and practical guide to purposeful career development in nursing.
Want to continue the conversation? Send me a text right here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
And 2020 to a 17.4% of thenations registered nurses held a
master's degree and 2.7.
Percent held a doctorate degree.
As their highest educationalpreparation.
There is a current demand formasters and doctorally prepared
(00:21):
nurses.
For advanced practice.
And advanced practice beingclinical nurse specialist.
Certified nurse midwife.
Nurse practitioner.
And our favorites, the nurse andethicists.
Clinical specialties.
Teaching of course, because wehave a.
(00:42):
Decreased supply of nursingfaculty.
And research roles.
The demand far out.
Outweighs the supply.
Meaning they're just not enough.
So, if you feel like whereveryou are, whatever you're looking
for.
The market is saturated.
(01:02):
It's probably just because ofwhere you are.
It's not necessarily because thedemand isn't there.
And more than likely it's, youknow, It's not saturated.
Are you feeling stuck in yourcurrent clinical environment?
Do you want to make a change inyour nursing career but not sure
what to do next?
Exhausted, burnt out, and maybeeven ready for different
(01:25):
leadership?
I'm Bonnie Meadows, a BoardCertified Nurse.
Clinical Nurse Specialist,Influential Leader, Career
Coach, and Well Being Coach.
Being in the nursing andhealthcare profession since
2004, I have felt stuck andunsure about what was next for
me.
I wanted to be fulfilled in mypurpose, to have a voice at the
(01:46):
table.
And to be a resource for others,I kept telling myself I wanted
more, but didn't have thedirection I needed until I found
clarity and career growthstrategies for experienced
nurses like me.
In this podcast, you will find.
Simple tactical steps that allowyou to gain the clarity you
(02:06):
need, solutions for how to groweven without supportive
leadership, and guidelines forsetting boundaries at work so
that you can grow purposefullyin your career as a nurse with a
graduate degree who makes a hugeimpact in the profession.
So get ready to trade yourscrubs for yoga pants.
Pop in those earbuds and let'schat.
(02:29):
In this podcast episode, you'regoing to find a few key reasons
why you should consider gettinga master's degree.
For some, this may remind you ofwhy you got the master's degree
or the doctorate degree and whyyou need to use it.
When pivoting from my qualityjob.
I narrowed my focus to four keyareas.
(02:50):
I call this my professionalbrand.
They are nursing.
Mentoring.
Nurses.
Quality and leadership.
Those were the four key areasthat I was focused on when I was
then looking for a new job.
I spoke last week of the pastcouple of weeks about how my
(03:12):
quality job was my dream job,but it was actually the worst
job that I'd ever had.
But that was definitely a setupfor calm up because.
It led me straight into my, it,it forced me to go into, into re
evaluate what are my passions?
What is it that I love to do?
And I was bound and determinedto make sure that my career
(03:35):
trajectory followed that path.
And I always did.
Uh, reassessment.
If you hear any of my episodes,some shape, form, or fashion, I
will mention doing, havingself-awareness and doing a self
assessment.
Every time I get an itch to dosomething different.
As I start that process all overagain.
(03:58):
So it's not a one and donebecause things change.
Life's shifts or you get moreexposure to more things and you
think, huh?
I think I'd like to do that.
So the job I wanted to pivot torequired those four key areas
anywhere I.
Well, anywhere I went, whateverI was doing next, it had to
(04:21):
encompass at least those fourareas.
And I will tell you, I veeredfrom that at times.
And realized, oh, Maybe likethere are times when I can shift
out of it.
Like right now, I'm not in thequality piece, but I'm, I have
all the other three elements.
Um, and it's not necessarilythat I don't enjoy quality
(04:45):
because I do.
I incorporate it in everythingthat I do and the mindset of it.
But I'm just not working withthe numbers of it.
And, you know, going through andwhole implementation process.
Do I do that in my current joband in my everyday work I do
because I work on projects allthe time.
Um, but I have narrowed focus.
(05:07):
Because I already had a master'sdegree in nursing.
That lower the barrier of entrythat I needed to overcome in
order to move on very quickly.
And that master's degree allowedmore options of what I was
qualified to do and could applyfor.
I have two master's degrees.
(05:27):
Both of them in nursing.
