Master’s in Nursing Schools in Louisiana

Louisiana has one of the nation’s largest rural populations, representing a group of people that have less access to health care than those living in urban or suburban areas. Nurse practitioners, administrators, and other graduate-level nurses can work at multiple levels of the health care system to ensure that Louisiana’s population gets high-quality health care. Take some time to look over the MSN programs available in Louisiana to see how you can make a difference in your state.

Featured Programs:

Working With Your MSN in Louisiana

The state of Louisiana offers several different rewarding career options for nurses who have their masters degree. The nurse practitioner route may be one of the most popular routes for graduate-level nurses in Louisiana. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners notes that Louisiana NPs have a slightly restricted scope of practice. However, this can still leave you free to carry out many health care duties independently. Furthermore, local advocacy groups like the Louisiana Action Coalition are working with lawmakers to give advanced practice nurses full freedom in their work. The Louisiana Future of Nursing Campaign for Action reports that nurse practitioners in Louisiana are an excellent resource for primary care.

If you would like to continue to work directly with patients, becoming a nurse practitioner may be a great route for you. Louisiana’s Bureau of Primary Care & Rural Health identifies a range of Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas in Louisiana whose needs could be met by nurse practitioners of varying specialties.

If you enjoy computers and technology and have had first-hand nursing experience, a career as a nurse informatics specialist might be for you. As a nurse informatics specialist you can apply your knowledge of real-world nursing to creating digital ways to document and store healthcare information. In Louisiana, nurse informatics specialists have the potential to earn very comfortable salaries.

If helping patients get the care that they need at home and after they are discharged is rewarding to you, a career as a nurse case manager might be for you. Nurse case managers collaborate with other members of the healthcare team, the community, families, and insurance companies to provide patients with what they need.

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

Working as a nurse can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. But after spending some time working as a registered nurse, you may find that you want more from your career—more responsibility, more autonomy, more options. That’s where a Master’s degree in nursing in Louisiana comes in. Completing your MSN degree in nursing may help you hone your understanding of critical issues in nursing and use that understanding to improve the nursing field. Contact the schools you find on our site to learn about all of your options for MSN programs in Louisiana.

There are many different specialties at this level of nursing, and Louisiana has resources and professional organizations for many of them. The Louisiana Association of Nurse Anesthetists helps nurse anesthetists across the state network, attending continuing education events, and learn about issues affecting the field of nurse anesthesia. The Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners is a popular resource for nurse practitioners in adult, gerontological, and pediatric specialties.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports that Master’s-level nursing professions are in high demand in Louisiana. They expect a significant increase in jobs for nursing instructors, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners. As a result, you may have a variety of job options when you complete this degree.

If patient care is your favorite part of being a nurse, you may wish to consider becoming a nurse practitioner. The News Star notes that the physician shortage is worsening throughout Louisiana. The Bureau of Primary Care & Rural Health reports that there are many Health Professional Shortage Areas in Louisiana. Working in one of these areas may give you the chance to serve patients in need. In addition, working in an in-demand area may give you access to different student loan repayment and grant options.

It’s important to have a strong nursing foundation, as this is at the core of master’s degree programs. Your critical thinking skills, patient care abilities, and ability to evolve with changes in nursing care will be put to the test. This is why many Louisiana schools require nursing experience for admission to an MSN program.

Your coursework may delve into several different parts of the nursing field, including patient care, evidence and research, and leadership. Before you begin your classes, you have to choose one of these specialties. Choose carefully, because your decision will determine the course of your career. Classes that are commonly part of an MSN curriculum include Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing, Population Based Primary Care, Management in Health Care Organizations, and Policy in Health Care Systems.

Many of the classes you take include a clinical or practical component. Keep in mind that clinical specialties tend to have greater practical requirements than administrative specialties, so you may spend more time in school as a nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife student.

You should consider a variety of nursing scholarships and grants once you’ve been accepted into a Louisiana MSN program. Tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance may be options if you work for a health care organization, since your advanced degree can benefit them once you graduate. The Louisiana Association of Student Nurses funds numerous scholarships. Several scholarships are offered through the Louisiana State Nurses Association. There are also scholarships and grants offered by the federal government. The Health Resources and Services Administration funds the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program, which supports students that want to work in needy areas.

In many parts of Louisiana, nursing professionals are in high demand.

