@Charliesch the same thing happened at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. An RN that started as a new grad has risen through the ranks (she did bedside nursing for about 10 yrs or so) and she is now the Executive Director! Many nurses I know have risen up the ranks, all the while getting their Masters and more advanced degrees- usually the hospital will fund these programs to some degree as well. Nursing is an amazing profession with plenty of opportunity .