Master’s Degree in Nursing Schools in Arizona

The Master’s degree options for Arizona nurses are as varied and complex as the nurses that hold these degrees. Whether your interests lie in direct patient care, research, leadership, or another specialty field, you can likely put your nursing skills to use in a competitive Master’s in Nursing program in Arizona.

Pursuing a nurse practitioner degree—one of the advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) degrees—can lead to many career options with a wide variety of patient populations. Arizona offers full freedom of practice to nurse practitioners. This means that NPs do not have to be supervised by a physician or get physician approval to write prescriptions. As a result, APRNs from across the country are looking to Arizona as a nurse friendly state, where we can positively affect the health of millions of residents.

A recent healthcare research paper reported that patient satisfaction may be linked to higher health costs. As a result, nurses with Master’s degrees may play an even more important role in Arizona healthcare. Nurses who specialize in research can find ways to develop evidence-based care policies that maximize patient satisfaction without driving costs too high. Master’s degree holders that specialize in leadership, such as Clinical Nurse Leaders, may be able to help nurses, advanced practice nurses, and physicians meet the growing demand for high levels of patient satisfaction.

Nursing Programs in Arizona

There are several Master’s-level nursing programs in Arizona. Since there are so many different types of Master’s degree, your school selection may be driven by the degree offerings at each school. We know that the options can be overwhelming if you do not have a specific specialty or focus already in mind. That’s why we have taken the time to explain the different Master’s in Nursing programs on our site. You can use this website to compare important information from many different schools, to help you decide which graduate nursing program is right for you.

Generally, a Master’s degree in nursing requires two years of full-time study. However, many programs run part-time, as they are meant to be completed by working nurses. In fact, many schools have a clinical work requirement and may only accept applicants that have already had at least one year of full-time nursing experience.

Your program may contain 30 to 50 credits of nursing, leadership, and research courses. Nurse practitioner programs may offer different specialties, like neonatal care, psychiatric care, or obstetric care. Other options in Arizona include nurse anesthesia, public health nursing, nurse education, and clinical research management.

The courses included in your curriculum will likely be dependent on what type of graduate degree in nursing you plan to earn. If you go into direct care, you may take clinical courses that put you in contact with local patients and delve into one specific field of care. A nursing research program may require you to read and conduct research in the field of nursing. Nursing leadership, like the other options, builds upon a foundation of evidence-based care, but is more likely to focus on interacting with fellow nurses and becoming a leader in your place of employment. Nearly all Master’s in Nursing programs include courses in business, ethics and healthcare policy.

As you look to return to school, you may be concerned about the costs of tuition, especially if you are still paying on any loans you may have taken for your previous education. Graduate school can be made more affordable by the many scholarships and loan programs offered by Arizona companies and schools. If you take out loans to cover the cost of your nurse educator program, you may be able to benefit from the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, which was designed to facilitate the creation of a strong nursing faculty population across the U.S.. The NURSE Corps Scholarship Program is open to any graduate-level nurses that seek to work in direct care after graduation. The Arizona Nurses Association also awards scholarships of $2,500 each to graduate-level nursing students.

Working With Your MSN in Arizona

Many nurses call the state of Arizona home, as they enjoy the work opportunities, as well as the sunshine and warm temperatures. With a MSN degree, there are many ways to advance your career as an RN in this state, such as becoming a nurse practitioner or a nurse anesthetist.

Nurse anesthetists work to provide safe and effective anesthesia to patients.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what graduate nursing degrees in Arizona are available, you can contact the schools that offer the Master’s in Nursing degrees you are interested in. Keep in mind that we are always here to help, with a Registered Nurse that is available to answer any additional questions you may have about furthering your education. Contact the schools for program materials, and contact us for additional support if you need.

Finally, congratulations on choosing to expand your nursing education and practice! Our families, communities and nation can benefit greatly from your efforts!

To learn more about MSN programs, costs, or working in one of these careers, request more information from Arizona nursing schools.

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

If you are an Arizona nurse who would like to enhance your career and your income, returning to graduate school can give you great opportunities to do so. Not only would you be supporting the nursing profession as a whole, you can receive a great sense of satisfaction by earning your MSN. These careers have job security that is not offered in many other fields, and you can take many different routes in your graduate nursing education.

Arizona has numerous universities and colleges with MSN programs on campuses and online. There are several graduate nursing schools in AZ that offer a wide variety of programs including Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Generalists, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Public Health, Health Care Administration, Health Care Informatics, Nursing Education and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with emphasis in Adult–Gerontology. In addition, there are dual degree options like the Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems.

Admission to an Arizona master’s in nursing program is based on the applicant’s academic qualifications. The required credit hours for graduation are around 40 credits for most master’s degrees, and the clinical hours vary according to your chosen major. Online and evening courses are also available, making earning your MSN more feasible than it has been in the past.

