Master’s in Nursing Schools in Colorado

With its abundance of rural communities, Colorado is in need of nurses that hold advanced degrees. There are many nursing specialties offered by Colorado schools, including clinical nurse specialist, nursing education, pediatric special needs, nursing administration, nursing leadership, and nurse midwifery. Earning your Master’s degree in nursing can be accomplished in several different ways, from a traditional program to bridge programs and online options. Find the Colorado nursing schools that offer the Master’s of Nursing programs you’re interested in and request more information today.

Featured Programs:

Colorado Nursing Careers

Although an advanced nursing education can help you thrive in many different specialties, primary care may be one of the fastest-growing fields in Colorado. Adult, family, and pediatric nurse practitioners can see patients of varying needs, offering affordable access to health care services. Many Colorado communities suffer from a lack of affordable, timely health care. According to Health News Colorado, the 2,800 primary care physicians in Colorado are mainly located in urban areas. Nurse practitioners can offer high-quality care on a timely and affordable basis. This is possible because, under Colorado law, nurse practitioners enjoy full practice rights.

There may also be myriad professional opportunities for nurse anesthetists in Colorado. The Colorado Supreme Court declared that nurse anesthetists are permitted by law to administer anesthesia without the supervision of a physician.

While you may go into an advanced nursing field to serve your community and use your education to its fullest potential, the increased earning potential is a pleasant bonus.

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

Colorado’s health care needs are changing, and it’s up to health care practitioners to keep up! More and more people are getting health insurance every year, leading to a great need for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in the state. If you have a BSN and you’ve been working as a nurse for at least a year, you may be considering an MSN program in Colorado. There are several Master’s in nursing programs available in CO, all of which can give you the opportunity to develop your skills in advanced clinical care, nursing education, nurse administration, and health care policy.

Contact the schools you find on our site to learn more about which types of programs are available to you.

Before you decide that an MSN is the right choice for you, make sure that your learning goals are in line with your school’s learning outcomes. Colorado nursing schools aim to make well-rounded, highly-educated nurses, and they do so by targeting several learning goals. They’ll expect you to develop an understanding of evidence-based practice and how to put it to work for you in a clinical setting. In addition, you should harness your leadership skills and be able to take on managerial positions in different health care settings. You may need to demonstrate your dedication to learning and continuously advancing your nursing career through scholarly research and dissemination of findings.

You will likely begin with core courses before you start your specialty classes. Courses that may be expected of all MSN students include Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics, Nursing Research, Philosophical Foundations in Nursing Practice, and Applied Clinical Research. Once you have the core skills taught in these classes, you can move onto courses that focus on your graduate-level nursing specialty.

If you’re interested in working with patients on a more autonomous level, you may choose a specialty like becoming a nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or a nurse practitioner. If you’d rather use your education to affect nursing on an administrative level, you may consider a field like nursing administration or nursing education.

Attending graduate nursing school in Colorado for two years can be a financial challenge for some nurses, which is why there are so many types of financial aid available for graduate nursing students. Though you may be eligible for federal student loans and grants, you may also wish to look into the many private options in Colorado. The Colorado Nurses Association offers many nursing scholarships in conjunction with local nursing schools. The Colorado Society of Advanced Practice Nurses funds grants for those going into advanced clinical practice. Popular options available at selected local schools include the Dorothy A. Beck Scholarship, the Mordecai Nursing Endowment Scholarship, and the Karina W. Chu Nursing Scholarship. Other options may include the Barbara Rhomberg Excellence in Nursing Scholarship and the Hansen Nursing Scholarship.

Licensure is required for many advanced practice nurses in Colorado. In fact, Colorado has some requirements that other states do not. The Colorado Board of Nursing requires that advanced practice nurses create a Healthcare Professions Profile and register with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Salaries in Colorado are often in line with national averages, so you may earn a competitive salary as an advanced practice nurse in Colorado.

Anticipated job growth in certain fields exceeds the national average, reflecting Colorado’s need for graduate-level nursing professionals.

As an advanced nurse practitioner, nurse researcher, or nurse educator, you can help make health care more accessible, affordable, and evidence-based in Colorado. In the Denver Post, a surgeon notes the caring nature and professionalism of Colorado nurses. No matter where your interests lie, getting an advanced nursing education can help you advance and improve nursing in Colorado.

