Master’s in Nursing Schools in Montana

Montana is well-known for its rural communities and sparse layout, which can make health care difficult to come by. This makes the role of Master’s-level nurses in the state even more important. With a Master’s degree, you can lead other health practitioners in a health care organization, take on an advanced practice role, or teach student nurses, thereby improving Montana nursing overall. If you are ready to earn your MSN, Montana is ready for more highly educated nurses. Select the programs that interest you and request more information to get started!

Featured Programs:

RN to MSN in Montana

If you enjoy patient interaction and want to use an advanced degree to work more closely with your patients, you can look into becoming an advanced practice nurse. Nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists have full freedom of practice in Montana, which can permit you to work anywhere you choose.

Due to the remote nature of Montana, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reports that there are many areas that are underserved by primary care practitioners. With a nurse practitioner degree, you may be able to set up independent practice in a rural area.

Nurse educators are also an essential part of the nursing community in Montana. The Montana Coalition for Change notes the importance of increasing the amount of Bachelor’s-level nurses. Nurse educators are going to be expected to educate the next generation of nurses.

With your advanced nursing degree in Montana, you may choose from a range of careers including a nurse anesthetist or a nurse midwife. With your online college, you may earn your Masters’ degree in nursing in less time than it would take going through a traditional college so you can begin your new and exciting career when you are ready.

As a nurse anesthetist you may be working in a surgical center or hospital where you may administer anesthesia and other drugs to patients during various types of surgical procedures. The nurse anesthetist is a career that is typically a good fit for the RN who has previous experience as a surgical nurse or in intensive care.

RN’s who have worked in the field of OB and gynecology are poised to become a nurse midwife by completing a MSN in Midwifery. As a nurse midwife, you will deliver babies that are the result of an uncomplicated pregnancy. Many new moms decide to go with a midwife so they have the option of a natural home or hospital birth.

Check out RNtoMSN.com today to find the right programs for you. You no longer need to choose between living in Montana and pursuing your dream of an advanced nursing degree. You can do both, and improve the health of your state while expanding your own career options.

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

By earning your MSN degree, you could make a positive impact on primary care and the nursing profession as a whole. Montana has opportunities available that are waiting to be filled by ambitious, motivated people who are ready to make advanced nursing their career choice. Find out how you can enjoy a rewarding career as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) by earning your MSN degree through one of Montana’s graduate nursing programs.

You can find a list of all the master’s degrees in nursing in Montana on our site and request information directly from the schools you are interested in to begin.

Montana is one of the largest states in the United States, yet many areas are still medically underserved. For Montanans living in rural areas, this makes access to primary care much more limited when compared to their urban counterparts. According a report conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges, Montana has 12 counties without a primary care physician and 7 counties without hospitals.

An uneven balance of distribution reveals that 37 percent of all of Montana’s primary care physicians practice in only three cities. Furthermore, on a national scale, only 2 percent of medical students plan to practice as primary care physicians. Montana’s need for primary care physicians can be met by highly qualified and well trained advanced practice registered nurses to fill the void created by the primary care shortage.

The statistics point to a growing need for APRNs in Montana. As healthcare reform allows greater access to the uninsured, the need for primary care is expected to increase within the next few years. To become an APRN in Montana, you are required to have a master’s degree in nursing. There are four main direct care specializations you can choose from: nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist and clinical nurse specialist.

A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse who provides high-quality healthcare services that include treating a wide range of health problems as well as promoting wellness. They also focus on disease prevention and health education counseling. Many nurse practitioners specialize in the areas of adult, family, and geriatric health.
A nurse midwife is an advanced practice registered nurse who strictly focuses on women and infants. They are specially trained to provide care during pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, and throughout the care of the newborn.
A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice registered nurse who administers anesthesia services as well as provides patient care. Their area of practice covers pre-op care, education and evaluation, anesthesia during surgical procedures and post-anesthesia care.
A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice registered nurse who provides services of expertise. Although they are similar to nurse practitioners, they focus in a specialized area. Their area of clinical expertise may be in: a population, a setting, a disease or medical sub-specialty, a type of care or a type of health problem.

Master’s in Nursing Programs in Montana

Your current education level will determine what masters nursing program you are eligible to take. If you have your associate’s degree in nursing, then an RN to MSN program may be the program for you. If you currently have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, then a direct entry MSN program with accelerated coursework can help you earn your RN license as well as put you on the fast track to receiving your MSN degree. The traditional method is for those who have earned their BSN and are following the normal sequence of degree advancement. Most schools now offer online courses to better meet your needs. A typical time range for completing your MSN degree is around 3 years.

