Written by Esme Wang.

The healthcare industry has been changing and evolving over the years with more and more advancements being seen in areas like policy changes, technology and patient care. Since healthcare is such a diverse field, it’s important that hospitals and businesses hire people who have the skills necessary to handle the tasks at hand.

In the US in 2023, there were over 3.175 million registered nurses employed around the country. California held the most registered nurses which equated to 332,560, next was Texas and then Florida. Unfortunately the state with the least amount of registered nurses was Wyoming (1).

Due to this, there has been a higher demand for those who have advanced healthcare degrees. In this article we’ll touch on the healthcare trends and how advanced degrees are starting to shape the future of this industry.

The Evolution of Healthcare Education

In the early years normal bachelor degrees in nursing or medical degrees were generally enough to land you a job in healthcare. However, these days the healthcare industry has seen an increase in specialized roles which require more advanced degrees like:

• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Nursing Practice (DNP)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• EdD in Healthcare Program / Healthcare Education

These degrees give the student additional skills which may not have been taught in a normal medical degree. The evolution of advanced degrees has helped to fill gaps in the healthcare industry which were previously lacking. Other areas where healthcare education has evolved include but isn’t limited to:

• The integration of technology. Healthcare providers also need to be educated on the latest tools, machines and devices. Whether it’s technology for record keeping or machines that filter blood, it’s vital that the degree and career you’re going to be going into covers some of the technology you may encounter. Many degrees now cover this as part of the training.
• The evolution of healthcare leadership education has also changed. Before it was more around leading teams and groups of people. Now it’s requiring leaders to know a deeper level of policies related to healthcare along with understanding to some degree what the people under you do. This advancement in leadership education has been able to pave the way for more skilled managers and leaders
• Another key area in healthcare students need to learn is to work as a team and collaborate with different cultures, personalities, and specialists. Advanced degrees are now emphasizing training on how to collaborate with other health care providers such as pharmacists, nurses, and physicians.

How Advanced Degrees Impact Patient Care

Patient care is directly impacted by advanced degrees and also extends beyond that. Some ways advanced degrees impact a patient’s care includes but isn’t limited to:

• They help to improve overall patient outcomes by bringing more skilled individuals into care for patients. These degrees can help professionals have a deeper understanding of more conditions which can lead to faster action in diagnosing and treating patients. This could lead to lower mortality rates and higher satisfaction rates.
• They help to improve a practitioner’s level of decision making, evidence based practice and critical thinking. This can help healthcare professionals make faster decisions in high pressure environments.
• They help to train healthcare professionals on how to deliver a more patient-centered care by training students in better communication skills. Those who undertake these advanced degrees are more likely to include their patients in decision making and help them understand the treatment plan and potential outcomes of the plan.
• Those who have advanced healthcare degrees have the ability to provide a higher public health focus in relation to health promotion, disease prevention and health management. They generally learn the skills to help design programs to improve overall community health and help implement them as well.

Advanced degrees can really impact a patient’s care from an individual level to a community level. Advanced degrees are also subjected to change as the industry changes meaning they will continue to positively impact the healthcare industry in the future.

Tips for Healthcare Professionals Who Want To Undertake Advanced Degrees

For those who want to undertake advanced degrees to continue their training or to open better career opportunities, there’s some things you can keep in mind.

• Choose a degree which aligns with your interest and your goals. There are many advanced degrees out there which offer training and education in research, clinical practice or leadership. Don’t forget to take into consideration factors like telehealth and other technology advancements you may need to learn to make your job easier before choosing your degree.
• Look for universities and other education providers who offer both online and hybrid degrees. Some parts of the degree may require in person training, while other degrees don’t. Advanced degrees sometimes require you to participate in virtual simulations and in-house interactive modules which will require hands-on experience so make sure you have the ability to attend the university if required before choosing the degree and its provider.
• Look into advanced degrees which may offer multiple healthcare opportunities. Some degrees may offer multi-layered learning which can be used across multiple careers. In undertaking a degree like this you have the ability to open new job opportunities.
• Work on understanding and learning more about evidence-based practices in regards to improving patient care. This means staying up to date on the latest research, and news around the career you’re looking to enter.
• Consider pursuing advanced degrees which offer leadership and management training to help you go further in your career. By understanding policies, healthcare management and over healthcare ethics along with your current degree you have the ability to take your patient care and those who work under you to the next level.
• Keep on top of new advances in healthcare technology. With new advancements occurring, it’s important you find degrees which offer the latest training of these systems and tools. Staying ahead can help you advance your career further when changes happen.
• Try to network with other like minded healthcare professionals. By joining organizations, applying for mentorship or attending healthcare conferences you have the ability to not only learn how others in the field work, but you may gain some additional advice of the best advanced degree you should consider if you want to be in a similar or same field as those around you.

Key Insights on the Future of Advanced Degrees in Healthcare

Advanced degrees in healthcare are suited for everyone who already has a healthcare degree and when you achieve your degree, it will pay off in the end. According to the National Library of Medicine between 2020 to 2030 there will be a need for over 275,000 nurses to join the workforce. (2) This means more jobs will open up in the future for nurses with advanced skills.

The future of advanced healthcare degrees is a hot topic. Many nursing students are gaining more interest in advanced degrees now than ever before. Some key insights on what the future holds for these degrees includes, but aren’t limited to:

• There will be an increase in the need for advanced providers in the future. With more chronic and sometimes rare diseases being diagnosed, it’s caused the need for healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable and highly skilled. Due to the lack of skilled individuals these degrees are always in high demand.
• Advanced degrees put an emphasis on learning across your lifetime. As the healthcare industry evolves so does the need for professionals to be engaged and trained. This means these degrees will be useful in the future, as training never stops.
• A global need for advanced medical professionals has seen advanced degrees get their recognition right across the world. Those who have undertaken advanced degrees are highly sought after in overseas healthcare practices. This means that these degrees have a global influence across the medical industry.
• Those who have advanced degrees tend to be involved in making and updating healthcare policies. Advance degrees have a direct influence on how healthcare policies will shape the industry over the coming years.
• Advanced degrees will be in higher demand as technology grows. Due to new advancements many healthcare practices will require more and more people to be highly skilled in order to meet their technology growth. Advance degrees help to fill this gap in the industry leading to more skilled individuals.

Endnote

The influence of advanced degrees in healthcare has always been there but now with the industry evolving, it has paved the way for these degrees to be highlighted even more now than before alongside normal healthcare degrees and certifications.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional starting out in the field or you’re someone who has years of practice under you. Undertaking more advanced degrees can help you to take your career and the healthcare industry to new levels. Not only will you help improve patient care, but you’ll also be able to grow as a professional as well. This can help those in your car to have the best outcome from their treatment and care with you.

References:

• Statista, Number of registered nurses in the United States in 2023, by state: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1222907/number-of-registered-nurses-in-the-united-states/
• National Library Of Medicine: Nursing Shortage: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/

Author bio:

Esme Wang is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.

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