Nursing Programs in Kansas City
If you’re interested in beginning a nursing career in Missouri or Kansas, consider getting your start in Kansas City. This metropolitan area, conveniently located in both Missouri and Kansas, is home to well over 475,000 people and Kansas City nursing programs are well respected. There are many nationally-known hospitals, research centers, and other medical institutions that rely on the services of highly-trained nursing personnel from the area.
Thanks to the growing demand for nurses, you may earn a great salary as a nurse in Kansas City. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who become LPNs earn a median income of $42,630 each year. There are over 20,000 registered nurses in Kansas City, earning an average salary of $64,510 per year (BLS, 2016). Nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists, who have advanced nursing degrees, earn average salaries of $97,060 and $145,440 per year, respectively (BLS, 2016).
Use our nursing program pages to find Kansas City nursing schools that offer the program you are looking for. Whether you are just starting out in nursing, or if you are looking to earn an advanced nursing degree in Kansas City, you have several options for study. Contact the schools you are interested in today to get started.
Curriculum, Costs, and Financial Aid for Nursing in Kansas City
At Kansas City nursing schools, you can earn an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or doctoral degree in nursing. If you do not have a Bachelor’s degree in another field, you may be able to start your career with an Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Both of these options qualify you for registered nurse licensure. Master’s degrees and doctoral degrees may give you the opportunity to work in advanced nursing practice, nursing research, or health care leadership.
Associate’s degree and Bachelor’s degree programs often have fairly similar curricula. However, a Bachelor’s in Nursing tends to require more specialty nursing courses and general education classes. As an undergraduate student, you may take classes like Nursing Care Techniques, Foundations of Nursing Care, Pathophysiology, and Concepts of Care. Specialty courses include Care of Children and Families, Care of Women and Infants, and Care of Aging Adults. As you may expect, nursing courses really focus on hands-on experience. You may work with a wide range of patients and many different conditions during your time as a student. Some nursing schools in Kansas City begin clinical hours as early as your first semester.
It’s important to be familiar with your school’s learning outcomes, as they will likely be used to assess your progress in the program. You may be expected to become familiar with the planning and execution of nursing care. In addition, you must learn how to work independently or as part of a team, depending on what is needed in each situation. Another part of your education may focus on the use of technology in nursing.
Scholarships are available at many schools and organizations in Kansas City. The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services provides low-interest loans and loan forgiveness to nursing students that are willing to work in an underserved area after graduation. The Missouri League for Nursing also funds scholarships for nursing students.
Career Options in Kansas City Area
One of the big benefits of working as a nurse in a large city like Kansas City is the selection of high-ranked hospitals and medical institutions. There are several Magnet institutions in this area. The American Nurses Credentialing Center gives recognition to health care facilities that offer great support to nurses, give the highest level of patient care, and promote growth in nursing. As a Kansas City nursing student, you may gain clinical experience or even seek employment at a Magnet facility! Magnet facilities in this region include the University of Kansas Hospital and Saint Luke’s Health System.
If you are already working in health care, and plan to continue to work while attending nursing school in Kansas City, your employer may offer certain supports. You may be able to get help with your tuition payments from certain employers. Truman Medical Centers provides its employees with tuition reimbursement. Full-time employees at Children’s Mercy Hospital may receive up to $3,000 per year in tuition benefits. If you are continuing your education with a BSN or MSN program, you may be able to get tuition assistance at North Kansas City Hospital.