So one is a post-master'scertificate and the other one is
a master's degree and I'mdefinitely not opposed to going
back and get an, and got adoctorate degree.
It just, all it is just a matterof how does it line up with what
I'm currently doing, where I'mcurrently going.
Um, and current plans right now.
(05:48):
I am president elect for mystate's nursing association, and
I will be in that role for atleast.
Four years, four or five years.
And I'm currently building thisbusiness, this coaching
business.
Which is really my passion.
Like that work is my passiontoo.
So I'm, I'm.
(06:09):
I'm in the sweet spot of workingin my passion and, and doing
things that are within mypassion.
There's a growing passion of,uh, of a subject area of
advocacy, um, that I'm growingin, in my precedent and elect to
roll.
I'm a firm believer.
That more degrees give you moreoptions.
Now you definitely have to weighthe options.
(06:29):
Like I was in a space where Iwas like, I'm an advocate for a
doctorate degree, but.
I'm still trying to figure out.
Where that fits for my lifebecause getting a doctorate
degree doesn't necessarily meanthat it's more money.
And that leads me to my numberone reason to not get a graduate
degree.
Or I kind of got to, but thenumber one reason is that you
(06:51):
want to make more money.
Because it's not necessarily aguarantee.
It could lead to that, but it'snot automatic.
You probably, you get a, you geta better jump.
If you're going from bachelor'sdegree to master's degree, but
when you're going from master'sdegree to doctorate degree, and
(07:12):
you're in a hospital setting,and I'm mainly talking to nurses
who are in a hospital setting.
As a nursing profession, we arejust coming around to the
doctorate of nursing practiceand nursing practice.
And there are more and morenurses who were like that is the
fastest growing doctoratedegree.
Yeah, the PhD is actually on adecline or very stagnant, and
(07:34):
they are actually trying toincrease enrollment in PhD
programs.
But.
The options were the doctoratedegree in nursing practice is
opening up, especially If you'rein an.
And a somewhat not, and notnecessarily admin role in
nursing support, but you're in amore of a nursing support role.
Um, Jobs that require adoctorate of nursing practice.
(07:57):
Hospital systems are stilltrying to figure out how to
create that.
I will say for me, Lord, I'mgoing on a tangent, but I feel
like this is important.
My, degree in the clinical nursespecialist is a master's degree.
Um, I just heard the other daythat our national association
has decided not to make the, theDNP, the actual, like you have
(08:22):
to go back and get a DNP.
If you're going back to PR.
Clunk on our specialist.
But I've heard from many of mycolleagues that.
The work that we do in ourclinical nurse specialist
programs.
Somewhat of a repeat in yourdoctoral program, except it just
gives you the space and time toreally use those tools into, to
expand on them and to grow them.
(08:44):
I said all of that to say, Backto my number one, my number one
thing.
The number one reason not to geta graduate degree is to make
more money.
Is because you want more money.
Cause you could get the degree,but not.
Have the skills or not have theexposure and you're still not
able to move.
Do you have more options of jobsto apply for?
(09:05):
Absolutely.
But what have you done aroundthat work?
That is important.
And the other reason to not geta graduate degree is you don't
see the value.
So I believe every person shouldget a graduate degree by going
back to school to grow theircareer.
Now can you grow your careerwithout.
(09:26):
Uh, graduate degree.
I mean, I never say never.
And I'm sure there are peopleI've seen.
I read Becker's review and I'veseen many of those articles and
I've seen VPs with a, with a,with a bachelor's degree in
nursing.
I mean, it just happens.
So I'm not going to say, neversay, I'm not going to say you'll
never, but you will increaseyour chances of career growth if
(09:50):
you go back and get a graduatedegree.
So I am here to.
Help you.
To understand the reasons forgoing back and getting a
graduate degree.
If you're on the fence about it.
There are many of you who arelike, I want to grow my career.
And I want to make money ifyou're just looking to make
money and that's it.
(10:10):
You could do something else.
And not go back and get agraduate degree.
So that leads me to my numberone point.
The number one reason to go andget a graduate degree is to make
money.
Now, I know I just contradictedmyself, but stay with me here.
When you are at the bedside,working in the hospital.
You will hit a ceiling and howmuch you can make at the
(10:32):
bedside.