The typical graduate admission requirements include:

  • An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or University with a GPA of 3 or better
  • If you cannot meet the GPA standard you may still be eligible based on graduate tests scores, which include the GMAT of 500, GRE with 1000 combined verbal/quantitative prior to August 2011; or 300 combined verbal/quantitative after August 2011.
  • Unencumbered RN license in their state of residency
  • Must complete a statistics course earning a minimum GPA of 2

While there are several routes of study available, the MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program is one of the most popular and can lead to an increase in the number of primary care providers in the state. The curriculum includes courses in advanced health assessments, diagnosing illnesses and prescribing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments to manage acute and chronic health problems. The nurse practitioner role includes collaborating and consulting with other health professionals, and is one of the most autonomous positions in nursing.

The required curriculum for a typical FNP program can include many of the following courses.

  • Theoretical Foundations for Nursing Roles and Practice
  • Health Care Research Analysis and Utilization
  • Ethics, Policy, and Finance in the Health Care System
  • Diverse Application of Advance Practice Concepts
  • Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
  • Advanced Pharmacology for Primary Care
  • Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning with Skills Lab
  • Advanced Practice Management of Adult Health Care Problems in Primary Care
  • Advanced Practice Management of Adult Health Care Problems in Primary Care Clinical
  • Advanced Practice Management of Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care Problems in Primary Care
  • Advanced Practice Management of Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care Problems in Primary Care Clinical
  • Advanced Practice Management of Women’s Health Care Issues in Primary Care
  • Advanced Practice Management of Women’s Health Care Issues in Primary Care Clinical
  • Advanced Practice of Geriatric Issues in Primary Care
  • Advanced Practice Management of Geriatric Issues in Primary Care Clinical
  • Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum
  • Evidence Based Practice Project

This Family Nurse Practitioner program requires 53 credits and 650 clinical hours for graduation. You should also keep in mind that this specialty is one of the most rigorous and lengthy options for earning your MSN in Arizona. You can usually complete a non-direct patient care graduate program, such as nursing education or leadership, with many fewer clinical hours.

You are eligible to take the credentialexam from the American Nurses Credentialing Center upon graduation from an FNP program in AZ. This exam is a competency-based evaluation of your clinical and assessment skills, which is useful information to include on your resume. The cost of this exam is $250.

According to the Arizona State Board of Nursing, as a new graduate Nurse Practitioner, you may get a Temporary AP Certificate if you meet their requirements, which includes a letter on school letterhead sent directly to the Arizona State Board of Nursing that verifies your graduation. As a Nurse Practitioner in Arizona, if you are seeking prescribing and dispensing privileges you must submit written evidence of 45 contact hours of education and pharmacology or clinical management of drug therapy. It is not legal to prescribe or dispense medications until you receive your official notification from the board. If you plan to prescribe or dispense controlled substances you must apply to the Drug Enforcement Administration for a DEA Number.

There are several ways that you can help finance your education. If you are in a low income bracket visit the Financial Aid Office at your University and fill out a FAFSA application for the federal grant program that is based on your income. There are also various loans available through the Health Resources and Services Administration, including low interest long-term loans.

The Arizona Nurses Foundation also has an Academic Scholarship Program designed to enhance the development of nurses. The students that are awarded scholarships for Master’s degrees are given $2500 to help with educational expenses.

Contact the individual schools you find on this page to learn more about your options for getting your master’s in nursing in Arizona, and you could be on your way to an enhanced nursing career in the next few years.

Arizona RN to MSN Bridge Programs

One of the major appeals of the nursing field is the versatility of the career choices in this profession. If you like to spend your time reading and working in the lab, you can look into a career in nursing research. If you like patient care, you can choose a clinical specialty. If you’d rather work with new or aspiring nurses, you may choose a career in administration or nursing education. As an RN in Arizona, you already have the basic skills and knowledge you need to pursue an advanced career in nursing. All you need to do is look into RN-to-MSN bridge programs to flesh out your education and propel you into the next stage of your career.

RN-to-MSN bridge programs in Arizona are intended for students who have Associate’s degrees in nursing and who have gained some experience in the nursing field. Since this can be a fairly accelerated degree program, you need to have proven yourself academically at the Associate’s degree level. The college may also look at your work history and work references. Many schools require at least one year of full-time nursing experience.

At the start of your RN-to-MSN program, you may take general nursing courses that are required of all advanced nursing students. This includes courses like Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan, Health Assessment, and Nursing Concepts & Competencies Across the Lifespan. You may also get extensive knowledge in subjects like pharmacology, nursing research, and evidence-based practice.

Many of the courses you take are specifically relevant to your chosen specialty, so it’s important to choose a specialty that you’re truly interested in. Nursing administration students may take courses like Nursing Informatics: From Concepts to Practice, Leading and Managing in Organizational Systems, and Management & Leadership in Nursing. Those in direct care often take courses like Altered Health Conditions, Complex Health Conditions, and Community Health Nursing.

One consideration you should keep in mind as you choose your nursing school is financial aid. A Master’s degree can be a bit pricey, but nursing scholarships can offset your costs and minimize the amount you take out in student loans. The Arizona Nurses Foundation collects donations from all over the state and funds nursing degrees for advanced students. On a national level, look into the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program. This program awards scholarships and offers loan repayment options to students that are willing to work in a medically underserved area after graduation. If you plan on becoming a nurse practitioner, consider scholarships offered through the Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council.

