Registered nurses have a wide range of career opportunities available to them, allowing RNs to consider specialty areas that align with their professional interests and personal passions. With plenty of potential for professional growth in the nursing field, it’s important to recognize the role that advanced degrees and certifications play in registered nurse advancement.
To access the best opportunities for advancement for a registered nurse, you will want to consider investing in your education, pursuing certifications and applying for leadership positions.
Why Pursue Advancement as a Registered Nurse?
For many, nursing is more than a profession — it’s a calling. Opportunities for advancement for a registered nurse give nurses the ability to pursue positions that align with their personal values and interests, allowing them to enjoy more autonomy, advanced responsibilities and specialized opportunities. In many cases, career advancement opportunities in nursing also offer a higher earning potential and a greater sense of job satisfaction.
Expanding Your Scope of Practice
One of the first reasons that registered nurses begin considering career advancement opportunities is that they are ready to expand their scope of practice and take on new challenges in clinical environments. For example, nurses who have an Associate Degree in Nursing (AND) are often limited by what type of care they can provide in a clinical setting, whereas BSN-prepared nurses typically have more autonomy and can take on more complex clinical tasks.
In addition to taking on more complex and challenging responsibilities, registered nurse career advancement opportunities often allow nurses to specialize in areas of interest, such as critical care, oncology or pediatrics.
Increasing Your Earning Potential
According to the American Nurses Association, registered nurses can feel confident that they will earn a comfortable salary throughout their career, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting that the median salary for registered nurses was about $86,000 in 2023. However, higher-level positions and specialized roles in nursing often come with increased salaries and benefits packages, making registered nurse advancement opportunities particularly enticing.
Enhancing Job Satisfaction and Engagement
Leadership opportunities in nursing as well as specialized nursing positions can offer increased job satisfaction and higher engagement levels, particularly for nurses trying to avoid the burnout that runs rampant throughout the profession. These positions allow nurses to enjoy professional growth as they enhance their leadership skills and have a more significant impact on patient care.
Paths to Advancement for Registered Nurses
There are different paths that nurses can take to access the specialized nursing positions that interest them or the leadership positions available at various healthcare facilities and organizations. The most common avenues for registered nurse career advancement include higher education, certification programs and leadership positions.
Advanced Degrees in Nursing
Advanced degrees in nursing allow nurses to elevate their understanding of the nursing profession and develop the complex, critical clinical skills required in specialized positions. The advanced nursing degrees available include:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Earning an MSN degree allows nurses to pursue higher-level positions, such as leadership opportunities, advanced practice registered nurse positions or nurse educator opportunities.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — Described as the highest nursing degree available, the DNP degree is best for nurses who want to continue working in clinical roles. The DNP qualifies nurses for some of the highest positions available in clinical settings.
- Doctoral Degree in Nursing (PhD) — A PhD in nursing is an advanced nursing degree designed for nurses who want to pursue careers in medical research. Nurses who earn a PhD do not work in clinical roles, but rather, they focus on completing research that can help further the profession and improve best practices in the profession.
Professional Certifications
One of the best ways to access specialized positions in nursing is to pursue professional certifications. Certification programs provide nurses with specific, skills-based instruction, allowing them to develop an advanced understanding of an area that interests them within the nursing profession. Some professional certifications available include critical care, emergency nursing or oncology certifications.
Leadership Roles in Nursing
Leadership roles in nursing allow nurses to take on additional responsibilities, often stepping away from bedside care and focusing more on mentoring and developing nurses practicing in clinical settings. Common leadership roles in nursing that you can pursue include becoming a charge nurse, nurse educator or clinical nurse specialist.
Examples of Advanced Nursing Roles
By investing in your education and professional development, you can access a wide range of advanced nursing positions. Some of the higher-level nursing roles that you may qualify for include:
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who has a graduate degree. While you can qualify for nurse practitioner positions with an MSN degree, many nurse practitioners pursue a DNP degree.
Nurse practitioners can provide patients with comprehensive care, often sharing the same job responsibilities as a practicing physician. Nurse practitioners have the ability to diagnose patients, create a treatment plan, prescribe medication and manage chronic conditions. They often work in medical offices or hospitals.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is an advanced practice registered nurse who administers anesthesia to patients during surgical procedures. CRNAs are responsible for administering anesthesia, monitoring patients during surgery and managing pain. They often work in hospitals or surgical centers and spend a significant portion of their time at work in the operating room.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
Described as some of the most innovative and impactful leaders in healthcare, clinical nurse specialists are advanced practice registered nurses who often work to optimize operations in a healthcare facility. A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is able to provide advanced clinical insight and expertise in specialized areas of nursing, such as oncology, pediatrics or geriatrics. A CNS typically works in clinical settings, such as hospitals or physician’s offices.
Nurse Educator
Nurse educators are nurses who want to take on the challenge of motivating and educating the next generation of nurses. They have the opportunity to teach classes to nursing students and provide professional development to practicing nurses. Nurse educators work in a variety of educational settings, including universities, community colleges and hospitals.
Nurse Informaticist
Nurse informaticists are nurses who specialize in informatics, and they have the unique opportunity to bridge the gap that exists between clinical nursing practice and technology. Nursing informatics involves computer science, nursing science and information science, and nurse informaticists play a pivotal role in enacting data-driven healthcare initiatives in clinical settings. They are often responsible for managing electronic health records, developing health information systems and developing data insights that can be used to enhance patient care.
Climbing the Ladder: Steps to Advance Your Nursing Career
By investing in continuous learning, networking and professional development, you will find that your nursing career will advance in a direction that appeals to your strengths and interests in the healthcare industry.
Identify Your Career Goals and Interests
Before you begin an advanced degree program or a certification course, you will want to spend some time reflecting on your career goals and personal interests. When you take time to consider the areas where you may want to specialize in or the direction you want your career to grow in, you can make more strategic decisions about your career path.
Pursue Continuing Education and Professional Development
Continuing education opportunities allow you to stay current with the latest advancements in nursing practice and emerging trends in the healthcare industry. Some examples of continuing education and professional development opportunities include attending industry conferences, participating in skills-based workshops and completing online courses or degree programs.
Seek Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
By connecting with experienced nurses, you can benefit from their guidance and support. Some of the best ways to pursue networking and mentorship opportunities is to attend professional events and join nursing organizations, such as the American Nurses Association or the National League for Nursing.
Develop Essential Skills for Advancement
While it’s important to continue improving and advancing your clinical skills, you also will want to focus on soft skill development in your nursing career to prepare for leadership positions in nursing. Some key skills for career advancement in nursing include leadership, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Embrace New Challenges and Opportunities
You may feel more secure in your comfort zone as a nurse, but by actively embracing new challenges and opportunities, you can begin to grow on both a professional and personal level. When you work to precept new nurses, participate in committees or volunteer for leadership roles in nursing, you can start showcasing your abilities while developing new skills needed in more advanced positions.
Develop the Skills Needed for Registered Nurse Advancement at Nevada State University
If you are interested in registered nurse career advancement opportunities, then now is the best time to consider an RN to BSN online program. At Nevada State University, our RN to BSN online program is designed for registered nurses who want to accelerate their education and streamline their path toward a BSN degree. Our rigorous curriculum allows you to develop a deeper understanding of the nursing profession and enhance your clinical skills, giving you the ability to access opportunities for advancement for a registered nurse.
Request more information about our nursing degree programs today.