Master’s in Nursing Courses in Montana

With each MSN specialization, you will be focusing on classes that pertain to your area of study. Below is an example graduate degree course outline for an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner:

Theory
Research
Theory and Research Application
Advanced Pathophysiology
Advanced Pharmacology
Advanced Assessment
Advanced Nursing Role
Psychiatric Management
Pediatric Management
Invasive Skills
Acute Care Pediatric
Primary Pediatric
Complex Pediatric
Advanced Practicum

Certifying Your Specialization

After receiving your degree, you must be certified in your specialty by an accredited national nursing organization in order to practice. Check out the Montana Board of Nursing Accepted APRN Certifying Bodies and Exams to find out what organization is acceptable for receiving your certification.

Working With Your Master’s Degree in Nursing In Montana

Keep in mind that there are several different routes you can take as you earn your Master’s degree in Nursing, along with online options for study. Take some time to review the schools listed on our site that offer MSN programs in Montana and submit a request for information to the schools and programs you want to know more about.

Montana RN to MSN Bridge Programs

With the growing nursing shortage in Montana, you may be wondering if you can use your RN degree to explore new career options in this field. Whether you want to become a nurse educator and help Montana colleges address the nursing shortage, provide care as an advanced nursing specialist, or work in an administrative capacity, you may be able to attend an RN-to-MSN bridge program in Montana to reach your career goals.

The curricula for RN-to-MSN bridge programs in Montana differ between schools. Generally speaking, however, you start with bachelor’s level courses and finish the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. Once you’ve met these requirements, you can choose your master’s degree path and take graduate-level nursing courses.

The bachelor’s degree courses you take may include general education courses and high-level nursing courses. Nursing courses you may take include Nursing Leadership, OB/GYN Nursing, and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice. These courses build on the experience you’ve gained as an RN to make you a leader in your place of employment.

Some of the core courses you may take as an RN-to-MSN student include:

Advanced Health Assessment
Advanced Pathophysiology
Evidence-Based Practice in Advanced Nursing
Statistics in Graduate Nursing

These courses prepare you for classes in your specialty. Available specialties may include administration, leadership, education, anesthetist, midwife, or clinical specialist. While working as a nurse, you may wish to learn about these different career paths and choose a school that offers your chosen specialty.

In Montana, you need to meet stringent clinical requirements to earn an MSN. If you go into a clinical specialty like midwifery or anesthesia, you may need to complete more clinical hours than those who go into an administrative specialty. Clinical hour requirements vary from 500 to 1,000 hours. You may be able to complete your clinical requirements at your current place of employment.

Montana schools have many different scholarships, grant programs, and loan repayment programs for graduate nursing students. Beginning your scholarship search early may help you minimize the amount of student loans you take on. Some scholarships are school-specific; for example, Montana State University students may apply for the Margy Burgess Peterson Scholarship, the Cathy Klingaman Scholarship, and the Alice Dahl Scholarship. Through the Montana Nurses Association, you can apply for a range of scholarships each year. The Montana Health Care Association offers quite a few scholarships to health care students, including the Donald E. Pizzini Memorial Nurse Scholarship.

The Montana Board of Nursing has fairly strict regulations in place for advanced practice nurses. You will need to provide proof of your education and pass advanced testing in your field of study. It’s important to keep your advanced practice license up-to-date. However, you must also make sure that you keep your RN license valid if you wish to continue practicing in Montana.

Enhancing your nursing education and career with an RN-to-MSN career can have a great effect on your life, both in the increase in income potential and the greater amount of responsibility you can take on with a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree. With your advanced degree, you can play a major role in Montana’s nursing industry. Use the school listings on our site to find the best RN to MSN program for you and request information to find out more!

Montana Direct Entry MSN

Montana is a unique state because 80 percent of the state is rural, and they suffer from a nursing shortage just like the rest of the U.S. While there have been few studies on rural nursing, one study was completed on nurses that had been employed in a rural setting for at least one year. The resulting survey reflected a higher job satisfaction, and the nurses indicated a rural lifestyle preference. The nurses stated they had great job satisfaction, which they received from the job variability and patient variety as well. Montana does have a nursing shortage in their cities also. If you have a bachelor’s degree and are not satisfied with your current career, this may be the ideal time attend graduate school for nursing.

Direct Entry MSN programs are growing as adults with bachelor’s degrees in other fields are interested in getting a graduate degree in nursing for a career change. There are some Direct Entry programs available online, and in Montana the University of Montana offers an on campus program.

The University of Montana has a Master of Nursing degree for Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNL) as a Direct Entry option. This is a five semester program of study with a long list of educational objectives for the CNL. A Clinical Nurse Leader assumes accountability for patient outcomes and effects change through advocacy for patients and the interdisciplinary healthcare team. They learn to communicate effectively, pursue knowledge and skills to understand the needs of clients and the healthcare delivery system as well. They work to improve safety, improve efficiency, and they use information systems and technology to improve the healthcare outcomes.

The admission requirements are similar to most accelerated MSN programs across the country and include:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited university
Official transcripts from all undergraduate or post baccalaureate study
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better
Three letters of reference that address the applicant’s chances of success in the master’s program
A personal statement indicating your objectives for pursuing the curriculum and degree for which you seek admission
Official entrance examination scores for the GRE
Resume
Required prerequisite courses with a minimum of three of the five required natural sciences

The Clinical Nurse Leader portion itself requires 34 credits with the following curriculum:

Advance Health Assessment (required with clinical lab)
Evidence-based Practice I
Statistical Applications for Graduate Nursing
Design of Healthcare Delivery Systems
Finance and Budget
Clinical Nurse Leader Laboratory I (2 clinical labs)
Pathophysiology/Pharmacology
Professional Paper/Project
Clinical Leadership Practicum

Following graduation the student is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and credential examinations. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing offers the CNL certification exam. If your examination is administered at a school of nursing, the fee is $345, but if it is administered at a Testing Site the fee is $410. The CNL Certification “recognizes individuals who have demonstrated professional standards and knowledge.”

Visit the Financial Aid Office to complete a FAFSA application for Federal Student Aid if you live with a low income. There are also Tuition Waivers available at the University of Montana that include:

American Indian Student Tuition Waiver
Montana Honorably Discharged Veteran Tuition Waiver
Faculty/Staff Waiver
Dependence of Faculty/Staff Partial Tuition Waiver
Surviving Spouse or Child of a MT Firefighter or Piece Officer Tuition Waiver
For Orphans Tuition Waiver
Dependence of Prisoners of War Tuition Waiver

The Health Resources and Services Administration also has numerous low interest loans and scholarships. The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program requires a nurse to work for two years in one of the Health Professional Shortage Areas and the program will pay off 60 percent of the unpaid nursing student loans, and an additional 25 percent of the original balance for an optional third year.

If you are considering getting your graduate degree, this might be the ideal time to enroll in college through the Direct Entry Program. Earning a graduate degree can give you a great sense of satisfaction, and it will give you a step up in your new career in healthcare, which may also increase your income.

Montana CRNA Programs

A bachelor’s degree in nursing is truly an accomplishment that can help you get started in one of the most in-demand fields in the country. It may also lay the groundwork for an advanced career in nursing after you gain some experience and learn more about different advanced nursing specialties. In states like Montana, where anesthesiologists may be difficult to find and retain, nurse anesthesia may be a promising specialty area for nurses that are ready to take the next step in their education.

Nurse anesthetists have a long and rich history in the United States, dating back to the Civil War. Nurses provided most of the care for injured soldiers and were recruited to administer anesthesia while doctors performed life-saving surgeries. All these years later, highly-trained nurses administer a greater variety of anesthetic medications under the title of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. This career requires you to earn a Master’s degree or doctoral degree in nursing.

To work in nurse anesthesia, you must be willing to collaborate with a variety of health care professionals to offer excellent care to patients. Throughout the course of your career, you may work in fields like labor & delivery, surgery, pain management, and emergency care. Since Montana is so sparsely populated, nurse anesthetists are often the main anesthesia providers in hospitals and clinics. If you’re ready to learn more about this exciting career, contact the CRNA schools in Montana for program details.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Montana

As a nurse anesthetist, you may be one of the main care providers for the patients you see every day. Because of this expectation and the responsibilities you take on as a CRNA, it’s important to be well-prepared for CRNA programs in Montana. Prior to acceptance, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. This helps you develop the base skills and knowledge needed for an advanced nursing education. Furthermore, you need at least one year of nursing experience that utilizes your education. Some schools require this experience to be in a critical care or emergency care setting.

