Grad School? Who, Me?
Valera A. Hascup, RN, C, MSN, CCE

Yes, you! You’ve been toying with the decision to go for your master’s degree, but you’re wondering, “Do I really need to do this?” “Is it worth it?” Yes is the answer to both questions. The only way for you to move forward in your career is with an advanced degree. Education is power — both professional and personal. Today, more than ever, nurses need to use that power to make positive changes in the workplace environment and improve patient care standards.

Nurses can no longer afford to do things the way they’ve always have done them. Nurses must be grounded in research so that a knowledge base is established that proves our clinical practice is evidence based. We can bring all of that knowledge back to the bedside, improve patient care standards, and demonstrate that nursing is a science.

Clinical practice aside, education offers a sense of personal and professional empowerment. It’s an incredible feeling to achieve a difficult goal that adds to your professional and personal growth through perseverance and determination. You will meet extraordinary professors, make new friends, and develop a networking system that is totally awesome. Before you begin, consider several factors.

What Program’s for You?

Is management or advanced practice your forte? Do some research. Determine what career opportunities will be available to you based on your choice of program. Do you want a MSN or master’s in another field? Do you prefer a classroom setting, a collaborative feeling with your classmates and professor, or is an online program for you? Accurately and objectively assess what type of learner you are and in what environment you learn best. Look for an established, accredited college program, so that if you decided at some point later on you might want to attempt that PhD, you won’t encounter any obstacles due to an accreditation issue.

How Do You Get the Money?

Cost is most likely the second most important consideration. Does your employer offer tuition reimbursement? If so, what are the requirements, stipulations, and amounts offered? Contact the human resources department in your institution and gather information. Armed with the facts and figures, you can then decide on a private or a state university.

What Courses, When?

Once you’ve decided what type of program and where, arrange to have a meeting with the chair of the department to find out all you can about the program. Does the school offer a part-time curriculum, or must you do full-time? If part-time is offered, make sure you understand the sequence in which the courses are offered. For example, if you don’t think you can take two classes concurrently, will it delay your graduation? If so, by how long? Will the courses you need be offered when you need them?

Do You Have the Time to Learn?

Be prepared to spend many hours on the computer for literature review, research, and honing those writing skills, for the master’s program is all about writing. It’s important to have a basic knowledge of the computer, even though computer literacy may not even be mentioned or a program requirement. The rest you can learn from your professors, friends, and colleagues. This is where networking really comes into play! The master’s program is all about developing critical thinking skills, expanding your horizon of knowledge though research, having great dialogues with the professor and your colleagues, and fine-tuning presentation skills.

Are You Willing and Able?

Time management is crucial. You must be willing to devote the time to writing and research. You must be willing to sacrifice some time away from family, friends, and hobbies. It is well worth it. Completing a master’s degree takes about two to three years, depending on course scheduling and the timeframe that’s appropriate for you. Take your time. The last semester is usually the most difficult because it’s when everything comes together. You’re writing your thesis or master’s project and preparing slides and notes and a poster board presentation for the Graduate Symposium. This is where you present your research project to the academic community at your university. Consider taking some time off before the end of the last semester, if at all possible, to devote yourself to finishing your project.

What’s Next?

Prepare your thesis or research project for publication. Send it first to the most scholarly publication. Don’t be discouraged when they return it to you for revision. At least it hasn’t been rejected! Network as much as you can and become active in the various nursing associations to which you belong. Publishing and networking get your name out there. Make your degree work for you.

Don’t give it a second thought! Take that first step toward obtaining your advanced degree. Remember, only 10% of all nurses are master’s prepared. You can be one of them.

Valera A. Hascup, RN, C, MSN, CCE, is employed full-time in Labor and Delivery at Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ.