If you're a nurse with career growth ambitions, a Master of Nursing is well worth considering.
Overview
A Master of Nursing is worthwhile for nurses aiming to advance their careers. With learning and expertise cherished in the profession, the degree offers handsome rewards. Along with enhanced skills, improved performance, and greater job satisfaction, graduates are positioned for high-paying roles.
This postgraduate qualification typically results in a salary range of $92,500 to $143,509 annually, significantly higher than the average for all nurses. It also opens doors to specialist roles in clinical, consulting, education, management, and research streams.
Despite being time-consuming, online courses offer the flexibility to complete the degree in two years part-time, allowing participants to balance study with other commitments. Getting the degree may bring you personal satisfaction and professional recognition, in addition to all the other benefits.
Types of Masters Degrees
The standard format for a Master of Nursing is a 12-subject program that you can complete online in 2 years of part-time study. Differences mainly lie in course composition, especially the blend of subjects that define the area of specialisation.
A couple of programs are unique, however. Nurse Practitioner programs prepare experienced nurses to become NPs in a specialty field. The Graduate Entry program is essentially an abbreviated bachelor's degree for graduates of other disciplines.
- Acute care
General nursing skills with an emphasis on short-term health episodes commonly seen in hospitals. - Advanced nursing practice
Focuses on enhancing clinical skills and theoretical knowledge, preparing nurses for advanced roles. - Critical care
This specialisation builds general competencies while strengthening intensive care nursing skills. - Emergency nursing
For nurses working in emergency departments to expand clinical skills and achieve higher roles. - Graduate entry
For non-nursing graduates, offers a 2-year route to become an RN. Also called "Nursing Practice."
- Mental health nursing
Nursing care for patients with mental health issues, covering therapeutic skills and treatment strategies. - Nursing education
For nurses transitioning into teaching or leadership roles, develops skills to educate and mentor. - Nursing management
Combines clinical knowledge with leadership and administration skills, preparing managers. - Nurse practitioner
For RNs aiming to become Nurse Practitioners, focuses on advanced practice and clinical skills.
Advantages
A master's degree in nursing offers many benefits. Among the top advantages are improved productivity and job satisfaction, higher earnings, and the personal rewards from learning and achieving.
The study program will enable you to perform your current job more confidently and independently, armed with specialised knowledge and skills. It also allows for an expanded scope of practice since nursing duties are tied to expertise, as indicated by experience and qualifications.
Productivity
- Become better at your current job
- Expand your scope of practice
Higher earnings
- Compete for high-level roles
- Qualification allowances
Personal satisfaction
- Learn and grow as a person
- Be held in higher regard by others
Your earnings may also increase significantly. Ongoing learning is highly valued within the profession, making the attainment of advanced qualifications an important step towards advanced roles. Graduates have better access to higher nurse pay grades and specialist clinical, consulting, education, and management positions. They also become eligible for qualification allowances.
The personal benefits from completing the program should not be underestimated. Studying at this level can be enjoyable, especially because you choose the specialisation and electives. Completing it can also be a great source of personal satisfaction and wider recognition.
Related: Benefits of a Graduate Certificate in Nursing
Salary Boost
On average, an Australian nurse with a master's degree can expect to earn a salary ranging from $92,500 to $143,509 per year. This increase in pay, representing a premium of $5,639 to $56,648 annually, is significant compared to the average salary for registered nurses, which stands at approximately $86,861 per year.
The enhanced salary reflects the advanced skills and expertise that the degree brings, making it almost a prerequisite for the highest-paying nursing jobs. Roles such as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Unit Manager, Clinical Nurse Educator, and Clinical Nurse Consultant, requiring advanced training and specialisation, are among the highest earners in the field.
Nurse Practitioners lead in earnings with an average top-end salary of $143,509 nationally, followed by Nurse Unit Managers at $133,952. Clinical Nurse Consultants and Educators command high salaries as well, reaching an average of $133,358. Clinical Nurse Specialists earn around $108,560 annually.
Related: Master of Nursing Salary in Australia
Get Paid Just for the Degree
Nurses with a master's degree benefit from a financial incentive beyond career progression. Public sector and other employers pay a Qualification Allowance for nurses holding advanced qualifications relevant to their job. The allowance for the degree averages $5,331 per year, which is more than payments for lower qualifications.
By comparison, a Graduate Certificate attracts an allowance of about $3,253 annually, while a Graduate Diploma yields an average of $4,312 per year. These payments are incorporated into the enterprise agreements for nurses and midwives. Note that they are not cumulative; you only receive an allowance for your highest relevant qualification.
Source: Nurse Qualification Allowance Rates in Australia
Will the Program Be Hard?
While any degree has its challenges, an MN often feels more manageable than a BN. You get to focus on an area of interest where you typically already have a background, as opposed to the undergraduate challenge of learning how to be a nurse from scratch.
Getting through it is also made easier by the experience and maturity you've hopefully gained. Enhanced time management and critical thinking skills can make postgraduate study a low-stress experience.
With a clearer understanding of academic and career goals, your academic journey may be smoother. Remember, you can also test the waters with the graduate certificate part of the nursing program, initially committing to just four subjects rather than twelve.