Once you’ve met the admissions requirements for your school of choice and received your acceptance letter, you can begin applying for various types of financial aid. You may want to exhaust your scholarship and grant options before you consider student loans. Luckily, there are many options for nursing financial aid in Montana. The St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation funds five different scholarships, all of which have different application dates, so you should apply early and often. The Montana Health Care Association, which aims to provide Montana citizens with the health care they need, also offers scholarships to advanced nursing students. Another popular resource is the Montana Nurses Association.

Over your two to three years in nursing school, you may complete roughly 50 credits in nurse anesthesia courses. It’s likely that your curriculum may start with courses like Advanced Health Assessment, Principles of Anesthesia, Human Anatomy & Physiology, and Advanced Pharmacology. From this point, you may proceed to more advanced courses like Clinical Anesthesia, Advanced Principles of Anesthesia, Professional Aspects of Nursing Practice, and Analysis of Health Policy Issues. Many of your courses may combine clinical work with theoretical study. Clinical requirements are fairly extensive in this field; to qualify for certification as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, you must work with 550 separate anesthesia cases.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Montana

As you prepare to start your career in nurse anesthesia, you may wonder which licensing and certification standards you must meet in Montana. The whole process starts at the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. After they verify that you meet their educational requirements, they allow you to take your certification exam to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. You can then move on to licensing at the state level through the Montana Board of Nursing. With a passing test score, a completed application, and a school transcript, you can become a licensed nurse anesthetist that is allowed to practice in Montana.

If you want to get as much out of your new career as possible, consider making use of the resources provided by the Montana Association of Nurse Anesthetists. This group may help you with continuing education courses, networking events that connect you with other CRNAs, and legislative updates that help you ensure that you’re practicing within your scope of practice. They also advocate for nurse anesthetists in legislature to protect your career and your area of expertise.

The field of nurse anesthesia is important all over the United States, but it’s extremely crucial in the rural state of Montana. If you’re ready to move up in your nursing career, contact CRNA schools in Montana today to learn more about your options.

Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees in Montana

You already know about some of the issues that plague the nursing industry in Montana. Perhaps you even chose to work in Montana so you can help address these issues. Montana’s layout and uneven population dispersion make it extremely difficult to provide residents with the care they need.

With the Affordable Care Act providing health coverage to more people every year, the demands placed on the nursing community may grow even more. Hospitals and clinics all over Montana are reporting higher patient numbers and increased care needs (THV11).

While it is important for Montana to have more nurses to meet these needs, it is equally important for nurses like you to expand their scope of practice and education. By becoming a nurse leader, you can support nurses at all levels of education, have a more active role in your patients’ care, and offset some of the growing care needs in Montana.

Your registered nursing license and experience may make you a huge asset to the people in your community.

Find out how you can use your skills in a new way by requesting information from nursing leadership graduate programs in Montana.

Featured Programs:

How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Montana?

The role of nurse leadership is an extremely powerful one. When you are seen as a leader in your industry, people aspire to your level of work, trust your recommendations, utilize you as a resource, and hold you up as an example. To be ready for all that this entails, you must earn a Master’s degree in nurse leadership. Over a period of four semesters, you can complete 34 credits and fully develop your leadership skills.

You are expected to excel in many different areas before you can take on nurse leadership responsibilities. You should learn how to impact health care change through patient advocacy, communicate with other health care providers for improved outcomes, analyze patient and cost-based outcomes, and properly use all types of nursing technology.

The courses included in your nurse leadership curriculum are selected because of their ability to help you meet these goals. Look for these classes or courses similar to them in your schedule:

Advanced Health Assessment
Statistical Applications for Graduate Nursing
Program Planning and Evaluation
Design of Health Care Delivery Systems
Pathophysiology and Pharmacology
Evidence-Based Practice

You may be interested in seeking Clinical Nurse Leader certification upon graduation. If this is the case, you must attend a program that qualifies for CNL certification. When you meet these requirements and graduate, you can take the licensing exam through the AACN. The CNL certification must be renewed every five years.

