According to the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, as of 2014 there were 10,352 active Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) licenses in the state. Of that number, the majority are Certified Nurse Practitioners, followed by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists and Certified Nurse Midwives. The Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing advocates higher education for the state’s registered nurses, as they believe that RNs who possess MSN degrees are better equipped to provide high quality health care to residents.
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis predicts that by 2020, Massachusetts will have 51,400 licensed RNs working in the state, but will actually need 87,800 to meet the growing demand for nursing care. This represents a nursing shortage of 59 percent.
The shortage is expected to be particularly acute among nurse practitioners and nurses in other advanced practice roles who are needed to serve as primary care providers in areas where the number of physicians is in short supply. More than 56 percent of Massachusetts’s residents live in such medically underserved areas, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. As of 2014, Massachusetts is considering adopting legislation that would allow NPs to practice independently in primary care without the need for physician supervision.
Not all MSN-educated RNs pursue APRN licensure, however. Some choose to seek nurse educator and leadership roles, which is another area in which Massachusetts is experiencing a shortfall. The AACN says that in 2013, 4495 qualified nursing school applicants were turned away due to lack of clinical training sites and a lack of nursing faculty. More MSN-trained RNs are necessary to fill the faculty shortages at Massachusetts’ nursing schools.
RN to MSN Programs in Massachusetts
Admission to RN to MSN programs in Massachusetts begins with choosing a graduate program approved by the Massachusetts Board of Nursing. Depending upon the school chosen, students may enter with an ADN degree, a BSN degree, or a bachelor’s degree in another field.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for admission to RN to MSN programs in Massachusetts may include:
- At least a nursing diploma or an ADN degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all undergraduate nursing courses
- Hold a current, valid Massachusetts RN license
- At least one year of work experience as an RN
- Passed the GRE within the past five years
- Provide personal letters of recommendation
- Complete a personal interview
- Have completed about 110 credits in undergraduate work, regardless of the degree earned, with 40 or so credits in general education courses including:
- Statistics
- Social sciences
- Humanities
- English
- Electives
- Have completed specific prerequisite nursing-related courses, which may include:
- Microbiology (with lab)
- Chemistry (with lab)
- Anatomy and Physiology (with lab)
Composition of Massachusetts RN to MSN Programs
RN to MSN candidates who hold an ADN must complete certain bridge nursing courses prior to beginning graduate nursing course work. These courses vary depending upon the institution, but usually include:
- Community health theory and clinical
- Practicum
- Principles of evidence-based nursing
The curriculum for a RN to MSN program in Massachusetts will also differ depending upon the specialization of the degree. For example, some RN to MSN programs are designed specifically for advanced practice roles, while others prepare nurses to work in leadership, administration or education. Generally, the curriculum will consist of 50 to 60 credits and will include:
- Concepts of advanced practice nursing
- Ethics of advanced practice nursing
- Roles of advanced practice nurses
- Advanced pharmacology along the lifespan
- Advanced health assessment along the lifespan
- Advanced pathophysiology along the lifespan
Students who pursue the following specialties in their MSN degree must also take:
- Nurse Practitioner:
- Principles of epidemiology
- Community nursing theory and clinical
- Nurse Practitioner:
- Nurse Anesthetist:
- Advanced principles for nurse anesthesia practice
- Physiological variables for nurse anesthesia practice
- Pharmacology of anesthetics and accessory drugs
- Nurse Anesthetist:
- Forensic Nursing:
- Forensic mental health
- Case studies in forensics
All RN to MSN students in Massachusetts must participate in at least one clinical practicum, depending upon their chosen specialty. Examples of medical facilities in Massachusetts in which these practicums may take place include:
- Boston Medical Center- Boston
- Luke’s Hospital- New Bedford
- Quincy Medical Center- Quincy
- Boston Children’s Hospital- Boston
- Morton Hospital – Taunton
Pursuing APRN Licensure through RN to MSN Programs in Massachusetts
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are legally authorized to practice advanced techniques such as assessment, diagnosis, and treatment modalities that RNs may not. There are five categories of specialized APRNs authorized by the Board to practice in Massachusetts, once they have met education, certification and other requirements. The licensure processes for each type of APRN in Massachusetts are explored below.
