Master’s in Nursing Schools in Nebraska

With Nebraska’s dedication to health care quality and its growing demand for skilled health care practitioners, it can be an excellent state for aspiring Master’s-level nurses. An MSN degree is designed to enhance your communication, critical thinking, patient care, and collaboration skills. Nursing schools in Nebraska offer several different Master’s in Nursing programs, which are listed on our site. Take a moment to check out the graduate nursing programs in NE, then contact those schools that offer what you’re looking for.

Featured Programs:

Nebraska Nursing Career Info

While advanced practice nurses in Nebraska currently have a slightly limited scope of practice, local nursing groups like the Nebraska Action Coalition hope to expand the role of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners in the years to come.

In particular, the state’s demand for nurse midwives is high. There is a shortage in many areas, presenting career opportunities for Master’s-level nurses that want to care for women in low-risk pregnancies.

If you want to go into the field of nurse education, a Master’s degree in nursing can help you become an effective teacher and instructor, which can ultimately improve Nebraska nursing. Kearney Hub reports that the University of Nebraska hopes to use $500,000 to hire nursing instructors and other health care professors.

Primary care is a popular advanced nursing field. Nurse practitioners provide a range of services to people of all ages and health care needs. The Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services notes that there are many Nebraska communities that are health care shortage areas. As people push for independent practice rights for nurse practitioners, you may be able to use your Master’s degree to serve a rural Nebraska community.

Nursing Schools in Nebraska

Kaplan University-Lincoln Campus
Lincoln, NE

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

Nebraska’s Action Coalition has a vision to “Transform leadership. Embrace Diversity. Promote Best practices. Promote Quality Healthcare.” Healthcare is rapidly changing across the country, and there is a nursing shortage in almost every state, requiring more nurses to both enter the profession and expand their educations. If you are considering returning to school to advance your career, this may be an excellent time to seek out your graduate nursing degree. Nebraska can benefit from your endeavor, and you may be able to help achieve the goals set forth by the Action Coalition, noted above.

If you are interested in learning more about the nursing schools in Nebraska that offer master’s degrees, simply contact those listed on our page to get details. As you begin to explore your options for getting your MSN in Nebraska, you will find that there are several roles for graduate nurses. Some of these include:

Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Educator
Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Executive

Many of the master’s degree programs in Nebraska have similar admissions requirements, which may include many or all of the following:

Application with corresponding fee
Official transcripts from every college and university you have attended
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater
BSN from an NLN or CCNE accredited college or university
Successful completion of undergraduate statistics course and physical assessment course or equivalent
A current, unencumbered RN license with Nebraska eligibility
2000 hours of professional nursing work experience and direct patient care prior to enrollment in clinical courses
4000 hours of direct patient care and level III NICU prior to enrollment in clinical neonatal courses
2000 hours of direct care and pediatrics prior to enrollment in clinical courses for those entering into a pediatric track
A letter with short and long-term educational and professional goals
Three references addressing your current and potential competency in nursing an academic potential
If English is not your first language you must pass the TOEFL with a score of 600 on the Paper-Based test

As an example of the curriculum of a MSN program in NE, the Family Nurse Practitioner program requires 33 credit hours and 675 clinical hours.

The courses include:

Pharmacology across the Lifespan for Advanced Nursing Practice
Advanced Pathophysiology
Advanced Health Assessment (60 laboratory hours)
Practicum I: Health Assessment of Individuals across the Lifespan (75 clinical hours)
Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology I, II
Maternal and Well Child Care Management
Practicum II: Family Nurse Practitioner (150 clinical hours)
Child Care Management
Practicum III: Family Nurse Practitioner (150 clinical hours)
Primary Care of Adult-Gerontology III
Residency: Family Nurse Practitioner (375 clinical hours)

The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers the exam for board certification that that you may take upon graduation to get your Nebraska nurse practitioner license. This credential is a reliable assessment of your clinical knowledge and skills, and it is valid for five years. If you are a member of the American Nurses Association the cost is $270 and the cost for nonmembers is $395. There are certifications available for many of the graduate level nursing specialties, so you will want to check into your licensing requirements regardless of the specialty you choose.

If you are going to need financial aid, visit the Financial Aid Office and complete a FAFSA application first, which is a federal grant program. Creighton University offers five graduate scholarships, and they help to administer over 200 million and student aid each year from federal, state, institutional and private sources.

In addition to the Federal Health Grant there also Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants. Nebraska has a grant program also. There are low interest loans and loan repayment programs available through the Health Resources and Services Administration.

If you choose to get your graduate nursing degree, you may be able to position yourself in an expanded role of your choosing, which will give you a great deal of satisfaction and the respect of your peers. Contact the schools offering MSN programs in Nebraska to learn more today.

Nebraska RN to MSN Bridge Programs

After using your associate’s degree in nursing to get experience in the nursing field and develop your practical skills, you may be in a good position to look into RN-to-MSN bridge programs in Nebraska. These programs may open up many new career options to you, including nurse practitioner, nurse administrator, and nurse educator. With Nebraska having some of the most advanced containment centers in the country, it may be a great place for those who want to further their nursing education. RN-to-MSN bridge programs give you the option of completing your bachelor-level and master-level coursework in one degree program.

Completing an RN-to-MSN program generally takes about three years of full-time study. However, since these programs are designed for working nurses, you may be able to complete some of your coursework online or at non-typical class times. The first third of the program focuses on bachelor’s degree classes, and the rest of the time is dedicated to your MSN specialty of choice.

Some of the classes you take in this degree program are based in nursing theory and research, as you must be able to apply advanced theories to your practice. Theory courses include Leadership in Nursing, Health Care Systems and Policy, Health Care Informatics, and Nursing Scholarship. These courses go beyond the level of an RN or BSN degree, since they require a deeper understanding of issues in this field.

Other courses focus on the practical skills you need to thrive as a graduate-level nurse. These courses depend on the specialty you’ve chosen. If you go into a clinical specialty, practical classes may put you in the hospital, a clinic, or another medical setting. If you study nurse education, you may go into the classroom to work with undergraduate students. From beginning to end, your degree program may require well over 600 clinical hours.

Financial aid is a major part of the nursing school application process, particularly since an RN-to-BSN program may take three years or more! Once you get accepted to a nursing program, begin applying for scholarships and grants. Local employers, nursing organizations, and government agencies may be good sources for financial aid. Bryan Health offers scholarships to nursing students. Another great source of scholarship money is the Nebraska Health Care Foundation, which awards scholarships of $500 each to advanced nursing students. The Nebraska Center for Nursing offers scholarships to advanced nursing students, particularly those who wish to address the faculty shortage at Nebraska nursing schools.

As you may expect, getting an advanced nursing degree places additional expectations on you as a nurse. The Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services oversees the Board of Nursing, which administers advanced practice nursing licenses. You must have a valid RN license at the time of application. From there, nurse anesthetists, midwives, practitioners, and clinical specialists must apply for advanced standing. Once you’ve passed the required tests in your field, you can begin working in your specialty.

With your advanced nursing degree, you may have a positive influence on Nebraska’s nursing industry. A high level of education can lead to higher standards of care, greater implementation of research in care, and a better understanding of what patients need to have an excellent health care experience. To learn more about earning your master’s degree to further your career, contact the schools on our site today!

Nebraska Direct Entry MSN

Nebraska is home to thousands of registered nurses (RNs) who provide a helping hand for thousands of ailing patients around the state. Many of these nurses chose their career at an early age, enrolling in classes at vocational schools, junior colleges and universities while they were still teenagers or young adults. For some of us, however, the calling to be a nurse comes a little later in life. It is not unusual to meet both young and older adults who majored in different college subjects but later decided to become nurses. Thankfully, there are programs designed specifically for this population of future nurses.

If you are thinking about switching to a nursing career, there are good reasons to trust your instincts. Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? As a nurse, you can provide essential care to patients in hospitals, doctors’ offices, schools, and even private homes. Do you want a career with job security? In the nursing field, primary care shortages in many states suggest there should be many job openings in the future. Do you want a job where you make a living wage? Nursing salaries typically provide a steady and respectable salary.

America’s nursing schools have been developing new programs to accommodate students just like you, looking to enter nursing with a graduate degree. More than a million new and replacement nurses are expected to be needed in the future, so creative approaches to nursing education have become a necessity. Innovative programs like the direct entry master’s degree are providing an avenue for non-nursing graduates to enter the nursing workforce at a quicker pace. Nationally, there were 71 of these master’s programs, and another seven were in the planning stages.

Nebraska’s nursing schools do not currently offer any direct entry master’s degrees, however, you may find distance education options and new programs are cropping up all the time. As you weigh your options, consider this about nursing in Nebraska:

Sixty-five percent of the state’s counties have shortage areas for primary care providers such as nurse practitioners and doctors. More than one-fifth of Nebraska’s population will be over 65 by 2030, creating a greater demand for RNs, according to the Nebraska Action Coalition for the Future of Nursing Campaign.

If you apply to a direct entry master’s program, you will find high admissions standards at most schools. The programs typically require applicants to have a grade-point average of 3.0 or above in their baccalaureate degree classes. Many schools also expect you to have earned certain minimum test scores on the Graduate Record Examination. Some nursing schools in Nebraska ask for letters of recommendation and a personal interview.

As a prospective student, you will need to take prerequisite courses in topics like anatomy and physiology, chemistry, developmental psychology, and statistics. At some colleges, you can take these courses as part of your first phase of study, but others expect you to finish them before enrolling. Once you are admitted, most programs take about two or three years to complete.

In a typical direct entry program, you will take classes leading to RN licensing during the first phase of the program. After passing the national licensing exam, you would take clinical classes required for your specialty in a second phase. Some master’s programs lead to a general degree and not to clinical practice as an advanced practice nurse. However, you can expect to participate in hands-on clinical work in any program leading to a primary care career. Typical classes in any discipline include pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology, but specialty classes will differ depending on your area of focus.

The Nebraska Nursing Foundation is a great resource if you are looking for ways to pay for your education. The foundation offers a variety of scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. For a look at loan forgiveness programs offered through the federal government, check out the Nurse Corp Loan Repayment Program.

Take some time to review your options for getting your online direct entry MSN in Nebraska and request additional information from those schools that interest you.

Nebraska CRNA Programs

As the field of health care sees the most significant changes it’s gone through in decades, health care professions are evolving and adapting to keep up with changing standards. This is particularly true in the field of nursing, where trained professionals at all levels of education are relied upon for patient care. If you are looking into beginning the next stage of your nursing career in Nebraska, you may wish to look into the rapidly-growing field of nurse anesthesia.

Pain management is used in many procedures, and it’s often considered an ethical requirement for patients undergoing surgery or suffering from chronic pain. Anesthesiologists may be hard to come by, particularly in states with large rural areas like Nebraska. Nurse anesthetists, who stay with patients before, during, and after procedures, are often a cost-effective measure to ensure that patients have access to appropriate pain medications. To start working in this field, you must obtain the title of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

A high-quality education is a must in this field. Schools in the Midwest offer graduate programs in nurse anesthesia that build on your undergraduate nursing education to prepare you to offer care to people of varying medical needs and backgrounds. If nurse anesthesia sounds like it may be the field for you, contact the schools on our site to learn more about CRNA programs in Nebraska.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Nebraska

If you’re just beginning to learn about the field of nurse anesthesia and the degree options in this field, you may wonder if you’re a good fit for a nurse anesthesia program. Though this type of program tends to be fairly competitive, you may find that you have the experience and education needed to thrive in a Nebraska CRNA program. Schools may look at your bachelor’s degree in nursing to ensure that you maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher while in school. This degree can help you get the experience that CRNA schools require. The majority of schools require approximately one year of full-time experience in a critical care or emergency care setting.

Depending on which school you choose to attend, you may complete between 50 and 70 credits in nurse anesthesia and advanced nursing courses. Master’s degree programs tend to be slightly shorter, while doctoral programs are often longer. Generally speaking, plan on spending two to three years in school as a full-time CRNA student. You may jump right into your program with courses like Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, Chemistry & Biochemistry for Nurse Anesthesia, Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia, and Principles of Nurse Anesthesia. As you proceed through your program, you may take advanced classes like Nurse Anesthesia Simulation Lab, Foundations and Methods of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency, and Clinical Correlational Conferences.

Becoming a graduate nursing student may give you the chance to apply for numerous grants and scholarships offered in Nebraska. Quite a few opportunities are available through local nursing employers and organizations. Bryan Health is a major local employer with a range of scholarships for nursing students. The Nebraska Center 4 Nursing supports nurses in many different ways. One way they support nurses is by providing access to grants and scholarships. Scholarships of $500 to $1,000 are available through the Nebraska Health Care Foundation.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Nebraska

To enjoy the advantages of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, you must first gain the proper certification and licensure. Through the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, you can apply to take the certification exam. Upon passing this exam, you may officially work as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. However, to practice in Nebraska, you must get your advanced practice license from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. They require proof of your national certification before they upgrade your registered nursing license to an advanced practice nursing license.