Louisiana RN to MSN Bridge Programs

Nursing schools are a major part of the education system in Louisiana. As a working registered nurse, you may have seen how your Associate’s degree in nursing can contribute to a stronger health care system in Louisiana. Perhaps watching advanced nursing professionals work in different specialties has made you interested in advancing your education. With an Associate’s degree in nursing, you could be a good fit for an RN-to-MSN program in Louisiana. Nursing schools are offering an increasing number of degree options; in fact, one nursing school has recently celebrated 65 years of operation. Keep reading to learn more about RN-to-MSN programs in Louisiana, then contact the schools you are interested in learning more about.

You may be wondering which classes you need to take as an RN-to-MSN student. The first semester may be spent catching you up on BSN courses, like Nursing Research and Nursing Leadership. With these courses under your belt, you can move on to core MSN classes like Issues in Advanced Nursing, Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing, and Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice. Many of the courses you take in your MSN program may be focused on clinical practice. For example, you may take classes like Population Based Primary Care, Advanced Practice Nursing, Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning, and Pharmacotherapeutics.

Of course, the classes you take depend on which specialty you choose. If there are multiple Louisiana RN-to-MSN schools in your area, look at each one carefully to find the nursing specialty that best suits you. Clinical specialties include nurse midwifery, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthesia, and nurse practitioner. Other options may include nursing research, leadership, and nursing education.

Completing your degree may take about three years if you attend one of the traditional RN-to-MSN programs in Louisiana. However, there are also two year accelerated RN-to-MSN programs in certain parts of the state. Much depends on how much practical experience you need to get for your degree. Some programs also require the completion of a scholarly project, which may lengthen your degree or require more work.

As you begin the process of applying for MSN programs and figuring out how you can pay for your education, don’t forget about financial aid opportunities in Louisiana. Many schools have nursing scholarships, as do government agencies and nursing employers. The NURSE Corps Scholarship Program funds scholarships for students who agree to work in an at-need location after graduation. Funds can be used for tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend. The Louisiana State Nurses Association has the Mollie C. and Larene B. Woodard Nursing Scholarship. Scholarships are also available through the Louisiana Association of Student Nurses.

Contact the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to keep your nursing license valid for the duration of your education. Keeping a valid RN license can make it easier to get an advanced practice license if you decide to become a nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist.

Earning an MSN degree in Louisiana can be an excellent way to further your education, take the next step in your career, and influence the nursing in your own community. If you’re interested in reshaping health care and ensuring that patients are well-treated in Louisiana, get started by contacting local nursing schools directly from our site.

Louisiana Direct Entry MSN

In states like Louisiana, high-quality health care can be hard to come by. Patients may live far from hospitals and clinics, and those that live close by may have to wait long periods of time for appointments. That’s why advanced nursing degrees are so important—they create an entire group of medical professionals that can improve the state of health care and provide Louisiana residents with the high-quality care they deserve. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you have completed the basic coursework needed to start a Master’s degree in nursing. With an 18-to-36 month direct entry MSN program, you can begin a rewarding career as a nurse while building upon your previous degree. Take some time to request information from the nursing schools in Louisiana that offer accelerated MSN programs directly from our site.

If you did not complete a variety of science courses during your initial Bachelor’s degree, you may need to catch up on several courses before you start a direct entry MSN program. Programs in Louisiana tend to require one or two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, and classes in biology, microbiology and chemistry. This saves you time when you begin your MSN, since you don’t have to worry about as many prerequisites.

As you may expect from a graduate program, there are many multifaceted education objectives that outline your goals as a nursing students. You must demonstrate confidence and clinical competence while working with patients, other nurses, and medical personnel. It’s important to always be willing to improve and change your nursing practice through research. While working as a graduate-level nurse, you’ll be expected to utilize information from multiple sources, including nursing research, medical staff, and your own training, to best care for patients.

To meet these learning goals, you should plan on taking close to 90 credits of BSN and MSN courses. Classes you may be required to take include Nursing Concepts and Intervention, Community and Population Health Nursing, Health Promotion Across the Lifespan, and Health Care Leadership.

