Master’s in Nursing Programs in Ohio

With all the recent changes in health care legislation, the demand for experienced, educated health care practitioners is constantly growing. A Master’s degree in nursing is a versatile degree that can help you prepare for a variety of advanced nursing careers, and there are a variety of ways to earn yours. There are several MSN programs in Ohio to choose from. Whether you are looking for a traditional graduate program on RN to MSN programs in Ohio, the state’s nursing schools have several options to choose from.

Featured Programs:

Working With Your MSN in Ohio

Once you’ve earned your nursing masters degree, you may find yourself in a new career specialty. Although nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses in Ohio have a slightly limited scope of practice, a Master’s degree in direct care can still prepare you to deliver advanced care to patients of varying ages. It’s important to note that there is a big push in Ohio to expand practice rights for advanced practice nurses; this movement is led by local groups like the Ohio Action Coalition. As a result, laws may change in the future.

Advanced practice nurses play a particularly significant role in Ohio, due to the state’s primary care shortage. Many people do not have primary care physicians. However, family nurse practitioners can do many of the same patient care tasks as physicians. Local schools have started to offer nurse practitioner programs to fill the primary care gap in Ohio. There are also online MSN programs in Ohio to choose from, some of which allow for local clinical sites to aid in completion of your MSN. Ohio is prepared to address the need for providers by providing access to Master’s programs in new and novel ways.

Nursing Educators are in high demand, and are found teaching future generations of nurses in a variety of classroom settings, developing curriculum and evaluating outcomes. Educators may work at universities, teach continuing education in hospitals or assess training needs through surveys and interviews with employees. This is a very rewarding position that not only trains the nurses for the future, but this position helps nursing as a whole.

If you have leadership skills, you may consider becoming a Nurse Administrator. This career assumes a leadership role to manage a staff of nurses, resources, budgets and other administrative duties. There is potential for advancement as well.

Choosing to pursue an advanced degree may give you the opportunity for more employment options, a higher level of job satisfaction with greater earning potential, and you may have excellent marketability in the job market.

Nursing Schools in Ohio

Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

Healthcare is changing across the country and this is a time of nursing shortages in many areas, particularly in rural areas. Many nurses are going back to school for their Master’s degrees, and there are many career opportunities you can tap into by doing so. Ohio, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, has dozens of AACN member schools with a variety of MSN programs throughout the state. This may be the perfect time for you to return to school for your graduate nursing degree if you want to position yourself in a career that is both exciting and satisfying.

It is possible to get a graduate nursing degree online at numerous Ohio universities, as well as in a campus based program. We recommend contacting the schools with MSN degree programs in Ohio to request detailed information for your review. You can do this directly from our site to get started.

Some of the popular master’s in nursing programs in Ohio include:

Nursing Education
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Clinical Nurse Specialist – Public Health
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Midwifery
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Clinical Nurse Leader

The admission requirements for a Master’s in Nursing program in OH typically include:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited program
Encumbered RN license
Competitive undergraduate GPA is approximately 3.5
GRE scores are usually only required for applicants that do not meet the following criteria, which includes the GPA below 3.0, previous coursework completed at an accredited college or university or if the applicant is interested in being considered for nomination in the Graduate Schools University Fellowship competition
GRE score within five years and in the 50th percentile or above
Transcripts from all universities and colleges you have attended
Purpose and Goals Statement, including a narrative discussion of professional experience, future scholarly endeavors and career trajectory
Three letters of recommendation
Resume/CV
Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) is student is from a non-English speaking country

One of the more popular clinical routes you can take in a Master’s program is to become a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). The Nurse Midwife graduate utilizes research in their practice with women, infants and their families. They are taught to design, implement and evaluate healthcare strategies for selected populations, including pregnant and birthing women.

The curriculum for a CNM program includes both core courses, which are common to all MSN programs in Ohio, along with specialty midwifery courses. The curriculum sample below is for a Master’s in Nursing program which includes:

Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing
Quality Improvement and Informatics
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention across the Life Span
Nursing in the American Health Care System
Evidence-based Nursing Scholarship
Advanced Health Assessment
Pathophysiology of Altered Health States
Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing
Concepts and Issues in Advanced Family Nursing
Advanced Reproductive Dynamics
Conceptual Framework for Nurse–Midwifery
Nurse-Midwifery Clinical Practicum I, II, III, IV

The clinical experience occurs in a wide variety of geographical locations and clinical sites throughout Ohio, which requires a minimum of 8 to 20 hours per week. Some courses are online and clinical seminars are used to augment the modular content.

The American College of Nurse–Midwives offers certification for nurses who have graduated from accredited nurse midwifery programs by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) and passed the national certification examination. There are many advantages for nurse midwives to be members of this organization, and the certification is important for your career advancement. Regardless of the Master’s in Nursing route you choose, advanced certification is available for most all specialties and can boost your chances at finding a secure and rewarding position after you graduate.

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration offers numerous low-interest loans and loan repayment programs. Ohio State University also offers several scholarships, as do several of the other universities.

Getting your graduate degree can give you a great sense of satisfaction and new career opportunities, which may also include an increased income. To learn about your options, contact the schools that offer MSN degrees in Ohio and start reviewing the information you receive to make a well informed decision.

Ohio RN to MSN Bridge Programs

One of the major benefits of beginning your career in the nursing field is the many ways you can advance your career if you so choose. Whether you’ve worked as a registered nurse for one year or 10 years, you may be interested in RN-to-MSN bridge programs in Ohio.

Read the information below to learn more about Bridge Programs for Ohio nursing students. Then request more information from the schools near you to reach the right decision for your education and career.

RN-to-MSN bridge programs are well-suited to those who performed well at the Associate’s degree level and want to expand their scope of practice in one of many nursing specialties. Earning an MSN may give you the chance to work in nursing research, nurse leadership, advanced nursing practice, or nurse education.

With an MSN comes a great deal of responsibility. Because of this, you must meet very high academic expectations to earn this degree! You’ll likely need a valid RN license and at least one year of full-time nursing experience. Some schools in Ohio require a passing score on the GRE, although there are schools that bypass this step.

Upon entering an RN-to-MSN program, you take the nursing courses required to qualify you for a BSN. You immediately move on to Master’s-level nursing courses. No matter which career path you decide to follow, you have to go through a set of core courses that help you develop your knowledge of the nursing field as a whole. These courses may include Quality Improvement and Informatics, Health Promotion Across the Lifespan, Nursing in the American Health Care System, and Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice.

The last part of your degree involves taking courses that are directly related to your specialty. However, you likely must choose your specialty before you even begin your degree. Options vary from school to school. Popular choices include nursing administration, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, and nurse educator. Each path has its own set of clinical requirements. In most cases, clinical specialties require hundreds more hours than administrative or educational specialties.

Once you have been accepted to an RN-to-MSN program in Ohio, you can start the process of looking for grants and scholarships open to graduate students. The Ohio Center for Nursing notes that the Ohio Board of Regents has a loan repayment option for nurses in advanced nursing programs. The Ohio Nurses Foundation awards a long list of scholarships, including the Hague Memorial Scholarship, the Hayward Memorial Scholarship, and a selection of research grants. Through the American Legion Auxiliary of Ohio, you can apply for quite a few different scholarships, including the Continuing Education Grant and the Past President’s Parley Nurse’s Scholarship. This opportunity is open to veterans or direct descendants of veterans.

It’s important to become familiar with the licensing requirements of the Ohio Board of Nursing. If you will be going into a clinical specialty, you will need to obtain licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). This process involves passing a test in your specialty and registering with the Board of Nursing. Your license must be renewed to stay valid.

