Advanced nursing degrees and levels for work beyond the bedside

Are you curious about nursing careers beyond the hospital and bedside care? Despite what you may have heard, you’re not limited to bedside care as an RN. If you’re ready to explore alternatives, an advanced nursing degree may be a good next step.

Having an advanced degree can prepare you with skills for a variety of specialized nursing roles, from leadership and administration to research and education. Whether you’re aiming to influence policy, teach the next generation of nurses or take on a more autonomous role as an RN, you may find an advanced nursing degree makes sense. Here’s what you need to know.

Advanced degrees for nurses can prepare nurses for careers beyond direct patient care in hospitals or clinics.

When armed with specific skills and education, and if applicable, additional certification, nurses can work, for example, as psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, family nurse practitioners, nurse administrators or nurse educators. Specializing in an area of nursing that you’re passionate about can lead to improved job satisfaction and potentially build greater confidence and expertise. (You might also find these roles more attractive if you prefer to work a traditional 9-to-5 schedule rather than a 12-hour hospital shift.)

Career opportunities for RNs with advanced practice nursing qualifications can also offer autonomy and higher salaries. For example, as of May 2023, registered nurses earned between $63,720 and $132,680 a year, with a median salary of $86,070, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For comparison, BLS reports that nurse practitioners earned between $95,530 and $211,820, with a median salary of $129,480.

One other reason for moving beyond beside care? Stress. No role can guarantee stress-free work, but the average nursing staff turnover rate is 18.4%, with telemetry, step-down and emergency nursing experiencing the highest turnover. That could suggest that many nurses are seeking a better balance in other roles, such as administration and informatics. Of course, to do this, many need to pursue additional education. 

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

The degree levels for an RN proceed like this: nursing diploma or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Each level is a step forward in education and specialization, preparing nurses with skills for new roles and responsibilities in the nursing profession. All degrees after the bachelor’s level are considered advanced nursing degrees.

If you wish to pursue further education after your BSN, you may consider an MSN, which can prepare you with skills for roles such as becoming a nurse practitioner. The MSN coursework focuses on research, advanced assessment, advanced pharmacology, prescribing, dispensing medications, advanced pathophysiology leading to diagnosis, and other specialized clinical skills.

Some concentrations in an MSN program track are:

• Nursing education: Prepares you for leadership roles working as a nurse educator in clinical and other educational settings. This degree is ideal for nurses who wish to teach in schools, universities and hospital settings.
• Nursing administration: Prepares you for a role as a hospital, health system or healthcare leader. This program includes key courses on nursing theory, research, applied statistics, and leadership roles and responsibilities.

The DNP is a terminal degree in nursing, meaning it is the most advanced nursing degree available. An online program is ideal for working nurses who want to be experts in their field, expand their leadership skills and drive improvements in patient care, policy and healthcare systems. 

Take care when choosing a university for your degree. Be sure to get details about the school and its programs. Top considerations to research:

• Is the school accredited? Ensuring the institution you’re interested in is accredited can potentially determine various factors, such as eligibility for transfer of credits from prior institutions.
• Is the program accredited? If you don’t attend an accredited program, you may not be able to sit for an advanced practice nursing licensure examination.
• What are the admissions requirements? Those may push you toward one degree program over another.
• Are you ready for an advanced degree? Admissions criteria varies by program, but all require an active, unrestricted RN license. Most advanced degree programs also have degree requirements. (For example, you have to have a bachelor’s degree before pursuing a master’s.)

As mentioned, furthering your nursing education prepares you with skills for a range of career opportunities, from leadership roles to nursing informatics An advanced nursing degree also allows you to specialize in a particular field or expand your skill set. For instance, you could become a nurse practitioner and work in an addiction center, focusing on behavioral and mental health. Some notable advanced practice nursing roles include:

• School of nursing director
• Nursing instructor
• Clinical nurse specialist
• Director of nursing
• Nurse practitioner

With an MSN, you could work as a nurse manager or nursing director. Nurses with a DNP can work as a nursing professor at a university, become a health, practice or program manager, and more.

Earning an online nursing degree offers flexibility, allowing you to balance your studies with work and other life commitments without the hassle of a commute or set class times.* You can complete coursework on your own schedule (but within provided timelines), making it ideal for busy nursing professionals. Online students may also benefit from dedicated support, such as academic counselors, who are there for them every step of the way. 

Some online programs require select in-person courses, but the majority of the work can be completed online otherwise. 

If you’re ready to take the next step in your nursing journey, start by exploring your educational options. Find an accredited program that meets your criteria at University of Phoenix, which offers a variety of advanced nursing degree programs, including:

• Master of Science in Nursing: Prepare for nursing leadership with this advanced degree. Concentration opportunities exist within this program, including in Informatics, Administration and Education. 
• Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner: Gain skills for a more hands-on role in nursing. This program can be completed in as little as 26 months and includes a five-day, in-person residency.
• Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Learn about psychotherapeutic intervention, pharmacological management and more as you prepare to work as a nurse practitioner in the mental health space.
• Nurse bridge program: This track allows registered nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field to earn their master’s degree more quickly.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice: Earn your terminal degree in nursing with this online program that focuses on practical and applicable skills. Students focus on ways to advance nursing practice, improve the healthcare environment and synthesize emerging and established data.

*UOPX nursing students in the Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner and Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs are required to complete an in-person, five-day residency in Phoenix.

Ask for more information about these programs today.