Colorado RN to MSN Bridge Programs

No matter how rewarding you find your current nursing career, you may wonder how you can take the next step in your education and career. If you have an Associate’s degree and you have some nursing experience under your belt, the answer may well be an RN-to-MSN program in Colorado. With an Master’s of Science in Nursing degree, you may be able to play a prominent role in your nursing community by contributing to research, direct practice, leadership, or education. There are many opportunities for growth in Colorado; the CU Newsroom reports on advances made in nursing informatics at the graduate level.

Advanced nurses may also play an important role in direct care. The Denver Post reports that Colorado is home to a large aging population that may require advanced care in the future. Keep reading if you want to learn more about MSN bridge programs in Colorado and how they may have a positive impact on your career. You can also request information directly from the schools on our site that you are interested in.

You’re likely curious about what you can learn in an MSN program in Colorado. Since you have an Associate’s degree, rather than a bachelor’s degree, you must come up to the level of a BSN before you start your graduate courses. To reach this level, you may take courses like Nursing Leadership and Nursing Research.

From there, you start taking courses that are relevant to your chosen field of study. Degree paths in Colorado may include nurse education, nurse leadership, nurse anesthesia, and nurse midwifery. Before you choose a school, ensure that it has the degree track you are interested in.

Some of the core courses you may take in this degree program include Philosophical Foundations of Advanced Nursing, Advanced Nursing Practice and Health Care, and Foundations of Nursing Research. If you go into a clinical field, you may take courses similar to Advanced Pathophysiology, Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics, and Advanced Health Assessment. In a leadership track, you may take courses like Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Chronic Care Management, and Acute Care Management.

You should anticipate spending quite a bit of time in a clinical setting regardless of which degree path you pursue. While clinical tracks may require well over 600 hours, leadership or research paths may require fewer than 500 hours.

Becoming familiar with grant and scholarship opportunities in your area can help you save quite a bit of money on your nursing degree. The Colorado Nurses Foundation is an organization dedicated to supporting nursing students through funding opportunities. The Colorado Nurses Association is another excellent resource for Colorado students. Through the Colorado Nursing Collaborative, you can apply for a wide range of scholarships, grants, and loan-repayment programs.

The Colorado Board of Nursing has strict regulations for advanced practice nurses in this state. Prior to working as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist, you must pass an exam in your specialty and register for advanced practice rights.

It’s clear that a career in advanced nursing can be both professionally and personally rewarding. The first step is contacting local schools for more information. Take a look at our RN-to-MSN in Colorado listings to begin.

Colorado Direct Entry MSN

Many nurses get into their field by earning an Associate’s degree in nursing or a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. But if you already have a Bachelor’s degree in another field, you don’t have to start over with an undergraduate nursing degree. The critical thinking skills you developed during your first undergraduate degree may have paved the way for you to attend an accelerated MSN program in Colorado.

Since you likely already meet many of the prerequisite requirements, you may be able to save time on your overall nursing degree completion time. In general, most direct entry MSN programs last between 18 and 24 months. Request information from the Colorado nursing schools that offer Direct Entry MSN programs to learn more about program details.

One of the decisions you have to make fairly early in your program is what career path you’re interested in. An MSN can lead you to a career in nursing informatics, nursing leadership or administration, nurse education, or advanced nursing care. Nursing informatics may require you to spend your clinical time in the lab or in a data entry setting. Nurse leaders may work in a higher-level hospital management setting. If you go into a nurse education program, you can get your clinical hours in an undergraduate nursing program. Clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes serve as the clinical sites for advanced care nurses.

Courses you must take regardless of your specialty choice include Theoretical Basis of Nursing, Foundations of Healthcare Informatics, Health Systems and Policy, and Research Methods for Advanced Practice. Informatics and leadership students may take more classes on leadership and information storage, while education students take courses on curriculum development and assessment. Clinical work and knowledge is at the core of various clinical specialties. Courses that differ across specialties include Information Systems in Nursing, Curriculum in Nursing Education, and Primary Care for Children and Families.