As is the case with any advanced nursing specialty, you must also keep your registered nursing license up-to-date. According to the Montana Board of Nursing, this involves submitting your renewal application by December 31 in every even-numbered year. Each two-year renewal cycle requires 24 hours of continuing education.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

As a registered nurse, you take directions from other care practitioners and nurse managers. As you transition into a nurse leadership role, you must be ready to be the one giving orders and thinking about the possible outcomes of every care decision you make.

As noted by the AACN, the main responsibility of a Clinical Nurse Leader is to improve patient care at all levels. This covers everything from reading and integrating nursing research into your practice to developing plans of care that meet the individual needs of each patient.

To grow as a nurse, you must be willing to learn from others in your community. You can learn about the long-term goals of the nursing industry and network with other nurse leaders to find out what role you play in the industry.

Other than clinical care, your career may include staff management, administrative duties, data analysis and collection, advocacy, and mentoring.

The role of nurses may continue to grow in Montana health care. Ensure that patients in your community get the care they deserve—check out Master’s in nurse leadership programs in Montana below.

Montana Research Nursing Graduate Programs

Expectations of the nursing field are always changing, which is why there are so many important positions that can now be filled by nursing professionals. Nursing research is a growing area of focus in this field, as research is the key to making care more evidence-based and more affordable. Your experience in the field of nursing can be very valuable to this specialty, particularly if you thrive in an academic setting.

Research nurses have been responsible for many important advances in Montana health care. A recent law passed in Montana added three recommended vaccines to the state’s vaccine schedule for public schools. Research nurses look at the data and apply it to the health care field to achieve better outcomes for patients and health care providers. If you’re ready to delve into the world of research and nursing evidence, find out more about research nursing graduate programs in Montana.

Montana Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Research nursing is a highly specialized field with stringent requirements, so you should be prepared to work hard to prove yourself to potential schools. You must have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, and you may be a more desirable candidate if you have a GPA of 3.5 or higher from your undergraduate degree.

Work experience plays a crucial role in the admissions process. The more experience you have and the more diverse it is, the more you may be able to bring to the table as a research professional.

Research nursing programs require the completion of 40 to 90 credits, depending on whether you want to earn a graduate degree or a PhD. If you want to work for a college or university, you may want to consider a PhD, as this is typically required for teaching positions.

Gaining experience in clinical research involves taking a huge variety of courses. Some of the advanced nursing courses you may take as a graduate student include Theory of Nursing Science, Responsible Conduct of Research, Nursing Inquiry and Scholarship, Advanced Topics in Nursing Science, and Multivariate Statistics. While completing these courses, you may gain applicable work experience in local research facilities or academic facilities.

There are quite a few groups and organizations that offer financial aid to nurses earning advanced degrees. The Montana Health Care Association funds scholarships of $1000 each.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Montana

Once you go through the work involved in becoming a research nurse, you can put your knowledge to work in several different settings. Montana is home to many universities, colleges, and hospitals that employ nurses for research purposes. One of the largest research clinics in Montana is Billings Clinic. This employer focuses on cancer research as well as other areas of study.

When you begin in this field, you may start by working on existing research projects. As you become more well-known for your work and form your own areas of research interest, you may lead projects on your own.

Contributing to the nursing research field is a great way to make health care accessible and affordable to the people of Montana. Find out how to take the next step now by contacting research nursing graduate programs in Montana below.

Montana Certified Nurse Midwife

Women have unique health care needs that other demographic groups don’t have to consider. It can be difficult for women to find the personalized, patient-based care they need, particularly in states like Montana where doctors are few and far between. Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) do a lot to provide women with the evidence-based care they deserve.

If you are thinking of becoming a CNM in Montana, take a moment to contact the midwifery schools listed below to get program details today.

Though CNMs may provide care to women at any stage of life, they are most commonly used during the pregnancy and childbearing years of a woman’s life. The Missoulian reports that childbearing women in Montana have more options now than ever before. Certified nurse midwives may help women enjoy a natural, homelike labor experience in the safety of a hospital or birth center. CNMs work closely with OB/GYNs and may transfer care if a patient becomes high-risk or requires a Caesarean delivery.

Are you ready to take your nursing career to the next level while serving the women of Montana? Learn more about certified nurse midwifery schools in Montana by requesting information directly from our site.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Montana

To become a nurse midwife in Montana, you have to complete a rigorous education program that builds on your nursing knowledge to make you a competent primary care provider. To enroll in a CNM program, you must generally have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Some programs do accept students with an associate’s degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in another field—you may just need to take some additional coursework to catch up. Furthermore, you may need one or more years of nursing experience to start a Master’s degree program.