Reaching this level of practice requires you to dedicate yourself to strict practice standards. Prior to working independently, you must have professional liability insurance to protect yourself and your employer from malpractice suits. Since you should have insurance as an RN already, you may simply need to change your type of coverage. You must also meet continuing education requirements. By joining a group like the Nebraska Association of Nurse Anesthetists, you may gain access to exclusive continuing education opportunities. Furthermore, you may get the chance to go to networking events, get legislative updates, and take advantage of advocacy assistance.

Are you ready to become a nurse anesthetist and help patients all over Nebraska? Use our school listings to contact CRNA schools in Nebraska.

Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees in Nebraska

Some people are born with natural leadership skills. As you have stepped into your role as a registered nurse in Nebraska, perhaps you’ve found that you are comfortable taking charge of care situations, directing the work of nurses near you, and making split-second decisions based on evidence and intuition.

A future in nurse leadership could change the course of your career. This is an exciting time for nurses in Nebraska.

With the state’s rural care needs growing, there are many advanced nurses who are ready to take on additional responsibilities (NET Nebraska). If you are willing to work in a rural setting, you may thrive in a leadership role.

Furthermore, Nebraska has an expanding need for culturally competent nursing care, which is a huge emphasis in nursing leadership. The state is building a nursing home near its border with South Dakota, where the Pine Ridge Reservation has been underserved by the medical community (Star Tribune).

You could change the nursing community by furthering your education. Learn more by contacting Master’s in nurse leadership programs in Nebraska.

Featured Programs:

How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Nebraska?

When you work as a nurse leader, it is essential that you are able to work independently in clinical care settings. Not only must you be able to make decisions regarding the care you provide to patients, you must be able to provide guidance and directives to other nurses.

Since this is a big change in amount of responsibility, nurse leadership graduate programs tend to be fairly demanding. Over the course of four semesters, you should earn about 33 credits. Many schools require one semester of clinical work, amounting to about 500 hours.

The courses you take are chosen to fit with the curriculum guide for Clinical Nurse Leaders. To become a competent and trusted nurse manager, you may take courses like Statistical and Data Analysis for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice, Practical Ethics in Health Care Settings, Financial Organization of US Health Care, Core Management and Outcomes Improvement, and Evaluative Methods for Evidence-Based Nursing.

By excelling in all of your graduate courses, you can meet the specific goals created for your nurse leadership program. These goals tend to focus on the analysis and interpretation of nursing research, providing clinical care independently, understanding the chain of command in health care, and functioning in various care settings.

If you graduate from a program approved by the AACN, you can then apply for Clinical Nurse Leader certification. To get this certification, you must meet specific educational requirements and pass a licensing exam. To keep your certification, you can renew every five years and complete 50 hours of continuing education during each cycle.

In addition, you must maintain your registered nursing license through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. By October 31 in each even-numbered year, you must complete 20 hours of continuing education and pay a fee of $123.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

The specific tasks and duties you take on as a Clinical Nurse Leader may be determined by where you work and how the health care industry changes in coming years. In general, however, the AACN expects this to be a role that focuses on clinical patient care. In addition to providing hands-on care, you can develop care plans, provide guidance to nurses, create evidence-based care standards, and oversee the running of your facility.

Although the majority of your time may be spent doing clinical work, you should still be ready to work with care providers from different backgrounds and certification levels. As a nurse leader, you may be part of your facility’s leadership team. Staying up-to-date on nursing research may help you contribute more efficiently.

At this level, you should be willing to serve as a model and leader for the entire nursing community. This involves getting involved with local groups. Try to maintain membership in any registered nursing groups you belong to, but also look into joining a group like the Nebraska Organization of Nurse Leaders. In addition to attending training events, you can learn from those who have worked in leadership for many years. You may even find that being active in professional nursing groups can help your career prospects.

You can use your leadership skills to strengthen the nursing industry of Nebraska as a whole. Get started and contact graduate nursing leadership programs in Nebraska.

