Home     Log in    XML, RSS Subscribe Feed (RSS)     XML, RSS Comments Feed

Posts Tagged ‘nursing’

Nursing Scholarships and Grants For Students

July 8th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 7 Comments | Filed in Scholarships

An ongoing shortage of nurses means that hospitals, clinics and private practices are thrilled whenever qualified students choose this all-important profession. As America ages the demand for nurses will only increase which means that nurses will be well compensated for their work.

nurse

As we all know, a college education can be expensive including for Nursing majors who not only must cover tuition, room and board, and their books, but lab fees and other costs related to their schooling. Though well compensated as they advance in their careers, some nurses enter the workforce carrying tens of thousands of dollars of debt that can take many years to pay off.

Fortunately, college scholarships and grant money can help nursing students defray some if not all of the costs associated with attending college. To help you find what money is available, SayCampusLife.com has put together a short list of companies, businesses and organizations who offer college scholarship money to Nursing majors:

American Nephrology Nurses’ Association (ANNA) – ANNA offers scholarships that provide funding to support members in their pursuit of higher education, such as Career Mobility Scholarships. ANNA also offers grants for clinical research projects and patient or staff education programs. Members may apply directly for scholarships and grants.

CHANCES Scholarship Program – If you’re interested in pursuing a career in pediatric nursing, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHANCES) is accepting scholarship applications for the 2010-2011 academic year until May 1, 2010. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or better and have already been accepted into a nursing school. Selected applicants will receive tuition equivalent assistance up to $16,000 per academic year, for up to two years. Upon graduation from nursing school, recipients will be committed to work as a Registered Nurse for Children’s for 18 months for each academic year of support received.

Clinique Nursing Scholarship – The same people who want you to look good in your skin also like to help nursing students. Students who have a grade point average of at least 3.5 may apply and must demonstrate financial need on your FAFSA report.

ENA Foundation Scholarship Program – The types of scholarships offered by the ENA Foundation are intended for currently licensed nurses (RN, LPN, or LVN) for their undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees. There are a minimal number of Non-RN scholarships available.

Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association, Inc. – The application for scholarships administered by the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA) is now available for the 2010 – 2011 academic year. For undergraduate students.

March of Dimes – To encourage students who are already Registered Nurses (RN), the March of Dimes awards several $5000 scholarships annually to RNs who are enrolled in graduate programs of maternal-child nursing. The application period begins in the fall and are due by the following January 15th; awards are announced in May.

As always, prospective and current college students are encouraged to apply for multiple scholarships in a bid to increase their chances of securing an award.

Adv. — As recommended, collect all the information you can about college scholarships well before application deadline. SayCampusLife offers helpful tips and information about scholarship essay writing to help you make your college dreams come true.

See Also — 100 Blog Posts You Should Read Before Going to Nursing School


Tags: , , , ,

Online University Pledges To Help Ease Nursing Shortage

April 13th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 5 Comments | Filed in Academics, College News

Our nation’s nursing shortage has been brought on in large part because there aren’t enough seats at universities and nursing schools to accommodate applicants. This has resulted in more than 50,000 applicants being turned away from schools in the last year alone.

The First Online Nursing Program of its Kind

nurseNow, an online school, Western Governors University (WGU), has pledged to do something about the problem, by offering the first of its kind national, accredited, online competency-based bachelor’s degree program aimed at preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses.

The new WGU program, which is called the Multi-State Approach to the Preparation of Registered Nurses, or MAP-RN, has received unanimous approval by the California Board of Registered Nursing. The pilot program is scheduled to begin in July at three Southern California hospitals. This groundbreaking program will combine WGU’s online, competency-based academic approach with intensive clinical simulations and clinical practice at partner hospitals supervised by onsite clinical coaches who will also be serving as WGU adjunct faculty.

“This partnership is a great example of our healthcare providers, educators, and the state working together to alleviate our nursing shortage and get more Californians to work,” said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “This new competency-based program is a win-win for California by making nursing programs more accessible to people interested in pursuing this career path and helping to fill critically needed jobs throughout the state.” (To read the release issued by the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, go to http://www.labor.ca.gov/pdf/nwsrel09-08.pdf.)

“Prospective nurses will now have access to a high quality degree program that will enable them to earn a B.S. and prepare for their RN license flexibly and affordably,” said WGU President Robert Mendenhall. “The B.S. in Nursing leading to initial licensure program complements WGU’s other bachelor’s and master’s degree nursing programs for already-licensed RNs and supports our mission to provide educational opportunities and degree programs to meet the needs of underserved populations and employers with critical workforce needs.”

A Multi Government, Multi Agency Initiative

The new nursing program is a partnership that includes the Governor’s Task Force for the California Nurse Education Initiative Workforce and Labor Development Agency, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce and Labor Development Agency, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Catholic Healthcare West, Hospital Corporation of America, Kaiser Permanente, Tenet Healthcare, and Universal Health Services. For more information regarding this program, go to www.wgu.edu/rn.