Many Colorado employers and nursing associations are interested in increasing the amount of Master’s-level nursing professionals that are working in this state. To make this career choice more appealing to motivated individuals, they may offer scholarships and grants to help students avoid student debt. There are also student loan repayment plans to help you cover your loan payments. Friends of Nursing awards more than 25 scholarships to Colorado students each year, totaling over $70,000 per year. There are also 25 scholarships available each year through the Colorado Nurses Foundation. Scholarships are worth $500 to $2,000 each. If you want to become a nurse practitioner and work in primary care, you may qualify for a scholarship of $500 to $1,000 offered by the Colorado Society of Advanced Practice Nurses.

Because of the many duties and responsibilities MSN holders can take on, there is a great demand for their skills in many parts of Colorado.

You may be able to earn a wide range of salaries as a graduate-level nurse in Colorado. The salary you earn is largely dependent on which nursing specialty you choose and where you work. Nurses in private settings, like for-profit hospitals or home care, may earn more than those that work in the public sector.

Prior to beginning work as an advanced practice nurse, you’ll need to get your license from the Colorado Board of Nursing. This process requires you to go through a rigorous set of tests based upon the specialty you choose.

By jumping into the field as a Master’s-level nurse, you may contribute to the overall improvement of the nursing field in Colorado. The leadership skills, research abilities, and advanced care skills you absorb as an MSN graduate can lead to a fulfilling career for you and great care for Colorado residents. Contact the schools that offer Direct Entry nursing programs in Colorado to learn more.

Colorado CRNA Programs

As a working registered nurse, you likely understand the importance of properly-administered anesthesia in many different situations. Whether a patient is being put under for surgery or receiving pain relief during labor, anesthesia can make medical procedures safer, less painful, and more sanitary. In fact, improved access to anesthesia and greater training requirements for those providing anesthesia are two of the main ways in which the health care field has improved patient outcomes. If you’ve ever considered taking your nursing education further, you may wish to consider becoming a CRNA to serve the people of Colorado. Contact the schools that offer nursing anesthesia programs in Colorado to learn more about your options.

Working as a nurse anesthetist may give you the opportunity to have a major impact on Colorado health care. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists reports that CRNAs provide over two-thirds of the anesthetic services offered in rural areas. While working as a registered nurse may require you to work with many patients in a short time frame, becoming a CRNA may also allow you to work more closely with your patients. Nurse anesthetists stay with patients prior to a procedure, administer anesthesia, monitor the patient throughout their care, and wait with the patient post-surgery to ensure their safety. Because of the extensive amount of time you spend with each patient, you can be extremely important to the safety of procedures. Though you may spend a considerable amount of time with each of your patients, this specialty can still allow you to work with lots of different people. Those who benefit from the services of CRNAs include laboring women, trauma victims, and people of all ages who are undergoing surgical procedures.

If you’re ready to delve into the world of anesthesia and learn about how to properly administer pain relief to patients with varying medical needs, you may want to start looking into CRNA programs in Colorado. Earning a Master’s degree in nurse anesthesia can put you in the position to become an in-demand anesthesia professional in Colorado. Contact local schools to get started.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Colorado

It’s important to note that CRNA programs in Colorado can be fairly competitive, so it may be worth your time to be highly detailed on your application to make it as strong as possible. Work experience is required—typically one to three years in an acute care setting. Furthermore, you may need to have a strong reputation at your place of employment, as some schools require letters of recommendation from employers and coworkers. This is, of course, in addition to a BSN from an accredited school. Generally speaking, working hard at school and as an RN can show your dedication to nursing and your desire to further your education in the industry.

When you start the curriculum for your CRNA degree, you may start with core nursing courses that introduce you to the world of advanced practice nursing. Courses in this category include Pathophysiology in Advanced Practice Nursing, Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice, and Theory & Concept Analysis in Nursing. You may also take courses in nursing assessment and pharmacology, both of which often require clinical hours or lab hours.

As you approach the second year of your program, you may start focusing exclusively on nurse anesthesia courses. These classes teach you specifically about the pharmacology of narcotics and pain relief, give you the proper tools and techniques for the administration of anesthesia, and test your knowledge in a clinical setting. You may take classes like Principles and Practice of Nurse Anesthesia, Clinical Physiology & Anesthetic Applications, Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia, and Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency. In total, these courses total 60 to 70 credits. Most Colorado CRNA programs last about 28 months.

