Are we paying enough attention to clarifying our vision for master's-prepared nurses and ensuring that educational programs and workplaces are prepared to help achieve that vision? An invitation to engage in an important conversation.

Nursing education and nursing practice are on the move, and at least some of our progress in recent years must be credited to the increasing numbers of nurses with baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. A baccalaureate degree is the status quo now in most of the country and, even where progress is slow, we are past the tipping point. This is great and what we said we wanted – to increase the educational preparation of nurses in order to improve patient care and to contribute to scholarship and leadership. As this change unfolds, our challenge is to think about whether we will simply drift into a future where we have large numbers of graduate prepared nurses entering an established workforce, or whether we will proactively design a future that will maximize the potential of those nurses to improve quality of patient care and participate in leading the system change we all say is needed. As these nurses enter or re-enter the workforce, we need to ensure they have work that is satisfying to them and relevant to the needs of patients, clients and the system. Will we respond to the challenges with strategies and actions that maximize job Are We Paying Enough Attention to Clarifying Our Vision for Master’s-Prepared Nurses and Ensuring That Educational Programs and Workplaces Are Prepared to Help Achieve That Vision? An Invitation to Engage in an Important Conversation