Ohio Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs

The demand for skilled professionals in the ever-changing world of health care continues to be apparent. Only 10 percent of Ohio’s nursing workforce has earned a master’s degree, according to a 2013 report by the Ohio Board of Nursing. However, this kind of advanced training is essential if you want to pursue any one of many vital nursing jobs in this growing industry.

BestNursingDegree.com can help you find the right master’s program in nursing to match your career goals. To be sure you make the right choice, request information from several programs. Be sure to consider online MSN programs in Ohio as well, often noted for their flexibility.

Featured Programs:

Ohio Nursing Careers for Master’s Graduates

Between 2006 and 2016, the demand for ambulatory healthcare services is expected to increase by almost 30 percent in Ohio. That demand – driven by an aging population – will create employment opportunities for master’s-prepared nurses.

About two dozen colleges and universities offer state-approved master’s in nursing programs in Ohio. There are also RN to MSN programs in Ohio that allow you to enter a master’s program even if you don’t yet have your Bachelor’s degree.

Through these programs, you can train to become Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) in specialized fields. Nearly half of the APRNs in Ohio – about 5000 of them – are certified nurse practitioners, according to a nursing board report. APRNs are certified nurse anesthetists, 680 are certified nurse specialists, and 193 are nurse midwives, the survey showed.

Ohio colleges offer master’s degrees not only in these familiar specialized areas, but also in several less common areas of concentration. For example, you can focus on acute care flight nursing at Case Western Reserve University, on nursing science at Ohio State University, or on forensic nursing at several state institutions. If you study to become a nurse practitioner, you can choose to study psychiatric mental health care, adult oncology, neonatal nursing, and adult gerontology. This wide variety gives you a unique opportunity to find a focus that meets your individual interests.

Both traditional campus-based programs and online degree offerings are available to you within the state. The program lengths vary according to the program and the number of hours taken per semester. Many part-time options are available for working nurses. In Ohio, the state requires most nursing specialists to complete a graduate degree program and to pass a national professional examination in order to receive a certificate to practice.

Here are a few of the more common educational options:

Nurse Practitioner

The nurse practitioner provides primary care services to patients by conducting patient examinations, offering medical advice, and prescribing medicine. They may work in hospitals, family practice, out-patient centers, or clinics. Their educational preparation typically includes classes in pathophysiology, health assessment, advanced pharmacology, and disease prevention. In addition to coursework, clinical hours are needed for certification, but the number of required hours varies according to the specialty.

Nurse practitioners in Ohio made an average annual salary in 2013 of $89,530 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The bureau also projects that job opportunities in the field will continue to grow at a much faster than average rate in the coming years.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

By enrolling in graduate studies in this field, you will learn to assess pre-operative patient needs, to develop an anesthesia plan, and to administer anesthesia as needed. Common classes for this specialty include chemistry, physics, pharmacology, physiology, and pathophysiology. You also can expect to participate in a clinical residency program which gets you ready for the national certification examination.

Ohio’s nurse anesthetists earned an average salary of $146,770 a year in 2013, according to the BLS. Ohio was the state with the fifth largest employment level in the nation for this fast-growing specialty. The largest percentage of CRNAs in the state are employed in physicians’ offices.

Nurse Educator

Nursing faculty are in high demand nationally as colleges report that they have had to turn away students because of faculty shortages. Nurse educator programs prepare you to teach in the classroom, in clinical settings, or in continuing education programs. Classes may include subjects such as health assessment, teaching strategies, development of the adult learner, health care policy, and nursing research.

Salary for Nurses with Master’s Degrees in Ohio

With more than 3200 nurse educators in the state, Ohio has the fifth highest employment level for post-secondary nurse educators in the nation, according to federal reports. These Utah workers earned an average annual wage of $65,970 in 2013 – slightly less than national averages, the BLS reported.

Financial Aid and Scholarships for MSN Students in OH

As an Ohio nurse, you have several scholarship and loan programs available to you.

The Ohio Nurses Foundation awards research grants and a variety of scholarships every year.
The Ohio Board of Regents has a nursing education loan repayment program that may be helpful to you. The Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program provides financial aid if you are enrolled in state nursing education programs.
The federal Nursing Loan Repayment Plan can help you to pay off your educational loans if you work in critical shortage areas after graduation.

You may also want to look into opportunities offered under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which includes grants to nurse-managed primary care clinics and loan repayment programs for nurse faculty.

Professional organizations for MSN Graduates in Ohio

Curriculum of Masters Degrees in Nursing Programs

The classes you take for your MSN degree are going to depend on the school you attend as well as the specialty you choose to pursue. Some of the core competencies you can expect to see are Theories in Family Practice, which focuses on family-care and the enhancement and maintenance of family health; Analysis of Health Care Information or Advance Informatics, which is the study of statistical analysis to better diagnose and treat patients; and Community Nursing Care, which focuses on community preventive health care.

There are also some curriculum commonalities for specialty programs across different schools. Midwifery tends to offer courses in Pharmacology, Labor and Birth and Newborn Assessment. Nursing Administrator degrees focus on courses such as Human Resources, Employment Law, Leadership and Health Care Management. Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) degrees often encompass Nurse Research, Advanced Health Assessment and Epidemiology.

Each school will have their own requirements for acceptance and individual curriculum. We recommend researching many different schools, both traditional and online, to get the best understanding of what it is you are looking for in a school and what you want to learn.

MSN Programs for Ohio Nurses

Case Western Reserve University. Case Western Reserve has one of the most comprehensive and diverse MSN divisions in the country. Available MSN specialty degrees include flight nursing and a family systems psychiatric mental health nursing. Many courses can be completed primarily online; on-campus classes are often offered on weekends.
Ohio State University. MSN options at Ohio State include graduate-preparation for a career as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse leader or nurse executive. A nursing science MSN degree is available for nurses who wish to become research managers or nurse scientists.