Career Specializations

• Registered Nurse: These nurses, also known as RNs, are the most popular form of the profession, occupying 2.6 million jobs in healthcare. Their set of skills is highly refined and complex in comparison to the abilities of other nurse types.
• Licensed Private Nurse: LPNs, also called Licensed Vocational Nurses, are specifically sought after to care for ailing patients at the special request of their doctor or physician. They often work in a patient's home.
• Certified Nurse Assistant: CNAs provide basic or standard care and health management as directed by their doctor or supervisor.
• Advanced Practice Nursing Career: Midwifes and nurse anesthetists fall under this category. The scope of the care they can provide is often determined by each individual state.

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Degree Levels

• Associate Degree in Nursing: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree in Nursing: 2-4 years to complete
• Certified Nurse Assistant: 75 hours to complete
• Nurse Practitioner Training: 2 years to complete
• Licensed Private or Vocational Nurse Training: 1 year to complete
• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing: 4-5 years to complete

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Education and Certification Requirements

Advanced practice nurses must pass the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Program. CNAs are required to undergo certification in order to earn the right to practice; this training can be found at many community colleges and vocational schools. They must adequately complete the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program in order to officially earn the CNA title. LPNs and LVNs must enroll in training programs similar to those required for CNAs.

In addition, they must also successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination. The paths to becoming a registered nurse (RN) are numerous and varied. Firstly, they can complete two-year associate degrees or four-year bachelor's programs. Accelerated programs shorten the education process to just one single year. Upon the completion of any of these programs, RN candidates are also required to pass the NCLE exam.

Because nursing programs are individualized according to the needs of the specific degree attained, there is a disparate breadth in the kinds of classes offered. On the whole, however, most nursing programs are sure to provide thorough familiarity with such subjects as nutrition, chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, human body development, microbiology, pharmacology, psychology, communications, and nursing science.

Contrary to popular belief, excellent proficiency in math or science is not required to study nursing successfully. Great skills in these disciplines certainly do not impede the learning process; however, they comprise only a small percentage of the training required. It's much more important that aspiring nurses display a passion for they way in which the human body is structured, as well as in its processes and functions. (BLS), (Coalition for Nursing Careers in California)

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Salary Information

CNAs are not frequently salaried employees, receiving a typical hourly pay of nearly $12. Licensed vocational/private nurses take in an annual haul of $28,000 on average. Registered nurses can expect a yearly salary of more than $60,000. As with many other professions, higher salaries are awarded to those with higher level degrees.

In the nursing world, a master's degree can command a yearly income of nearly $90,000. High demand for nurses has also resulted in many companies awarding signing bonuses to prime candidates; new graduates can receive upwards of $10,000 upon enlisting with an interested organization. (Coalition for Nursing Careers in California)

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Job Outlook

This is an exceptionally good time to consider nursing as a potential career. Particularly for registered nurses, the job market indicates a marked increase in demand for nursing. Demand for new RNs is predicted to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. The majority of this growth will be felt in physicians' offices, home health care services, and nursing care facilities -- interestingly, demand for nurses in hospitals remains relatively low. Nursing is also a profession whose demand is partly dictated by location. LPNs, for instance, tend to quickly get work in urban environments because of rapid turnover and the fact that most people who leave the LPN position do so permanently. (BLS)

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Related Careers

Dental hygienists are similar to nurses in that they work closely with other medical professionals as well as with patients, except their work specifically concentrates on the teeth. Sonographers and ultrasound technicians play extremely important roles in helping to monitor the health of pregnancies.

Paramedics, alongside emergency medical technicians (or EMTs), perform critical medical work to sustain victims in sometimes perilous scenarios. Physician assistants help with minor injuries to patients, verify their medical histories, and interpret the results medical tests and exams, while making preliminary diagnoses for doctors. (BLS)

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Nursing Scholarship Resources

Despite a lagging economy, the nursing industry is booming. In this day and age, with the current shortage of nurses across the U.S., graduates from nursing schools are, on the whole, very well positioned job-seekers. However, a quality education in nursing can come with a hefty price tag. That's why we've compiled this list of dozens of financial aid sources specifically geared for nursing students. Best of luck scholarship hunting!

