Nursing schools in Oregon offer students a wide variety of nursing degrees and certificates at different academic levels. The degrees range from associate’s degree in nursing to doctoral programs in nursing practice. Certificate programs include undergraduate and graduate certificates in various nursing specialties such as a graduate certificate in healthcare management.
According to Education News, Oregon is the home to at least 23 accredited nursing schools. Apart from having a strong agricultural sector, Oregon also has a thriving healthcare sector. The Occupational Information Network (O*Net OnLine) reported that registered nurses (RN) working in Oregon earned a medium income of $80,400 in 2013. O*Net Online also noted that this wage was $14,200 more than the 2013 median salary of nurses working all across the United States.
The State’s Nursing Board
The Oregon State Board of Nursing approves and regulates all nursing programs offered by nursing schools in Oregon.
If you intend to pursue a nursing program, you must ensure that this program has been approved by the state’s nursing board. You could also apply to a program that has additionally been accredited by a recognized accreditation body.
To find a list of approved nursing programs, visit the Oregon State Board of Nursing’s official website.
Are you thinking about Financial Aid?
There are several grants and loans available for students enrolled in Oregon’s nursing schools.
Federal financial aid programs include:
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Pell Grant
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Stafford Loans
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PLUS Loans
State financial aid programs include:
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Oregon Opportunity Grant, formerly the state Need Grant
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Nursing Services Program
Nursing students may also look to other organizations for financial aid, for example, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Applying for Financial Aid
Students can apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA application. Submission of this application does not guarantee that you will be given financial aid. This depends upon your eligibility for aid.
Eligibility criteria for aid normally includes:
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Student’s income
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Parent’s income
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School’s tuition costs
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Other non-federal financial aid received
What do Oregon’s nursing schools offer?
Nursing schools located in Oregon offer several nursing programs. These programs include the following:
Doctoral of Nursing Science Program
A PhD in nursing science is the most advanced degree offered that is relevant to the field of nursing. Students with full time enrollment generally require five to seven years to complete this degree, including the completion of a dissertation topic, and an internship.
Students who pursue this program are normally offered two tracks: health services and clinical research.
Students pursuing this degree are exposed to topics such as:
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Philosophy of nursing science
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Qualitative research in healthcare
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Development of nursing theory
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Applied statistics
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Healthcare informatics
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Public policy
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Measurements in clinical research
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Quantitative research in healthcare
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Designing clinical interventions
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Issues in the United States healthcare sector
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Nursing education
This program requires the students to attend several practical sessions. In these sessions, students learn how to conduct research, measure outcomes, and testing; in addition to the practical application of classroom theories.