During the happiest, saddest and most challenging times, a nurse is at your side.

Imagine… the birth of a child, the resuscitation of a trauma victim or the death of a loved one…  once-in-a-lifetime events for most, but everyday occurrences for nurses.

Now imagine… you, a nurse, holding a premature baby in the palm of your hand, holding a beating heart during open-heart surgery or holding the frail hand of a dying elderly man as he takes his last breath.

You can be that nurse!

  • Earnings are above average when compared to other professions.
  • Working schedules are flexible.  You can work part-time, full-time or any time of day and anywhere in the world.
  • In Missouri, by 2020 the shortfall in nurses is predicted to be nearly 18,000 nurses statewide.
  • As our populations becomes more diverse, there is a great need for nurses of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.
  • More men are entering the nursing profession today than ever before.

Unlimited Opportunities

  • Nursing offers a wide range of options, from working with newborns to being a flight nurse on a helicopter or working with the elderly.
  • You can work in a patient’s home, at a large urban hospital, a small rural clinic, a nursing home, a grade school, a large university or in the military.
  • You can work one-on-one with patients, in research, management, education or in government.

Education Requirements

You will need a high school diploma with a strong emphasis in English, social studies, math and science to enter nursing school.  To become a nurse, you must graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass a national licensing exam. For a list of approved nursing programs in the State of Missouri, visit the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

There are two types of entry-level nurses:

  • Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) – a nine-to-twelve month practical nurse program through technical schools or community colleges.
  • Registered Nurse (RN) – hospital diploma – two-to-three year, hospital-based programs; associate degree in nursing – two year, college or university programs; baccalaureate degree in nursing – four year, college or university programs.

To learn more about becoming a nurse contact the following: