What Makes Our Program Distinct
The school partners with more than 250 health and community organizations to provide students with exceptional supervised clinical experiences. As a student, you will have a range of learning experiences to further develop your skills, perspectives and understanding of the continuum of care provided by nurses.
Students in the Master of Nursing program represent a rich diversity of educational and professional backgrounds. Some bring prior experience as teachers, artists, attorneys, business people, technicians and more. This makes the MN experience one of great energy, openness and collaboration.
Graduates are well-prepared to enter the nursing field and pursue further education leading to careers in teaching, research or advanced practice nursing.
Schools That Offer Bachelor/master Combined Programs
There are a number of universities that offer two-in-one programs in which a bachelors is not a requirement. Take the following as examples:
Nursing: South University
- The top choice on Nurse Journal. Highly recommended and 100% online
- Allows a Registered Nurse with an associates degree to pursue a masters in Nursing without a bachelors of Science in Nursing
Science: Loyola University
- The Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Applied Statistics program is five years in duration and is located in Chicago
- The typical masters program requirement to take the GRE is waived for students applying to this program. The application fee is also waived
Commonsense Childbirth School Of Midwifery Winter Garden Florida
The school offers the following programs:
- Direct Entry Midwife program.
What is essential to know about the Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery?
- The direct-entry program lasts for 3 years.
- To graduate, the students need to see and assist at least 50 women in various departments.
- The coursework is offered both online and on-campus.
- The school assists with finding preceptors for training.
- To be eligible for the program, the applicants have to present:
- Doula certification
- College-level courses in Math, English, Anatomy, and Physiology.
- Proof of completion of the HIV/AIDS course.
- NRP and CPR certification.
ReferenceCommonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery
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Work For An Insurance Company
Nurses can be an excellent resource for insurance companies. Insurance companies look for maximum transparency about healthcare processes and costs so that they can evaluate risk and set rates as accurately as possible. Nurses are valuable in collecting that data, interpreting it correctly and understanding how to act on it.
A nurse working for an insurance company may perform clinical research, audits or medical coding. Possible job titles include Health Coach Consultant or Quality Management Nurse Consultant. This is an excellent choice for nurses who are looking for a non-clinical job, since many positions will be in a typical office setting and some may allow for remote work.
Explore Careers In Information Technology
Information technology is an excellent path if you are looking to get away from high-stress jobs in patient care, but still want to have a measurable impact on the delivery of healthcare. Nursing IT careers are increasingly important as technology continues to redefine the healthcare industry.
For example, nurse informatics specialists function as a technology liaison for hospital staff, while still performing select nursing duties. They might be involved in designing and testing new information solutions, or implementing new processes to improve patient care.
A career in nursing informatics also offers diverse career pathways with many opportunities for career advancement. Often, informatics specialists will pursue more advanced roles, such as nurse manager or Chief Nursing Informatics Officer
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Why Get A Direct Entry Nursing Masters Degree
Whether youre looking for a change or to advance your career, our direct entry Master of Nursing program will help you pursue advanced-practice nursing qualifications without a prior bachelors or graduate degree in the field. This program offers the clinical nurse leader track, which will prepare you for clinical leadership roles, giving you the ability to manage and solve complex patient problems in a range of healthcare settings. Youll work directly with clinicians to help manage the delivery of patient care, including the development and implementation of treatment plans and the evaluation of their success.
Transferring Your Degree To Another Field
There is also the dilemma that many students have in which they do have an undergraduate degree but its unrelated to the masters program that theyre aiming to earn. This, however, isnt always an issue. There are many degrees in which an unrelated bachelors degree is totally acceptable.
Source: Pexels
Being able to earn a graduate degree without a related undergraduate degree can really open doors for tons of students. Maybe you changed your mind as to what you want to study or what career to pursue, or perhaps you know you want to earn an MBA yet dont want to study business for four years.
Common masters programs that dont always require a related bachelors include: Masters in Business , Masters in Counseling Psychology, Masters in Human Resources, Masters in Social Work, Masters in Journalism, and Masters in Nursing, among many others.
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What You Can Do With This Certificate
After earning a state-approved certificate, youll be qualified to take your states CNA competency exam. With certification, you can apply for jobs in which youll work with patients under the direction of a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse, depending on the laws of your state.
Per the B LS, CNAs across the country earn a median annual wage of $30,850, with those working in medical and surgical hospitals making slightly above average.