When you start a CNM program in Montana, you may take core advanced nursing courses that are required of all clinical specialty students. Courses in this category include Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology, and Advanced Pharmacology. Some of the CNM-specific courses you may take include Disparities in Women’s Health, Family Theory, Advanced Scholarship and Research, and Intrapartum Management.

Clinical work is a significant part of your nurse midwife training. By the time you graduate with a Master’s degree, you should have more than 600 hours of experience working with women at different stages of life.

As an advanced nursing student, you may have the chance to apply for a variety of scholarships and grants. The Montana Nurses Association awards scholarships to graduate nursing students, as do the Montana Health Care Association and the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Montana

Before you can begin working as a nurse midwife in Montana, you must go through two separate licensing entities. First, get your national certification through the American Midwifery Certification Board by passing a comprehensive CNM exam and providing proof of your education. You can then get your state license through the Montana Board of Nursing. With your national certification and your state license, you can officially begin working as a certified nurse midwife.

Are you ready to use your nursing experience to reach a whole new group of patients? If so, get started now by contacting certified nurse midwife programs in Montana.

Montana Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

Offering direct and indirect care to patients, a career as a certified clinical nurse specialist (CNS) can provide you with numerous advancement opportunities in Montana’s growing medical industry. By earning a Master of Science in Nursing and earning the proper credentials, you may be able to enter into a leadership role and advise other nursing staff.

As a CNS, you will need to be managerial, patient-facing, and multifaceted in a high-stress environment (Discover Nursing).

If this sounds like a route you’d like to pursue, contact the nursing schools in Montana that are listed below to learn more about becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist today.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Montana

If you have already earned your nursing license in Montana, then you can plan to enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing program at an accredited college. As a renowned regulatory medical organization, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing offers accreditation to colleges that meet the national standards of nursing excellence.

Accredited MSN programs can provide you with the expertise and skills needed to sit for your licensing examination. Research accredited MSN programs near you today by contacting schools today.

Depending on your dedication level, master’s degree programs in nursing generally take about two years to complete the required coursework and clinical practicum. You can earn your degree in a flexible online environment or a traditional campus setting.

Some colleges may require you to take certain courses before you enter into a graduate program, including statistics and physiology. While earning your MSN degree, you can expect to take advanced level nursing courses in:

Curriculum development
Health assessment
Research methods
Healthcare systems management
Nursing theory and philosophy

Doctorate nursing programs also offer career advancement opportunities in the fields of policy advocacy and medical research. Earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice degree may take about three years to finish, entailing the completion of courses in healthcare policy, healthcare economics, and clinical data management.

Both master’s and doctoral degrees require you to complete a clinical practicum in conjunction with the classroom instruction, providing you with necessary hands-on training in a real-world setting. You will likely be under direct supervision the entire time, and you will need to complete 500 hours of clinical training before graduation.

Contact the nursing schools you are interested in today to earn your MSN or DNP degree at an accredited college in Montana, preparing yourself for CNS certification.

Because of the rising need to provide affordable healthcare to citizens across the nation, certain organizations in the federal government offer special scholarships and loan repayment opportunities for those willing to work in Montana’s underserved areas. The Health Resources and Services Administration provides several scholarships and loans that help cover college costs and living expenses in exchange for a few years of service.

If you are a health professions student, healthcare professional, or health professions faculty member, you may qualify for the following financial aid opportunities:

National Health Service Corps’ scholarship or loan
NURSE Corps’ loan repayment or scholarship

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Montana

Employment experts are predicting a faster-than-average increase of 19 percent for RN and CNS positions across the United States, potentially providing 1,805 employment opportunities in Montana’s nursing industry (BLS). You may find employment opportunities at:

Hospitals
Nursing and residential care centers
Physician’s offices
Home healthcare services
Government medical facilities

Take the first steps to further your career by enrolling in an accredited CNS program in Montana today.

Montana Public Health Graduate Programs

Throughout the state of Montana, health care professionals hope to make Montana a safer and healthier place to live. Every health care role plays an important part in this effort. However, the field of public health nursing is quite possibly one of the most crucial nursing specialties when it comes to reducing disease transmission rates and educating the public.

The state of Montana hopes to strengthen public health efforts through the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Getting involved with this agency can help you become an advocate and spokesperson for public health. If you are ready to take this step in your nursing career, find out more about public health nursing graduate programs in Montana.