Education is extremely valuable in nursing, and taking this extra step in your career may pay off for years to come. Your hard work and dedication to health care may lead to health care reform, give patients the comfort and care they need, and help you expand your career options.

If you want to learn more about programs in your area, we recommend contacting multiple schools to make sure you choose the right Bridge Program for your nursing career.

Ohio Direct Entry MSN

Nursing careers offer personal and professional rewards to thousands of Ohioans. Most enter the field in a traditional way by enrolling in associate or baccalaureate nursing programs after high school. If you didn’t major in nursing in college, however, today’s direct entry master’s degrees can offer you an alternative path into the satisfying world of nursing while still taking advantage of your previous educational experiences.

You can find a listing of all the Ohio nursing schools that offer a direct entry or accelerated Master’s in Nursing option on our site, and we recommend that you contact the schools you are interested in to gain more information.

Although Ohio’s programs go by different names, they share many common features. If you study for a direct entry master’s degree, you can expect to meet fellow students in all walks of life, from engineers to educators to business majors.

As an applicant, you will find most programs require a minimum grade-point average and certain prerequisite classes for admission. Some schools also require graduate entrance examinations, a background check, personal references, and even an interview. The coursework, program length, and specialties vary from one college to the next, but many share a common base curriculum.

Ohio’s Accelerated Nursing Programs

Case Western Reserve University’s Graduate Entry Nursing Program is separated into two phases. The 72-credit Master of Nursing (MN) program typically runs for about two years and prepares students to take the registered nurse (RN) licensing exam. After this phase, you can begin the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program to prepare for a career as an advanced practice nurse or a nurse educator.

The Case nursing program offers more than a dozen master’s specialties and sub-specialties, including adult gerontology, family nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, and nurse midwife. For some of these MSN majors, you must have experience as an RN, or you must file a separate application. Check the individual programs for specific requirements.

The MAGELIN program at the College of Mount St. Joseph (Master’s Graduate Entry-Level into Nursing) is the school’s shortest path for college graduates who want to become nurses. The 64-credit accelerated program prepares you to take the RN licensing examination after about 15 months of study.

One you complete the program, you can begin studying for your MSN degree in one of three career paths – administration, clinical nurse leader or education. This phase of the program is offered in a part-time format, with students taking two 10-week classes each semester. Most of the courses are offered online, but you must visit the campus three or four times during each class.

The University of Toledo prepares college graduates to become clinical nurse leaders through its two-year, full-time MSN program. The 66-credit curriculum includes classes in topics like pharmacology, health assessment, advanced nursing research, and therapeutic communication skills. You can also expect to complete 660 clinical clock hours in the program.

After completing the MSN portion of the program, you can apply for your RN license and take the licensing exam. At that point, you may choose to enter the nursing workforce, to pursue a doctorate degree, or to study for a graduate certificate to become a nurse practitioner.

In the University of Cincinnati’s (UC) Accelerated Pathway Program, your classes are divided into three phases. In the first section, you complete undergraduate prerequisite courses, including psychology, statistics and science offerings. The full-time second phase runs for four semesters, preparing you for RN licensing. In the final phase, you may choose a specialty and begin studying for your MSN.

UC offers many master’s specialties, including adult gerontology, family nurse practitioner, occupational health, nurse midwife, and nurse administration. Some programs are offered on campus, while others are available online. You must have hands-on work experience for most specialties. The nurse anesthesia program requires a separate application.

Xavier University’s 20-month MIDAS program (MSN Direct Entry as a Second Degree) runs for two academic years with a summer of study required in between academic years. The full-time program leads to a MSN degree, and prepares you to sit for the RN licensing exam. Once you have obtained your RN license, you also will be eligible to sit for the clinical nurse leader certification exam or the holistic nurse certification exam.

MIDAS classes are typically scheduled during the day, but clinical hours will vary. The program won’t prepare you for advanced practice nursing careers such as midwives or nurse practitioners. However, you may apply for Xavier’s advanced practice programs once you have a year of RN experience.

