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How the nursing shortage can benefit you

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You have heard the news, there is a nursing shortage in America. Retirements and an aging population is placing pressure on hospitals and medical practices to recruit and promote nurses. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that demand for nurses will grow at a rate of 15 percent through 2026, which will result in the need of more than 438,000 registered nurse positions.1 This means that you are in demand.

To combat the shortage of nurses in the nation, hospitals are offering incentives and benefits to attract nurses. CNN Money recently reported that hospitals are offering “five-figure signing bonuses, free housing, college tuition for employees and their children.”2 Other institutions are offering career development programs tied to compensation rewards, financial incentives for much needed short-term nursing assignments, and programs designed to create a healthier and fulfilling workplace to reduce turnover.3 Furthermore, as you move up in your nursing career, the demand for higher-quality and better educated nurses can result in higher salaries and additional benefits.

The effects of the nursing shortage are being felt in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is being hit hard by the shortage and it’s getting worse.4 With the demand for nurses in Pennsylvania increasing, hospitals are now more competitive in attracting talent. Pennsylvania hospitals are offering nurses signing bonuses, typically in the range of $5,000 to $20,000.5

So, if you are looking to switch careers and become a nurse or if you are a nurse who wants to expand your credentials, now is the time to go back to school and benefit from the nursing shortage. Learn more about Gwynedd Mercy’s nursing programs and start advancing your career.

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses. April 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-1

2 “Hospitals offer big bonuses, free housing and tuition to recruit nurses.” CNN Money. March 8, 2018.

3 “How 5 health systems are recruiting, retaining nurses during an RN shortage.” Becker’s Hospital Review. January 21, 2016. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/human-capital-and-risk/how-5-health-systems-are-recruiting-retaining-nurses-during-an-rn-shortage.html

4 “Pennsylvania is Feeling the Effects of the State-Wide Nurse Shortage.” Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News. May 18, 2018.

5 “There’s a nursing shortage nationwide – but it’s a $100,000 job in York County.” York Daily Record. July 18, 2018.

What Type Of Nurse Do You Want To Be?

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So, you want to be a nurse. Great! Being a nurse speaks to our desire to help, to nurture, and to improve the quality of life for our patients. These traits are as vital to us as is our need to eat and breathe. Nurses in this way, are different than the average person. Since choosing to be a nurse is fundamental to who you are, how do you choose what type of nurse you want to be?

Take our seven-question nurse quiz and find out which type of nursing position matches your personality. It may confirm the position you want, or it may help you decide what position to pursue.

Will you be a…

Registered Nurse – Think of this position as a generalist role that allows you to work in almost any setting, from hospitals to clinics to private practices and more.

Nurse Practitioner – NPs are the right hands of doctors; they can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and independently manage patients.

Clinical Nurse Specialist – Are just what their name implies; these nurses have a clinical area that they specialize in.

Nurse Educator – Nurses who teach and mentor future and current nurses in a formal academic setting.

Certified Nurse Midwife – Are specialized Registered Nurses that are involved in elementary gynecology, prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.

Labor and Delivery Nurse – Their emphasis is on pre and post-childbirth taking care of mothers and babies.

Nurse Researcher – Nurses who are on the cutting-edge of discovering new methods and treatments.

School Nurse – Covering issues from minor scrapes to educating students on healthy habits these nurses play a vital role in schools.

Travel Nurse – These nurses take assignments in different regions for periods of time, which provide a variety of work settings and opportunities.

Oncology Nurse – Focuses on patients are at risk of having or do have cancer.

You’ve found a nursing role that interests you and fits your personality, what next?

Once you have an initial indication of the type of nurse you want to be, be sure to research that role. Speak to nurses about the pros and cons of that position and get their first-hand insights of its day-to-day functions. Making an informed decision of the type of nurse you want to be will set you up for success and high job satisfaction.

Finding the right nursing school.

Gwynedd Mercy University’s Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and Health Professions has more than five decades of producing innovative, inspired, and top-level nurses. You want to be the best nurse that you can be and GMercyU will help you be that nurse. Learn more about our nursing programs today!

