The following top 10 nursing scholarships are only a sampling of the best financial aid opportunities available for this burgeoning field. There are many nursing shortages around the country, which has created a greater range of opportunities as well as a greater diversity of grant and scholarship options for students in nursing programs.

1. CHANCES Scholarship Program: These scholarships from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are available for students who plan on going into pediatric nursing, have a GPA of 3.0 or above and have already been accepted into nursing school. Aid includes up to $16,000 per year for two years.
2. Clinique Nursing Scholarship: Nursing students with financial need and GPAs above 3.5 may qualify for scholarships from the Clinique skin care company.
3. C. R. Bard Foundation Nursing Scholarship: This is another scholarship program from a corporate sponsor – healthcare product and service provider C.R. Bard.
4. Elks National Foundation: The Elks National foundation awards between $1000 and $15,000 to as many as 500 high school seniors entering nursing programs each year.
5. ENA Foundation Scholarship Program: Currently licensed RNs, LPNs and LVNs pursuing undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees may qualify for this award.
6. Genesis Health Services Gala Nursing Scholarship: This scholarship is available to nursing students in the Quad City area of Iowa.
7. March of Dimes: Several Registered Nurses receive $5,000 scholarships each year from the march of Dimes to pursue graduate programs in maternal-child nursing.
8. National Student Nurses Association: The FNSNA awards more than $150,000 to various nursing undergraduate students each year.
9. The Eight and Forty Lung and Respiratory Disease Nursing Scholarship Fund: RNs pursuing advanced higher education for supervisory, administrative or teaching careers can qualify for $3,000 from the America Legion.
10. U.S. Air Force ROTC Nursing Scholarships: These scholarships, which include up to $18,000 in college costs and $900 in textbooks each year, are available in exchange for national service with the United States Air Force.

All of these top 10 nursing scholarships provide great opportunities for students in the nursing field. There are many additional opportunities available, as well as funding from the federal government.

The field of nursing is full of great opportunities, and these following top 10 nursing careers have the best job outlook in the field. If you are in the process of completing nursing school or have recently graduated and received your license, you should definitely consider looking into these top 10 nursing careers and what they require.

1. Travel nursing
2. Military nursing
3. Forensic nursing
4. Legal nurse consultant
5. Surgical nursing
6. Certified RN anesthetist
7. Nurse practitioner
8. Clinical nurse specialist
9. Staff nurse
10. Flight nurse

Travel nursing tops this list of the top 10 nursing careers because there are many towns and cities in the country and the world that are in desperate need of qualified nurses. Military nursing is another great opportunity that allows you to travel, and opportunities for further education and career enhancement will also be available to you. Forensic nursing is one of the top 10 nursing careers that deal with the law. Forensic nurses work with law enforcement to collect evidence at crime and accident scenes. Legal nurse consultants also work in the field of law, typically with private attorneys and corporate lawyers.

Other top 10 nursing careers in this list deal with specific specialties, such as surgical nursing, which involves providing assistance to doctors during serious procedures like organ transplants and neurosurgery. Certified RN Anesthetists provide the same anesthesia services as an anesthesiologist. Nurse practitioners have the opportunities to blend nursing and other healthcare services to provide primary and specialty in areas such as family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, geriatrics, neonatology and mental health. All of these jobs require specialized schooling beyond the Bachelor of Science.

Flight nursing is involved in both emergency and non-emergency transportation of patients rather than long-term travel. Clinical Nurse Specialists are responsible for organizing and coordinating services and resources while controlling costs and they serve as clinical experts in diagnosing and treating illness. And finally, there is the job of the staff nurse, which deals with making decisions based on scientific knowledge, health care procedures and standardized care plants.

If you are thinking about becoming a nurse, you will have to find out how to get into nursing school and become certified. There are different types of nursing that require different types of schooling, however, so it is necessary to first decide what kind of nurse you want to become.

Most nurses obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing to become a Registered Nurse (RN), which can be completed at most traditional four year universities as well as a host of specialized nursing schools. There is also a two-year program, the Associate of Nursing degree to become a Licensed Vocation Nurse (LVN). If you are wondering how to get into nursing school, it is best to look into the specific programs at the schools that match your needs and goals, as the admission requirements for different nursing colleges vary.

There are a few aspects of how to get into nursing school that should be consistent among all accredited programs, so even before you look into the specific programs at the schools of your choice, you can get an idea of what will be expected of you. Colleges often prefer students who come from the same state, for example, although there are some colleges that prefer SAT qualified students. Most colleges require that nurses have been immunized, which is a normal prerequisite for incoming students to four-year state colleges and universities. Nursing students must be emotionally stable and physically fit, and should not have a criminal background that might interfere with their ability to practice nursing. And all nursing students in the United States should be fluent in English.