While the programs detailed above are not exhaustive, they give you a good idea of what to expect from a Direct Entry Master’s in Nursing program. For detailed information about your options, you can contact the schools to learn more.

Funding Your Accelerated Master’s in Nursing Program

The Ohio Board of Regents, the Ohio Nurses Foundation, and various federal agencies offer loan repayment and scholarship opportunities for master’s students. For a review of some of these programs, check the Ohio Center for Nursing website.

Ohio CRNA Programs

One of the most important aspects of many health care and surgical procedures is proper anesthesia. Anesthesia that is appropriate to the procedure, a patient’s size and health, and a patient’s medical condition can lead to better health outcomes and more effective pain relief. This is particularly important in states like Ohio, where a large part of the state’s rural population may lack access to appropriate anesthetic care for routine and complicated procedures. If you want to do your part in ensuring Ohio residents’ access to pain relief, you may wish to look into becoming a nurse anesthetist.

Nurse anesthesia programs in Ohio build on your experience as a bachelor’s-level nurse to bring you to the level of an advanced practice nurse. You may take special courses in anesthesia, pharmacology, the human body, and what your role is as a nurse anesthetist. Patient care is by far the biggest part of this career, so you should be ready to spend your days working with patients if you want to become a CRNA. If you’re willing to work in a rural area, you may have a variety of career options. In rural areas, including many found in Ohio, CRNAs are the primary anesthesiology providers.

Your future nursing career is waiting for you. Get started now by contacting CRNA schools in Ohio to get program details.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Ohio

Ohio CRNA programs may have rigorous admissions requirements, but you can prepare for the admissions process by becoming familiar with requirements in your area. On the educational side, you need a Bachelor’s degree in nursing with a strong academic record. In fact, you likely need a GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply for a graduate program. Advanced nursing experience is also necessary. Many schools in this area require one year or more of nursing experience in a critical care setting. Each school has its own requirements, so look into schools to figure out which ones pique your interest.

As a CRNA student, you may complete a thorough plan of study in advanced nursing practice. Some of the courses you take may focus on the human body and how it works. Courses in this category include Advanced Anatomy, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Pathophysiology for Anesthesia. Other courses look at specific nurse anesthesia techniques, including courses like Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship, Nurse Anesthesia Practice, and Introduction to Nurse Anesthesia Practice & Clinical Internship. It should be clear that clinical work plays a prominent role in your education. To be eligible for certification as a nurse anesthetist, you must work on over 550 nurse anesthesia cases prior to graduation. While completing your clinical experience, you may work in diverse wards like surgery, trauma care, and labor & delivery.

Financial aid programs in Ohio may help you with grants, scholarships, and loan repayment programs that are designed for graduate nursing students. Consider joining the Ohio Nurses Foundation to apply for multiple scholarships and grants. The Nurse Education Loan Assistance Program is offered by the Ohio Board of Nursing. It may help you with new or existing student loans. Ohio Higher Ed is another resource for loan repayment plans in Ohio.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Ohio

As a registered nurse, you may be well aware of the advanced licensing process that is required for nurse anesthetists. It’s important to keep your registered nursing license current throughout the course of your education and while preparing for advanced licensure. The first step is achieving national certification. The National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists requires you to pass a thorough licensing exam and provide proof of your educational qualifications. Upon completing this step, you can contact the Ohio Board of Nursing to apply for advanced licensure. With your national certification, you may be able to add advanced practice status to your registered nursing license.

There are many professional resources and organizations for nursing professionals all over Ohio. Nurse anesthetists may consider joining the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists. There are many membership benefits that you may enjoy, including training events, networking events, job listings, and information on Ohio nursing legislation. They also support CRNA students, so you can even join as a student member.

If you are ready to take the next step in your nursing career by becoming a nurse anesthetist, you can begin by checking out our list of nurse anesthesia schools in Ohio. Contact those schools you are interested in learning more about to get program details.