As a CRNA student, you may qualify for multiple scholarships across Colorado. The Colorado Nurses Association is a good resource, as are the Friends of Nursing in Colorado. The Central Colorado AHEC offers awards to those who are willing to stay and work in Colorado after graduation.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Colorado

Once you have completed your nurse anesthesia program and earned the appropriate amount of clinical experience, it’s time to begin the licensure process. If you’ve maintained your RN licensure throughout your education, this process may be easier for you. Otherwise, you must apply for an RN license and then start the CRNA process. The Colorado Board of Nursing requires CRNAs to pass a national certification exam and fill our an advanced license application. You may need to submit several types of documentation, including an official transcript, a letter from your school, and a background check.

If you are passionate about the field of nursing and about your patients, becoming a nurse anesthetist may be the best thing to ever happen to your career. Your advanced knowledge may contribute to better patient outcomes, higher rates of patient satisfaction, and a renewed interest in advanced education amongst other nurses.

Are you ready to find out what becoming a CRNA can do for you? Get started now by contacting CRNA programs in Colorado you find listed on our site.

Forensic Nursing in Colorado

As forensic science has become more and more advanced, its applications have become increasingly diverse. Professionals now know how to accurately collect evidence from crime scenes, victims, and perpetrators in such a way that preserves evidence for use in court cases. However, professionals trained exclusively in criminal justice may have little understanding of how to appropriately treat the physical and emotional trauma experienced by victims in the course of a crime.

Forensic nurses understand the healthcare side of this field and the criminal justice aspects. They may collect evidence, act as expert witnesses during trials, and ensure that victims are properly cared for in the wake of trauma. In response to a growing need for forensic nursing professionals, Colorado facilities have been awarded grants to create training programs for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (UC Health).

If you would like to explore a new area of expertise in your nursing career, contact the schools listed below for more information on forensic nurse agrees in Colorado.

Master’s Degree Programs in Forensic Nursing in Colorado

Forensic training programs in Colorado tend to be fairly demanding, since the work you do has a direct impact on victims of crime and important crime cases. You must be ready to take on that responsibility and meet the stringent ethical standards of this area of study. If you already have a Master’s degree in nursing, you may be able to further your education with a certificate in forensic nursing. Those do not yet have graduate degrees can look into Master’s programs in forensic nursing.

Courses that are commonly required in this area of study include:

Practice Paradigms in Forensic Nursing
Healthcare Policy, Ethics, and Legal Aspects of Forensic Nursing
Substance Abuse and Implications for Nursing Practice
Epidemic of Sexual Assault, Abuse and Exploitation

If forensic nursing certification is important to you, look for a program whose training meets the standards of certification organizations. The Commission for Forensic Nursing Certification awards two different titles: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Advanced Forensic Nurse.

In all of these certification options, clinical experience is required. Working with victims and patients helps you learn how to navigate this challenging specialty and work with those who have been impacted by trauma.

The Role of Forensic Nurses in Colorado

Although forensic nurses may work in a variety of agencies and healthcare settings, one of the main priorities in Colorado is improving the availability of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. Nurses hired in this specialty must conduct physical exams, offer treatment advice, gather information on the assault, and collect necessary evidence to catch perpetrators.

In some Colorado counties, there are no examiners that have this qualification, making it more likely that victims may go without care (Post Independent). Federal and state grants hope to address this problem. You may also look into new professional networking opportunities in your specialty. The Colorado Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses is a popular resource.

Learning how to become a forensic nurse is the first step to getting involved in this growing and rewarding area of study. Get in touch with forensic nursing schools in Colorado to get started.

Colorado Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees

Colorado is often viewed as one of the most medically progressive states in the country. Leaders and administrators at health care institutions and emergency care centers are dedicated to finding more efficient and cost-effective ways to provide evidence-based care. One of the biggest shifts in nursing care is the inclusion of the Clinical Nurse Leader, a nationally recognized graduate-level specialty.

Featured Programs:

How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Colorado?

There are three main ways that you can earn a nurse leadership degree in Colorado. First, you may start with an Associate’s degree in nursing. This role requires you to complete an additional 30 credits to smoothly transition from ADN to BSN to MSN.

Second, you might have a Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. Before starting your graduate courses, you complete an accelerated set of nursing courses that allow you to get your license and prepare for graduate study. From there, you take the same path as other BSN graduates. Finally, starting with a BSN is likely the quickest option. This option typically only requires you to earn about 30 credits over the course of two years.

