If you are a nurse, it is certainly advisable for you to be committed to your continuous professional education. As such, it is likely that you will take part in a master’s degree program at some point. This could be because you want to have greater involvement in educating other nurses. Alternatively, you may want to become a leader in the practice of nursing itself, in any specialization. Once you obtain your master’s degree, these goals can be achieved.
In Nevada, there is a huge demand for nurses who have gained advanced education and they are challenged in the workplace to deliver health care policy and create better outcomes for the patients and communities they serve. The health needs of Nevada population are very complex, not in the least because the population is growing and aging. Additionally, new health care reforms mean that nurses need to have increased skills and knowledge in order to perform their jobs properly.
There are currently only two schools that offer master’s degree programs in nursing. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a significant shortage of nurse educators. This is why the nurse educator track is one of the most popular programs to choose from, because it will enable you to directly influence the outcomes of many others if you then choose to become employed in an academic center. However, there are various other career paths you could choose as well once you hold your MSN degree.
Best MSN Programs in Nevada 2020
Salary and Job Outlook
The average salary for nurse practitioners with an MSN degree varies depending on where in the state they work. However, the overall average is $96,460. The Nevada Nurses Association introduced brand new legislation in 2011 which required that all nurse practitioners, clinical nurse leaders and other advanced practitioners have to be nationally certified. This was done to make sure that the quality of care delivered to Nevada residents is a high as it can be. Of course, the association is ensuring that nurses have the opportunity to actually achieve these goals. As such, they also support those nurses who want to set up autonomous projects, particularly in rural communities. However, advanced practice nurses do still have to be supervised by a physician. There is a current drive to change this legislation so that better care can actually be delivered all across Nevada.
Top Nevada MSN Degree Programs
It is very important to look into the schools that offer MSN degree programs if you want to improve your educational achievement. Some of the things to look for include how long the programs take to complete, what the specializations are, what the admission requirements are, how much the tuition is, and so on. Unfortunately, there are currently only two schools that offer MSN programs in the state.
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University of Nevada at Las Vegas
At the School of Nursing of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, students can take part in various MSN programs. These have been designed to ensure all graduates have the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to make them the safest, most effective and most efficient nurses in their field. The programs are available online and use many different teaching strategies. This ensures that all students are able to be fully engaged, regardless of their personal learning style. At the beginning of the fall semester, students have to attend orientation sessions on campus that last for two or three days. Mandatory attendance is required because the school believes it helps to foster bettering connections between the different nurses, who will all be part of the same workforce upon graduation.
- Campus: Las Vegas, NV
- Type: Public
- Accreditation: CCNE, NLNAC
- Tuition: $3,974 per semester for residents and $10,929 per semester for non residents
- Minimum time commitment: 46 credits for Pediatric NP and FNP, 33 credits for Nurse Educator
- Online availability: Yes
- Degree requirements: GPA of 2.5 minimum, TOEFL if applicable, BSN
- Programs: MSN Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN Nurse Educator, MSN Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- School Site: Tuition and Financial Aid
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University of Nevada at Reno
The Orvis School of Nursing offers MSN degree programs to ensure registered nurses can become truly advanced practice nurses, hold leadership positions or provide nursing education. Furthermore, graduates from this school have increased sophistication and clinical competence to make sure they are able to apply the theories they have learned. Additionally, the school has a strong focus on encouraging students to continue on with their studies and eventually achieve a doctorate degree. The curriculum includes such things as analyzing and evaluating current and new nursing theories, discovering nursing knowledge, and studying the various strategies that nurses can apply in their jobs. Finally, students are encouraged to discover what their own creative potential is, as well as to work together with other professionals in the field so that they can start building networking relationships with those people whom they could work with.
- Campus: Reno, NV
- Type: Public
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Tuition: $271 per unit
- Minimum time commitment: 37 for Nurse Educator, 52 for Family Nurse Practitioner, 36 units for Clinical Nurse Leader, 48 units for Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Online availability: Some courses
- Degree requirements: GPA of 2.5 minimum, transcripts, BSN, RN license, personal statement, three letters of reference, GRE, statistics course, interview
- Programs: MSN Nurse Educator, MSN Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- School Site: Tuition and Financial Aid
