How Education Can Advance Your Nursing Career

Unless you’ve been living under the proverbial rock lately, it’s no secret that the U.S. economy is sputtering. Some would say tanking. Layoffs have been rampant in the United States as businesses, from the auto industry to healthcare, are looking for ways to cut costs. This injects a sense of fear among Americans.

“People are really scared,” said Lillee Smith Gelinas, RN, BSN, MSN, FAAN, vice president and chief nursing officer of the Veterans Health Administration. “Everybody is hunkering down because they’re scared to death of losing their jobs.”

Nurses are no exception in this economic downturn, and they should be even more focused on setting a solid foundation for a good career. Education is key, and advanced degrees and specialization can set one nurse apart from another.

“When you are a nurse that has advanced preparation — whether you have your BSN or your MSN — you have even more job opportunities in these tough economic times,” Gelinas said.