There’s a big push in the state of Louisiana to increase the amount of nurses working in the state’s health care centers, and there’s a particular need for nurses with Master’s degrees. This can work out in your favor, as it means that many organizations and companies have scholarships available for direct entry MSN students. The Louisiana Association of Student Nurses awards multiple scholarships, including the Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarship, the Student Nurse of the Year Scholarship, and academic scholarships. Members of the Louisiana State Nurses Association have access to numerous scholarships. The Olive Tupper Foundation awards a nursing scholarship that’s worth $1,200 per semester.

It’s important to pursue licensure with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing as soon as you complete your training. If you plan on working as a nurse leader, nurse educator, or nurse researcher, you’ll likely just have to keep up on your RN license. However, if you plan on becoming a nurse practitioner, midwife, or anesthetist, you may need to take tests for advanced licensure in your area of study.

Nursing is truly one of the most rewarding fields out there, and you can enjoy its many benefits by completing a direct entry MSN program in Louisiana. It’s not just good for you—your advanced degree can strengthen the overall nursing field and help improve health care outcomes in Louisiana. Contact the schools on our site that offer direct entry Master’s in Nursing programs in Louisiana today to learn more.

Louisiana CRNA Programs

Health care is in a state of change right now, particularly in rural southern states like Louisiana. Here, a growing number of people finally have access to the health care they need, but growth in health care occupations isn’t keeping up with patient demand. As a registered nurse, you may be in a great position to take your education to the next level and explore advanced nursing career opportunities. Nurse anesthetists, who provide anesthesia services to people in different medical situations, are often touted as a way to minimize health care costs and improve patient outcomes. If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a few years of nursing experience, you might be interested in learning more about this career option. Contact those schools that offer CRNA programs to learn more about your options today.

If you are confident in your nursing skills, becoming a nurse anesthetist may allow you to practice more independently and give you the freedom to make important clinical decisions. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists reports that CRNAs often work autonomously and command professional respect within the nursing field. The first step to becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist is learning more about this degree option and reaching out to CRNA schools in Louisiana for detailed program information.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Louisiana

CRNA programs in Louisiana are meant to prepare you for practice in many different settings. As a result, you may need to prove yourself in several different ways before you can be considered for admission to a nurse anesthetist program. A Bachelor’s degree in nursing is a core requirement, unless you are looking into an RN-to-MSN program that focuses on nurse anesthesia. You must also have at least one year of work experience in a critical care setting. Emergency room experience may be beneficial, as well as ICU or OR nursing knowledge. You may have to demonstrate your dedication to the field of nursing through essays, employer and peer letters of recommendation, and proof of strong academic performance.

Learning outcomes are a major way that instructors may assess your performance as you move through a CRNA program. As you progress, you should demonstrate growth in clinical decision making and show that you can act as a leader in a nursing field. Instructors may look at your ability to integrate nursing research into your practice, while also verifying that you can work effectively and ethically with different health care providers. Clinical work is a major route to meeting these learning goals. At minimum, you must work with over 550 patients, although many schools provide even more hands-on experience.

The courses you take are tailored to the learning outcomes of your nursing school. Courses that may occur early in your CRNA curriculum may include Nursing Research Design, Structure and Function for Advanced Nursing Practice, and Professional Aspects of Anesthesia. As you build up your body of experience and knowledge, you may move on to courses like Principles of Anesthesia Practice, Pharmacology of Anesthesia Drugs, Advanced Physical Assessment, and Disease Processes for Advanced Practice.

Applying for scholarships and grants is a popular way to make your tuition money go a little farther. The NURSE Corps Scholarship is well-suited to students that agree to work in a medically underserved area. You may also wish to apply for scholarships after joining the Louisiana Association of Student Nurses. The Louisiana State Nurses Association funds numerous scholarships for advanced nursing students.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Louisiana

The field of nurse anesthesia is highly regulated across the country, so you may have to go through a somewhat complicated licensing procedure before you begin working as a CRNA in Louisiana. The first step is applying for certification, which occurs on a national level through the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. They verify that you have a degree from an approved school and administer a thorough nurse anesthesia exam. Upon successfully passing this exam, you can become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The next step requires you to go to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing for your state-level license. You can submit proof of certification through the NBCRNA, your school transcripts, and a completed application. Once they approve your application, they can license you as a nurse anesthetist.

It’s important to stay on top of changes, developments, and expectations within your field if you want to stay relevant. That’s why the NBCRNA has stringent continuing education requirements. You must complete 40 units of approved continuing education each year before you renew your certification. This helps you stay informed of new techniques, ongoing research, and legislative changes in Louisiana.

Becoming a nurse anesthetist can be a great way to impact the nursing field, reach patients in a positive way, and explore an advanced career option. Contact CRNA schools in Louisiana to explore this career further.

Forensic Nursing in Louisiana

As nursing technology has changed over the years, the demand for forensic nurses has increased rapidly. Forensic nurses have specialized knowledge in patient analysis, evidence collection, healthcare procedures that preserve evidence and DNA, and patient needs after a crime. As a forensic nurse, you may benefit from local organizations like Forensic Nurse Examiners of Louisiana. This group advocates for forensic nurses, provides continuing education opportunities, and helps forensic professionals network. If you join as a nursing student, you may discover local job openings and events.

Find out if forensic nursing is a good choice for you.

Master’s Degree Programs in Forensic Nursing in Louisiana

As you learn how to become a forensic nurse, you may blend your nursing training with an in-depth study of forensic science, criminal justice standards, and Louisiana law. Forensic nursing programs in Louisiana are often longer than other graduate nursing programs, so you may earn more than 50 credits before you graduate with a Master’s degree. In addition to several hundred clinical hours, you may take the commonly required courses listed below.

Course Options at Forensic Nurse Programs

Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic
Foundations of Forensic Nursing
Evidence Collection, Storage, and Transportation
Healthcare for Victims of Crime
Analysis of Injuries

Since forensic nursing may put you in touch with victims of violent crime and in the midst of sensitive crime investigations, you may need to seek certification before you begin working. If you want to become a legal nurse consultant, you may get Legal Nurse Consultant Certified via the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.

The title of Certified Forensic Nurse is regulated by the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. Through the Commission for Forensic Nursing Certification, you may become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner or an Advanced Forensic Nurse. Before you can become an Advanced Forensic Nurse, you need at least 2,000 hours of practical experience in forensic nursing in the three years prior to application.

The Role of Forensic Nurses in Louisiana

If you become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, your skills may be usable in many different settings. Quite a few hospitals and county clinics have 24-hour SANE staffing. Many sexual assault resource centers also maintain 24-hour coverage for victims. Hearts of Hope is one of many Louisiana facilities with this service. Those who study legal nurse consulting can work for law firms, become self-employed, or look for positions at government agencies. Forensic nurses generally work for government agencies and crime laboratories. Since evidence is often only reliable for a short window of time after a crime occurs, forensic nursing may require you to be on-call.

This is the time to learn more about forensic nursing in Louisiana.

Check out local training options and request information from the schools listed below.

Louisiana Research Nursing Graduate Programs

As you gain more experience in the health care industry as a registered nurse, you may start developing an interest in the advances that regularly change the field as a whole. Perhaps you even have your own ideas for different ways that the nursing field can be made more effective, more patient-based, and better for nurses. This kind of insight is extremely important in the state of Louisiana, where rural communities tend to rely heavily on nursing professionals for their care.

By studying nurse research, you can contribute to a growing field in Louisiana. The more research that is available to the field of nursing, the more that nursing professionals can provide high-quality care and improve patient outcomes. The Louisiana Organization for Nurse Executives notes that nurse research is one of the most important aspects of this industry if the field of nursing is to grow.

Reach out to the schools on our page to find out what it takes to start a career in nurse research and learn about research nursing graduate programs in Louisiana.

Featured Programs:

Louisiana Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Getting your Master’s degree in nursing is the next step to becoming a clinical nurse researcher. Keep in mind that you need a Bachelor’s degree in nursing before you can be accepted to a graduate program. You may want to get familiar with the admissions requirements of different schools in your area. Most schools require at least one year of full-time nursing experience, although many schools have more stringent expectations. In addition, you may need a certain GPA at the undergraduate level. The majority of programs require a GPA of 3.0 or 3.5.

Once you start exploring this part of nursing, you can see that quite a bit goes into a career in research. You must learn about the purpose and goals of nursing research, how to properly conduct research, and how your knowledge of the nursing industry can contribute to better research.

The courses you take as a graduate student should help you reach these goals. Classes that you may take include Advanced Health Care Statistics, Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research, Quantitative Methods in Nursing Research, Mixed Methods Research, Behavioral Observation Methods, and Qualitative Data Analysis.

Another crucial aspect of this degree is research experience. You may work with other graduate students, experienced clinical researchers, and advanced clinical practice nurses. Programs in this area require several hundred hours of experience.

You may qualify for several types of aid at this level of education. The Louisiana State Nurses Association awards several scholarships to successful nursing students each year.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Louisiana

Throughout the course of your education, you should become familiar with the nursing research community in Louisiana and what professionals in this region hope to accomplish. There are dozens of clinical trials going on at any given point, including those that focus on cancer, pharmaceutical medications, genetic issues, and preventative health. The direction you take with your research depends on what you focus on in school.

Contributing to the field of nurse research can create a better health care future for the state of Louisiana and the country as a whole. Learn more about your options by contacting research nursing programs in Louisiana.

Louisiana Certified Nurse Midwife Programs

How women give birth and make other health care decisions is a huge part of their overall health and quality of life. That’s why many women are turning to nurse midwives for the care they want as they move through the various stages of life. Nurse midwives may offer a more holistic model of care that may allow patients to have more freedom in the services they receive and how they receive them.

If you’re a Bachelor’s-level nurse who’s looking for the next step in your career, you may wish to earn a Master’s degree and become a certified nurse midwife. Contact the schools listed below for program information to get started.

CNMs are changing the future of health care all over the country. If you like working with female patients and you’re ready to help them navigate some of the most transitory parts of their lives, keep reading to learn more about certified nurse midwife programs in Louisiana.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Louisiana

To become a certified nurse midwife, you must gain experience with various types of health care utilized by women at different points of life. This means having a strong understanding of women’s physical needs, the mental health changes they go through, and health issues that affect solely or mostly women. In your courses, you can build up your understanding of the human body, find out how different processes and interventions affect it, and learn the core aspects of evidence-based care.

Over your two to three years in nursing school, you may take a wide variety of courses. Plan on earning 30 to 40 credits as a graduate nursing student. Courses that may be part of your curriculum include Disparities in Women’s Health Care, Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Scholarship in Nursing Research, Antepartum Complications, Advanced Pharmacology, and Family Theory.

As you proceed through each course, you can put your new skills to work in several different clinical settings. From clinics to hospitals, you may work with women of various ages and medical needs. Requirements differ from school to school, but you should plan on completing close to 1,000 clinical hours as a CNM student. If you are currently employed as a registered nurse, you may be able to complete your clinical hours through your employer.

In the state of Louisiana, you may be able to apply for a number of scholarships and grants that can go a long way to making your education more affordable. If you are already a member of the Louisiana State Nurses Association, you can apply for grants each academic year. The Louisiana Association of Student Nurses is another major source of scholarships for Louisiana nurses.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Louisiana

Once you’ve met the rigorous graduation requirements of a CNM program in Louisiana, you can begin the process of becoming a certified nurse midwife. First, reach out to the American Midwifery Certification Board to take your licensing exam and become nationally certified. You can then use your certification to apply for an advanced practice license through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

Nurse midwifery is a field with many opportunities for growth and advancement. Take the first step today by reaching out to certified nurse midwife programs in Louisiana.

Louisiana Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

As a registered nurse in Louisiana, you’ve likely seen the many ways in which health care is changing throughout the state. Louisiana is known for its large rural population. The makeup of the state’s population can make it difficult for patients to get care, particularly if they live in a very remote rural area. How are health care organizations and employers reaching these patients? One solution involves increasing their hiring of advanced nursing professionals, including Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Louisiana begins with contacting the schools offering CNS programs. Request more information from those listed on our site that you are interested in to get started.

Not only can becoming a CNS give you the opportunity to change your local community, you may impact the field of nursing as a whole. Beverly Malone, a clinical nurse specialist, has used her position as an advanced nursing specialist to affect nursing via education, policy, administration, and clinical practice.

If you’re ready to use your Bachelor’s degree in nursing to take the next step in your career, find out more about clinical nurse specialist programs in Louisiana.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Louisiana

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, at least one year of full-time RN experience, and an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, you may be a great candidate for a Louisiana CNS program. Participating in grant programs, taking part in nursing research, or serving as a leader can impact your chances for admission.

The majority of clinical nurse specialist programs last two to three years, although some schools have part-time programs that take considerably longer. You must earn at least 30 credits, although some programs require up to 50 credits. Requirements often depend on which program specialty you decide to pursue. Options you may have in Louisiana include pediatrics, community health, adult care, gerontology, and oncology.

As you progress through your curriculum, you may take a wide variety of courses that build on your undergraduate nursing skills and take your understanding of complex nursing issues to the next level. Your curriculum may include courses like Role Development for Advanced Practice Nurses, Research for Advanced Practice Nurses, Clinical Decision Making, Health Care Policy and Politics, Care for Individuals Across the Healthcare Continuum, and Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nurses.

Many of your courses should include a clinical component in which you gain valuable practical skills and become a confident leader in health care settings.

In the state of Louisiana, nursing students may qualify for a broad range of nursing scholarships, grants, and loan repayment programs. The Louisiana Association of Student Nurses can be an excellent networking group, and it also has numerous scholarships for members. You may also want to join the Louisiana State Nurses Association for more scholarship opportunities.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Louisiana

Advancing your career with a graduate degree in nursing may pay off for you in many ways, particularly if you’re willing to work in one of Louisiana’s many rural areas.

Throughout your education, you should maintain your registered nursing degree. This is a requirement for those who want to become licensed as clinical nursing specialists. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing helps registered nurses navigate the processing of becoming Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

Nursing is a diverse field with many specialties and career paths. Explore your future in nursing by contacting clinical nurse specialist programs in Louisiana directly from our site.

Louisiana Public Health Nursing Graduate Programs

If your career goals include improving your community’s health and access to healthcare services, then becoming a licensed public health nurse in Louisiana allows you to further your career and become an expert in the nursing field. As a public health nurse, you will focus on protecting and promoting overall community health by utilizing knowledge gained from social health, public health, and nursing sciences (APHN, July 20). You may assist with the design and implementation of healthcare policies and programs to meet underserved communities’ needs by:

Monitoring health trends
Identify risk factors
Setting local healthcare priorities
Advocating policies
Implementing healthcare education campaigns

If you have already earned your Bachelor of Science in Nursing and wish to further your career by becoming a public health nurse in Louisiana, you will need to enroll in a master’s degree program at an accredited college. As the main governing body, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredits colleges that have met the national standards for nursing, preparing you for the licensing exam once you have completed the program. Click on a college to learn more today.

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Louisiana

Most colleges in Louisiana require you to complete a few prerequisites before you are allowed to take advanced practice courses. Prerequisite courses include health assessment, pathophysiology, applied sciences, and nursing research. You will also need to prove that you have earned your BSN degree, RN license, and CPR certification. Master of Science in Nursing programs generally take between two and three years of full-time training, which includes classroom instruction and a clinical practicum. Academic and advanced core coursework may include:

Bioethics and health policy
Research and theory in advanced practice nursing
Spiritual care
Advanced health assessment and health promotion
Advanced nursing practice role
Advanced pathophysiology

In addition to your core courses, you will need to select a clinical focus in an advanced practice clinical specialty. Most master’s degree programs require you to have ongoing clinical work experience by working a minimum of 500 hours in an approved clinical setting. Further your career by enrolling in a RN to MSN program today.

If you wish to work in an underserved area of the state, you may qualify for financial aid assistance through one of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ scholarship or loan programs. These programs help pay for your college costs and living expenses in exchange for working in an underserved area for a certain number of years. You may also qualify for a fellowship opportunity or scholarship through a national healthcare organization, such as the Council of Graduate Schools or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Louisiana

After you earn your master’s degree and license, you may find employment at:

Government agencies
Nonprofit groups
Community health centers

As a public health nurse, you may need to travel locally or long distances to implement healthcare services to underserved regions and meet with community groups. To further your career and potentially earn upwards of $79,410 annually, you can earn a specialty certificate through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Choose the right master’s degree program by clicking on a college to learn more.

Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy in Louisiana

Policy dictates nearly everything that happens in the healthcare industry. From individual care decisions to procedural decisions that influence the care of entire groups of patients, policies and laws are created to protect the patients of Louisiana.

Have you ever questioned the reasoning behind a work policy or state law while working as a registered nurse? If you’re ready to pursue education at the Master’s degree level, you may be in a position to change policies to better serve the people of Louisiana.