Nebraska Research Nursing Graduate Programs

While working as a registered nurse, you have likely benefited from some of the major advances in nursing research over the years. In fact, it is research that keeps the medical field growing, improving patient outcomes, and making the most of every single staff member that a facility has. Are you ready to use your nursing experience to advance the field as a whole? Research nursing graduate programs in Nebraska are here to teach you what you need to know.

Nursing research in Nebraska addresses a wide number of goals and areas of improvement. A recent study that included Nebraska nursing homes focused on keeping nursing home residents out of hospitals for unnecessary reasons. Doing so would improve a patient’s experience, reduce costs, and free up resources.

If you keep up-to-date on the field of nursing in your state, you have likely already noticed that research is becoming more significant every year. This means that there is more funding being dedicated to the field, which leads to the creation of new research facilities.

Nebraska Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Research nurses are directly responsible for huge advances and changes in policy in this industry, which is why you should be prepared to meet very high expectations to succeed in this field. To be accepted to a research nursing program, you need a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. In addition, you’ll likely need to have at least one year of nursing experience, although some schools require up to five years. Schools may look at your grades, the specialties you have worked in, and what kind of professional references you have when assessing you as a nurse.

There are two routes you can follow to become a research nurse. The shorter option is a Master’s degree, which generally includes about 40 credits and takes two years. Earning a doctoral degree may take up to seven years, as you complete about 90 credits and produce a thesis or research project.

By the time you graduate, you must be competent in the areas of designing research, executing research, interpreting research, and pitching your research. To achieve these goals, plan on enrolling in classes like Philosophical Perspectives in Health, Quantitative Research Design and Methods, Qualitative Research Design and Methods, and Measurements in Health Care Research.

Financial aid opportunities for graduate students are growing throughout Nebraska. Working as a research assistant or teaching assistant may allow you to earn money while in school. You can also look into associations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Nebraska

Nebraska is home to quite a few large research facilities, and you may be able to find positions at a variety of them, depending on your area of research interest and your professional connections. Hospitals and clinics often have nursing research departments, and of course post-secondary institutions are excellent options to consider. While earning your degree, you should have an advisor whose research aligns with your interests. Their guidance may help you find the right position after graduation.

Explore the field of research nursing more—contact research nursing graduate programs in Nebraska now.

Nebraska Certified Nurse Midwife

Women want options when it comes to their health care and they want skilled, compassionate care providers who understand their needs. That’s why more and more women are turning to certified nurse midwives (CNM) for their health care, particularly during pregnancy and childbearing.

CNMs in Nebraska can help women explore their options, from different prenatal tests and procedures to the location in which a woman gives birth. If you’re ready to take the next step in your nursing career, learn more about certified nurse midwifery programs in Nebraska by requesting program materials from the schools below.

U.S. News notes that completing a graduate nursing program can increase a nurse’s earning potential and give you the freedom to work more independently with patients. If you have a strong professional interest in pregnancy and labor, then becoming a CNM may be the right move for you. Contact certified nurse midwifery programs in Nebraska to learn more.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Nebraska

Nurse midwifery is a fairly demanding specialty that requires extensive comprehension of women’s health care and the unique health issues women have. Master’s degree programs in nurse midwifery typically take two to three years, provided you attend school year-round and do not take summers off. You often need to have completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing prior to enrolling in a CNM program. Over the course of your two to three years in school, you may earn close to 50 credits.

The courses you take as a nurse midwifery student aim to help you develop your practical skills, your clinical reasoning abilities, and your theoretical knowledge of nursing. Your education may begin with core courses like Advanced Concepts in Physiology & Pathophysiology, Research Methods for Health Care Providers, Health Care Ethics, and Advanced Concepts in Pharmacology. These courses advance your general understanding of nursing and prepare you for specialty courses in women’s care. Some of the courses you may take later in your education include Introduction to Reproductive Health Care of Women, Primary Care of Women, Labor & Birth, and Integrated Reproductive Health Care of Women.

Throughout your program, you may complete well over 600 clinical hours. Many programs actually require the completion of more than 1,000 clinical hours. You may learn how to perform prenatal exams, assess a woman in labor, check for complications during the delivery process, and deliver a baby. Other skills covered during clinical hours include postnatal assessment, newborn care, gynecological exams, and pre-conception consultations.