All licensing in Arizona goes through the Arizona Board of Nursing. At minimum, you must have an RN license to work in any nursing capacity. If you work in a clinical setting as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist, you also need to have an advanced practice license. You may receive your license after passing required exams in your field.

In general, the job outlook for nursing professionals in Arizona is much better than it is across the country.

Salaries in Arizona tend to be fairly close to nationally-reported nursing salaries.

Nursing is a field in which your hard work and education can truly make a difference. A master’s degree in nursing in AZ can set you up to be a leader in your field while simultaneously helping you contribute to excellence in the health care arena.

Arizona Direct Entry MSN

As Arizona’s need for highly skilled, well-educated nurses continues to grow, you may be considering a career in this multifaceted field. However, it’s likely that you don’t want to spend another four years in school to earn a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Luckily, there are several novel ways to enter the nursing profession these days. Direct entry MSN programs in Arizona can help students with non-nursing Bachelor’s degrees start an advanced nursing career with an MSN.

Contact the schools you see on our site to get detailed information about Direct Entry MSN programs in Arizona. You could be on your way to an advanced nursing degree in as little as two years.

While you may be able to get your Master’s in Nursing in less time than expected, the accelerated MSN route is intense. Direct entry MSN programs combine long hours in the classroom with hundreds of hours spent in clinical settings. Remember, you need to have the same amount of experience and education as students who have spent six years completing their BSN and MSN. To catch up in 18 to 24 months, you may have to spend dozens of hours in class every week and take classes during the summer semesters. In total, you may complete about 90 credits to earn your MSN.

Part of becoming a graduate-level nurse is deciding which career path you’d like to follow. This choice will determine which classes you take. In Arizona, you can choose from a range of specialties, including nurse practitioner, nurse generalist, nurse informatics, nurse leadership, and nurse education. This choice may decide where your clinical hours are spent. Going into a clinical specialty may take you to clinics and hospitals. Nurse education students may teach lower-level nursing students in an ADN or BSN program. Students that focus on nursing research, nurse leadership, and nurse informatics may work in educational or clinical environments.

Since nursing is highly focused on science and mathematics, you’ll need to meet intense prerequisite requirements before you can start your nursing courses. Many Arizona schools require chemistry, anatomy & physiology, statistics, microbiology, and psychology.

One of the advantages of getting into a growing field like nursing is the variety of scholarships and financial aid. Once you get accepted to a direct entry MSN program in Arizona, you may begin the process of applying for financial aid. The Arizona Community Foundation awards students a number of scholarships, including the Barbara Shay Memorial Nursing Scholarship and the Scottsdale Healthcare Auxiliary Golden Anniversary Scholarship. Joining the Arizona Nurses Foundation has many benefits, including a range of scholarships for graduate students. Each Master’s-level scholarship is worth $2,500.

You may be curious about the income potential of each of these nursing careers. In general, completing an MSN and starting a graduate-level career may offer you greater earning ability than becoming a registered nurse.

Across the board, the demand for nursing professionals is extremely high.

If you plan on becoming a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist, you’ll need to pursue advanced licensure through the Arizona State Board of Nursing. Before you can test for an advanced nursing license in your specialty, you must meet the requirements for an RN license.

Whether you decide to work in a clinical setting, a research laboratory, or the classroom, an MSN can help you shape the future of your career. In addition to the personal benefits gained from an advanced nursing degree, your education can have an impact on the medical professionals and patients around you. Through the course of your career, you may be a great influence on the health care community. To learn more, contact the Arizona nursing schools with Direct Entry MSN programs today.

Arizona CRNA Programs

Whether a patient is giving birth, getting surgery, or receiving pain relief for a chronic condition, it is of the utmost importance that anesthesia is administered correctly. In fact, improperly-administered anesthesia can lead to side effects like paralysis, ineffective pain relief, and even death. That’s why Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are such a crucial part of hospital and medical practices in Arizona. With specialized training and extensive experience with many types of anesthesia, CRNAs can help patients enjoy effective and safe pain relief.

If you decide to become a nurse anesthetist, you may be particularly important in rural parts of Arizona. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists notes that nurse anesthetists are the main providers of pain relief in rural areas. You may work closely with a number of professionals to improve a patient’s experience, including anesthesiologists, surgeons, and dentists.

Starting a career in nurse anesthesia may help you work with patients with very specific needs. Some CRNAs work in obstetrics, providing pain relief to laboring and postpartum women. Others go into surgery, where they help put patients under and maintain appropriate levels of pain relief throughout procedures. CRNAs are also used in chronic pain management and trauma care. If you’re ready to find out what this versatile and growing specialty can do for your nursing career, discover what it takes to become a nurse anesthetist in Arizona by contacting the schools you see on this site.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Arizona

As you learn more about CRNA careers and schools, you may wonder if you are a good fit for a CRNA program. By planning for this degree in advance, you can ensure that you work hard to meet the admissions requirements. Many schools require you to be accepted to the general graduate school before applying directly for the nurse anesthesia program. It’s likely that you’ll need a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A higher GPA for your nursing courses may be required. A competitive score on the GRE is necessary for admission; what counts as competitive varies from year to year. Finally, you want to make sure that you meet the work experience requirement. Schools in Arizona tend to require about two years or more of full-time experience as a registered nurse.

When you start the curriculum for your nurse anesthesia program, you may take introductory courses that help you develop a strong base of knowledge in this specialty. Courses you may have to take include Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, Anatomy & Physiology for Nurse Anesthesia, Chemistry for Nurse Anesthesia, and Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia. Other courses delve into the types of anesthesia used in specific procedures or on specific parts of the body. For example, you may take Cardiothoracic Nurse Anesthesia, Obstetric Nurse Anesthesia, and Pain Management in Anesthesia.

Clinical requirements are a significant part of the training in a CRNA program, so you can anticipate spending quite a bit of time outside the classroom and in a health care setting. By the time you complete your 60 required credits, you may have earned over 500 clinical hours. It’s likely that these hours will be spread over a range of specialties and settings, to adequately prepare you for whichever position you may take on in your career.

Scholarships may be available for Arizona CRNA students. The Arizona Nurses Association is a good source for scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. On a nationwide level, consider applying for a grant through the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Arizona

In order to legally work as a nurse anesthetist in Arizona, you must obtain licensure through the Arizona State Board of Nursing. They have a rigorous licensure procedure that requires you to maintain a current RN license at all times. You must submit the transcript of your approved CRNA program to have your experience and education approved by the board. There is a fee schedule as well. You pay a $150 application fee, a $50 fingerprint fee, and a $35 temporary certification fee. Once your application is approved or you receive your temporary license, you can start working as a CRNA.

Arizona has an extremely promising job outlook for nurse anesthetists.

There may be certain factors you need to keep in mind as a CRNA that aren’t relevant to RNs. Malpractice insurance may be more costly, due to your increased patient care role. In addition, you may be restricted to working with certain patient populations to minimize a hospital’s liability. Being fully familiar with your scope of practice as outlined by your employer can prevent legal issues down the road.

Completing a CRNA program is a major commitment, but it can pay off when it comes to your nursing career. As an advanced nurse, you may be seen as a leader in your community. In addition, you may be indispensable to your place of employment. Many nurses find that becoming a CRNA can increase their earning potential.

Nurse anesthesia is a field that may continue to grow as new health care legislation is enacted in Arizona. Get started in this field today by contacting CRNA schools in Arizona directly from our site.

Forensic Nursing in Arizona

If you were initially drawn to the field of nursing because you wanted to help people and make a positive change in your community, you may find that forensic nursing is even more rewarding and fulfilling than your current nursing role. Forensic nursing is often considered one of the most challenging nursing specialties, since its practitioners must be able to maintain professionalism in the face of crime, sexual assault, and domestic violence.

This nursing specialty requires you to offer the same level of care to victims of crime and perpetrators of crime, while carefully maintaining documentation of evidence that can be used in a court setting.

If you are ready to take your nursing skills to the next level, keep reading to learn how to become a forensic nurse in Arizona.

Master’s Degree Programs in Forensic Nursing in Arizona

There are two main paths you can follow to become a forensic nurse in Arizona. However, you must first meet the stringent admissions requirements for forensic nurse programs. You need a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a valid nursing license. In addition, you must be able to pass a rigorous background check. Working in this field puts you in contact with extremely vulnerable people, and the state needs to ensure that victims are kept safe. Each school has different experience requirements, but you may find that most Arizona institutions expect you to have at least one year of full-time nursing experience.

The main option in this state is a Master’s degree in nursing. With this option, you spend between two and three years taking high-level nursing and forensic science courses. This includes an extensive amount of clinical experience working with crime victims, crime perpetrators, and crime scenes.

The other option is completing a certificate. This option is intended for nurses who already have a Master’s degree, as it allows them to complete about one year of training to add forensic nursing to their certifications.

Depending on the program you choose, you may take courses like those listed below:

  • Ethics for Advanced Nursing Practice
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Special Topics in Nursing
  • Forensic Methodologies
  • Nursing Research
  • Population Assessment
  • Population Interventions
  • Scientific Foundations for Forensic Nursing
  • Forensic Nursing: Caring for Victims
  • Forensic Nursing: Caring for Perpetrators

The Role of Forensic Nurses in Arizona

Forensic nursing in Arizona is an essential part of residents’ safety. While some graduates may work in crime labs, many go on to work with the victims of violent and sexual crime. When a victim’s life is falling apart, a forensic nurse can be a source of stability for them. Just one sexual assault center in Arizona, which employs forensic nurses around the clock, helps approximately 200 people per month (ABC 15, 2016). Victims say that the difference between practitioners who have been specially trained in violent crime and practitioners who have no experience in this field is night and day. Becoming certified in this field may give you the chance to participate in local advocacy groups, such as the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence.