You enroll in a range of courses to develop your nursing leadership abilities. Look for courses like those listed here in your curriculum:

Health Systems, Policy, and Social Justice
Foundations of Advanced Nursing
Research Methods for Nurses
Foundations of Health Care Informatics
Health Systems Management
Systems & Leadership Theory

There are many traits, areas of knowledge, and practical skills that make up a strong nurse leader. Each school breaks these aspects of nurse leadership down into learning outcomes and goals.

By addressing these outcomes throughout your education, you can feel confident about the education you are getting:

Building leadership and decision making skills
Expanding the role of nurse leadership across Colorado
Understanding the role of CNLs in chronic care and transitional management
Preparing the field of nursing for growth in the over-65 population

Even with an advanced level of licensure, you must keep your registered nursing license valid through the Colorado Board of Nursing. This involves renewing your license by September 30 every other year. Upon graduating, you can apply for licensure as a Clinical Nurse Leader through the AACN. Each renewal cycle lasts five years, during which you must complete 50 continuing education hours.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

The expectations of a Clinical Nurse Leader differ a bit from institution to institution, although the credential is overseen by the AACN. They note that this is primarily a nursing specialty focused on clinical care, rather than administration.

Clinical management is a core responsibility for nurse leaders; this involves creating care plans, evaluating care plans, and coordinating their execution. Furthermore, you may be expected to advance the field of nursing by contributing to nursing data and research.

They also play a role in creating care and practice standards in your institution.

Networking and staying involved in the local nursing community is extremely important. You may want to maintain membership in any nursing associations you belong to, while also looking into the benefits of joining a group like the Colorado Organization of Nurse Leaders. This group aims to solidify the role of nurses in leadership by offering mentors to new nurse leaders, providing opportunities for lifelong learning, advocating for health policy change, and educating members on the health policy process.

As a leader, you can inspire nurses and improve the care received by patients. Find out more about your options by taking a look at our list of nurse leadership graduate programs in Colorado.

Colorado Research Nursing Graduate Programs

One of the biggest parts of the medical field is research. If there were no doctors and nurses conducting research, medical professionals would still be using leeches to treat disease. The best researchers are those who have experience in the health care industry and who understand what the long-term goals of this field are. Your time as a Colorado RN may help you improve the future of nursing through research.

The Colorado Collaborative for Nursing Research has studied the importance of research in the field of nursing. A recent study indicates that nurses who conduct research may improve many elements of health care delivery. No matter which specialties or health care settings you have worked in as a registered nurse, your expertise may be exactly what local research studies need.

Colorado Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Research is an extremely in-depth and multifaceted part of the nursing field, so you must be willing to meet strict educational standards before you begin working as a nurse researcher. Prior to enrolling in this type of program, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Each school has its own experience requirements, although most schools require at least one year of full-time nursing experience. Even though clinical nurse research does not involve clinical work, you must have strong clinical skills to understand what the field of nursing really needs.

Part of your curriculum focuses solely on research techniques. To be able to work at research facilities, you must understand the ethics of nursing research, have a thorough knowledge of proper procedures and protocols, and know what is expected in academic research settings. To reach these goals, you may take courses like Contemporary Design and Methods, Knowledge Appraisal and Development, Biostatistics, Ethics and IRB in Research, and Advanced Research Methods.

Other courses focus on helping you build an advanced understanding of nursing theory. These courses include Health Disparities, Philosophical and Theoretical Perspectives of Nursing, and Issues in Modern Nursing.

You may have several options for financial aid in Colorado. If you take on a research assistantship or a teaching assistantship at your school, you may gain relevant experience and earn money for school. You may also apply for graduate scholarships through organizations like the Colorado Nurses Foundation.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Colorado

One of the most exciting parts of working in nursing research is the variety of ways that you can put your degree to use. If you are passionate about one particular area of health care, you may be able to perform your research solely in your field of interest. Doing so may help you become an expert as you build your body of research. Many Colorado organizations and health employers have research facilities, such as Children’s Hospital Colorado. Here, nurse researchers hope to find better ways to implement clinical practice standards and help nurses develop their clinical decision-making skills.

Improve the field of nursing by devoting your career to research. Find out more about your options now by contacting graduate nursing research programs in Colorado.

