Connecticut currently ranks 49th in the nation for the number of Registered Nurses per capita. Healthcare and nursing leaders recognize the need for additional nurses, and have worked to attract new nurses to the field, but they're stymied by a shortage of qualified nurse faculty. Connecticut is in desperate need of master's-prepared nurse educators who can teach LPN, ADN and BSN students. Surveys of Connecticut hospitals also reveal a need for more nurse managers. A nurse with an MSN degree in nursing leadership or management should have little problem finding a job in Connecticut.
MSN-prepared nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are also important players in Connecticut's healthcare system. To be eligible for advanced practice licensure in Connecticut, they must have a MSN and national specialty certification. Connecticut advanced practice nurses work in collaboration with state physicians and may prescribe medication after completing additional education in pharmacology.
Professional organizations for advanced practice, master's-prepared nurses in Connecticut include the Connecticut Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Connecticut League for Nurses, Connecticut Nurse Practitioner Group, Inc. and the Connecticut Nurses Association.
MSN programs for Connecticut nurses include:
- Fairfield University. Fairfield offers a convenient master's-level clinical nurse leader (CNL) program. Students attend part-time; they typically attend class one night per week for about three hours and finish the program in three years. A CNL master's degree may be useful for nurses who wish to work as case managers, unit-based clinical nurse leaders, quality improvement professionals, nurse educators and hospital administrators.
- Southern Connecticut State University. MSN students at Southern Connecticut can pursue a degree as a family nurse practitioner (FNP), clinical nurse leader (CNL) or nurse educator. The school has an outstanding record of preparing FNPs for success: the 2010 class scored a 100 percent pass rate on the national certification exam.