There's a range.
Like we're not w we, younegotiate within the range, but
there's a range.
And that the hospital has aboutthousands of nurses.
So they're not going to adjustit just for you, unless you're
coming from like they'llconsider cost of living.
They'll consider where you'recoming from.
If you came from California andyou're here in North Carolina,
(10:55):
the pay.
Is much different.
So they're going to make thoseadjustments, but it's still
going to be within the range.
Some of, you may have eventopped out at your salary.
They'll give you a bonus, butthat's it.
You can travel and make moremoney traveling.
But if that's not your thing,And you decide to stay within
one company and move around.
(11:17):
Then making more money requiresgetting another degree period.
Point blank.
It increases your ceiling.
Two.
Making more money.
And then the other piece to itis, is that clinical advancement
programs.
Require higher degrees to makemore money.
So, if you have an associatesdegree, they require a
(11:39):
bachelor's degree in order foryou to get that extra
percentage.
If you have a bachelor's degree,if you want.
A certain percentage you can go.
I know within my hospitalsystem, you can go as high as
getting a dud.
A doctorate degree.
We're working at the bedside.
And then that's when you getabout a 20% increase.
Which is substantial.
Required to another degree.
(12:01):
Okay.
All right.
So next next point.
.Getting a graduate degree,provides more nursing job
opportunities.
So I said, when I was leaving.
My quality job and going intogoing back into nursing, because
that was my desire.
My options were very wide open.
(12:23):
And specifically.
A master's degree in nursing.
So what you can apply for with abachelor's degree in nursing
versus a master's degree innursing is drastically
different.
And even when a job requires abachelor's degree in nursing,
but prefers.
If it says prefers a master'sdegree.
Then the person with themaster's degree is likely to get
(12:45):
the job before you.
Because of the higher level ofeducation, even if they have.
Less qualifications than you.
I said likely.
It's not an absolute.
And this is something that youshould consider you need to
consider.
You want to lower the barrierfor them to say.
(13:05):
No, you're just not the rightfit right now.
Now sometimes you're just notthe right fit and you're not the
right fit for them.
And they're not the right fitfor you.
But some jobs that profile thatprovide more flexibility require
a master's degree.
So if you're looking forflexibility, In your work.
Although it may be five days aweek.
(13:28):
There's an opportunity forflexibility there.
If you're applying for that jobthat has a master's degree.
Your opportunities open up.
For more flexible work schedule.
Okay.
Lastly.
For career growth.
I mean in that, what we're herefor.
This is also not an absolute orend all be all, but having a
(13:51):
master's degree certainly makesit easier for you to grow your
career.
But the master's degree ismaster's degree is just the
start.
You also have to look the part.
It is not enough to have thedegree, but it makes it easier
for you to grow in your career.
And let's face it much of whatwe do is about perception.
(14:11):
Is how people perceive us.
The degree many times puts youin rooms, you would not have
thought about being in aboutgoing to, or being a part of.
So it's important to get thedegree to help you to grow.
Because even during that timeduring doing during, even that
time during getting your degree.
(14:33):
It helps to expose you todifferent areas of nursing that
you would not have been exposedto.
In a bachelor's degree program,they can't cover that even when
you're going back to, as somepeople say, get the BS part of
the degree.
You're just not exposed to it.
And what you really need forcareer growth of the many things
(14:55):
that I talk about is exposure.
And going back and getting themaster's degree.
In those programs.
You get a good robust programand you'll get some exposure to
different areas of healthcareand nursing.
That really helped you to thinkabout, huh?
I like that.
When I was getting my firstmaster's degree, which is a
master's degree in nursing, ourmaster's of science in nursing.
(15:18):
Um, health systems managementwas my, my track.
It's the same thing as nursingleadership, but they just kind
of changed the words.
It might be changed to somethingdifferent now, but it's the same
thing.
And we took classes with the MBAprogram.
They actually had a dual MSN, anMBA.
Um, and I thought about goingback to get my MBA, but I was
(15:39):
like, nah.
Ah, I'm not going to do that.
That's not necessarily off thetable either, but that's, that's
another conversation for anotherday.
I love school.
Y'all.
But, um, I took a class ineconomics.
Economic shell.
That was hands down.