Specialty-Specific Scholarships - Association-Specific Scholarships - Minority Student Scholarships
Other Scholarship Opportunities

Specialty-Specific Scholarships

• SGNA RN Advancing Education Scholarship: This scholarship, offered by the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, is awarded to Registered Nurses who work in gastroenterology and want to attain their BSN, MSN, or PhD. Full-time students receive $2,500, while part-time students receive $1,000. Eligible candidates must be enrolled in an accredited advanced degree program, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and be a member of SGNA.
• ONS Foundation Academic Scholarship: The Oncology Nursing Society offers $2,000 scholarships to qualified nursing students. Eligible candidates must be currently enrolled in or accepted into an accredited BSN program and have an interest in oncology.
• AAOHN Foundation Grant and Scholarship: The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses offers four scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. They offer two $3,000 scholarships and two $2,500 scholarships. Undergraduate applicants must be enrolled in a baccalaureate program and demonstrate an interest in occupational and environmental health. Graduate students must be enrolled in a program that is related to occupational and environmental health.
• AORN Foundation Scholarship: The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses awards annual scholarships of varying amounts to nursing students interested in perioperative nursing. Eligible applicants must have already completed the core prerequisites of their nursing program.
• ARN BSN Scholarship: The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses offers $1,500 scholarships to qualified nursing students working toward their BSN. Eligible candidates must be members of ARN and have at least two years of experience in rehabilitation nursing.
• WOCN Scholarship: The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society offers scholarships of varying amounts to nursing students committed to working in the wound, ostomy, and continence nursing field. Applicants must be accepted into a WOCN Society Accredited Nursing Education Program.
• ACNP Nurse Practitioner Student Scholarship Award: The American College of Nurse Practitioners offers a $1,000 scholarship to ACNP members who are enrolled in a nurse practitioner program. Candidates must maintain at least a 3.4 GPA.
• Charlotte McGuire Scholarship Program: The American Holistic Nurses Association offers scholarships of varying amounts to nurses who are pursuing holistic nursing education. Applicants must be members of AHNA, and they may be undergraduate or graduate students.
• March of Dimes Graduate Scholarship: The March of Dimes offers several $5,000 scholarships each year. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program focused on maternal-child nursing. Membership in at least one of the following organizations is required: the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; the American College of Nurse-Midwives; or the National Association of Neonatal Nurses.

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Association-Specific Scholarships

• Hosa, Inc, Scholarship: Health Occupations Students of America offers several scholarships of varying amounts to HOSA members. Candidates must either be enrolled at a postsecondary institution or a senior in high school with plans to enter into nursing. HOSA also requires applicants to be currently enrolled in a health science program.
• AQHF Nursing Scholarship: The American Quarter Horse Foundation offers one four-year, $10,000 scholarship to a member interested in studying nursing. Candidates must maintain a high GPA, as well as be able to demonstrate a financial need and their involvement within the society.
• Gardner Foundation INS Education Scholarship: The Infusion Nurses Society is offering two $1,000 scholarships to qualified members wishing to further their education. Applicants must already be accepted into a collegiate program.
• Jane Delano Student Nurse Scholarship: The American Red Cross awards two $1,000 scholarships each year to qualified students who have contributed volunteer service to the Red Cross. Applicants must currently be enrolled in a nursing program and have completed at least the equivalent of one year of college-level courses.
• AACN Scholarship: The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses awards funds to active members who are interested in furthering their careers. Applicants must present a detailed budget and plan concerning their proposed learning activity.
  
• Elizabeth Garde National Scholarship: The Danish Sisterhood of America offers one $850 scholarship to a student seeking a degree, either undergraduate or graduate, in nursing. Applicants must either be a member of the Danish Sisterhood or be the child of a member.
  
• Army ROTC Scholarship: Scholarships available through Army ROTC can cover up to the full amount of tuition for a nursing program. Army ROTC scholarships also provide a monthly stipend for living allowances. Recipients must be enrolled in Army ROTC.
• AAMN Scholarships: The American Assembly for Men in Nursing periodically offers nursing scholarships for male pre-RN students currently enrolled in a nursing program or male RNs enrolled in a graduate program. Check thier website for more information.

