Becoming an RN in Missouri
One becomes a registered nurse in Missouri by completing a degree program and passing the licensing examination. Most degree programs are at the ADN (associate’s) or BSN (baccalaureate) level. There is also one hospital-based program, Lutheran School of Nursing, at St. Alexius. This program dates back more than a hundred years to a time when hospitals, not colleges, had the primary responsibility of educating nurses. There are also direct entry master’s programs.
There is an array of choices, but programs all share certain commonalities. They qualify a nurse to practice according to the RN scope of practice defined by the Missouri Board of Nursing. All four programs include coursework that prepares a candidate to work with patients across the lifespan. A prospective nurse can expect to get an introduction to mental health as well as medical-surgical nursing. The BSN degree, however, will prepare a person for more positions. It’s a requirement for military nursing and is preferred by many magnet hospitals. It also can open up more leadership roles and give a better foundation for specialized education down the road.
After graduation, the school should send an official transcript to the Missouri Board of Nursing. This will qualify the candidate to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. Candidates can work under Graduate Nurse status for up to 90 days or until receipt of NCLEX scores. (The NCLEX may be retaken, but a person can’t work as a nurse during the interim period.)
Registered nurses licensed in Missouri are also eligible to accept employment in other Nurse Compact states.
RN Education Pathways
Missouri rewards health care professionals who have closely related job descriptions. LPN to RN programs are becoming commonplace around the nation. The Missouri Board of Nursing classifies some as ‘one plus one’ programs and others as ladder programs. If you enroll in a one plus one program, you can expect to do one year of full time study beyond that of what was required for your LPN license. Ladder programs award variable advanced placement.
In Missouri, paramedics also have the option of enrolling in RN bridge courses. After completing prerequisites and a transition course, students may be granted advanced placement in the RN track.
Even if you’re not in a health field, your prior education can shorten your path to licensure. Second degree BSN students have fewer courses to complete, as they get credit for general studies, and, in many cases, for some nursing prerequisites. Many second career nursing students choose to enroll in accelerated BSN programs. These programs compact the nursing curriculum into an intense year-round study. Sometimes four semesters of work get accomplished in as little as three semesters (spring, summer, and fall).
Registered Nursing Career Outlook in Missouri
The AACN reports that even during the recent recession, highly educated nurses have done better than graduates in most fields. A report, released in November of 2010, gave employment information for registered nurses who entered the field at the BSN and MSN levels over a two year period. 77% of Missouri’s new graduates had job offers at the time of graduation; fully 92% did after another four to six months.
17% growth in demand for RNs was anticipated for the years 2008 to 2018.
The Application to Nursing School Process
Enrolling students isn’t enough to alleviate the nursing crisis; there can many obstacles that prevent students from completing the program. Traditionally, nursing programs have seen a fair amount of attrition. Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences notes that students are admitted on the basis of their potential to complete the program and become licensed.
Some programs are more rigorous and intensive than others. An interview can play a big role in the process at the higher levels. This is a time for both the applicant and the school to feel comfortable that it is a good match. Jewell College notes that the school interviews accelerated BSN candidates months in advance of the program entrance date. Students are not just deciding whether nursing is right for them; they’re deciding what level of pacing they can handle. Jewell is among the schools that offer multiple second BSN programs.
Missouri State Board of Nursing Approved ADN Programs
National American University
National American University is located in Kansas City, MO. An Associate’s in Nursing is offered at this campus location. The program is approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing.
Bolivar Technical College- ADN | Chamberlain College of Nursing – ADN | Columbia College Nursing Education Center- ADN | Columbia College, Lake Ozark ADN |
Concorde Career College- ADN | Crowder College- ADN | Crowder College/ Nevada | East Central College – ADN |
East Central College at Rolla Technical University – ADN | Fort Leonard Wood Satellite | Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College – ADN | Hannibal La-Grange College- ADN |
Jefferson College Bi-Level Program ADN | Lester L. Cox School of Nursing and Health Sciences – ADN | Lincoln University | Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley ADN |
Mineral Area College – ADN | Missouri State University- West Plains (ADN) | Moberly Area Community College – ADN | National American University ADN |
North Central Missouri College | Ozarks Technical Community College – LPN to RN Program | Park University | Sanford Brown College/ St Charles ADN |
Southeast Missouri Hospital – College of Nursing and Health Sciences ADN | Southeast Missouri Hospital – College of Nursing and Health Sciences ADN | St Charles Community College- ADN Program | St John’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University ADN Program |
St. Louis Community College- Flo Valley | St. Louis Community College- Forest Park | St. Louis Community College- Meramee | State Fair Community College- ADN Career Ladder Program |
Texas County Technical Institute RN Bridge Program | Three Rivers Community College – ADN | Three Rivers Community College – ADN Bridge Program |
Missouri State Board of Nursing Approved BSN Programs
Central Methodist University
The BSN program at the Central Methodist University is approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Central Methodist University – St. Louis, 111 West Port Plaza Drive, Suites 633 and 634, St. Louis, MO 63146
| Avila University- BSN Program 11901 Wornoll Road Kansas City, MO 64145 | Central Methodist University- BSN Program, Dept of Nursing | Chamberlain College of Nursing- BSN | College of Nursing at the University of Missouri St. Louis- BSN |
College of the Ozarks- BSN Program | Goldfarb School of Nursing- at Barnes Jewish College | Graceland University School of Nursing- BSN Program | Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences |
Maryville University os St. Louis- BSN Program | Missouri Southern State University- BSN | Missouri State University/ Springfield BSN | Missouri Western State University- BSN |
| Research College of Nursing- BSN 2525 East Meyer Blvd Kansas City, MO 64132 | Sinclair School of Nursing at University of Missouri- Columbia- BSN | Southeast Missouri State University- BSN | St. Louis University- BSN |
St. Lukes- BSN Program | Truman State University- BSN | UMKC- Kansas City | |
University of Central Missouri | William Jewel College |