I will say probably out of myentire nursing.
(15:59):
Out of my master's degreeprogram.
The most impactful.
Where.
My nursing theory class and it'smy first masters, my nursing
theory class.
And economics.
It opened my eyes to thepossibilities and the way to
apply economics to healthcare.
Mindblowing.
(16:21):
Which is why I'm so passionateabout the value of neuro of the
nurse.
And so lastly, my last point inthis FA.
In this area of, for careergrowth.
It expands your thought processto the possibilities of what is
open for you in your career?
And the impact you can make.
So I'm going to recap.
(16:41):
There are three reasons.
Y you should go and get agraduate degree.
To make more money.
To have more nursing jobopportunities or job
opportunities in general.
Cause sometimes in healthcarethey just require a master's
degree.
And then for career growth.
Those are the three reasons.
(17:02):
Why.
You should go back and get agraduate degree.
At some point in time, I willbegin to kind of help to talk
through.
That decision making process inwhat master's degree to get,
because what I'm finding.
Is that not every nurse wants togo back and be a nurse
practitioner and not every nursewants to go back.
(17:23):
To school to get a master'sdegree, to be a nurse manager.
You want to grow you B you wantto be in leadership.
But y'all, there are moreoptions out there than that.
I love.
My nurse managers and I love mynurse practitioners and an
episode.
In the future.
I will talk about the way thatI, as a clinical nurse
specialists have collaboratedwith those two roles and we
(17:45):
partner well with those tworoles.
Um, But I know that many peopledon't want to grow in that
direction.
Or either you choose it as adefault, thinking that that's
the only route that you can go.
It's not.
Um, So.
Get your graduate degree, startthinking about getting your
graduate degree so you can openup your possibilities of growth.
(18:08):
All right.
See you next time.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
If so, would you take 30 secondsand share it with another nurse
who may be unsure of where to gonext in their career or maybe
need some career clarity?
Also, please leave a quickreview for the show on Apple
podcast.
It brings me so much joy and somuch encouragement to know this
(18:32):
podcast is helping you.
Now go get the career you wantand not the one you settle for.
And I'll meet you back here nextThursday for another episode.
See you soon!
And 2020 to a 17.4% of thenations registered nurses held a
master's degree and 2.7.
Percent held a doctorate degree.
As their highest educationalpreparation.
There is a current demand formasters and doctorally prepared
(00:21):
nurses.
For advanced practice.
And advanced practice beingclinical nurse specialist.
Certified nurse midwife.
Nurse practitioner.
And our favorites, the nurse andethicists.
Clinical specialties.
Teaching of course, because wehave a.
(00:42):
Decreased supply of nursingfaculty.
And research roles.
The demand far out.
Outweighs the supply.
Meaning they're just not enough.
So, if you feel like whereveryou are, whatever you're looking
for.
The market is saturated.
(01:02):
It's probably just because ofwhere you are.
It's not necessarily because thedemand isn't there.
And more than likely it's, youknow, It's not saturated.
Are you feeling stuck in yourcurrent clinical environment?
Do you want to make a change inyour nursing career but not sure
what to do next?
Exhausted, burnt out, and maybeeven ready for different
(01:25):
leadership?
I'm Bonnie Meadows, a BoardCertified Nurse.
Clinical Nurse Specialist,Influential Leader, Career
Coach, and Well Being Coach.
Being in the nursing andhealthcare profession since
2004, I have felt stuck andunsure about what was next for
me.
I wanted to be fulfilled in mypurpose, to have a voice at the
(01:46):
table.
And to be a resource for others,I kept telling myself I wanted
more, but didn't have thedirection I needed until I found
clarity and career growthstrategies for experienced
nurses like me.
In this podcast, you will find.
Simple tactical steps that allowyou to gain the clarity you
(02:06):
need, solutions for how to groweven without supportive
leadership, and guidelines forsetting boundaries at work so
that you can grow purposefullyin your career as a nurse with a
graduate degree who makes a hugeimpact in the profession.
So get ready to trade yourscrubs for yoga pants.
Pop in those earbuds and let'schat.
(02:29):
In this podcast episode, you'regoing to find a few key reasons
why you should consider gettinga master's degree.