Ohio Clinical Nurse Leader

The health care industry is in the middle of a period of significant change. In recent years, health care has been highly prioritized across the United States. As millions of residents get health insurance and start using it for the first time, the demand for evidence-based care is increasing all over Ohio.

As a registered nurse, there are plenty of ways that you can contribute to the growing medical industry. The care you provide to patients is invaluable, as is the medical expertise you bring to the table. If you are interested in taking on a bigger role in your practice, though, you may want to serve as a Clinical Nurse Leader.

Nurse leaders fill roles in many different practice settings, a trend that may continue as the health care needs of Ohio become more apparent. For example, consider the recent remodel of an Ohio mental hospital (Telegraph Forum). This remodel was designed with the comfort and safety of patients in mind. Leaders with experience in mental health are a necessary part of this venture, as the new services being provided are heavily based in nursing evidence.

You can expand your career in nursing by studying the tenets of clinical leadership and administration. Take the first step now by reaching out to Master’s in nurse leadership programs in Ohio.

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How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Ohio?

Becoming a nurse leader involves learning a huge variety of skills that are not typically part of registered nursing, which is why it is so important to choose a school that fits your educational goals and learning style.

In Ohio, most nurse leadership programs last approximately two full years and require you to complete 36 credits. In many cases, this includes clinical work, but some schools do allow their courses to be completed entirely online.

It is important to get a good feel for what each school expects of students and how well it prepares you for the workforce. Looking at learning outcomes and competencies is a good way to start. Your school may prepare you for a nurse leadership role by showing you how to oversee patient care and coordinate treatment protocols, put evidence-based practice into action, evaluate patient outcomes, and assess cohort risks.

To meet these goals, you may enroll in courses like those listed below:

Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice
Health Policy and Advocacy
Evidence-Based Nursing Scholarship
Advanced Health Assessment
Introduction to CNL Practice
Transition to CNL Practice
Health Promotion Across the Lifespan

Clearly, these courses focus on a mix of clinical skills, nursing theories, and management techniques.

Since nurse leadership focuses so much on clinical work, it is important to maintain your nursing license at all times. The Ohio Board of Nursing requires you to renew your license by August 31 in odd-numbered years. This requires you to complete 24 continuing education units.

After finishing your education, you can apply for certification as a Clinical Nurse Leader. The AACN administers a thorough written test. Once you pass this test and provide proof of your educational qualifications, you can become certified.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

The primary benefit of becoming a Clinical Nurse Leader is the fact that this role is useful in a huge variety of health settings. You may be able to work in hospitals, specialty clinics, community health clinics, nursing homes, and other medical settings.

In general, your career should follow the fundamental aspects of CNL practice, laid out by the AACN. They note that some of the most important aspects of nurse leadership include collection of care outcomes, accountability for care outcomes, research and analysis, team leadership, and implementation of evidence-based practices.

Getting involved with different local nursing groups can help you acclimate to your new position. The Ohio Organization for Nurse Executives is an excellent resource for high-level nursing professionals with various job titles. You may learn about leadership expectations in different settings and various employers, attend exclusive training events, and get advice from those with experience in nurse leadership.

As a leader, you could inspire nurses and improve nursing care for patients in your community. Get started now by getting in touch with graduate nurse leadership programs in Ohio.

Ohio Research Nursing Graduate Programs

No matter which part of the nursing field you have worked in, it is likely that you have found techniques that could be improved, identified staffing concerns, and noticed other issues that make it harder for nurses to provide high quality care. That knowledge and your experience in Ohio’s nursing industry is what may make you an excellent addition to the field of research nursing.

Research nursing, a field in which experienced nurses study various aspects of the nursing industry to bring about better outcomes, is growing all over Ohio. Even schools and clinics that have never focused on nursing research in the past are beginning to fund this area of health care.