After graduating, your first priority may be getting certified. There are several levels of certification to consider. The Commission for Forensic Nursing Certification offers a certification programs for SANEs (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners) and Advanced Forensic Nurses.

The skills you gain at this level of training can make you an indispensable asset to Arizona healthcare.

Arizona Clinical Nurse Leader Programs

In the early years of nursing, nurses were simply considered assistants for doctors and physicians. However, that role change quickly to include providing health care services, serving as the eyes and ears for busy doctors, and working independently with patients as advanced practitioners. This rapid growth and the expanding scope of practice for nurses means that the need for qualified leadership is at an all-time high.

In Arizona, you may have the opportunity to guide the industry through a period of change. As a nurse leader, you can oversee the on-the-job training and assessment of new nurses to ensure proper patient care.

Nurse leaders are also trusted to reduce accidents and incidents in health care settings. Nursing home errors and violations are increasing in Arizona, and roughly half of them are considered serious (Nogales International).

If you are confident in your nursing skills and you’re ready to take your career to the next level, discover what you can do with a Master’s degree in nursing leadership in Arizona.

How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Arizona?

Arizona has several options for aspiring nurse leaders. If you have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, you should already have the nursing knowledge and critical thinking skills required for graduate-level study. RN to MSN programs help students develop their Bachelor’s-level knowledge before transitioning them into graduate courses. Depending on your current level of education and experience, you may be able to graduate in as little as 15 months.

Traditional MSN programs in Arizona, which require a BSN, require about 30 credits. RN to MSN programs include approximately 45 credits. You may build your leadership skills in courses like those listed here:

  • Foundations of System Leadership
  • Evidence-Based Practice Improvement
  • Healing Environments and Practices
  • Healthcare Business Dynamics
  • Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
  • Health Information and Patient Care Technologies

Some schools require the completion of clinical hours at an approved hospital or clinic. Others test your knowledge through a capstone project. Both options can sharpen your understanding of what it means to be a Clinical Nurse Leader and demonstrate your personal and professional growth throughout your training.

By the time you graduate, you should be able to meet specific learning goals created for CNL students. Your instructors may look at your ability to use research and experience to improve healing environments, improve the patient experience, and make delivery processes more efficient and patient-based.

Before you can call yourself a Clinical Nurse Leader, you must sit for the licensing exam administered by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Once you are certified, your certification is valid for five years. To renew your certification, you must have 50 hours of approved continuing education. Furthermore, you have to keep your registered nursing license valid through the Arizona Board of Nursing. This agency requires you to renew every two years.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

Becoming a nursing manager or nursing executive is a big step, especially if you are used to taking orders and directives from charge nurses, APRNs, and physicians. With each passing year, more and more health care facilities hire nursing managers to manage staff, oversee patient care, and improve the efficiency of the nursing program as a whole.

At any given point, the nurse leadership specialty may be addressing specific goals and needs. The Arizona Organization of Nurse Executives discovers major issues in the field and develops plans to address them. As a member of this group, you may also be able to learn about employment options, network with leaders in the industry, and stay on top of new research.

The goals of the Arizona Organization of Nurse Executives are often in line with what the AACN hopes to see in the future of nursing leadership. The mission statement of the AzONE notes that it aims to provide affordable, safe, and effective care for patients by empowering nurse leaders throughout the state.

Nursing changes on a near-constant basis. No matter what the future of nursing brings, every state needs strong leaders to guide its health care industry to higher standards and better outcomes.

To explore your education options, take a look at our list of nursing leadership programs in Arizona and locate programs near you.

Arizona Research Nursing Graduate Programs

There are many ways that you can contribute your skills to Arizona’s nursing community. As a registered nurse, you’ve likely given excellent care to thousands of patients and supported many high-level care providers in the procedures and care they provide. If you are ready to take the next step in your nursing career, you may want to start designing and carrying out the research that health care executives used to make important decisions. Contact the Arizona schools with nursing research degree offerings to learn more about your options for study.

Arizona’s nursing research industry is growing rapidly. One large school in the area recently decided to expand its biomedical campus, which includes extensive research in many areas of nursing and health care.

Research nursing may be a good fit for you if you can see the big picture in nursing and if you are interested in improving what that big picture looks like. The National Institute of Nursing Research notes that this field has accomplished a lot over the last 30 years.

If you want to find out how your experience and knowledge can help you advance your career, check out our list of research nursing programs in Arizona below and contact schools for more information.

Arizona Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Research

Your undergraduate education in nursing should provide a strong foundation for your graduate education in nursing research. Programs at this level do typically require a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, so you may need to complete a bridge program first if you have an Associate’s degree in nursing.

The curriculum for your nursing research program may delve into research institutes in Arizona, federal and state guidelines for research ethics, the main goals of nursing research, and procedures used to create viable and usable research. Some of the courses you may take as a student include Research Management and Contemporary Research Topics, Institutional Review Board in Human Research, Research Design, Methods for Clinical Research, and Advanced Techniques in Nursing Research.