Adv. — Online learning opens a world of educational opportunities for students. Almost every course of study imaginable is offered via the internet, offering degree, diploma and certificate programs for tens of millions of students. To learn more, please visit SayLearning.com to find a program to your liking. Do you need financial aid? If so, check out our free financial aid charts to learn how to apply.

Photo Credit: Wojciech Wolak


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Online Learning & Your Busy Schedule

April 6th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 5 Comments | Filed in Advanced Education

Last week, we discussed trade schools and how they can be a very good way for a person to transition from one career to another. After all, if you already have a bachelor’s degree or some form of education beyond high school, can you really see yourself attending classes for the next four years full time? Most people cannot.

Excellent Opportunities To Learn Online

online learningThanks to the rise of online learning, educational opportunities for students has never been better. For the most part, you can take classes when you want and at the speed that works best for you.  Best of all, unlike attending a brick and mortar institution, if a new job does come up, you won’t be forced to make a choice between it and your continued schooling. By taking online classes you can juggle your schedule accordingly and do both!

Our partner site, SayLearning.com has a wealth of information pertaining to online learning, including career specific occupations. Did you know that all degree levels can be earned online? Not just a certificate or diploma, mind you but associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees can had through schools who offer these programs via the internet.

Types of Online Course Study

The areas of discipline are wide and varied too and include, but aren’t limited to the following subjects: business, government, nursing, education, law, management, nonprofit, architecture, masonry, technology, digital media, psychology, fashion, culinary and more. Some coursework can be completed 100% online while others may require the occasional onsite class or third party testing.

Schools Promoting Online Learning

From the onset, schools dedicated to providing online learning helped to bolster online learning including the University of Phoenix, DeVry Institute, The Art Institutes, Kaplan University, ITT Technical Institute, Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, Westwood College, Lincoln Tech, ECPI College of Technology, CDI College and many, many more.

Traditional colleges, those with large campuses scattered across the country, are also offering online coursework, some of which can be completed entirely without ever having to set foot on campus. These schools include the University of North Carolina, Brigham Young University, University of Michigan, Princeton University, Stanford University, Arizona State University, Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Caldwell College, College of Charleston, University of Chicago, University of Alaska at Anchorage, Pepperdine University, Tulsa University, Boston College and many, many more schools.

Yes, You Have Options

Of course, taking classes is one thing but affording it is something else. With many people having lost their jobs recently and with others worrying about their finances, taking a class could be the last thing on their mind. Fortunately, grant programs, college scholarships, student loans and other options can remove that barrier, allowing unemployed or career changing students to advance themselves at this time. Check out these online tools to help you weigh your options.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Health Sciences College Opens, Promises To Expand

September 1st, 2008 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in College News

The need to offer additional educational opportunities for Health Sciences majors is great, but one northwestern college is doing its part to change that.

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU), located in Yakima, Washington welcomed its very first students on August 4, 2008. Already, the private non-profit doctorcollege is planning to expand, proposing to open two more colleges for the under-served northwest US.

The school is funded through private donations from contributors who helped to lay the ground work for what is now a 45,000 square foot, $19.7 million state of the art facility and the College of Osteopathic Medicine, where physicians will be trained in primary care medicine. Receiving nearly 2000 applicants, the university welcomed 75 students when it opened its doors.

“PNWU stands to significantly impact Eastern Washington and the Pacific Northwest as a whole, providing well-trained healthcare professionals including osteopathic-trained physicians and other practitioners to help address our provider shortages — particularly in rural areas,” said Washington state governor, Christine Gregoire. “I applaud the PNWU Board of Trustees, administration, and staff for their dedication and commitment to excellence and have every confidence that our state’s newest medical school will be a tremendous success.”

Currently, PNWU has been conducting a feasibility study to determine what additional health education programs might be made available. The university announced late last month that its board of directors had voted to open two additional colleges, possibly as early as next fall: the College of Allied Health Sciences and the College of Biomedical Sciences.

Degrees being offered by PNWU initially include a doctorate in clinical psychology and a master’s degree in clinical counseling or public health, a master’s degree for physician’s assistants, and a transition program for registered nurses with two-year associate degrees to pursue four-year bachelor’s degrees.

“The long-range vision for the university includes multiple colleges, offering degrees and training in a variety of health sciences regimens, each based on the needs of rural communities in the Northwest,” said Dr. Stan Flemming, university president. “We are pleased to begin this next step in the development of the university, significantly ahead of the anticipated schedule.”

PNWU is just the 25th osteopathic medical school in the country, training its students to become primary care doctors in five states: Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho.

(Source: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences; The Seattle Times)

Tip – Is a lack of money keeping you from finishing your college education? Consider Federal Pell Grants which never have to be repaid or a work study program offered through your school. Upper classmen can sometimes find work as a professor’s assistant while private student loans and Stafford loans offer ways for you to borrow money which can be paid off after you graduate.


Tags: , , , , ,