Becoming a research nurse involves completing an in-depth program that shows you how to combine your nursing experience with research techniques. If you would like to contribute to the academic side of nursing, check out research nursing graduate programs in Ohio.

Ohio Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Nursing research is a competitive area of nursing, so you may want to start preparing for this career ahead of time by ensuring that you meet the clinical and education requirements of a nursing research program. First, you must typically have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, preferably with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. In addition, you must have a significant amount of experience in the field of nursing. At least one year is often required, with some schools requiring as many as five years of experience.

When you get started in your research program, you should plan on spending about two years in school to earn a Master’s degree. Completing a PhD may take an additional five years, depending on how quickly you work. However, course curricula tend to be fairly similar.

Classes you may take include Statistics for Health Care Professionals, Health Care Policy and Politics, Research for Clinical Nurses, and Ethics of Health Care Research. Through lab courses and research clinical rotations, you’ll discover how to apply your new skills in the workplace.

Do not forget to explore your financial aid options as a new student. One popular program, the Nursing Education Assistance Loan Program, is funded by the state of Ohio.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Ohio

Since research is such a large, multifaceted area of nursing, you may be able to have a lot of control over your career path. Research nurses are employed at diverse settings like educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, and medical research facilities. One of the largest nursing research employers in Ohio is the University Hospital system.

You can use your experience to influence the future of nursing. Take the first step now by contacting nurse research programs in Ohio.

Ohio Certified Nurse Midwife

As a nurse, you are an important part of the health care system. In fact, you may well be one of the most crucial aspects of your local health care community! Nurses have experience in many different specialties, are experts at patient communication, and are skilled at rapid decision making. You can use these skills in many different career paths.

If you want to use your knowledge to serve an in-demand demographic, consider becoming a certified nurse midwife (CNM). You can find a full listing of nurse midwife programs in Ohio below. Contact those schools that interest you to learn more.

Certified nurse midwives are highly-trained women’s health care providers that may work with low-risk women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. In addition, they can provide primary care and contraceptive services to women of all ages. Certified nurse midwives may work for hospitals, general care clinics, or specialized women’s care clinics. More and more women’s care clinics are moving toward hiring CNMs for primary care and just using OB/GYNs for high-risk care. Keep reading to learn more about certified nurse midwife programs in Ohio.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Ohio

Nurse midwifery is a highly specialized nursing field with extremely stringent requirements, so you must get plenty of training before you begin working with the women of Ohio! With a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, you already have a strong basis of knowledge that can help you thrive in this specialty. If you have a non-nursing Bachelor’s degree, you may be able to apply to a CNM program and start with your core nursing courses.

Courses in a CNM curriculum range from core advanced nursing courses, specialty midwifery courses, and clinical courses. As you move through your curriculum, you should learn how to work with women at various stages of their lives, newborns, and family members of childbearing women. All in all, a CNM program in Ohio should take approximately two to three years of full-time study.

Get familiar with your CNM curriculum before you begin studying. Doing so can help you learn about your study goals and understand what CNMs do in their careers. Courses that you may be required to take include Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology, Contraception, Advanced Pharmacology, Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing, Antepartum Management, and Antepartum Complications.

Ohio students may apply for many different nursing scholarships, so spend some time applying for grants and scholarships each year. Through the Ohio Nurses Foundation, nursing students can look into numerous grants. The Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program is another option for students to consider. Via the American Legion Auxiliary of Ohio, you can look into statewide grants and scholarships.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Ohio

To legally practice as a certified nurse midwife in Ohio and attend births, you must get advanced standing on your registered nursing license. This process goes through the State of Ohio Board of Nursing. You may apply for your advanced license after getting your nurse midwife certification through the American Midwifery Certification Board.

As a nurse midwife, you can combine the best of patient-based care and high nursing standards. Take the first step to an advanced nursing career by contacting certified nurse midwife programs in Ohio from those you see listed below.