For some, this may remind you ofwhy you got the master's degree
or the doctorate degree and whyyou need to use it.
When pivoting from my qualityjob.
I narrowed my focus to four keyareas.
(02:50):
I call this my professionalbrand.
They are nursing.
Mentoring.
Nurses.
Quality and leadership.
Those were the four key areasthat I was focused on when I was
then looking for a new job.
I spoke last week of the pastcouple of weeks about how my
(03:12):
quality job was my dream job,but it was actually the worst
job that I'd ever had.
But that was definitely a setupfor calm up because.
It led me straight into my, it,it forced me to go into, into re
evaluate what are my passions?
What is it that I love to do?
And I was bound and determinedto make sure that my career
(03:35):
trajectory followed that path.
And I always did.
Uh, reassessment.
If you hear any of my episodes,some shape, form, or fashion, I
will mention doing, havingself-awareness and doing a self
assessment.
Every time I get an itch to dosomething different.
As I start that process all overagain.
(03:58):
So it's not a one and donebecause things change.
Life's shifts or you get moreexposure to more things and you
think, huh?
I think I'd like to do that.
So the job I wanted to pivot torequired those four key areas
anywhere I.
Well, anywhere I went, whateverI was doing next, it had to
(04:21):
encompass at least those fourareas.
And I will tell you, I veeredfrom that at times.
And realized, oh, Maybe likethere are times when I can shift
out of it.
Like right now, I'm not in thequality piece, but I'm, I have
all the other three elements.
Um, and it's not necessarilythat I don't enjoy quality
(04:45):
because I do.
I incorporate it in everythingthat I do and the mindset of it.
But I'm just not working withthe numbers of it.
And, you know, going through andwhole implementation process.
Do I do that in my current joband in my everyday work I do
because I work on projects allthe time.
Um, but I have narrowed focus.
(05:07):
Because I already had a master'sdegree in nursing.
That lower the barrier of entrythat I needed to overcome in
order to move on very quickly.
And that master's degree allowedmore options of what I was
qualified to do and could applyfor.
I have two master's degrees.
(05:27):
Both of them in nursing.
So one is a post-master'scertificate and the other one is
a master's degree and I'mdefinitely not opposed to going
back and get an, and got adoctorate degree.
It just, all it is just a matterof how does it line up with what
I'm currently doing, where I'mcurrently going.
Um, and current plans right now.
(05:48):
I am president elect for mystate's nursing association, and
I will be in that role for atleast.
Four years, four or five years.
And I'm currently building thisbusiness, this coaching
business.
Which is really my passion.
Like that work is my passiontoo.
So I'm, I'm.
(06:09):
I'm in the sweet spot of workingin my passion and, and doing
things that are within mypassion.
There's a growing passion of,uh, of a subject area of
advocacy, um, that I'm growingin, in my precedent and elect to
roll.
I'm a firm believer.
That more degrees give you moreoptions.
Now you definitely have to weighthe options.
(06:29):
Like I was in a space where Iwas like, I'm an advocate for a
doctorate degree, but.
I'm still trying to figure out.
Where that fits for my lifebecause getting a doctorate
degree doesn't necessarily meanthat it's more money.
And that leads me to my numberone reason to not get a graduate
degree.
Or I kind of got to, but thenumber one reason is that you
(06:51):
want to make more money.
Because it's not necessarily aguarantee.
It could lead to that, but it'snot automatic.
You probably, you get a, you geta better jump.
If you're going from bachelor'sdegree to master's degree, but
when you're going from master'sdegree to doctorate degree, and
(07:12):
you're in a hospital setting,and I'm mainly talking to nurses
who are in a hospital setting.
As a nursing profession, we arejust coming around to the
doctorate of nursing practiceand nursing practice.
And there are more and morenurses who were like that is the
fastest growing doctoratedegree.
Yeah, the PhD is actually on adecline or very stagnant, and
(07:34):
they are actually trying toincrease enrollment in PhD
programs.
But.
The options were the doctoratedegree in nursing practice is
opening up, especially If you'rein an.
And a somewhat not, and notnecessarily admin role in
nursing support, but you're in amore of a nursing support role.
Um, Jobs that require adoctorate of nursing practice.
(07:57):
Hospital systems are stilltrying to figure out how to
create that.