Nursing schools often check their students for criminal histories, and they often require prerequisite courses in chemistry and biology. Nursing students at four-year universities must also meet all the requirements for acceptance into the university before thinking of applying to the program. If you have a passion for nursing and meet all these requirements, then it is time to start narrowing down your choice of schools and start applying. And if you don’t, you may either take steps to make sure you do meet those requirements or look for alternative programs.

In the last few years, nursing has emerged as one of the most preferred professions among many young aspirants. In fact, due to various economic and demographic factors, the demand of nurses has increased, which in turn has also affected on the need of well qualified, trained and licensed nurses. Perhaps, if we carefully study the current scenario, candidates for nursing jobs that are in the highest demand generally include registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse assistants and certified medical assistants.

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) also known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) are professionals who generally have eighteen months to two years of training in anatomy and physiology, and practical patient care. Adding to this, Registered nurses (RNs) are highly experienced nurses who are usually involved in every facet of patient care and work in physical therapy clinics and nursing homes. Now to be a nurse, you can get training or know more about your duties by completing your education. So to begin with, one easy route is to earn an associate degree in nursing (ADN). This method generally requires two to three years of nursing education, but it may not provide you with as many career options. Therefore, the second option is you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. This requires four years of nursing education, and gives more flexibility. With your BSN degree, you even have chance to further advance your education. These days, master’s, doctoral, and even post-doctoral degree programs are available at many nursing schools around the United States.

While to be a registered nurse you can earn associate degree (2-year program), a diploma (a 3-year program), or a bachelor’s degree (a 4-year program), for a licensed practical nurse you may require completing a two-year practical nursing program. However, the key point is that, even if you are done with your education, you cleanly do not become qualified to join a nursing agency and to become a nurse. You must be licensed for performing your duties and therefore require to pass state or national boards and renew your license periodically. Ultimately, to be a LPN, you may require appearing the national certification examination, the NCLEX-PN, and their state’s licensing exam. Once you pass the exam successfully, you get the state license that is valid for two years. Besides this, to be RN, you must pass the NCLEX-RN and respective state licensing exam.

The other key point that you need to understand is that the licensure is valid for a particular period of time, and once the duration gets over, you need to re-apply for it. Now, the requirements for receiving a nursing license vary from state to state. Thus, in order to simplify this process, these days in many states in the US, state nursing boards have modeled their license requirements on the Uniform Core Licensure Requirements, which define the forth competency development and evaluation ethics. The states that have accepted the Nurse Licensure Compact permit nurses licensed in one of the states to carry out their roles in all other states as well through mutual recognition of licensure.

Without doubt, nursing is definitely one of the promising careers in term of diffusing unemployment and offer various benefits as well, but to enjoy the service you are required to have valid licenses in nursing. In developed nations like the United States, where quality of nursing and other services related to nursing are always given utmost importance, licensing of nurses is mandatory. So it would be better if you never take your nursing career as granted. In fact, if you are planning to make a career in nursing always have a good education and licensing.

In the United States, nursing has always been considered a very noble profession. Showing care and love for the mankind and curing the ailments does indeed resemble a work embedded in high virtues. It is true that a good result in the high school will make it easy to get admission in the best nursing programs, but a compassionate attitude and a willingness to serve the society with an open heart is more essential. There are many nursing schools in the United States, but the interested candidates who wish to make a career in nursing must be prudent while selecting the better ones. The basic requirement for getting admitted into a best nursing school is not solely related to academic achievements.

The degrees offered by the nursing schools vary in terms of fees, tenure of completion and lots of other factors. Every year, students come to get into the big and famous nursing schools from different corners of the various states. Now in order to attain admission into a prestigious nursing school, there are certain elementary and official requirements that a student must fulfill. No doubt, today every nursing school possesses its own selection decisive factors, but the major factors that most schools in the United States normally emphasis more is on your previous working experience in medical field. Therefore, you must try to volunteer or apply for temporary or voluntary jobs at local hospitals or nursing homes.

Your volunteering experience could serve as a real benefit for you if you carry any hands-on patient care experience. It definitely makes your application look good. In fact, volunteering at a local hospital or nursing home can be considered as a better way to learn more about the career and may also help you get into the nursing school of your choice. In addition to this, you may also require taking SATs and other entrance examinations. The two of the most admired entrance examinations are the NET and the TEAS. Both these tests are most important exams that play vital role in identifying the candidates with the highest potential. Besides this, today many nursing schools of the United States require a pre-admission test called the NLN Pre-Admission Exam. So you must try to get the highest score that you can.