Ohio Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

Three specialty areas are covered by Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), which include patients and their families, administration and nurse management. There are numerous choices of graduate programs for you if you are interested in a Clinical Nurse Specialist career.

Contact the schools that interest you from the list below to get more information about CNS schooling in Ohio today.

Ohio has numerous accredited graduate programs for CNSs, including many several online nursing programs. Once you have graduated, you can take your National Nurses License exam and the certification exam for your CNS certification.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Schools in Ohio

The Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Administrative Rules states a Clinical Nurse Specialist must have a graduate degree or postgraduate certification, a national certification, and the states will grant you an APRN license. As a CNS you are licensed to work in a collaborative position with a physician, and you can apply for a Certificate to Prescribe with some restrictions.

There are several accredited universities throughout Ohio with a variety of CNS programs. The admission criteria is similar for most universities and typically includes:

BSN from a regionally accredited college or university
Minimum GPA of 3.0
Official transcripts from any college or university attended
Proof of English proficiency if English is not your native language
Current unencumbered RN license
Two or three letters of recommendation

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Ohio

While there are several specialty focus areas you can choose in CNS programs, you may want to consider an Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program, which puts theory and research into practice with individuals and families. When you enter the workforce after graduation you can likley assume an advanced practice role, and you will be able to utilize leadership skills for positive change in the policies at the local, regional and national level.

The Adult Gerontology CNS program begins with core courses, and then you have a choice of two types of specialty courses.

Core Courses typically include:

Innovation Leadership in Advance Nursing Practice
Quality Improvement and Informatics
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention across the LifeSpan
Health Policy and Advocacy
Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship

Specialty courses can include:

Advanced Health Assessment
Pathophysiology of Altered Health States
Advance Pharmacology in Nursing
Advance Practice Adult Nursing Clinical Practicum I, II

The total required credit hours are 46, which does not include clinical hours. Upon graduation the first set of specialty courses means you are eligible to take the certification exam by the America Nurses Credentialing Center. The fee is $340.

If you need financial assistance, visit the Financial Aid office and complete a FAFSA application, which is a federal grant based on your income. Ohio has a number of state grants and scholarships, which are based on a number of factors. Nurse Corps is a federal program where you work for two years at one of their nonprofit locations, and 60 percent of your outstanding education loan balance will be paid.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Ohio

There are numerous places where you might find employment, such as hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, the Department of Health or home health nursing. These specialties are very rewarding personally and for the patient, plus their extended family. If you have made a decision to return for your graduate degree, it is a great idea to visit different accredited colleges to compare their programs. Getting a graduate degree not only benefits you, but it strengthens the nursing profession as a whole.

Contact the schools with CNS programs in Ohio listed below to learn more about your options.

Ohio Public Health Graduate Programs

Jumping into a career as an Ohio registered nurse is definitely a learning experience. In a very short amount of time, you learn how to juggle different priorities, work in different medical specialties, navigate the politics of a health care work setting, and make quick decisions for the benefit of your patients. This is extremely valuable experience that can pave the way for a rewarding career in registered nursing or a career in an advanced nursing field.

One logical step that you may take in your nursing career is a move to public health. The Ohio Public Health Association outlines some of the biggest issues in Ohio public health, including the Ebola outbreak and changes in legislation. Contact public health nursing graduate programs in Ohio now to find out what opportunities await you in this field.

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Ohio

Public health education is a whirlwind of advanced nursing topics, community health skills, communication techniques, and research. It may sound like a lot, but by the time you graduate with a Master’s degree in public health nursing, you should feel confident talking about and working in all of these areas of nursing. The courses you need to earn this degree add up to roughly 30 credits, which takes the average student between two and three years.

Once you have been accepted to a public health nursing program, it’s important to jump right into the process of applying for financial aid. Many scholarships and grants have early deadlines, so it is important to get your applications in early. You may want to consider applying for funding through the Ohio Nurses Foundation.