Colorado Certified Nurse Midwife Programs

Nurse midwives do not just deliver babies, but also provide gynecological care, complete physical examinations and prescribe birth control. As a nurse midwife, you must be ready to provide health care for women from adolescence through menopause. Nurse Midwives give their patients educational advice on health and hygiene, gynecological well-being and reproductive issues.

If you are interested in learning more about how to become a nurse midwife in Colorado, contact the schools listed on our site for more information.

Nurse Midwives in Colorado may be licensed if they are have a graduate degree from an accredited university, and you must become certified through the American Midwifery Registry Midwives examination.

While Colorado is one of the nurse Licensure Compact states, your nurse midwife privileges may vary from one state to another. You can prescribe medication after you are licensed if you have completed three graduate semester horse of Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Physical Assessment. You must also have liability insurance. Becoming a nurse midwife is a career that offers stability, and can be very rewarding in many different ways.

Certified Nurse Midwife Programs in Colorado

The University of Colorado offers an accredited graduate level Nurse-Midwifery program, which will give you a post-graduate certificate at graduation.

The admission criteria, which is similar to most CNM programs in the country, includes:

BSN from a CCNE or ACEN college or university
Official transcripts from any college or university you attended
Statistic course with a C or better
Four letters of reference with at least one from an academic source
Copy of unencumbered nursing license
The GRE or a minimum of 12 credits for graduate level courses

The program of study includes thirty credits of core courses, ten credits of advanced practice courses and 26 credits of advanced practice nurse-midwifery courses, which totals 48 credits, not including clinical hours.

The courses in a Certified Nurse Midwife program typically include:

Philosophic, Theoretic & Ethical Foundations of APN
Research Methods for Advanced Practice
Foundations of Healthcare Informatics
Health Systems, Policy and Social Justice
Advanced Assessment
Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Advanced Pathophysiology
APN: Role Concepts and Professional Issues
Advanced Practicum
Studies I Health Promotion & Lifestyle
Primary Health Care of Children: Well Child Care
Primary Care of Women
Care During Pregnancy and Birth
Care of the High Risk Pregnancy
Women’s Gynecologic Health Care

Attending college online can be very convenient if you are already working or have a family. You may attend an online nurse midwife program full-time or part-time. Clinical hours can usually be completed at a facility near your home with a preceptor. There are several online accredited programs as well, including Frontier Nursing University and Georgetown University.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Colorado

Once you have graduated you can take the certification exam given by the American Midwifery Registry Midwives, which is a certification that show excellence and is a mark of distinction. The fee for the exam is $500.

Colorado Nurse Midwives are a group of certified midwives that provide care to nearly 70 locations in Colorado. They seek to establish a high standard of care for all nurse midwives. You may want to inquire with this group even before starting a program, to gain advice and information about networking in your area.

The Health Resources and Services Administration has a Nurse Corp program that will pay of 60 percent of your unpaid loans if you work for two years at one of their designated facilities. The Colorado Nurse Association also gave 26 scholarships in 2015.

Working as a Nursing Midwife in Colorado

Nurse Midwives have a unique skill set, and they may work in a variety of diverse settings, such as private clinics, hospitals, along with doctors in their offices, at outpatient centers or some prefer to work privately in their patient’s home. This may the perfect time for you to return to school to become a Nurse Midwife, as it not only can give you an exciting new career, it also helps the field of nursing as a whole.

Colorado Clinical Nurse Specialist

A bachelor’s degree in nursing is a great foundation for a successful and rewarding nursing career. With your degree, you may have enjoyed the freedom to work in various specialties, take on a leadership role in your organization, and build up your critical thinking skills. However, your nursing education doesn’t have to stop there.

If you’re ready to expand your scope of practice and delve into a specialized nursing career, you may be a good fit for a clinical nurse specialist program in Colorado. Contact the schools you see below to learn more.

Across the field of health care, people are starting to take notice of clinical nurse specialists and understand how much they contribute to medical care in their communities. Money Talks News reports that clinical nurse specialist is one of the most promising jobs of this decade. They note that this career gets an “A” for personal satisfaction and its benefit to society. If you’re ready to find out how you can use your education to advance your career, find out more about clinical nurse specialist programs in Colorado.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Colorado

Before you start applying to CNS programs in Colorado, it’s important to ensure that you meet the requirements of local schools. A Bachelor’s degree in nursing is typically required, and on top of that, you should have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher while completing your undergraduate degree. Nursing experience is a critical part of this program, so you should plan on working at least one year as a nurse before applying to a CNS program.

The program you choose may have between 30 and 40 credits, depending on how much clinical experience is required and which specialty you decide to study. As you begin your graduate education, you may take core advanced nursing courses like Theoretical Foundations and Role Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse, Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nurses, and Statistics for Health Care Professionals.

Once you have developed your core understanding of advanced nursing, you may proceed to more specialized courses like Clinical Decision Making, Health Care Policy and Politics, Care for Individuals Across the Health Care Spectrum, and Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Immersion.

Scholarships may have a huge impact on your education, since they can minimize your student loan burden and help you connect with nursing professionals in your community. The Central Colorado Area Health Education Center awards scholarships to those who are furthering their education in health care. The Friends of Nursing is a Colorado-based group that supports nursing students through scholarships and grants. You may also contact the Colorado Nurses Association if you want to apply for several scholarships at one time.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Colorado

You may find great professional satisfaction in this field. Clinical nurse specialists often work in hospitals, although they may be hired in other health care settings as well.

As you get close to finishing your master’s degree in nursing, you can apply for certification via the ANCC Certification Center. This group requires you to pass a specialized exam and supply proof of your educational credentials. Once you have proof of your certification, you can take it to the Colorado State Board of Nursing and apply for an advanced license.

Nursing is a field that relies on highly educated, passionate, and skilled professionals. Make your mark on this field by contacting clinical nurse specialist programs in Colorado directly from our site.

Colorado Public Health Graduate Programs

There are two main goals of the health care industry: to keep each individual patient healthy and to keep the community as a whole healthy. During your time as a registered nurse, you have likely spent most of your time working with individual patients to help them overcome illness, disease, or physical injury. If you want to expand your scope of practice to improve health practices in Colorado, you may be a great fit for a public health nursing program.

The Public Health Nurses Association of Colorado notes that this nursing specialty has many goals in this state. Public health nurses network with policymakers, registered nurses, and researchers to determine what is best for the state of Colorado.

Take the next step in your career now by contacting public health nursing graduate programs in Colorado.

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Colorado

Throughout the state of Colorado, you may find a variety of graduate-level public health nursing programs. You should already have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing before you apply to these programs. Nursing experience is often recommended, if not outright required. The more experience you have in a variety of nursing specialties, the more comfortable you may be filling the role of public health expert and educating Colorado citizens.

Featured Programs:

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Colorado

While completing your degree, you may learn about the many ways that public health nurses influence the Colorado health care community. For example, public health nurses may work for individual organizations and institutions to improve preventative care standards and support the development of wellness programs. You may also find work with government agencies, which often involves overseeing programs that address statewide and nationwide wellness goals.

Colorado has a growing need for registered nurses, including those who specialize in public health.

Are you ready to tackle the health issues of Colorado head-on? Find out how you can get started today by requesting information from public health nursing programs in Colorado.

Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy in Colorado

The goals of the healthcare industry have changed over the years, but the overall aims are the same: allow staff to work to their fullest capacities, give patients evidence-based options, and keep costs low without sacrificing patient outcomes. Hitting this balance can be difficult, but it can be possible when you study healthcare policy at the graduate level in Colorado.

When you look at healthcare policy and legislation in Colorado, you can see the opportunities you have to truly impact how nurses work and help patients. Compared to other states, healthcare legislation in Colorado concentrates on issues that are largely considered unconventional, but are still extremely important to the improvement of public health (Becker’s Hospital Review). These issues include single-payer healthcare and reproductive health. Becker’s Hospital Review claims that Colorado is a state to watch.

If uncovering inefficient or non-evidence-based policies makes you want to change them and if you are ready to improve healthcare for both patients and care providers, studying healthcare policy can make use of your natural gifts.

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Colorado

There are many different ways to study health policy, depending on which school you decide to attend. For example, a Master’s program in health systems, management, and policy may deepen your knowledge of organizational management, the development of health systems, and the creation of effective policies.

In a graduate nursing program focused on health policy, you may take these and other courses:

Epidemiology
Social & Behavioral Factors & Health
Health Policy
Healthcare Economics
Principles in Healthcare Management
Interpreting Health Policy and Management Research
Cost Benefit/Effectiveness

Throughout the two or three years you spend earning a Master’s degree, you may establish various competencies that are required of graduates.