Earning a nursing degree from top colleges are rigorous affairs. The coursework demands extreme diligence and hard work, and so as the student, you may be required to apply innovativeness in your learning and application of knowledge. There are other requirements too for getting into the best nursing programs at esteemed institutions. Your recommendation letters from the teachers are very significant factor as well. It plays an important role especially when there are situations when one need to clarify specific accomplishments that may not be noticeable from your application materials.

Apart from all this, you may also require to submit an essay explaining why you want to become a nurse. The explanation must be precise than just a mere general discussion explaining about the desire to help other people. Your essay must include information about how you came to recognize the desire to make career in nursing. You need to elaborate on this.

The career in the field of nursing is a flourishing one and its demand is always soaring. With the constant expansion of the medical arena, it is gaining prominence at a rapid pace. And, so you must not be intimidated by these requirements. At times, even the good scores and grades are not accepted out right. As a student, you need to ensure to place yourself on a waiting list and have a plan to continue your work in the medical field until you get selected to enroll in the nursing programs.

Modern nurses follow the footsteps of Florence Nightingale in providing professional patient care in various work settings such as hospitals, clinics, health care institutions, hospices and offices of individual physicians. They take care of those who are ill, suffering from diseases or injuries and those who are disabled. They are often indispensable and assist physicians in discharging vital duties.

Individuals interested in a career in nursing can choose from several online nursing degree programs such as Associate, Bachelor and Master’s degrees. Doctoral programs are also available. Other programs include Certified Nursing Assistant [CAN], Licensed Practical Nurse [LPN] and Registered Nurse [RN]. Conventional nursing education has also transformed itself through online channels leveraging latest internet technologies.

The Associate degree in Nursing [AND or ASN] is often the stepping stone for students to kick start careers in nursing. The program focuses more on equipping students with technical skills rather than theory. Moreover, it is a shorter duration program spanning 2 years available through campus and online modes. It is often viewed as a money spinner since it allows students to enter the work stream faster. The program also assists nurses in preparing to take the qualifying exam for Registered Nurses. Course content includes subjects such as anatomy, physiology, behavioral sciences, microbiology and basic math.

Opportunities for career progression greatly depend on the level of specialized education nurses complete. A Bachelor degree in Nursing [BSN] provides an edge to employment opportunities and future advancement. Graduates of this program are highly competent and provide professional nursing care in various work settings. The program normally spans 4 years and is available dual mode through campus and online channels. Some elements of the course work are pathophysiology, biochemistry, statistics, assessment of health, health care budgeting and health care.

Experienced nurses may look forward to leadership and administrative roles. A Master’s degree in Nursing [MSN] paves the way for crystallizing their aspirations. The program lasts for 2 years and students can pursue it through campus and online modes. Career paths include nursing managers and nursing administrators. The degree equips nurses for advanced roles in various health care settings. Graduates in this program can enter educational channels, collaborate in research and implement advanced practitioner nursing. Subjects include curriculum development and evaluation, leadership and ethics, current health care issues, advanced health assessment, nursing management, health care epidemiology and infection control, to name a few.

License requirements and qualifying exams apply to practice in the field of nursing. Salaries are lucrative and vary on variables such as level of education, experience, location and employer. As per Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses drew median annual earnings of $50,000 in 2004. The top end went up to $70,000. Specialized and formal education like BSN and MSN programs can improve salary ranges even further.

Net to net, nursing is forecasted as the number one occupation, growing faster than average of all occupations through 2014. Advanced level of education ensures that nurses stay ahead of their competition and improve their compensation packages, employment opportunities and career advancement.

In the last few years, nursing has emerged as one of the most preferred professions. It is counted among one of the largest healthcare occupations, employing more than 2 million jobs. In terms of salary, the earnings are above average and better, particularly for advanced practice nurses, who have additional education or training.

If we talk in context of growth and future prospect then it is one of the top occupations in the United States that have offered the largest numbers of new jobs and opportunities in recent times. However, in the recent years, nursing as a profession has gained tremendous popularity. It won’t be wrong to state that today nurses are more than just healthcare professionals. They have actually become the symbols of courage and sacrifice.

Not too long ago, there was the time when nurses were considered and treated very mediocre to doctors and surgeons, but in present circumstances things has changed drastically. These days nursing profession has great respect and nurses are given very much importance. This major transform in the perception towards nursing has helped in the rising of the emergence of television shows focusing on the different aspects of nursing, especially in the United States.

Television has always been one of the most influential mediums in the human history. Since its introduction, we have all witnessed different sorts of dramas, serials and mega serials, but television shows that were based on the life of nurses and healthcare professionals has always pulled the attention of viewers and gained high TRP ratings.