Top 5 Reasons to Earn An MSN

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You’ve check all the boxes to be a professional nurse. RN license – check. BSN – check. Work experience as a nurse – check. Congratulations! Now what? Have you thought about the next step in your nursing career? Where do you want to be in your nursing career five, 10 or 20 years down the road? A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) might be just what you need to advance your career. Here are the Top 5 reasons to earn your MSN:

1. Show you the money!

If you want the potential to earn a higher salary, then get your MSN. Studies have shown that professionals with a master’s degree tend to earn more money than those with only a bachelor’s degree. The same holds true for the nursing profession. Nurse Journal states that “The average salary of someone who holds a BSN degree is between $42,343 and $81,768. Someone with an MSN degree, by contrast, has average earnings of between $62,281 and $195,743.”i The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that positions which typically require a master’s degree, such as advanced practice registered nurses earn a median salary of $107,460 per yearii, physician assistants earn $101,480 per yeariii and medical and health services managers earn $96,540 per yeariv. While salaries can vary for different reasons, the facts are clear; those with a master’s degree and work experience tend to earn more.

2. More career opportunities and options

With the nursing shortage, this may be the best time to be a nurse with an MSN. The American Nurses Association says that the nurse shortage “isn’t stopping soon.”v The demand for nurses is expected to grow faster than average at 15% through 2026.vi So, for the nurse who is prepared with an MSN, the coming years may prove to be a boom for career advancement.

An MSN makes you stand out. It shows that you have more knowledge and experience than the average nurse. An MSN prepares you to move into leadership and management roles, administrative duties and/or teaching positions, thereby opening you up to more opportunities. Being more qualified, means you have more options. You can compete for positions in more areas and find work almost anywhere and in multiple professional settings. An MSN has added benefits, such as preparing you for licensing requirements and it may even result in better hours depending on the position you transition into.

3. Specialization

An MSN provides you with the opportunity for specialization. Whether you specialize as a Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Educator you offer employers additional value, distinction and expertise. This makes you more marketable and more valuable to current or future employers. A specialization also allows you to focus on an area of nursing that you love most! Getting paid well and being appreciated at work, while doing what you love, are reasons enough to earn your MSN.

4. Better patient care

One of the most significant outcomes of earning your MSN is better patient care. Research has illustrated that patient care is improved when delivered by nurses with a master’s degree.vii Furthermore, as more becomes expected of nurses and as patient care becomes more complex, the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Future of Nursing stated that, “Nurses must achieve higher levels of education and training to respond to these increasing demands.”viii Therefore, giving your patients the best possible care starts with the advanced knowledge and skills that you gain from an MSN.

5. Easier than ever to earn

It has never been easier to earn your MSN. With Gwynedd Mercy University’s hybrid MSN program, featuring many online courses, you have the flexibility to fit your education in around your life without sacrificing time from your family, friends or job. In addition to the convenience of learning at your own pace, you will receive personal attention from your instructors. Best of all, an MSN from GMercyU can be completed in two years.

Discover even more possibilities that come with earning your MSN. Contact an Admissions Counselor today and start advancing your career.

i “BSN vs. MSN Degree Which is Best?” Nurse Journal. https://nursejournal.org/bsn-degree/bsn-vs-msn-degree/

ii Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm

iii Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Physician Assistants,

on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm

iv Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers,

on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm

v “Nurse Shortage.” American Nurses Association. http://www.nursingworld.org/nursingshortage

vi Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses,

on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm

vii Ge, Song and Xi, Xing and Guo, Gui-fang. “A systematic review of the impact of master’s-educated nurses on inpatient care.” International Journal of Nursing Sciences Volume 2 Issue 4, December 2015. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352013215000903

viii Institute of Medicine Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine. “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.” October 2010. http://nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future%20of%20Nursing%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf

Why an MBA matters

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We all wonder about career advancement and what it takes to get to the next level. Whether you have been at a job for a few months or for several years, the questions that inevitably will cross your mind are: “Where will I go next in my career and how do I get there?” “Do I have to move on to another company to advance or what do I need to do to get ahead at my current company?” A Master in Business Administration (MBA) might just be the answer to these questions.