I will say for me, Lord, I'mgoing on a tangent, but I feel
like this is important.
My, degree in the clinical nursespecialist is a master's degree.
Um, I just heard the other daythat our national association
has decided not to make the, theDNP, the actual, like you have
(08:22):
to go back and get a DNP.
If you're going back to PR.
Clunk on our specialist.
But I've heard from many of mycolleagues that.
The work that we do in ourclinical nurse specialist
programs.
Somewhat of a repeat in yourdoctoral program, except it just
gives you the space and time toreally use those tools into, to
expand on them and to grow them.
(08:44):
I said all of that to say, Backto my number one, my number one
thing.
The number one reason not to geta graduate degree is to make
more money.
Is because you want more money.
Cause you could get the degree,but not.
Have the skills or not have theexposure and you're still not
able to move.
Do you have more options of jobsto apply for?
(09:05):
Absolutely.
But what have you done aroundthat work?
That is important.
And the other reason to not geta graduate degree is you don't
see the value.
So I believe every person shouldget a graduate degree by going
back to school to grow theircareer.
Now can you grow your careerwithout.
(09:26):
Uh, graduate degree.
I mean, I never say never.
And I'm sure there are peopleI've seen.
I read Becker's review and I'veseen many of those articles and
I've seen VPs with a, with a,with a bachelor's degree in
nursing.
I mean, it just happens.
So I'm not going to say, neversay, I'm not going to say you'll
never, but you will increaseyour chances of career growth if
(09:50):
you go back and get a graduatedegree.
So I am here to.
Help you.
To understand the reasons forgoing back and getting a
graduate degree.
If you're on the fence about it.
There are many of you who arelike, I want to grow my career.
And I want to make money ifyou're just looking to make
money and that's it.
(10:10):
You could do something else.
And not go back and get agraduate degree.
So that leads me to my numberone point.
The number one reason to go andget a graduate degree is to make
money.
Now, I know I just contradictedmyself, but stay with me here.
When you are at the bedside,working in the hospital.
You will hit a ceiling and howmuch you can make at the
(10:32):
bedside.
There's a range.
Like we're not w we, younegotiate within the range, but
there's a range.
And that the hospital has aboutthousands of nurses.
So they're not going to adjustit just for you, unless you're
coming from like they'llconsider cost of living.
They'll consider where you'recoming from.
If you came from California andyou're here in North Carolina,
(10:55):
the pay.
Is much different.
So they're going to make thoseadjustments, but it's still
going to be within the range.
Some of, you may have eventopped out at your salary.
They'll give you a bonus, butthat's it.
You can travel and make moremoney traveling.
But if that's not your thing,And you decide to stay within
one company and move around.
(11:17):
Then making more money requiresgetting another degree period.
Point blank.
It increases your ceiling.
Two.
Making more money.
And then the other piece to itis, is that clinical advancement
programs.
Require higher degrees to makemore money.
So, if you have an associatesdegree, they require a
(11:39):
bachelor's degree in order foryou to get that extra
percentage.
If you have a bachelor's degree,if you want.
A certain percentage you can go.
I know within my hospitalsystem, you can go as high as
getting a dud.
A doctorate degree.
We're working at the bedside.
And then that's when you getabout a 20% increase.
Which is substantial.
Required to another degree.
(12:01):
Okay.
All right.
So next next point.
.Getting a graduate degree,provides more nursing job
opportunities.
So I said, when I was leaving.
My quality job and going intogoing back into nursing, because
that was my desire.
My options were very wide open.
(12:23):
And specifically.
A master's degree in nursing.
So what you can apply for with abachelor's degree in nursing
versus a master's degree innursing is drastically
different.
And even when a job requires abachelor's degree in nursing,
but prefers.
If it says prefers a master'sdegree.
Then the person with themaster's degree is likely to get
(12:45):
the job before you.
Because of the higher level ofeducation, even if they have.
Less qualifications than you.
I said likely.
It's not an absolute.
And this is something that youshould consider you need to
consider.
You want to lower the barrierfor them to say.
(13:05):
No, you're just not the rightfit right now.
Now sometimes you're just notthe right fit and you're not the
right fit for them.
And they're not the right fitfor you.