By dedicating yourself to a career in nurse midwifery in Nebraska, you may be able to apply for a range of scholarships and grants. The Nebraska Health Care Association funds scholarships of $500 to graduate nursing students. The Nebraska Center for Nursing awards a variety of scholarships every year. Another local resource for scholarships is the Nebraska Nurses Association.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Nebraska

Certification and licensure are the two final steps in becoming a certified nurse midwife in Nebraska. The American Midwifery Certification Board administers a comprehensive exam. After passing this exam, you can apply for licensure via the Nebraska Board of Nursing.

You can use your nursing experience and education to their full potential by becoming a nurse midwife in NE. Get started today by contacting Nebraska nurse midwife programs to request program details.

Nebraska Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

If you wish to advance your nursing career by taking on a leadership or research role in Nebraska’s advanced nursing community, then becoming a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) may be the path for you. As a certified CNS, you can take a direct or indirect approach to dealing with patients and the nursing staff, providing professional guidance, and encouraging workplace efficiency.

Contact the nursing schools in Nebraska that offer Clinical Nurse Specialist programs to learn more about your options for study.

Job duties of a Clinical Nurse Specialist may entail:

Performing clinical practice with patients and their families
Teaching policies and procedures
Advocating healthcare policies
Managing the nursing staff
Offering consultation to medical facilities
Researching techniques and procedures

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Nebraska

In order to work legally in Nebraska as a clinical nurse specialist, you will first need to earn your Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty focus and then obtain your CNS license. To better prepare yourself for the licensing exam, you should enroll in and complete an accredited MSN program.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing are the main governing bodies in the country that offer accreditation. Accredited MSN programs hold you to the national nursing standards, providing you with the educational instruction and hands-on training you need to succeed in this field.

If you have already earned your registered nurse degree and license, you can further your career by enrolling in a graduate program, such as the Master of Science in Nursing or the Doctor of Nursing Practice. These degrees require you to complete certain prerequisites before you are eligible for enrollment. Prerequisites include:

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing
An RN license
The completion of an approved statistics course
The completion of the Graduate Record exam
A personal statement
Letters of recommendation

If you are able to attend college full time, MSN programs usually take about two years to finish. During the course of study, you will need to fulfill the required number of credit hours in a classroom setting, as well as a clinical practicum under qualified supervision. Before you can sit for the EXCEL licensing exam, you will need to complete at least 500 hours of clinical experience. Be prepared to delve into a variety of advanced nursing subjects, such as:

Research methods
Nursing theory and philosophy
Pharmacology
Health assessment
Health methods
Healthcare systems management
Pathophysiology
Physiology

Taking three additional years of full-time coursework, DNP programs help you achieve an expanded role in the nursing community, which may increase your earning potential and credibility with future employers. Doctorate studies delve deeper into topics like healthcare policy and leadership. Start your new career path by researching potential clinical nurse specialist programs in Nebraska today.

Most accredited colleges take advantage of federal loan and scholarship programs that encourage students to give back to the community in exchange for college funds and a living stipend. The Health Resources and Services Administration offers several different types of financial assistance programs, such as the National Health Service Corps’ loan repayment program and the NURSE Corps’ scholarship program, that may help you pay for college.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Nebraska

Studies report that Nebraska’s medical industry employs approximately 20,040 registered nurses, including CNS experts (BLS). With employment opportunities potentially increasing by 19 percent over the next few years, you may see 3,808 nursing positions appear throughout the state (BLS).

To increase your marketability in the advanced nursing community, will likely need to obtain a certificate in your area of specialty, such as psychiatric-mental health, gerontology, or public/community health. The American Nurses Credentialing Center is one of the main healthcare organizations that issues specialty certificates. Certification can help you advance your career and potentially earn upwards more annually, but you will need to recertify every five years (BLS).

Request more information about an MSN or DNP program and how advancing your education can result in certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist by contacting nursing schools in Nebraska today.

Nebraska Public Health Graduate Programs

There is only one constant in the field of health care, and that is change. The goals of the health care industry are always changing and evolving to address current threats and health issues. Your registered nursing role contributes to the health and well-being of patients in your community. With your experience, you may be ready to advance your nursing knowledge and career.

The field of public health is one of the most rapidly growing specialties in the country. Public health nurses are responsible for educating the public, keeping track of and minimizing public health threats, and running community programs that improve the health of communities. All of these efforts go through the Nebraska Division of Public Health.

Get more information on this opportunity by requesting information from public health nursing graduate programs in Nebraska.

