There are many MSN specialties to consider. Before choosing a program, reflect carefully on your career goals. Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years? What sort of role would you like to pursue?
Every nursing specialty has its own unique challenges and rewards. Consider the types of experiences you’d like to have as a nurse (e.g., patient populations, workplace settings or medical conditions) and what your strengths are. You may find that one of the following options suits you:
Nurse Educator
The MSN degree with an Emphasis in Nursing Education is designed to prepare nurses to pursue instructional positions as nurse educators. In the program, students are expected to analyze topics pertaining to educating nurses, such as ethics, policy and finance in healthcare, advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, advanced health assessment and curriculum development.
A nurse educator is generally someone who holds a strong commitment to lifelong learning and nursing research. They may teach in a variety of settings, such as in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree programs or at the graduate level. Alternatively, they may look for work providing professional development services.1
Public Health
Nurses who want to foster change in community health can pursue an MSN degree with an Emphasis in Public Health. Public health nursing involves the promotion of health for an entire population.
These types of MSN degrees examine the development, planning, implementation and evaluation of public health programs and services. A public health MSN teaches the skills needed to define, assess and resolve modern-day concerns in public health. The curriculum combines the nursing core and national public health curriculum standards in order to emphasize psychological, behavioral and social factors influencing population-based health disparities.
Public health nurses may pursue employment in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, county and state health departments, long-term care centers and community health clinics. Sometimes, they may travel to deliver services to people within schools, businesses and temporary health fairs and other events.2
Nursing Informatics
The MSN degree with an Emphasis in Healthcare Informatics is intended for nurses who want to understand and apply healthcare data to make better decisions through evidence-based practices. Specifically, this program teaches nurses to use patient and health data to achieve better patient outcomes, reduce costs and optimize operational efficiency. Nurses may be able to help their organizations adapt to new technology and the continuous changes in the field.
Additionally, this degree teaches students how to automate clinical care, build new operational data systems and train healthcare workers in the use of computer systems. Nurse informaticists often work in hospitals; some may work in clinics, educational institutions, research organizations and long-term care facilities.3
Leadership in Health Care Systems
For nurses who want to position themselves to potentially take on leadership roles in today’s healthcare systems, pursuing an MSN with an emphasis in Leadership in Health Care Systems may be the right choice. Individuals in this program are taught to effectively lead others and manage resources to achieve organizational goals. They are expected to develop an understanding of the healthcare environment, the communication skills needed to meet ethical and professional standards and the business skills needed to manage healthcare quality and reduce costs.
In addition, students are prompted to reflect upon various leadership styles and how organizations function. Graduates may be prepared to pursue a variety of different leadership roles in nursing, such as leadership roles in individual departments or those that oversee entire health systems. Other potential work settings may include clinics, urgent care centers and public health departments.4
ACNP: Adult-Gerontology
An ACNP degree with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology focuses on nursing care for the adult and elderly population. Students in the program are taught advanced practice nursing care in complex, acute and critical care settings through courses in advanced health assessment, clinical diagnosis, procedural skill acquisition and care management of adult and geriatric acute care patients.
Adult-gerontology specialists can work across multiple settings. These may include hospitals, clinics, primary care offices, hospice agencies and long-term care facilities.5 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), all types of nurse practitioners made a median annual salary of $126,260 as of May 2023.6
Nurse Administrator
Instead of maintaining your focus on clinical care, you might decide to pursue a career that focuses on healthcare administration. A nurse administrator is typically responsible for operational management and overseeing strategic development. For example, they may have a hand in areas such as policy development, professional development, budgeting and compliance monitoring.
Nurse administrators can work in a range of healthcare settings, such as:7
- Hospitals
- Residential care facilities
- Doctors’ offices
Family Nurse Practitioner
Another of the possible MSN specialties you might want to pursue is that of family nurse practitioner (FNP). FNPs work with patients across the lifespan — from infants to the elderly. An FNP can assess patients, diagnose illnesses and injuries, order and interpret test results, develop care plans and administer medication.
In some underserved areas, FNPs may serve as the only primary care provider for that area. Family nurse practitioners typically work in settings like hospitals, outpatient care centers and physicians’ offices.8 According to the U.S. BLS, all types of nurse practitioners, including FNPs, made a median annual salary of $126,260 as of May 2023.6
In choosing an emphasis, nurses can specialize in their area of interest and pursue a career they are passionate about.
