By Thomas Suh

Unlike college application essays, questions for graduate personal statements or admission essays, are more inclined to ask for career plans and research experiences. Since applicants are already past the undergraduate years, they are expected to have more concrete ideas regarding what they want or like to pursue in life. Some universities ask common questions that make the applicants elaborate on their academic interests or what specific area or discipline they would like to venture on. You might want to briefly discuss interesting reasons that made you decide to take up a particular field. Say something about how taking up a certain post-graduate course is an essential part in achieving your long-term career goals. When asked about research experiences, relate research topics you've enjoyed doing in the past. Remember that research is a big thing in graduate school so make sure you highlight your superb research skills, if ever. Similar to the college admission essay, candidates for a post-graduate also need to include academic background, achievements, and extra-curricular in their essays.

One of the several topics graduate school applicants can write about is their field and clinical experiences. Assuming candidates already have previous working experiences, they can say something about the practical values they gained in the process. It is best to relate job experiences in line with your career plans. Avoid mentioning on-the-job experiences which are not directly related with the field you are applying for. This may give evaluators an impression that you don't have a clear sense of your goals or whatever it is you want to achieve. Admissions officers want to make sure applicants are really serious in pursuing post-graduate course and are not merely out to dabble and leave after a few semesters. They want to admit applicants who may be potential additions to the university's roster of prominent and successful alumni. Convince them that you deserve a slot by producing an essay that requires little additional queries. Needless to say, the expectations and standards of admissions officers are higher for those aspiring for post-graduate degrees.

Writing graduate application essays, in essence, is also very much like crafting a college admission essay. You should also follow the basics of an effective personal statement like unity, coherence, and focus. A well-written essay reflects the fact you've allotted effort and time in weaving your essay in the same way sloppy essay can be a telltale sign that you've done it in haste. Start the statement with a strong point of entry that can surely grab the attention of your readers. Every sentence in a personal statement is significant but make sure your opening paragraphs are especially engaging. If you've successfully thought of a great introduction, sustain the momentum by polishing the rest of the contents of the essay. If you were able to craft a successful college application essay, there's no doubt you could also come up with a winning graduate admission essay.

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There is a general feeling that nursing as a profession needs more of hands-on experience than pure academic knowledge. There is a reason or two there. We are known to laud the role of nurses who have excellent practical abilities and management or supervision skills.
But apart from the too-obvious hospital care jobs, nurses have definitive roles to play in many other healthcare functions, and even in stellar roles in the healthcare industry. It needs no telling that higher education in nursing is imperative for nurses to work in senior positions, many of which are suitable for none else than nurses themselves.

In practice however, there is lukewarm response among nursing students to pursue higher degrees, perhaps for reasons of convenience and cost. For example, though numbers of nurses having a BSN degree has increased during the last four decades, yet only about 44% of 2.7 million nurses currently hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Given the advent of advanced medical treatment and progressively longer lifespan of people, there is no denying that the nursing practice is set to undergo many changes in sync with technology and need.

Keeping this in perspective, in October 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) agreed in a resolution to support the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) as a terminal practice degree. The DNP will be different from the PhD in that while the PhD has wider acceptance as being research-focused to supplant the master’s degree, the DNP is proposed to be for those nurses who want an advanced practice role, such as nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist. However, perhaps very few schools like University of Kentucky have embarked on this new educational path to offer the DNP degree.

A brief round-up of various advanced nursing degrees is provided below:

1. RN to BSN
   If you commenced your career in nursing with an associate degree or a diploma, you may consider attaining your bachelor’s degree. Many advanced nursing positions today are increasingly looking for a minimum of bachelor’s degree. The good news is that a number of distance learning courses has made this a viable option for quite a few of you who are working professionals. Besides, there are flexible programs in addition to distance learning that can be suitably timed around your work schedule. In some cases, universities are known to consider your work experience toward academic credit, which means your cost and time to complete your degree reduce substantially.
2. RN to MSN and beyond
   Positions in higher management, clinical positions and educational institutes require a master’s degree. When you pursue a master’s degree, you typically learn to focus on management and / or clinical specialties and if you so choose, you may prepare to teach nursing courses upon completion. Nursing educators are much sought-after in US, so teaching can very well enhance your career to help shape the future of nursing.
3. Nurses as “doctors”
   As discussed above, the top echelon in advanced nursing degrees belongs to PhD and now the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). In recent years, more nurses are proceeding to go for a doctorate degree in nursing, and accordingly, many institutions too are expanding their basket of course offerings to appeal to more students and also to meet this growing demand. In fact, about a dozen institutes have added a DNP program in their curriculum, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and more plan to start in near future.  

   A doctorate degree in nursing is helpful to teach at university level, conduct research, and even work in clinical settings or hospital management.

4. Other optionsAmong other careers pursuable for advanced nursing degree holders while remaining in a nursing discipline, nurse practitioner and nurse anesthetist must come first. In case of nurse practitioner, it is usually an offering of master’s degree, whereupon you will qualify to take the national nurse practitioner certification exam. A qualified nurse practitioner is able to diagnose and treat many common illnesses as well as to prescribe medications. 

   On the other hand, after attaining a master’s degree, if you are interested in becoming a nurse anesthetist, you need to pass a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) certification program. A qualified CRNA can be expected to work independently or in association with other anesthesiologists to provide anesthesia services in case of both surgical and obstetrical patients. A CRNA’s work may be patient-intensive during preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative periods.

As can be seen from above discussions, there is no dearth of career opportunities for advanced nursing degree holders. In fact, as experts opine, the advancement of medical technology will continue to enrich and enhance the requirement of nursing personnel who are equipped with one or more advanced nursing degrees.

Linda Raye - Staff Editor

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

This degree program offers the registered nurse the opportunity to advance his or her career as either a Community Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).

The Master of Science in Nursing degree program is designed to orient graduates to enhanced roles in community-based care as advanced practice nurses. The program focuses on those skills needed by nurses to succeed in the changing health care environment: enhanced critical thinking, assessment, problem solving, and communication skills.

Graduate students are provided education in preparation for the 21st century and the changing health care system.

The School of Nursing graduate degree program prepares professional nurses for advanced nursing practice, leadership in the nursing profession and future doctoral study.

Program Objectives

The Master of Science in Nursing program prepares nurses in advanced nursing theory and provides them with experience in advanced practice nursing roles within the changing patterns of health care.  Graduates are equipped to assume leadership roles in multidisciplinary health groups and conduct independent nursing research or clinical projects.

Primary program objectives are:

• model accountability for the ethical quality of one's own practice
• utilize research data as a change agent to improve health care systems and influence public policy
• assume leadership positions in a variety of health care agencies, colleges or universities
• take on the role of educator and leader in health care agenices, colleges or universities

The MSN graduate is able to design and implement strategies for improving nursing care and initiating changes in the health care system.  As the graduate interfaces with community members, he/she is prepared to engage in collaborative relationships with members of interdependent healthcare teams to improve health care and influence the nursing profession.

 Things to look for in a school:

• Flexible course scheduling
• An experienced faculty dedicated to teaching
• A program that balances theory and practice
• Full or part time study
• A community-based focus to practice
• An option to be a Family Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist
• A Post-Masters Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
• An RN to MSN pathway