Featured Programs:

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Nebraska

Getting the right education is key to becoming a public health nurse in Nebraska. First, ensure that you meet the admissions requirements for your chosen program. At minimum, all schools require a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, since this is a graduate-level program. Most schools only accept applicants with at least one year of registered nursing experience, although some schools require up to five years. Furthermore, you must keep your nursing license valid for the duration of your education.

A lot of what is taught in public health nursing programs focuses on developing an advanced knowledge of nursing theory and the critical thinking skills needed to apply this knowledge to public health.

To work toward these goals, you may enroll in a wide variety of classes. Some of the courses you may enroll in include Biostatistical Methods, Health Promotion in Populations, Population-Based Outcomes, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Nursing, and Disaster Management for Public Health Nursing.

As you explore different areas of public health nursing, you may apply your teachings to a practical work setting. Public health programs involve several hundred hours of clinical work, typically spread across a range of agencies and employers.

Financial aid can help you avoid additional student debt and make your degree more affordable. Consider applying for scholarships through the Nebraska Center for Nursing.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Nebraska

As is the case in many states, Nebraska has seen a huge increase in the need for registered nurses. Since public health nurses must have a graduate degree to practice, the need for highly educated individuals is growing even more quickly.

Throughout your career, you may need to lend your expertise to different issues and health problems. This involves advocating for the improvement of public health by suggesting better benefit payouts and weighing public health costs at every step of the way.

You could take your nursing career to the next level with a public health degree. Explore your options by contacting public health nursing programs in Nebraska.

Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy in Nebraska

Nebraska, like many other Midwestern states, has achieved quite a bit through strong healthcare policies and guidelines. In fact, the policies used in Nebraska facilities are often used as good examples for institutions in other states.

These results are accomplished through the development and implementation of policies and laws. With a thorough background in nursing and a Master’s degree in healthcare policy, you could contribute to nursing legislation in Nebraska.

A national study looked at how well each state is prepared for an infectious disease breakout. Nebraska scored 7 out of 10, putting it in the top 20% of the nation (Journal Star). This is due to the use of defensive healthcare policies that prevent the spread of disease.

Ready to change the field of healthcare and improve the lives of residents? Make your move now and contact graduate healthcare policy programs in Nebraska.

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Nebraska

The goal of graduate education in healthcare policy is to enable you to transition from a clinical nursing career into a career that blends clinical work with policy work. No matter what you do as a nurse, clinical work will likely be required to some extent. In fact, clinical work may be what allows you to contribute to policy discussions.

However, you must also build your theoretical knowledge and learn about the policy and administrative sides of healthcare. Over a period of four to five semesters, you’ll earn 36 to 45 credits in courses focusing on administration, policy, and healthcare management.

Each school sets their own learning goals, but you may find that your school has goals similar to these:

Understand the formulation of healthcare policy
Integrate knowledge on policy from different sources
Create policy options that suit different groups
Analyze and interpret legislation
Apply economic theories and principles to your work
Evaluate the efficacy of health policies

To accomplish these goals and meet the challenges of health policy, you may enroll in classes like Health Services Administration, Health Policy, Health Economics, Applied Research in Public Health, Public Health Law, Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation, Biostatistics, Public Health Environment and Society, and Health Promotion Program Planning.

Continuing your work as a nurse is essential to your policy knowledge and advocacy. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services requires nursing license renewal by October 31 of every even-numbered year. This involves paying a renewal fee of $123 and completing 20 hours of continuing education.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Nebraska?

Your time as a nurse has likely made you passionate about specific areas of health policy that need serious improvement. You may choose to focus your work on those areas. For example, rural health is struggling in Nebraska. Other areas of concentration include research funding, funding for certain diseases, healthcare employment policies, and healthcare availability.

The Nebraska Rural Health Association is one nursing group that is heavily involved in statewide legislation. They hope to solve the nursing shortage in Nebraska and provide care to the underserved rural areas of the state.

The Nebraska Nurses Association may also be an excellent resource and policy partner for you. They have been instrumental in many key pieces of healthcare policy, including transition-to-practice agreements for nurse practitioners, Medicaid support for family planning services, the Every Woman Matters program, and the Healthcare Services Transformation Act.

Regardless of what your nursing background is, a healthcare policy degree may be the opportunity you need to influence widespread change in the industry. Get involved in this industry now and compare Master’s in health policy programs in Nebraska.