Nurse Practitioner (CNP)
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-NP program in an authorized specialty, such as:
- Mental Health NP
- Occupational Health NP
- Adult Health NP
- Acute Care NP
- Family Health NP
- Geriatrics NP
- Women’s Health NP
- Neonatal NP
- Pediatrics NP
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-NP program in an authorized specialty, such as:
- Must pass a NP examination accepted by the Board by one of the following national certification agencies:
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), which offers certification in:
- Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PCNB):
- National Certification Corporation (NCC):
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner – NNP-BC
- Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner – WHNP-BC
- National Certification Corporation (NCC):
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC):
- Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – PMHNP-BC
- Pediatric Primary Care NP – PPCNP-BC
- Gerontological NP – GNP-BC
- Family NP – FNP-BC
- Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health NP – PMHNP-BC
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP – AGPCNP-BC
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP – AGACNP-BC
- Adult NP – ANP-BC
- Acute Care NP – ACNP-BC
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC):
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP):
- Adult NP – ANP
- Family NP – FNP
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP – A-GNP
- Must pass a NP examination accepted by the Board by one of the following national certification agencies:
- Must file the Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Authorization with the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, along with a copy of the candidate’s current Massachusetts RN license, official verification of certification status, official transcript sent directly from the school(s), recent passport-sized photo of the candidate, and $150 authorization fee.
- Recent jobs for NPs in Massachusetts were posted in:
- AdCare Hospital of Worcester, Inc. – Worcester
- NaphCare, Inc. – West Boylston
- Massachusetts General Hospital – Boston
- New England Community Medical Services – North Andover
- Lahey Health – Beverly
Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-CNM program
- Must pass a CNM examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board
- Must file the Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Authorization with the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, along with a copy of the candidate’s current Massachusetts RN license, official verification of certification status, official transcript sent directly from the school(s), recent passport-sized photo of the candidate, and $150 authorization fee
- Recent jobs for CNMs in Massachusetts were posted in:
- Women’s Health Associates – Newton Lower Falls
- Mount Auburn Hospital- Cambridge
- Brockton Neighborhood Health Center – Brockton
- Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates – Wellesley
- Cape Cod Healthcare – Hyannis
Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-CRNA program
- Must pass a CRNA examination administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists
- Must file the Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Authorization with the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, along with a copy of the candidate’s current Massachusetts RN license, official verification of certification status, official transcript sent directly from the school(s), recent passport-sized photo of the candidate, and $150 authorization fee
- Recent jobs for CRNAs in Massachusetts were posted in:
- Brigham & Women’s Faulkner Hospital- Boston
- Beverly Anesthesia Associates, Inc. – Beverly
- North Star Anesthesia – Boston
- West Suburban Eye Surgery Center – Waltham
- Boston Pain Care – Waltham
Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCNS)
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-PCNS program
- Must pass a PCNS examination administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, such as:
- Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health CNS– PMHCNS-BC
- Child/Adolescent Psychiatric-Mental Health CNS – PMHCNS-BC
- Must file the Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Authorization with the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, along with a copy of the candidate’s current Massachusetts RN license, official verification of certification status, official transcript sent directly from the school(s), recent passport-sized photo of the candidate, and $150 authorization fee
- Recent jobs for PCNS in Massachusetts were posted in:
- Justice Resource Institute – Taunton
- UMass Memorial Medical Center- Worcester
- Multicultural Wellness Center- Worcester
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Must graduate from a Board-approved MSN-CNS program
- Must pass a CNS examination administered by a Board- approved credentialing agency, such as:
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN):
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC):
- Pediatric CNS – PCNS-BC
- Adult-Gerontology CNS – ACNS-BC
- Adult Health CNS – ACNS-BC
- Must file the Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Authorization with the Massachusetts Board of Nursing, along with a copy of the candidate’s current Massachusetts RN license, official verification of certification status, official transcript sent directly from the school(s), recent passport-sized photo of the candidate, and $150 authorization fee
- Recent jobs for CNS in Massachusetts were posted in:
- Community Counseling of Bristol County – Taunton and Attleboro
- South Short Hospital- South Weymouth
- Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. – Worcester
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network – Boston
- Lahey Health – Burlington
Specialized Nursing Jobs for RN to MSN Graduates in Massachusetts
For those who graduate from Massachusetts RN to MSN programs and do not seek APRN licensure, many other choices exist. Massachusetts RN to MSN programs offer several other specialties along with the MSN degree, such as nursing education, forensic nursing, nursing leadership, nursing management, clinical nurse leadership, and even a dual degree MSN/MBA at one school.
Jobs that may be available in Massachusetts for RN to MSN graduates outside of the APRN field include:
- Program Manager- Salem
- Clinic RN with MSN- Boston
- Nurse Manager –Lynn
- Nursing Instructor- Gardner
- Director of Nursing – Great Barrington