While looking at Colorado schools, you may find that many include learning outcomes similar to those listed here:

Analyze effects of markets and politics on healthcare
Look at policies and laws in cost-benefit terms and cost-effectiveness
Develop strategies for effective organizational management
Understand key public health laws
Critique frameworks used in making of policies

To be an asset to a legislative team, you may need to maintain your nursing license and continue working as a nurse on a part-time basis. This involves renewing your license by September 30 every other year (Colorado Board of Nursing). Currently, Colorado does not have any continuing education requirements.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Colorado?

Once you graduate with a Master’s degree in healthcare policy, you may utilize your knowledge in many different ways. Public health policy in nursing is one of the main fields in this specialty, since improving public health can strengthen health outcomes amongst all populations.

The Department of Public Health and Environment concentrates on legislation regarding epidemiology, health facilities, preventative health, and the collection of health data.

Staying involved with various nursing groups in Colorado is an extremely efficient way of staying up-to-date on current issues, challenges, and priorities. The Public Health Nurses Association of Colorado notes that some of its biggest goals include improving the availability of breast and cervical cancer treatment, expanding Medicaid, and creating a premature birth commission to lower Colorado’s premature birth rate.

From your time in the nursing industry, you may have your own causes and diagnoses that are extremely important to you. You may decide to dedicate your career to being a legislative voice for specific groups or causes, particularly if those causes are underrepresented in Colorado.

With a career in healthcare policy, you have the power to improve health outcomes, support healthcare workers, and strengthen the nursing industry year after year.

Get involved now and learn more at Master’s programs in healthcare policy in Colorado.

Hospice Nursing in Colorado

When medical options have been exhausted or a patient has come to the end of their tolerance for difficult procedures and medications, the next step is hospice care. Hospice and palliative nurses provide end-of-life care to people of all ages suffering from fatal diseases or injuries. Rather than working toward the goal of curing a condition, nurses in this field work toward the goal of patient comfort. With palliative measures, they ensure that patients end their days with as little as pain as possible.

Colorado supports nurses in this field through the Hospice & Palliative Care Association of the Rockies. Professionals support nurses who provide high-quality care to patients and their caregivers, who are often emotionally and physically exhausted from the effects of long-term care providing.

Master’s Degree Programs in Hospice/Palliative Care Nursing in Colorado

To enjoy full freedom of practice as a hospice nurse, you should be ready to take on a leadership role as a nurse practitioner or clinical specialist. In both cases, you need a Master’s degree. You may opt for a nurse practitioner program or a clinical nurse specialist program. Both options require the completion of 30 to 40 graduate credits after you have reached the level of Bachelor’s degree. Many programs have extensive experience requirements as well, only admitting students with one or more years of full-time nursing experience. After completing core advanced nursing classes, you may move on to classes that specifically relate to hospice care.

Commonly required classes include Advanced Concepts in Palliative Care, Complex Symptom Management, and Practical Applications for Palliative Care Programming. By the time you graduate, you should have at least 500 hours in clinical experience. This includes general clinical rotations and clinical rotations that specifically relate to palliative care.

Financial aid may help you reduce your educational expenses as a graduate student. The Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation awards scholarships of $2,000 to graduate students.

CHPN certification is the final goal of education. The Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center awards the title of Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse to applicants with 500 hours of advanced hospice nursing experience in the past 12 months or 1000 hours in the past 24 months. You must also have a Master’s degree from an accredited school and a registered nursing license in your state of practice.

The Role of Hospice/Palliative Care Nurses in Colorado

Whether you work in an outpatient hospice care center, an inpatient hospice care center, or provide services to patients within their homes, your guiding principles of practice remain the same. The time you spend with patients should be focused on their needs, as well as the needs of their family. In addition to physical and psychological care, you may provide patients with emotional and spiritual support as they grapple with the knowledge of their death. This is a heavy task to take on alone, which is why advanced hospice and palliative nurses work with teams of physicians, registered nurses, and other specialists to fully meet the needs of patients and families.

There are numerous healthcare organizations that provide hospice care. For those who go into palliative care nursing, Colorado employers include The Denver Hospice, Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care, Hospice and Palliative Care of Northern Colorado, and Halcyon Hospice.