I've noticed a steady stream of experienced nurses coming into my office with the same hint of fear in their eyes. "Would you mind," they half-stammer, "if I request time off each week in order to further my education?" Would I mind? Not a chance. In fact, I'm the biggest supporter of anyone who wants to further their profession, even if it means putting up with a few scheduling headaches and losing valued employees to the next rung of the career ladder. Here's why you should be, too.

• Motivated employees. Online classes and brick-and-mortar schools offering programs designed for working nurses have combined with the recent push for ADNs to get their BSNs to make continuing education more accessible and popular than ever. Going back to school is an essential step for nurses who care about advancing their careers. Aren't those the type of people you want working in your facility? Consider yourself lucky if your staff is filled with go-getters instead of skaters satisfied with the status quo.
• Scouting potential hires. One of my full-time, 5-days-a-week nurses recently decided to get her nurse practitioner degree through a local on-campus program. The program is designed for the working nurse, but she still needs certain days off and has to leave early on other days. Instead of finding a permanent replacement for her, I reached out to a nurse at the local hospital who has been persuing employment with us for several years. The hospital nurse covers when my current nurse has to attend school. In addition, the hospital nurse has been training to fill the position that will be vacated when the nurse in school eventually earns her NP degree. So I have a nurse who's becoming more educated by the week still working, and her replacement is already lined up, getting on-the-job training from the staff she'll soon join.
• Dual benefits. Going the extra mile to ensure employees who go to school can keep their current jobs is a win-win for your staff and facility. Even with more convenient education options such as online programs, employees still need time off from work to attend classes, complete assignments and study for exams. This may add to your workload if you're forced to help out in clinical areas, but in the long run you'll gain better-educated, more versatile employees.

For example, one of my scrub techs went back to school for her RN degree. Although the move made scheduling difficult, I made adjustments to the schedule to accommodate her needs. Once she was done with nursing school, she became an extremely valuable employee, able to not only take on nursing roles, but also able to jump into the OR and scrub when needed.

It's true that you may have to get out from behind your desk to help out more often, but is there any better way to take the pulse of your facility than by working at the front line? Also consider that training new hires is an expensive process. By letting motivated employees go back to school, they'll grow and develop new skills within your organization.

Going for my master's
I'm currently taking online courses to obtain a master's degree in nursing education. Since starting the program, I'm able to create better educational in-services and orientations for my employees. I see the same performance improvements in techs and nurses who take continuing education classes, so it's no surprise that I support staff who go back to school to reach their professional goals. But I'm also a nurse manager who has to balance what's best for my facility and staff. In the end, a good, motivated, well-educated employee is worth the extra effort and accommodations.