An MBA offers your employer value

While an MBA offers you several benefits, it is important to first understand what an MBA means to your current or future employer. When a company hires you, they are making an investment in the future of the company. Hiring the right person can mean the difference between making money or losing money. Employers are looking for value in their employees to increase efficiencies, profits and the long-term healthy operations of the company. Earning an MBA is a way to add value to your position in the organization.

Too many times a company’s downfall is when its employees operate in a silo, only thinking about their specific role without considering how their role impacts the organization as a whole. An MBA provides you with a deeper understanding of business functional areas –  management, marketing, sales, accounting, finance and human resources. The diverse theoretical and case-study knowledge you gain with your MBA, along with your experience, allows you to interact among different departments with more sophisticated analytical understanding and execution. It will help you respond to the needs of a given department while at the same time keeping the “big picture” of your business’s operations top of mind. The more seamlessly effective you are across your company, the better your company will function; this type of value is priceless to an organization.

An MBA often comes with a specialization in a functional business area. This provides your company with greater subject matter depth and expertise, which you bring to the proverbial table. You will know more about your field, more about trends and more about what works and doesn’t work in your field. Regardless of what business unit you work in, the MBA will make you better – a better manager, a better marketer, a better sales person, a better accounting or finance person or a better human resources representative; thereby making your company better. Because the MBA will make you more effective in your specific role you will bring more value to your company.

An MBA offers you value

An MBA offers you value by opening the door to: 1) career advancement – the MBA increases your qualifications for higher-level positions and for different positions not open to those with only a bachelor’s degree, 2) salary increases – an advanced degree and experience come with bigger compensation potential and 3) career flexibility – your MBA knowledge and skill set is transferable to any company and to any industry. Additionally, the MBA is the gold standard in business. It is universally accepted as “the” business degree that matters and as a degree that makes a difference in the workplace. The MBA removes limits and allows you to advance your career. The MBA matters, and as the complexity of business continues to change and evolve it will matter more in the years ahead.

MBA Options

Earning an MBA is a life-changing choice, so earn the degree from a university you trust. Gwynedd Mercy University is committed to your success. The MBA program at GMercyU offers you accelerated completion times, schedule flexibility with online courses and a high-quality learning environment. Earn your MBA with a choice of three specialization options: Strategic Management and Leadership, Health Care Administration or Transportation Leadership.

Nurses to the Rescue

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Freakonomics Radio episode, “Nurses to the Rescue!” takes an interesting look at the nursing profession.[i] The podcast puts forth the case that full practice authority for nurse practitioners is an answer to the doctor shortage in the United States.

The logic for this position is that nurse practitioners are routinely filling some of the roles once held exclusively by doctors, such as making diagnoses, issuing test orders and prescriptions, etc. Having additional nurses with full practice authority in the market would provide greater healthcare access, increase healthcare quality and would reduce healthcare costs, while at the same time decreasing the impact of a doctor shortage. The opposing side contends that while nurses are essential, nurses are not doctors. It is argued that the vast difference in training and experience for doctors requires primary care healthcare to be physician-led in order to provide the best patient care and that the solution to the doctor shortage is training more physicians to enter the market.

Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have already granted full practice authority to nurse practitioners and more are exploring the concept.[ii] Regardless of which side of the debate you find yourself on, the implications are clear: Nurses play a vital role in healthcare, nurses are in demand and the demand for nurses is growing. This presents a tremendous opportunity for those who desire to enter the nursing profession and for those nurses who want to pursue higher-level nursing career options.

If you are exploring the idea of becoming a nurse or are an experienced RN looking to add additional credentials, Gwynedd Mercy University has the nursing degree programs for you to advance your career.

[i] Freakonomics Radio. “Nurses to the Rescue!” November 15, 2017.
[ii] American Association of Nurse Practitioners. State Practice Environment.