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What Does a Patient Educator With an MSN Degree Do?

Learn how you can earn your master’s degree at an online nursing school and enter this rewarding field.

Once you complete nursing school, there are a wide range of career paths you can follow. Perhaps you want to work as nurse practitioner or help train the next generation of registered nurses as a nurse educator. If working closely with patients to help make sure they understand information regarding their health is how you want to put your nursing education to use, a career as a patient educator may be right for you.

Find out about the essential role that patient educators fill in the field of healthcare, and how you can complete nursing school online and earn your Master of Science in Nursing degree.

What Does a Patient Educator With an MSN Degree Do?

How Patient Educators Help

When a patient comes to a clinic or hospital with a medical complication or serious health issue, it can be scary for them. Having a professional explain the problem and outline the treatment options can improve a patient’s experience and contribute to good health outcomes. This is exactly where a patient educator comes in.

Patient educators play a key role between patients and the doctors and nurses providing their care. Some of the key duties of a patient educator include:

  • Informing patients about their condition and explaining treatment options and possible effects so patients can make informed decisions.
  • Developing and executing various treatments and programs to best suit a patient’s needs.
  • Providing specialized care plans for patients with conditions such as diabetes.
  • Helping families and friends cope with a loved one’s serious health issues.
  • Educating patients on self-care to promote optimal health, reduce illness-related complications, and improve treatment compliance.

A patient educator can find a rewarding career in a hospital, clinic, school, or home health agency. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t compile data specifically for nurses in this role, health education specialists in general have a projected job growth of 17% between 2020–2030, faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.1 To become a patient educator, you’ll need to be a registered nurse with at least a bachelor’s degree, but preferably a master’s degree to fill this role. For that reason, many nurses looking to go into patient education seek an MSN degree program.

An MSN Degree Can Expand Your Career

If you want to become a patient educator, a nurse practitioner, a nurse educator, or fill any of the other rewarding jobs in nursing, one of the best steps you can take is advancing your nursing education. At Walden University, you can earn your degree online with the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Whether you’ve recently earned your bachelor’s in nursing school or have been working as an RN for years, now is a great time to gain new skills, advance your education, and make yourself stand out to employers looking for highly skilled nurses.

Walden is an online university that offers rigorous academics with online classes, which makes it an ideal choice for working professionals with busy schedules. Walden’s online MSN program offers nine specializations to help you prepare for your dream job, and it’s led by a top-notch teaching faculty equipped to teach a diverse community of students.  

If you’re ready to advance your education and pursue new career opportunities, enrolling in an online nursing program at Walden is a great way to get started.

Walden University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Expand your career options and earn your MSN degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

1Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm#tab-6

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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