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Minority Student Scholarships

• Minority Nurse Scholarship Program: Minority Nurse awards three scholarships to nursing students belonging to ethnic minority groups. One scholarship is worth $3,000, while the other two are worth $1,000 each. Applicants must be enrolled in their third or fourth year of a BSN program, or in an accelerated program, such as RN-to-BSN, BA-to-BSN, or BA-to-MSN.
• Minority Nurse Faculty Scholars Program: Johnson & Johnson and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing award five $18,000 scholarships to nurses who are interested in becoming nurse educators. Eligible applicants must be a member of an under-represented ethnic minority group. All candidates must also be enrolled in or accepted into a doctoral nursing program.
• Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program: The Indian Health Service offers comprehensive scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native students interested in beginning their nursing education. The scholarships are available for two years for full-time students or four years for part-time students, and they cover the cost of courses that are required for admittance into a nursing program.
• Health Professions Pre-Graduate Scholarship Program: The Indian Health Service offers comprehensive scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native students who enroll in undergraduate nursing programs. Scholarships are available for up to four years for full-time students and eight years for part-time students.
• NANAINA Scholarship: The National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association offers scholarships of varying amounts to members who are enrolled in nursing programs. Eligible applicants must also be enrolled in a U.S. federal or state-recognized tribe.
• NBNA Scholarship Program: The National Black Nurses Association offers many annual scholarships which range from $500 to $2,000. Eligible candidates must be enrolled in a nursing program with at least one full year remaining, and they must be a member of NBNA and its local chapter.
• NAHN Scholarship: The National Association of Hispanic Nurses awards several $1,000 scholarships each year. Applicants must be enrolled in an RN or LPN/LVN program, and they must be members of NAHN.
• Kaiser Permanente College to Caring Program: Kaiser Permanente offers several annual scholarships worth $8,000 to qualified nursing students of Hispanic descent. Eligible candidates must reside and attend school in northern California, and they must be either a college junior or senior.
• Justine E. Granner Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship, offered by the Iowa United Methodist Foundation, is awarded annually to a member of an ethnic minority group who chooses to study nursing at a school in Iowa. Preference may be given to students who graduated from high school in Iowa. The amount of the award is $1000.
• Amy Hunter Wilson, MD, Scholarship: This scholarship, offered through the Wisconsin Medical Society, provides awards of at least $1,000 to nursing and other medical students in Wisconsin. Applicants must be of American Indian descent.

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Other Scholarship Opportunities

• ExceptionalNurse.com Scholarship: ExceptionalNurse.com offers a number of different financial aid awards for nursing students who have disabilities. Check their website for more detailed information about the funding opportunities currently available.
• SGNA RN General Education Scholarship: Offered by the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, this scholarship provides $2,500 as a reimbursement to a full-time student in an accredited nursing program with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants must write a short essay and submit a letter of recommendation and a transcript of completed coursework.
• The Ulman Cancer Fund Scholarship: This scholarship, provided by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, is available for students who exhibit financial need and are interested in pursuing a degree of any level in the field of nursing. Eligible candidates must be residents of the United States who have been accepted into or are attending a postsecondary institution. Applicants must be no older than 35 and must either have a parent living with cancer or lost a parent to cancer. Recipients receive $2,500.
• BrainTrack Nursing Scholarship: BrainTrack offers two $1,000 scholarships each year to students enrolled in nursing programs at any level. Two $500 runner-up scholarships are also awarded. Applicants must submit essays in response to specific questions.
• Tafford Uniforms Nursing Scholarship Program: Tafford Uniforms offers two $1,000 scholarships each semester for nursing students. Applicants may be pursuing a degree at any level.
• CampusRN Scholarship Fund: CampusRN offers a total of six $2,500 scholarships to nursing students in different regions of the United States. Each applicant's school must be registered with the program to allow eligibility.
• HRSA Nursing Scholarship Program: The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration offers more than 150 scholarships to nursing students every year. The scholarships are comprehensive, covering tuition, fees, costs such as books and clinical supplies, and it includes a monthly stipend of more than $1,000. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and accepted or enrolled in an accredited nursing program.

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