In fact, it was during 1950s when television viewers witnessed various medical dramas, and many of those were focused on the life-saving heroics of physicians. And, one of the initial shows that gained wide popularity was “The Doctor”. Featuring nurses in different peripheral roles, this television show was telecasted on NBC and one of the most favorite programs in1952-53. “Medic”, was another television program telecasted on the same channel in 1954-56, which too received a tremendous response from viewers. The key feature of this show was it presented different cases from the records of the Los Angeles County Medical Association that were highly emphasized on the nursing background.

During the period starting from 1962 to 1965, the television industry witnessed numerous prominent shows exclusively focused on the professional and personal life of nurses. Now out of this, the most popular show was “The Nurses” which was telecasted on the CBS. This program series was filmed in the New York and primarily emphasized on the practiced lives of nurses performing their duties in a big urban hospital. The key performer of the program was the Shirl Conway who played Liz Thorpe- the character of an older and experienced nurse, and Zina Bethune who played Gail Lucas- the character of a young and naive nursing student. However, it was the year 1964, when Dr. Ted Steffen (Joseph Campanella) and Dr. Alex Tazinski (Michael Tolan) brought some new facets to the show that ultimately resulted in the change of the title of the series. And, finally the title of the program was changed into “The Doctors and the Nurses”.

After this, in the year 1968, a TV series called “Julia” was premiered on NBC. This television program was truly significant and it was starred by Diahann Carroll who played the role of a Julia Baker, an adolescent and independent black woman who was in nursing profession and performing her duty in the medical office at Astrospace Industries. The key feature of this program was it stemmed around the interaction among different member of a nursing group. Finally, the portrayal of nurses on television improved with a new series named “St. Elsewhere” (1982-88, NBC). In 1990s, another equivalent of “St. Elsewhere” called “ER,” was telecasted. The program was created by best-selling author Michael Crichton, who was even a physician. In recent years, Grey’s Anatomy has been yet another television show that is primarily revolves around the nursing industry.

Thus, portraying nurses on TV has always been a major trend to make actors respectful and appreciative of the real thing. TV creators may be reluctant to acknowledge the medium’s dismissive attitude toward nursing, but many actors who have portrayed nurses are aware of the fact that it takes lot of effort to understand the character. Playing the role of nurse is never that easy as in real professional life one has deal with sudden circumstances that could be very difficult. Over the last few years, medical reality shows have gained popularity in the US that was based on the characters of nurses, and in the near future, it won’t be wrong to expect more and more such powerful TV portraits of nurses.

Find the perfect Nursing School or Nursing Program today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Nursing is a profession which combines the best of caring skills and medical knowledge. They work in various community and smaller private clinics, intensive care units and different emergency centers. They also offer support in cosmetic practice centers and play a key role in health campaigns.

For those interested in this profession, there are many schools in Canada which provide proper training and other job opportunities. They can work in the medicine sector, hospital care or holistic recovery services. They provide empowerment and proper guidance to students to find the best opportunities according to their own nursing specialties.

The eligibility criterion to get admission into any of the Canadian nursing school includes a diploma or B.sc in nursing and with at least one year of clinical experience. They are also required to pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). There are various schools in Canada which offer specialized courses. So if you are really looking to attain a degree in this profession then here are few major schools in Canada that you can consider:

Vancouver Career College: In this school, students can learn hands-on experience, skills and knowledge under the various nursing career oriented training programs. The school incorporates the most updated programs, application and techniques in the nursing courses. The skills acquired while training can help the student to incorporate those in practical use. The students are groomed to meet various industry needs and their career skills are sharpened.

Everest College: Everest College provides different career education programs including nursing in Canada. Though, health care programs, computer technology programs and business programs are the core areas the school offer, but the courses offered by this school is globally famous. In this school, the instructors provide lecture-based, current, competent and quality education which ensures that every graduate from this school deliver good nursing practice.

CDI College: With over 250,000 graduates, alumni and years of experience, the college provides different nursing career training. It renders a focused and relevant training to the students through expert faculty members and learned professionals.

Besides these, there are several other Nursing Schools in Canada which offer specialized nursing courses and help groom professional nurses who help in the health sector. If anyone has interest in caring for people who require medical attention-be it emotional, physical, psychological, social or spiritual, he or she can opt for career in nursing. These days, Canadian Schools offer proper programs and training in nursing and help students grow into full time professionals.

Serving in the military is a noble profession! Serving as a military nurse is even nobler! The nurses have a purer mission in war than others. They serve like ‘angels’ to soothe and comfort the injured. Nursing is a profession that demands courage, compassion and above all, composure.