Not only must you know this topic inside and out, you must be able to use your knowledge in real work settings. To test this, your school may require you to complete a research rotation with experienced researchers.

The Arizona Nurses Foundation may be an excellent scholarship resource for you as you earn your graduate degree. Leaders in this organization understand how important it is for nurses to continue growing and learning, leading to an uptick in scholarships.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Arizona

The demand for those who are willing to take on leadership roles in nursing is growing rapidly in Arizona, particularly when compared to job growth across the country.

With your graduate degree, you may find openings in many different health care settings. Local hospitals and medical centers often have research centers that rely on nursing professionals. Drug manufacturers, medical supplies companies, and institutions of higher learning may also hire clinical nurse researchers.

Are you ready to find out how your nursing experience can improve lives for patients all over Arizona? Take the first step by checking out Arizona schools below and requesting more information today.

Arizona Certified Nurse Midwife Programs

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) care for women from puberty to menopause. To become a Certified Nurse Midwife you must attend graduate school and pass a midwife certification test. There are several schools available across U.S. and online programs are available in other states. Clinical hours are scheduled in health care facilities near your home with a qualified preceptor.

Contact the schools you see listed below to learn more about your options for becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Arizona.

This is an exciting career for an advanced prepared nurse. You provide women’s physical exams, prescribes medications for contraception, provide gynecological care, labor and birth care, as well as, health education to women of all ages. This is an expanding career with many new opportunities available.

Certified Nurse Midwives are trained for high-tech interventions and the latest scientific procedures available. They typically take care of the low-risk pregnant women, but remain an important part of care, even in high risk pregnancies.

If this is a career that you are interested in, contact the universities in your area to compare programs and make a decision that can open new doors of opportunity in your life.

Certified Nurse Midwife Programs in Arizona

Arizona has two accredited online Midwife programs, which includes Frontier Nursing University and Georgetown University. Each university has a MSN degree in Nurse–Midwifery, and Frontier Nursing University has a program for a nurse with a bachelor or associate degree.

In order to get your CNM license, the Arizona Board of Nursing requires you to have a current Arizona RN license, an official transcript from your graduate degree stating you have met practice requirements by verifying your education within the past five years and your clinical practice hours.

They also require proof of your national certification, proof of citizenship and you must submit a fingerprint card. Arizona allows certified Nurse Midwives prescribing and dispensing privileges.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Arizona

The admission criteria is similar in both online universities for the BSN prepared nurse. You must have graduated from an accredited program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. An active RN license in Arizona is required, along with one year of nursing experience. Three professional reference letters are also necessary. Prerequisite courses include a physical assessment course and a statistics course within the past 10 years.

The ADN Bridge Entry Option allows students to complete their bachelor degree over a 12 month period before starting the MS in curriculum. A BSN is not awarded in this program. The course terms are 11 weeks in length with a two-week break between terms, so it takes about three to four years for you to complete the MSN Nurse Midwife program.

The Nurse Midwifery curriculum includes both didactic credits and clinical credits. Some of the more common courses include:

  • Epidemiology and Biostatistics
  • Evidence Base Practice
  • Advanced Health Assessment
  • Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Across the Lifespan
  • Primary Care of Women
  • Role of the Nurse Midwife
  • Midwifery Care during Labor and Birth
  • Midwifery Care during Pregnancy
  • Midwifery care during Postpartum
  • Principles of Independent Practice
  • Skills for Advanced Practice
  • Nurse–Midwifery Clinical I-V

Once you have graduated you may take the credential examination from the American Midwifery Certification Board.

If you complete the FAFSA application, which is a federal grant based on your income, you may qualify for grants and loans to help fund your graduate school education.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing offers financial assistance for nursing students, which include grants, scholarships and loans. These are listed on their website.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Arizona

Arizona Clinical Nurse Specialist

With the Affordable Care Act increasing accessibility to health care all over the country, the need for skilled medical professionals is greater than ever. Since it can be prohibitively expensive for organizations and clinics to hire doctors for all of their needs, many Arizona organizations are turning to advanced nursing professionals for their health care needs.

If you’re ready to use your nursing abilities and knowledge to start the next stage of your career, you may want to learn more about clinical nurse specialist (CNS) programs in Arizona. Contact the schools listed below for details about how to become a CNS in Arizona.

Clinical nurse specialists may use their advanced nursing knowledge and their high-level to comprehend, design, and carry out nursing research. This is a particularly important part of this career path, as statewide organizations have awarded grants to specialized nursing research groups.

As a clinical nurse specialist, you may contribute to an understanding of health across many different populations. Recent research indicates that clinical nurse specialists do a lot to help pediatric cancer patients. No matter which demographic group you want to work with as a CNS, your journey starts with the right education.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Arizona

When you look at the curriculum for a CNS program in Arizona, you can see that you develop a wide variety of skills in this type of program. Your instructors may teach you how to interpret nursing research, apply research to your own clinical practice and to clinical practice guidelines, create care plans, and lead other staff in understanding and carrying out new procedures. This is a graduate-level nursing degree that requires approximately two years of full-time study. Over this period of time, you may complete about 40 credits.