A Master’s degree in healthcare policy may show you how to navigate the legislative process and consider the right factors when creating policy proposals. Consider the impact that well-written policy may have on your community. Louisiana was recently rated the unhealthiest state in the country (KFVS 12, 2015). This rating came about after Louisiana was rated in terms of obesity rate, healthcare availability, and efficiency of healthcare policies.

A Master’s degree in healthcare policy can put you on a new and exciting career path. Learn more about your options by contacting graduate healthcare policy programs in Louisiana.

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Louisiana

A graduate degree prepares you for nursing policy work in many different ways. At this level of study, you can strengthen your critical thinking skills and learn how to think about nursing in new and innovative ways. Furthermore, this type of degree can give you practical experience in the legislative system and help you put your nursing experience to work.

Featured Programs:

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Louisiana?

There are numerous ways that nurses have successfully impacted the healthcare policies, laws, and procedures of Louisiana. The Louisiana State Nurses Association is an extremely influential group in nursing legislation. In recent months, they have contributed to laws focusing on nutrition assistance, the classification of medications on the medication schedule, licensing fees, mammography and ultrasound results, and the state’s prescription monitoring program.

There are quite a few organizations and institutions that focus solely on health policy. The Louisiana Public Health Institute aspires to improve statewide healthcare reform by partnering with care providers, insurance providers, and public health programs. The impact you have on health policy depends on how hard you are willing to work and what you feel passionately about in nursing.

By advancing your education and expanding your career options, you can strengthen the nursing industry as a whole. Take the first step now by requesting information from healthcare policy graduate programs in Louisiana.

Hospice Nursing in Louisiana

The field of hospice and palliative care reflects a huge advance in medicine. While the primary goal of this field is to treat and cure, the development of hospice care gave weight to the importance of quality of life, patient comfort, and respect for patients’ wishes. With the exception of some palliative and hospice facilities, the vast majority of care in this specialty takes place in patients’ homes.

You may be a candidate for palliative care nurse certification if you work well in stressful settings, demonstrate great compassion for the terminally ill, and want to explore a new direction in your career. While pursuing a Master’s degree, you may join groups like the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization and the Home Care Association of Louisiana.

Learn more about the benefits of hospice RN certification and your training options by contacting Louisiana schools below.

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

Earning a Master’s degree in nursing broadens your skill set in many ways. Your courses develop your clinical reasoning skills and critical thinking skills while helping you become a leader in a variety of healthcare settings. You may narrow down your list of potential programs by deciding whether you want to become a clinical nurse specialist or a nurse practitioner. You select a primary population to work with; common options include pediatrics, gerontology, women’s health, and mental health. You must meet the requirements of this area of study in addition to the courses required for hospice nurse certification.

Louisiana Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing Courses

Advanced Concepts in Palliative Care
Complex Symptom Management
Applications for Palliative Care
Evidence-Based Pain Assessment and Management
Pharmacology of Pain Medication
Ethical Issues in Palliative Care

The other component of palliative education is clinical work. As you earn your required 30 to 50 credits, you should spend at least 500 hours in clinical rotations. It’s likely that you may have to complete far more than 500 hours. This experience prepares you to work in hospice settings and other healthcare settings.

Apply for financial aid early and often, since scholarship cycles vary between organizations. Through the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation, you may apply for a $2,000 graduate scholarship each year.

Once your Master’s degree is complete, you apply for advanced practice licensure through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. To reach the level of Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse, you need to get work experience as a hospice NP or CNS. Get 500 hours of experience in one year or 1,000 hours in two years to start the application process via the Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center.

The Role of Hospice/Palliative Care Nurses in Louisiana

Once you start working in this specialty, you’ll quickly develop an understanding of what role you play in hospice care and how you can improve the lives of the patients and families you serve. This may involve providing non-clinical services, since many patients and family members struggle with immense grief and spiritual dilemmas during this stage. You may find yourself providing patients with small comforts like favorite foods, a good book, or a listening ear. The same is true for patients’ families, many of whom are going through this for the first time.

Louisiana is home to many renowned hospice providers, including Haydel Memorial Hospice, Hospice of South Louisiana, and St. Joseph Hospice.

With palliative care nursing certification, Louisiana nurses can use research and clinical intuition to help patients enjoy their final days of life.

Get more information on programs near you by contacting Louisiana nursing schools today.