Dual Master’s Degree Programs
Who is it right for? Nurses who want advanced leadership or healthcare administration roles
If you know that you want to one day become a hospital CEO or a Chief Nursing Officer, you may want to consider a dual master’s degree in nursing program. With these, you can earn an MSN at the same time as you earn a more leadership-focused degree like an MSN/MBA, or an MSN/MHA — Master’s in Healthcare Administration. You can also earn an MSN/MPH if you want your career to take a public health route.
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Is Your Goal To Become A Registered Nurse
Earning an associate degree or bachelors degree in nursing is the biggest step towards becoming an RN. There are a few more steps to take after graduation, including passing the NCLEX-RN and meeting the board of nursing requirements in your state. Learn how to become an RN and become a difference maker in healthcare.
After earning your BSN and becoming a registered nurse, you can reach the next level in nursing by earning your masters degree.
A Certified Professional Midwife
Here are the steps to become a certified professional midwife:
- Complete High School.
- Apply to a midwifery program accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council .
- Pass the so-called Portfolio Evaluation Process that includes the hours of training and hours of Continuing Education Coursework.
- Pass the North American Registry of Midwife certification exam.
- Apply for the state license .
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Types Of Nursing Phd Programs
Much like the DNP, there are multiple paths students can take to earn a PhD in Nursing, depending on their current education. Many schools offer MSN to PhD programs, which require a Master of Science in Nursing for admission. Students who possess a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and want to jump straight into their doctorate program without first earning an MSN, can opt for a BSN to PhD program. Some schools also have BS or MS to PhD programs, which accept licensed RNs with any Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degree, whether it is in nursing or a different field. Additionally, for nurses who already hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice, but wish to earn a second doctorate, there are Post-DNP to PhD programs available.
Rn To Msn Bridge Program
Who is it right for? RNs that have an ADN or Diploma
If you have your Associates Degree in Nursing, or if you have a diploma RN, you can either earn your BSN and then apply to an MSN program, OR you can earn both your BSN and MSN at the same time, known as an RN-to-MSN bridge program.
These typically allow RNs to earn their MSN about a year sooner than the traditional route.
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After You Earn Your Msn
After you have earned your masters degree, you are close to being able to practice as a nurse practitioner or another type of advanced practice nurse. Now you will need to sit for your national certification exam, which is called the NCLEX-RN examination.
After you have passed that exam, your next step is to be certified in your speciality, such as neonates, pediatrics or geriatrics, among others.
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program and the American Nurses Credentialing Center both offer certification programs for many subspecialties. You may sit for a certification exam if you have a masters degree or doctoral degree in nursing in adult, family and adult/gerontological nursing by taking this exam.
To sit for these tests, you have to have:
- An MSN or DNP degree
- RN license that is active
- 500+ clinical clock hours supervised by faculty
- University transcript
These certification bodies also have certification exams for these specialties:
- Acute Care NP
What You Can Do With These Degrees
Any joint degree will expand your opportunities for advancement and higher earnings. Specific roles will depend on the type of degrees you earn, but there are three common combinations.
Joint MSN/MPH
Pairing an MSN with a Master of Public Health is designed for nurses who want to pursue leadership positions in community or public health organizations.
Joint MSN/MBA
Combining an MSN with a Master of Business Administration is sometimes known as being in the Nurse Executive Program. Here, students learn the business skills necessary to hold executive-level roles in hospitals and other large healthcare organizations.
Joint MSN/MHA
Earning an MSN with a Master of Health Administration offers similar benefits to those of the joint degrees listed above, but the combination is a bit broader. Youll be educated about making important decisions related to the management of various healthcare organizations and educational settings.
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What Are Midwifery Programs For Non
There are 3 categories of midwifery programs that are available for people without a nursing degree:
- Programs that require a high school diploma only and prepare students for the Certified Professional Midwife certification .
- Programs that require a Bachelor/Masters degree and offer a graduate program in Midwifery for applicants outside of nursing. They result in a Masters in Midwifery degree.
- Mentorships and courses that are not MEAC accredited and follow MANA competencies requirements. The graduates can either continue their education further to get licensed or practice as traditional midwives.
What Are Certified Midwives Programs Like
Programs that award a CM degree usually accept applicants that already have a Bachelors and/or Masterss degree.
- As a rule, these programs are university-based. To be eligible for such a program, the applicants need to complete the required coursework and labor and childbirth-related preparatory courses , as well as CPR.
- As the applicants are supposed to have already studied Biology, Chemistry, and Math, the coursework in these programs is more focused on midwifery-related subjects.