The history of military nursing can be traced to the time of Florence Nightingale, an English nurse. Her major contribution was during the Crimean War (1853-56), where she worked to improve the conditions of the injured soldiers. She had trained the women volunteer nurses and worked in Turkey where the main British camp was based. Nightingale believed that the death rates were due to poor nutrition and supplies, overworking of the soldiers and poor living conditions. This influenced her and she advocated the importance of sanitary living conditions. Consequently, she reduced deaths in the army during peacetime and turned attention to the sanitary design of hospitals.

International Nurses Day (12th May) is celebrated on her birthday each year. Nightingale laid the foundation stone of professional nursing with the principles summarized in the book ‘Notes on Nursing’.

Members of the Army Nurse Corps worked all around the world at all levels of the Army. The Army Nurse Corps began on 2nd February 1901. In 1902; the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service replaced, by royal warrant, the Army Nursing Service. In 1908, the United States Navy Nurse Corps was established. These nurses had served in the World Wars as well as Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1918 , Ms Lenah Higbee was awarded the Navy Cross for distinguished service in the line of her profession and unusual and conspicuous devotion to duty as superintendent of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. She was the first living woman to receive this honor. She had served during the First World War too. An U.S. Navy combat ship, USS Higbee was named in her honor. It was the first time for a naval ship to bear the name of a female member.

In 1938 ,the Nurses Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery was erected in Section 21 (the “Nurses Section”) to honor nurses who served in the armed forces during the First World War. Over 600 nurses were buried at Arlington alone. In 1942, in Banka Island massacre, twenty one Australian nurses, survivors of a bombed and sunken ship were executed by bayonet or machine gun by Imperial Japanese Army soldiers on February 16 proving that they are next to none in sacrifice! In 1943, Erna Flegel, a German nurse, became “Hitler’s nurse” in January and served in that capacity until his suicide at the end of the World War II.

In 1949, the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps was established to facilitate the services of nurses in US led wars. In 1950, the Korean War got started and many nurses from the U.S. too served in the war. The US Military nurses had also contributed significantly to the Vietnam War (1959-75) and the Persian Gulf War (1990-91).

Wars are a continuing phenomenon and no one can really stop them. Military nurses not only serve the injured in the wars, but these committed souls also try to alleviate the pain of the suffering soldiers in whatever way they can.

Pursue your own career with a Degree in Nursing.

If the present picture of Vocational Nursing (LVN) is taken in the account then one can easily find that how rapidly it has emerged as one of the best and growing career options in the nursing field. Moreover, many experts from health care industry believe that in next few years the employment opportunities in vocational nursing will sour up. Today the career in LVN offers huge options for qualified nurses in schools, colleges, home health agencies, convalescent homes hospitals, doctor’s offices and clinics. These opportunities are inspiring many young students of the United States to enroll in a vocational nursing program offered by several universities of the United States.

Work Responsibilities
Usually, the work responsibility of vocational nurses mainly involves the caring patient who is sick, injured or disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. The required nature of the direction and supervision in vocational nursing may vary according to job setting. Nevertheless, some of their basic works encompass preparing and giving injections and enemas, dressing wounds, giving alcohol rubs and massages. Adding to this, many of the vocational nurses even play a major role in measuring and recording patients’ vital signs such as weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. There are many other responsibilities that a vocational nurse has to perform, which generally varies and depends according to the workplace.

Job Prospects
As per recent observations made by the leading health care industry experts of the United States, this field is expected to grow 14 percent in next few years. In fact, in response to the long-term care needs of increasing elderly population and the general increase in demand for health care services, it is expected that home health care agencies will offer a large number of new vocational nursing jobs. Apart from that, replacement needs will also be a major source of job openings, as many workers will leave the occupation permanently at their retirement age.

How to Become a Vocational Nurse
Making a career in the vocational nursing is not so difficult. All that matters are selecting a right vocational nursing program; earn a degree from a well recognized university. Anyone can get admission in this course as the minimum qualification required is a high school diploma or its equivalent. Nonetheless, some programs also accept candidates without a diploma. During this year-long practical course, it is very important for students to participate in both the classroom study and supervised clinical practice. Where classroom study covers basic nursing concepts, clinical practice is usually done in a hospital.

No doubt, a program in vocational nursing can prepare you for a rewarding career and direct you to the successful career path. Specializing in this domain needs proper training and so the selection of conceptualized curriculum of the respective program is an important part. Making a right selection of nursing program can provide a better foundation for consistent utilization and acquisition of knowledge required for doing well in vocational nursing.