San Francisco Nursing Schools
San Francisco, the City on the Bay, is a beautiful place to live, with sweeping vistas on every hill, along with multiple cultural activities and year-round free concerts. This is the city that has some of the best food, music and art in the country. San Francisco also enjoys top ratings for being the happiest, healthiest and fittest city in America. San Francisco has the highest score for education, making it a great place to expand your own education.
San Francisco Nursing Schools
If you are looking to attend nursing school in the San Francisco metro, or considering a nursing degree program in California, there are several top-rated universities that offer nursing programs that you can attend on campus or online.
The accredited College of San Francisco, with its many locations, offers Licensed Vocational Nurse programs, which you can graduate from after attending full-time courses for three semesters.
The University of San Francisco offers several nursing programs, including bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctoral degrees for nursing, available both on campus and online. The graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing are also eligible to receive the California Public Health Nursing Certificate, leading to specialization in your practice.
The University of California, San Francisco has several nursing Master programs and a PhD nursing program. They have been the recipient of numerous research awards from the National Institute of Health and other sources, which have created a significant number of programs for faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to work on projects that impact nursing practice, patient health care and education.
San Francisco State University has a nice variety of nursing programs, which include programs for undergraduates, bridge programs like the RN–to–BSN and RN-to-MSN tracks, as well as several graduate nursing programs.
Life and Career Options for Nurses in San Francisco
The American Nurses Credentialing Center recognizes the hospitals that provide quality patient care and nursing excellence. In San Francisco, the Magnet designated hospitals include:
- University of California, San Francisco Medical Center and their Magnetic Resonance Laboratory
- Mission Hospital
Jobs for LPNs or LVNs are available in doctor’s offices, in hospitals, in home health care and skilled nursing care facilities. As of May 2016, the nearly 2,200 Licensed Practical and Vocational nurses in the San Francisco metro area earn an average annual income of $59,510.
The number of Registered Nurses in the San Francisco area is expected to grow by 19 percent from 2012-22. Additionally, San Francisco is noted as one of the top paying metropolitan areas for RNs, with an annual mean wage of $125,560 reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016). There are many opportunities for RNs in medical/surgical hospitals, physician’s offices, home healthcare, skilled nursing facilities and outpatient centers throughout the area.
There are several Advanced Practice Registered Nursing opportunities in the Bay area as well, with some of the most common positions and related figures outlined below. Like most nursing jobs, the Bureau of Labor statistics continues to predict that job growth will remain bright for these professions.
- Certified Nurse Midwives: CA workforce of nearly 300, earning an annual mean wage of $137,570
in the state - Nurse Practitioners: Workforce of nearly 500, earning an annual mean wage of $141,850 in the metro
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists: Statewide workforce of 950, earning an annual mean wage of $217,940
(above figures retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016)
There are numerous practice settings for advanced practice nurses in San Francisco, ranging from hospitals and physician’s offices to schools and nurse managed clinics. Many nurses with advanced degrees can find positions with flexible work schedules, child care and educational benefits.
San Francisco Hospitals
Professional Supports for Nurses in San Francisco
California has numerous associations for both students and nurses, which include the California Nurses Association, the California Student Nurses Association, the Nursing Students’ Association at San Francisco State University, the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the California School Nurses Organization and several more, based upon specialty and practice area. Many associations exist that are associated with a nurses’ career choice, such as California Association for Nurse Practitioners and the California Chapter of American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Healthcare unions of California have united many of the nurses in the state, and have led the push in the California legislature for many important reforms including nurse-to-patient ratios, safe staffing and professional scope of practice issues.
Curriculum, Tuition and Scholarships in San Francisco
For the Baccalaureate of Science program most universities require the same type of core classes, which have a heavy focus on science. The third and fourth years are filled with nursing courses including:
- Human Development and Health Assessment
- Research and Evidence–Based Practice in Nursing
- Health Promotion Theory and Practicum
- Reproductive Health
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
- Care of Children and Adults
- Advanced Medical Surgical and Critical Care Nursing
- Chronic Care and In the of Life Care
- Community Health and Global Perspectives
- Nursing Leadership
The curriculum for a family nurse practitioner course typically requires their students to have already completed graduate level courses in health assessment, pathophysiology and pharmacology. A typical CA Post-Masters FNP curriculum includes:
- Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care
- Advanced Physical Assessment Across the Life Span
- Pharmacological Principles Across the Life Span
- Advanced Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning I, II
- Professional Issues and Nurse Practitioner Skills
- Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum I, II, III
While the cost of your nursing education will vary according to program and location, below you will find a listing of tuition estimates at some San Francisco Universities:
- University of San Francisco – Annual Tuition – $39,840; Per Unit – $1,415
- San Francisco State University – Semester Tuition & Campus Fees – $2076.00 (6.1 or more units); Graduate programs $3,369.00
- College of San Francisco – Tuition per Semester unit $211.00
Once you are accepted into a San Francisco nursing school, you should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FALSA) if you are interested in obtaining financial assistance. The Pell Grant, Cal Grant A or B, University Grant, Work-study, Perkins Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Direct Parent PLUS Loan and Private Loans are all a possibility. Many employers offer tuition assistance as well, and scholarships are a great way to help pay for nursing school.