But some jobs that profile thatprovide more flexibility require
a master's degree.
So if you're looking forflexibility, In your work.
Although it may be five days aweek.
(13:28):
There's an opportunity forflexibility there.
If you're applying for that jobthat has a master's degree.
Your opportunities open up.
For more flexible work schedule.
Okay.
Lastly.
For career growth.
I mean in that, what we're herefor.
This is also not an absolute orend all be all, but having a
(13:51):
master's degree certainly makesit easier for you to grow your
career.
But the master's degree ismaster's degree is just the
start.
You also have to look the part.
It is not enough to have thedegree, but it makes it easier
for you to grow in your career.
And let's face it much of whatwe do is about perception.
(14:11):
Is how people perceive us.
The degree many times puts youin rooms, you would not have
thought about being in aboutgoing to, or being a part of.
So it's important to get thedegree to help you to grow.
Because even during that timeduring doing during, even that
time during getting your degree.
(14:33):
It helps to expose you todifferent areas of nursing that
you would not have been exposedto.
In a bachelor's degree program,they can't cover that even when
you're going back to, as somepeople say, get the BS part of
the degree.
You're just not exposed to it.
And what you really need forcareer growth of the many things
(14:55):
that I talk about is exposure.
And going back and getting themaster's degree.
In those programs.
You get a good robust programand you'll get some exposure to
different areas of healthcareand nursing.
That really helped you to thinkabout, huh?
I like that.
When I was getting my firstmaster's degree, which is a
master's degree in nursing, ourmaster's of science in nursing.
(15:18):
Um, health systems managementwas my, my track.
It's the same thing as nursingleadership, but they just kind
of changed the words.
It might be changed to somethingdifferent now, but it's the same
thing.
And we took classes with the MBAprogram.
They actually had a dual MSN, anMBA.
Um, and I thought about goingback to get my MBA, but I was
(15:39):
like, nah.
Ah, I'm not going to do that.
That's not necessarily off thetable either, but that's, that's
another conversation for anotherday.
I love school.
Y'all.
But, um, I took a class ineconomics.
Economic shell.
That was hands down.
I will say probably out of myentire nursing.
(15:59):
Out of my master's degreeprogram.
The most impactful.
Where.
My nursing theory class and it'smy first masters, my nursing
theory class.
And economics.
It opened my eyes to thepossibilities and the way to
apply economics to healthcare.
Mindblowing.
(16:21):
Which is why I'm so passionateabout the value of neuro of the
nurse.
And so lastly, my last point inthis FA.
In this area of, for careergrowth.
It expands your thought processto the possibilities of what is
open for you in your career?
And the impact you can make.
So I'm going to recap.
(16:41):
There are three reasons.
Y you should go and get agraduate degree.
To make more money.
To have more nursing jobopportunities or job
opportunities in general.
Cause sometimes in healthcarethey just require a master's
degree.
And then for career growth.
Those are the three reasons.
(17:02):
Why.
You should go back and get agraduate degree.
At some point in time, I willbegin to kind of help to talk
through.
That decision making process inwhat master's degree to get,
because what I'm finding.
Is that not every nurse wants togo back and be a nurse
practitioner and not every nursewants to go back.
(17:23):
To school to get a master'sdegree, to be a nurse manager.
You want to grow you B you wantto be in leadership.
But y'all, there are moreoptions out there than that.
I love.
My nurse managers and I love mynurse practitioners and an
episode.
In the future.
I will talk about the way thatI, as a clinical nurse
specialists have collaboratedwith those two roles and we
(17:45):
partner well with those tworoles.
Um, But I know that many peopledon't want to grow in that
direction.
Or either you choose it as adefault, thinking that that's
the only route that you can go.
It's not.
Um, So.
Get your graduate degree, startthinking about getting your
graduate degree so you can openup your possibilities of growth.
(18:08):
All right.
See you next time.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
If so, would you take 30 secondsand share it with another nurse
who may be unsure of where to gonext in their career or maybe
need some career clarity?
Also, please leave a quickreview for the show on Apple
podcast.
It brings me so much joy and somuch encouragement to know this
(18:32):
podcast is helping you.
Now go get the career you wantand not the one you settle for.
And I'll meet you back here nextThursday for another episode.
See you soon!
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