Finally, it is time to start earning your graduate degree. The curriculum for your chosen program should start with a broad overview of everything covered in public health nursing and then start drilling down into different topics. Core classes include Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Applications of Research to Nursing Practice, Context of Health Care, and Statistical Literacy & Reasoning in Nursing Research. In the later part of your education, you may take advanced classes like Public Health Nursing Theory and Practice, Leadership and Management in Public Health Nursing, Program Development and Evaluation in Health Care, and Public Health Nursing Interventions.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Ohio

To this point, your career has probably focused on treating individual diseases and symptoms as they arise. Now, you may still focus on diseases, but you have to take other health factors into account. For example, one of the biggest public health concerns in Ohio is the presence of food deserts and food swamps. Food deserts are parts of the state where residents have little access to grocery stores, while food swamps are areas that have too many fast food restaurants or other unhealthy choices. You may spend some of your time addressing problems like this one.

You may have the chance to make a big difference in public health. Find out more now by reaching out to public health nursing programs in Ohio.

Ohio Healthcare Policy Degrees

Gone are the days when nurses filled one role and completed the same set of tasks on a daily basis. With the recent growth in the healthcare industry, the role of nursing professionals has changed considerably during the last decade. Depending upon your particular skills and interests, you may change the future of your career by studying different areas of the nursing industry.

Healthcare policy is one such area. A nurse policymaker who is actively involved in clinical care can bring insight to the legislative process that others simply cannot offer. With an education in health policy, you may be able to help change and solve major problems in Ohio healthcare.

A recent report showed that Ohio is extremely underprepared for infectious disease outbreaks (Columbus Dispatch). Your knowledge of research and policy creation could propel these efforts forward.

Wondering if a career in health policy is right for you? Keep reading and find out more about Master’s in healthcare policy programs in Ohio, then contact the schools you’d like to learn more about.

Featured Programs:

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Ohio

When you start looking at all of the different factors that influence health policy in Ohio, it becomes clear that postgraduate study is essential if you want to really make a difference in how healthcare is requested, provided, pay for, and studied.

The time you have spent in the nursing field should be extremely helpful, since you already have first-hand experience in how healthcare policies can directly impact residents and care providers. In fact, many healthcare policy programs require work experience in the healthcare sector—some programs require as much as five years of experience.

When you get into your education, your time should be split between classroom courses, research participation, and work experience. All in all, you can plan to earn about 40 credits. You may meet your credit requirements by taking courses like Healthcare Organization, Economic Analysis of Health Services, Health Services Organization Management, Healthcare Outcomes Management, Studies in the Health Sciences, and Design & Implementation of Health Surveys.

As you can see, healthcare policy programs cover policy as well as research and statistics. By the time you reach your final semester, you should have a thorough understanding of different factors that affect healthcare policy, the importance of quality of care, the role of patient safety, the financial viability of healthcare systems, and methods used to improve delivery of care.

Throughout your career, you must maintain your nursing license through the Ohio Board of Nursing. Renewal occurs in the month of August in every odd-numbered year.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Ohio?

When you first begin working in healthcare policy, there’s a lot to learn. You may begin working on bills and projects that are already underway or that have the support of experienced legislators. As you become more confident in this industry, you may get the freedom to work on causes and bills that are important to you.

As a nurse, you may have the authority to make important changes in this industry. The Ohio Nurses Association has been successful in advocating for legislation that benefits the healthcare industry. Examples of recent successes include the Toxic Substances Control Act, a bill granting the right to pronounce time of death to APRNs, increased funding of nursing research, individual licensure over institutional licensure, and the affordability of professional liability insurance.

You may also look at bills and causes supported by nonprofit organizations and government agencies. The Health Policy Institute of Ohio advocates for bills that are beneficial for nurses and patients alike.

If you are ready to take a step in your nursing career that can really strengthen the entire healthcare industry, health policy is the right Master’s degree for you. Find out how you can impact health policy in Ohio by contacting Master’s in healthcare policy programs in Ohio.