Careers & KU Majors: School of Nursing
The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which is designed to prepare graduates for professional nursing practice in hospitals and other health care agencies. These graduates work in pediatric, medical/surgical, obstetrical, psychiatric or community health nursing settings. Students enter the nursing program after 2 years (62 credit hours) of preparatory work in an accredited liberal arts college. Admission to the school is competitive. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required to apply. The School of Nursing also offers a Master of Science (MS), a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD).
Sample of Related Skills
- Provide patient-centered care
- Consider patients’ preferences, values, and needs within the context of their families, communities, and health care delivery system
- Use clinical evidence and reasoning to demonstrate knowledge and skills
- Identify threats to safety and develop strategies to minimize risk of harm
- Incorporate concepts of health promotion, disease, and injury prevention
- Manage patient care technologies and information management systems
- Display accountability for legal, moral and ethical considerations within current standards of professional practice
Popular Career Paths
Administration: Includes the management and coordination of nursing personnel.
Direct Service: Involves providing direct nursing services to patients in a variety of settings, including medical, pediatric, obstetrical, psychiatric or public/community health.
Education: Involves educating future nursing professionals in a higher education setting or educating the public and patients about health-related issues in community agency settings.
Research: This is a newer area within the nursing profession and primarily involves designing and evaluating patient-related and nursing practitioner-related research.
Explore More Career Paths
- ExploreHealthCareers.org - nursing careers overview
- Nursing School 411 - resource with information on nursing schools, licensure, degrees, salary, and job listings
Jobs to Consider
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Places to Seek Employment
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Centers for Nursing Research Colleges and Universities Community Health Agencies Corporations/Department Stores/Factories Correctional Facilities Hospitals Insurance Agencies |
International Health Organizations Local, State, and Federal Government Health Agencies Medical Centers and Clinics Mental Health Agencies Military Nursing Homes/Extended Care Facilities Outpatient Care Facilities |
Physicians'/Dentists' Offices Private Practice Public and Private Schools Social Service Agencies Surgical Clinics Wellness Clinics
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View specific employers by state.
Employment Strategies
- Consider earning a master's degree if you are interested in pursuing advanced practice areas of nursing, including: clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, and administration. Consider earning a doctoral degree if you are interested in pursuing research or teaching at a university.
- Become familiar with the required professional qualifications associated with careers that interest you (i.e., advanced degrees, licensure and/or certifications).
- Gain direct experience within the areas that interest you most through research projects, independent study, internships, part-time jobs, student organization involvement, or volunteering.
- Register for HireJayhawks.com and subscribe to the Internship Newsletter to receive automated weekly emails with specific internship information.
- Consider joining a professional organization related to nursing, such as the Kansas State Nurses Association, and, if possible, attend local and/or regional conferences to make connections with professionals working in your field.
- Earn a minor or take additional coursework outside your major when relevant to your career goals.
- Maintain a strong GPA if you are considering pursuing an advanced degree in Nursing.
- Consider getting involved with a student organization at KU related to your area of interest, such as: Pre-Nursing Club, Association of Undergraduate Students in Nursing, Hawks for Health, or a student organization at the KU Medical Center campus.
Job and Internship Search Resources
- Allied Health Careers.com - job opportunities in allied health-related careers, including nursing
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing Job Search Tip Sheet - tips for what every nursing school graduate should consider when seeking employment
- Campus RN - nursing and healthcare jobs as well as nursing scholarships
- Hospital Jobs Online.com - comprehensive listing of healthcare jobs in hospitals across the US, including many nursing job postings
- Nursing Careers - information on nursing degree programs, career paths, and salary
- kshealthjobs.net - list of jobs across the state of Kansas
- Kansas State Nurses Association Career Center - job opportunities for nursing professionals in Kansas
- KU Center for Community Outreach - local volunteer opportunities in a variety of areas, including public health
- Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department - job opportunities with LDCHD
- National League for Nursing - nursing education jobs and career resources for students
- Nurse.com - job listings and career resources in nursing
- Nurse's Career Center - job listings in nursing from the American Nurse's Association
- Nursing Jobs for KU Graduates - job listings resource for graduates of the KU School of Nursing program (local and national listings)
- Travel Nurse - a free career resource for nurses researching career opportunities and searching for positions.
The quick link for this page is career.ku.edu/nursing.
Go back to Careers & KU Majors homepage.