Here are the two currently working midwifery programs:
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Registered Nursing Requirements By State
RN license requirements vary by state. Use this guide to find out how to earn an RN license in each state and the significance of the Nursing Licensure Compact.
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
Registered nurse requirements for licensure vary among states. Most jurisdictions require each candidate to earn at least an associate or a bachelor of science in nursing degree from an accredited university.
While both degrees meet RN requirements for education, each offers distinct advantages. For example, while an associate degree in nursing takes only two years to complete, many employers prefer hiring candidates with bachelor’s degrees.
Once candidates satisfy the education portion of their RN requirements, they must pass the National Council Licensure Examination . Find the registered nurse license requirements and guidelines for each state below. For a career overview, read here.
2-4Years to Become an RN
Diploma Nursing Programs Without Prerequisites
Hospital-based diploma nursing programs are less likely to require prerequisites than bachelors programs. As hospital-based programs were the traditional way of training new nurses in the past, these programs generally have a long history and are mostly found in the eastern half of the county. In Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh Shadyside School of Nursing offers a twenty-two-month-long diploma program that combines general education and nursing courses.
St. Joseph School of Nursing in North Providence, Rhode Island cooperates with Rhode Island College to offer a diploma nursing program that takes three years to complete. As long as a student has completed a high school chemistry class, the program does not have prerequisites. In Jersey City, New Jersey, students can complete both a diploma in nursing and an Associate of Science degree through Christ Hospital School of Nursing and Hudson County Community College. Students do not need to take any prerequisite courses other than the standard high school classes before beginning the cooperative program. Graham Hospital School of Nursing in Canton, Illinois does not require any prerequisites for its three-year diploma nursing program, as long as the applicant has completed the standard high school curriculum.
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We Want To Help You Find A Career You Love
At Herzing University we empower you to reach your career goals and support you in every way possible to help make it happen. If you are looking for feedback on how to best utilize your BSN and pivot to a new career, well help you find your way.
Learn More About Our Nursing Programs
* Bureau of Labor Statistics , U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
Healthcare Administration Master’s Degrees For Nurses
In addition to a Master of Science in Nursing degree, nurses looking to pursue a master’s degree also have the option of going the healthcare administration route. For nurses looking to move beyond the bedside or go into an administration or leadership role, this can be an excellent path to take.
The two primary healthcare administration master’s degrees are:
An MBA in Healthcare Management focuses on general business leadership as well as healthcare administration while a Master’s in Healthcare Administration focuses on topics specific to healthcare like understanding healthcare operations and functioning in a leadership role at an executive level.
Earning an MBA or MHA are both excellent options however, an MBA has a broader focus in the curriculum. An MBA in Healthcare Administration allows individuals to gain a better understanding of general business and financial practices rather than those specific to healthcare.
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Get Your Nursing License
Upon graduation from our Direct Entry MSN program, the next step is to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination . This step is crucial, as you must pass the NCLEX to receive nursing licensure. To help students prepare for the NCLEX, we administer practice exams each semester. As a result, our students had a 2019 NCLEX pass rate of 98% for first time and repeat testers!
One of the great things about applying for a nursing license in the state of Wisconsin is that the state belongs to the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact . This means that nurses can apply for a mutli-state license, allowing them to practice in 27 states without the need to apply for a new license.
Doctor Of Philosophy In Nursing
While the DNP is primarily focused on the direct delivery and management of patient care, the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing is more concerned with the theoretical foundations of nursing practice and health care systems. As such, PhD programs typically do not contain much clinical work or lead to any advanced practice certification. Instead, they prepare graduates to contribute to the field of nursing through the advancement and development of knowledge. PhD-prepared nurses conduct advanced research and studies to create new nursing theories or methods, which APRNs and other practice nurses then implement in medical settings. This new knowledge might aim to improve patient outcomes, health promotion in a particular population, or the efficiency of a specific health care system.
Many PhD in Nursing programs do not include a specialization however, some schools do offer specific areas of focus. Here are some examples of PhD concentrations that may be available:
- Clinical Nursing Research
- Healthcare Innovation
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How Long Does It Take To Become A Direct
Usually, a direct-entry program takes around 3 years or between 3 to 7 semesters, depending on the school.
- It should also be noted that applicants to midwifery programs usually need to complete specific college courses, including Math, English, Anatomy, and Physiology, that may take one or two semesters.
- Many schools also demand certifications in CPR, neonatal CPR and life support, and doula certifications that may take some time.
In short, by choosing Midwifery as a career path, expect to spend no less than three and a half years to complete all the necessary coursework and training, as well as to pass the licensing exam.