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Montana

Public health nursing is a demanding specialty in nursing graduate study. Before enrolling in this type of program, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a nursing license that is valid in Montana. These programs tend to have a fairly extensive experience requirements, since experience can help you react quickly and appropriately to public health threats.

Once you are accepted to a public health nursing program, you should anticipate spending at least two years in school as a full-time student. Throughout this time, you may enroll in classes like Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Program Development and Evaluation in Health Care, Public Health Nursing Leadership and Management, Theory and Practice of Public Health Nursing, and Population-Based Public Health Nursing Interventions.

As is the case in any type of nursing program, clinical experience is of the utmost importance. By working with legislators, public health professionals, and public health nurses, you can get a clear understanding of the role a public health nurse plays and what your responsibilities are after graduation.

Since public health nurses are in such high demand in Montana, you may qualify for different types of financial aid in this program. Loan forgiveness programs, sponsored by the state and the federal government, may allow you to have your loans forgiven after you serve the state of Montana for a set period of time.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Montana

You must be ready to speak loudly and speak often as a public health nurse. Your new role requires you to advocate for the people of Montana, sometimes in the face of dissent from lawmakers and business interests. However, your concern is the health and well-being of Montana residents. In pursuit of this goal, you may create and oversee health programs, try to secure funding, and analyze data to understand public health threats. One recent issue in Montana involved the proposed Medicaid expansion, which would provide health care to thousands of low-income residents. Public health nurses comment and offer their expertise on laws like this one.

Use your knowledge in a new nursing specialty. Take the first step by contacting public health nursing programs in Montana.

Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy in Montana

You may have become a registered nurse for any number of reasons. The growing need for nurses in Montana, the desire to change lives with your career, and the strength of the nursing industry are all factors that may have led to your career decision.

If you have gained nursing experience and you are confident in your ability to provide great care, you may be prepared for the next step in your career.

Healthcare policy is an essential part of nursing in Montana. Healthcare is one of the biggest parts of Montana’s economy, particularly in the Billings area (Independent Record). Strong policies allow the industry to keep growing by allowing for continued development, improved educational standards, high care standards, and nursing research.

If you think you could improve the care provided to Montana residents and improve working conditions for Montana nurses, find out more about your options by requesting information from graduate healthcare policy programs in Montana.

Featured Programs:

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Montana

To thrive in the legislative climate of Montana, you need a specialized knowledge of the legislative process. Furthermore, you must understand the issues and problems that most commonly affect Montana. In a graduate healthcare policy program, you can explore the policymaking process, the roadblocks you may encounter in advocating for healthcare, and how you can best use your resources to succeed in this field.

Schools in Montana often focus on students gaining knowledge about the factors that influence health policy decisions, understanding qualitative and quantitative analysis, creating collaborative strategies to solve issues, and promoting health through policy creation.

These goals and more may be addressed in these common health policy courses:

History and Theory of Epidemiology
Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
Native American Public Health
Rural Health Issues
Public Health Administration
Health Policy

In total, your curriculum should include about 42 credits. Schools have varying requirements, but they typically require some combination of a professional paper, a portfolio, and a practicum course. Try to get as much research and work experience as you can, since this experience can help you build a professional network and start learning the lay of the land.

Remember that most of your credibility may come from your nursing career, so you should keep up your nursing credentials. That means renewing your nursing license through the Montana Board of Nursing by the end of every even-numbered year. During each two-year period, you must earn 24 continuing education credits.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Montana?

Studying the lobbying efforts of different nursing groups and healthcare associations can show you how they leverage their experience and licensure to influence change. Consider, for example, the Montana Nursing Action Coalition. They have created a lobbying group that has many long-term goals in nursing policy.

Current goals include improving the transition between different levels of nursing education, developing laws to make healthcare more accessible, increasing the amount of nurse leaders in Montana, and collaborating with the Montana Healthcare Workforce Advisory Committee.

Several government agencies are also part of the healthcare policy process. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is dedicated to providing low-cost healthcare services, analyzing statistics to minimize costs and improve outcomes, and basing policy on data.

Healthcare policy is a very flexible career that can change based on your interests and goals. You may work for private institutions, county-based government agencies, state government agencies, or even federal agencies.

Get started on your new career path by contacting Master’s in healthcare policy programs in Montana.