As you work toward a CNS degree, you may take many different and challenging courses. Courses in your curriculum may include Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Practice nurses, Statistics for Health Care Professionals, Research for Advanced Practice Nurses, Clinical Decision Making, Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing, Health Care Policy, and Physical Assessment for Clinical Nurse Specialists.

While completing your theory-based courses, you will also be gaining experience in several different clinical settings. Since this is a high-level degree, you can plan on working exclusively with patients in your area of specialty. There are several different focus areas you can choose from, so be sure to get information from the schools listed on our site to find the best match for your nursing interests.

When you opt to complete an advanced degree in nursing, you can gain access to many extensive scholarship programs that fund graduate nursing degrees. The NURSE Corps Scholarship Program supports graduate nurses who want to work in an underserved area after graduation. If you become a member of the Arizona Nurses Association, you may have the chance to apply for several different scholarships. Nursing scholarships are also funded by the Arizona Community Foundation.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Arizona

Though you can continue working as a registered nurse throughout your education as long as you maintain your RN license, you must complete an advanced licensing process to begin working as a CNS in Arizona. The ANCC Certification Center offers certification to CNS graduate who pass their rigorous testing process. This allows you to apply for an advanced practice license through the Arizona State Board of Nursing.

Clinical nurse specialists are in high demand throughout the United States, leading it to be listed as the second-best job in America by CNN.

Your career in advanced nursing is waiting for you. Don’t delay—take the first step now by reaching out to the clinical nurse specialist programs in Arizona that are listed below.

Arizona Public Health Nursing Graduate Programs

The Arizona Public Health Association organization is working to improve healthcare for Arizonans by advocacy, education and professional development. Public health focuses on injury prevention, disease, research, education and promotion for health promotion in the communities. Nurses are a key component in these endeavors.

If you are interested in taking advantage of the opportunities to improve health in Arizona, take some time to contact the schools with Masters in Public Health (MPH) programs for nurses below.

The state legislature of Arizona has also created an Autism Task Force legislative committee to review the services that are provided by state agencies, schools and organizations for people with autism spectrum disorder, and they recommend solutions for improvement of the services, including nursing roles.

An Arizona public healthcare nurse is a perfect role if you aim to act as a compassionate professional that enjoys working with a diverse population. This is an excellent time to get your graduate degree in a profession that is growing. It may offer you advancement opportunities and a higher income, while positively affecting health in the state.

Master’s Degree Programs in Public Health Nursing in Arizona

There are several graduate programs for nurses in Arizona. Applying to a graduate program is done through a SOPHAS application, which is common for accredited schools. Three recommendations are required, along with all official transcripts from colleges and universities that you have attended. The GRE is required with all scores and your CV/Resume and Statement of Purpose is necessary in most cases.

There are several accredited Public Health programs available. The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is specifically designed to be a professional degree for public health. This provides students the opportunity to gain broad knowledge, along with basic skills for the core areas, and the student will gain experience in applying advanced knowledge to the solutions of actual health problems in a community setting through internship training.

This accredited online program requires 42 credit hours in each course is 7.5 weeks long, which can be completed in just two years.

The curriculum includes the following courses:

  • Basic Principles of Epidemiology
  • Public Health Policy & Management
  • Biostatistics in Public Health
  • Fundamentals of Health Budgeting & Financial Management
  • Sociocultural & Behavioral Aspects of Public Health
  • Environmental & Occupational Health
  • Internship

Health promotion is another interesting degree that involves contemporary health issues and research, as well as, public health research and evaluation. These excellent choices in public health nursing may certainly entice you to sign up for your graduate degree.

These degrees are eligible for federal help, which would require completing the FAFSA application that is based on your income. HRSA administers a federal program that offers loan repayment, and there is the Nurse Corps loan repayment program as well. This program requires you to work for two years in a health professional area that has a shortage, and they will pay 60 percent of your qualifying nursing education loans.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Arizona

Public health nurses have the advanced skills for management positions.

Public Health nurses can work in healthcare facilities, hospitals, social service agencies, county and state health departments, universities, governmental agencies and corporations. There are many opportunities for public health nurses to choose a career as a satisfying to them and contributes to the nursing profession as a whole.

Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy in Arizona

Have you ever made a call in your role as a registered nurse, only to find out later that you violated a policy or law? In many cases, the policies used to direct the work of nurses and other healthcare professionals are irrelevant, overly specific, or based in outdated evidence and research.

You may have felt, like many nurses do, that you are not in a position to influence change. However, your experience may actually make you a great asset to the field of healthcare policy.

A Master’s degree in healthcare policy can help you make the most of your experience in the nursing industry and help you improve the lives of people all over Arizona. A local research facility recently received a $2.9 million research grant to look at diabetes (AZ Big Media). Graduate-level education may permit you to advocate for specific causes or areas of nursing.

