Moreover, recent legislation such as the Affordable Care Act is expected to create an even greater need for nurses who can take on more advanced responsibilities. As one nurse stated on National Public Radio: "…with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which was passed in March, we're going to see 32 million new patients accessing the health care delivery system which previously weren't accessing this system. And currently, we don't have the capacity to provide high-quality, patient-centered care for this new expanded population" (NPR, 2010) Careers in nursing have become vast and varied, particularly for the highly educated, and pay for many of these careers is above $60,000 annually. While a nurse with a BSN who becomes an RN can still advance in her career, enter management, or become a nursing professor, an MSN is necessary for nurses to enter one of the more prestigious and specialized subfields (Sacks, 2003). In addition, nurses who wish to conduct research, earn their doctorate, and possibly become a tenured nursing professor must first earn their master's degree (Sacks, 2003).

Nurses who have earned their MSN have many exciting and challenging opportunities open to them, now and in the future. Some of these specialized careers include: nurse practitioners (who can order tests and write prescriptions), nursing directors, nursing executives and executive management, senior nursing technical writers, clinical nurse specialists, and specialized nursing consultants. Positions that may be open to RNs holding a BSN, but which are most often awarded to nurses who have earned their MSN include: case managers, nursing medical authors, diabetes educators, medical technical editors, and epidemiology nurses (Sacks, 2003).

With a rapidly aging patient population, millions of newly insured, and a shortage of both nurses and education in the interest of enhancing quality and safety across healthcare settings. In the statement titled Education Advancement of Registered Nurses, the Tri-Council organizations present a united view that a more highly educated nursing workforce is critical to meeting the nation's nursing needs and delivering safe, effective patient care. In the policy statement, the Tri-Council finds that 'without a more educated nursing workforce, the nation's health will be further at risk'" (AACN, 2010).
References

AACN. (2010, 10). The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. Retrieved 02-14, 2011, from AACN: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media/factsheets/impactednp.htm

Allen, J. (1988). Health Care Workers and the Risk of HIV Transmission. The Hastings Center Report, 18 (2), 2+.

NPR. (2010). Talk of the Nation: Role of Nurses in Primary Care May Expand. Retrieved 02-14, 2011, from NPR: http://www.npr.org/2010/11/16/131361359/role-of-nurses-in-primary-care-may-expand

OSHA. (2011). Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention. Retrieved 02-14, 2011, from OSHA.gov: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html

Sacks, T. (2003). Careers in Nursing.…