Q: I’m in nursing. Should I get further training in community health, home health, pediatrics or obstetrics, etc? Should I get a master’s degree? Should I get hospital experience here before I go overseas?

All of those are very important and will be covered in a BSN program. There are many community health workshops that are offered throughout the year that you can take that will also be a huge benefit. You do not need a master's though it would be a wonderful asset giving you a stronger base of knowledge. I do recommend having a BSN as many countries do not recognize an ADN if you want to obtain licensure overseas. Working at least a year on the hospital floor in the States is important to bring all your educational training together. You need that time to develop those skills. I actually learned more my first year out of school than I did during my program. OB, surgery, Med-Surg and ER would all be wonderful places to get experience that would be very useful on the field.

You do not need a master's though if you can do it, would be a wonderful asset to have... giving you a stronger base of knowledge. I do recommend having a BSN as many countries do not recognize an ADN if you want to obtain liscensure.

I think that working at least a year on the floors in the States is very important as it is a time when you bring all your educational training together. You need that time to develop those skills etc and I think I actually learned more my first year out of school than I did during my program. OB, surgery, Med-Surg and ER would all be wonderful places to get experience that would be very useful on the field.

Hospital experience for two years is valuable. If you have a special interest and ability in obstetrics then this avenue is wonderful. On the field that you go to there will be nurses already engaged in ministry and they can help you get established your first three years.

Community health is helpful but not necessary. A master's degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner is most helpful. Yes, hospital experience is really necessary in that you learn organizational skills.

Further training is dependent upon where you will be serving, what facilities are available and what you will be doing. If you will be serving in a hospital, then you can potentially receive the needed experience in the field. However, if you do not know where you will be serving, I recommend at least one year hospital experience in a float position. This would provide a variety of nursing situations. After one year hospital experience, one additional year in a community health setting that provides home visiting as well a clinical setting would round out the minimum experience necessary for service on the field.

If, however, your position will require you to be an independent practitioner, I would highly recommend a combined master's/nurse practitioner (NP) program. Most countries do not recognize nurse practitionership but do understand a master's degree. The master's degree provides credibility; the NP provides the experience required for independent practice.

Yes, I strongly advise a Master's degree and some experience (at least one year) before seeking to serve overseas. Depending on the country in which you will serve, the higher degree may be mandatory or only optional.

In any case, all of these are highly useful areas in which to have additional theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

The type of training you seek will depend on your own special interests and on the makeup of the team with which you are likely to work. If your team is not involved in a hospital, then community health and pediatrics and "village" OB are very desirable. You do NOT need a master's degree, though if you have one, it may help you to become an instructor in nursing in some countries.

As for hospital experience, it is crucial. Work in surgery, OB, ICU or ER. Work anywhere that you may be called upon to make quick decisions and to act on that decision. In most mission situations, nurses will function at least at the level of resident house staff. You will not have the luxury of simply following a doctor's orders. You must learn to think for yourself. This sounds scary, but with good training in your background and a few good textbooks handy, you can do it.

Different kinds of skills and nursing specialties are needed. You chose a specialty that you feel comfortable. You do not need a master’s degree before you leave for the mission field. However, having a master’s degree could be beneficial. Also having a hospital experience is good but not a necessity though. it could be beneficial. It also depends where you are going to serve. If you went to some developing nations, you will find that their health care system is very different from the west. You may find that they do not have even minimal infrastructure, resources and expertise. You may find yourself involved in logistics of establishing infrastructures etc. To be flexible and teachable is important.