Healthcare laws and policies are changing, and the right education can help you become part of this process.

Find out what it takes to earn a Master’s degree in health policy by contacting Arizona graduate programs.

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Arizona

Effectively contributing to legislature and policy requires advanced knowledge in many different areas. Your prior nursing education and experience creates a strong basis of knowledge on which you can build. However, you must also learn about public health, healthcare spending, the legislative process, and the various factors that go into the creation of a law.

Since so many different topics must be covered, programs in this area tend to have fairly high credit requirements. Public policy and health programs in Arizona require, on average, the completion of 46 credits. They often focus on the diverse ethnic populations of Arizona, since the population makeup of Arizona is quite different from populations in most other states.

You may prepare for a career in health policy with courses like:

  • Health Services Administration
  • Public Health Leadership and Management
  • Fundamentals of Health Budgeting and Financial Management
  • Advanced Public Health Policy Analysis
  • Biostatistics in Public Health
  • Environmental and Occupational Health

To continue your work in policy and legislation, you’ll likely need to keep working as a registered nurse. This allows you to continue developing insight and knowledge concerning health issues in the state. Because of this, you should keep your registered nursing license valid through the Arizona Board of Nursing. This state maintains a two-year renewal cycle.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Arizona?

There are quite a few different work settings in which you may use your graduate degree. Both the Arizona Public Health Association and the Arizona Department of Health Services are major voices in the development of health laws and policies throughout the state.You may also look into career opportunities through nursing organizations, healthcare lobbying groups, and healthcare institutions.

A successful career in this industry involves staying up-to-date on the issues that are directly affecting patients and healthcare workers. The Arizona Nurses Association maintains a list of the current legislative issues in nursing. You may support the nursing industry by advocating for full practice rights for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, improving infectious disease procedures, and strengthening hospital nurse staffing requirements.

Whether you want to use your career to influence care protocols for specific diseases, improve the work environment for healthcare providers, or improve efficiency in health care settings, a Master’s degree in health policy or public health is the first step.

Check out the educational and work experience qualifications at Arizona graduate programs below.

Hospice Nursing in Arizona

Death is the only inevitability in life. Regardless of advances in medical science and healing technology, there comes a time when every person has to prepare for this fact. Obviously, this can be a confusing, distressing, and scary time for not just patients, but their family members as well. Hospice nurses bring a calm and sensitive approach to their care of patients and help family members navigate their feelings.

The need for experienced hospice nurses is growing in many parts of the country. It can be an emotional area of nursing care, which is why it’s important to get thorough training that helps you maintain your composure and focus on each patient’s needs. The Arizona Hospice & Palliative Care Organization is a statewide organization for those who provide end-of-life care services. They focus on providing high-quality care, the application of rules and regulations to this field, advancement of hospice care in general, and the availability of palliative care.

If you have ever been curious about hospice palliative care certification, you may be ready for the next step in your career.

Master’s Degree Programs in Hospice/Palliative Care Nursing in Arizona

When you were an undergraduate nursing student, you probably spent some time on hospice care and management of symptoms in terminal diseases. However, extensive training is required to move from a mindset of healing and caring to a mindset of comforting and supporting. A Master’s degree is an excellent way to broaden your scope of practice, get into the field of advanced nursing care, and explore hospice care options. As a nurse practitioner student, you choose one area in which to focus your studies. In most schools, this means choosing from adult care, family care, adult-gerontology care, or pediatric care. From there, some schools allow you to choose another subspecialty. This is where you choose to study palliative care and take relevant electives.

Commonly Required Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Courses

  • Advanced Pain and Symptom Management
  • Multidisciplinary Roles in Palliative Care
  • Palliative Care in Specialized Populations
  • Practicum in Palliative Care

Earning a Master’s degree and becoming a nurse practitioner may prepare you for palliative care nurse certification. However, be prepared to work as a hospice nurse practitioner before getting certified. The Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center requires applicants to have completed 500 hours of relevant experience in the last year or 1000 hours of relevant experience in the last two years to qualify. You must also submit transcripts and proof of graduation from an accredited advanced nurse practice program.

The Role of Hospice/Palliative Care Nurses in Arizona

Arizona is home to a wide variety of hospice care employers. Depending on your employer, you may work as a traveling hospice nurse or provide care in a designated hospice location. The majority of patients prefer to receive hospice services in their home so that they can be surrounded by loved ones. Local hospice employers include Hospice of the Valley, Grace Hospice, Sage Hospice, Sacred Heart Hospice, and Thema Health Services.

As you become comfortable in this field, you may learn how to assess the individual needs of each patient and family member. You can then tailor your approach accordingly. You may communicate with patients to assess their level of pain and adjust pain medications accordingly. You may also discuss with them any psychological or emotional issues they are having with the idea of death, including depressive spells, worries about family members, and concerns regarding final arrangements. With family members, you may explain what your patient is going through, give them ways to help, and help them face their own feelings of grief and loss.

If you are ready to take the next step in your hospice nursing education, Arizona schools can help you get started.