Business and Education Opportunities - Top 10 Nursing Schools in America

As of 2009, a worldwide shortage in health related professionals at all levels had been savaging the populations in many nations, but clearly in America. Our country had formerly been called The Land of Plenty, but largely not for two decades; even though our neighbors from Mexico fled more atrocious economic and health conditions ot work in the Untied States under whatever legal status or non-status they might manage.

A nursing shortage (RNs, LPS, Vocational Nurses, Nurse Educators) is particularly striking in parts the Untied States, with some states suffering much more from this dearth of professionals than other states.If trained nurses could or would move into these states, they would be able to earn incomes and benefits above the national average in 2007 of $30.00+ per hour for registered Nurses (RNs). Travel Nursing that entails moving to one of these locations also provides the opportunity to receive free transportation expenses along with free rent or mortgage payments for form 3 to 12 months, in addition to a higher-than-average salary. All types of "travelers" are needed int eh 21st century, including physicians, physical and occupational therapists, and several others. Review the Traveler's Agencies at the link above and see what position they have at any time - anywhere in the world.

In some states, hospitals are actively recruiting in other states and even Canada for nurses. Canadians cannot receive a Green Card in America unless they fulfill one of a few stringent requirement options, one option being that of holding a professional certificate or degree in a career that needs workers in a US State where qualified Americans are not to be found.

The same is true of Americans seeking Green Cards in Canada.

Speaking of National Health Care, I am told by professionals or whom I have recent recent resume portfolios that in their provinces at least, the national plan pays only up to 38% of costs and Canadians are having to purchases health insurance and pay out of pocket costs. Perhaps those in America that fear that a National Health Plan will reduce the medical labor force further are in error.

Nurse training is available in a range of certifications levels extending from Licensed Practice Nurse, Registered Nurse, and Vocational Nurse up into the ranks of Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator, with clear opportunities to rise to the level of PhD and/or train to become a physician. A Candy Striper volunteer or nurse's aide can become a doctor through tuition reimbursement at work or fee waivers along the career track. See training processions at

Medical Training Part I

Medical Training Part II

Training for a nursing career can be low cost for students that work in their training hospitals and receive tuition reimbursement and free time off from their jobs to attend classes. A teaching hospital on a university or college campus is ideal for this scenario.

Age makes no difference in starting a career in nursing. One of my own students was 60 years old when she proudly earned a GED high school equivalency certificate. She immediately entered training for nurse's aide and nursing assistant and went to work. Within two years, she was a registered nurse (RN). She had progressed from a poverty level income and no high school diploma to a high paying job in about 2.5 years total.

The following nursing schools were selected as the best in the country in their speciality nursing programs for effectiveness, percentage of nurses passing certification and licensing exams, and a number of other factors. Nurse Educators and postsecondary and graduate Academic Officers rated these schools through the results of an extensive survey of questions and data for 2008.  Data was colelcted by the analysts at US News and World Reports in their annual surveys used to detyerine th ebest nursing schools.

1. University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia. This insitution appears on all of the following Top 10 Lists of nursing schools by speciality. (Note: Nursing Instructors within 120 miles of this insitution earn an average of $58,000/year).  
2. University of California--San Francisco
3. Columbia University - New York, NY
4. University of Washington - Seattle
5. Yale University - New Haven, CT
6. University of Maryland - Baltimore
7. University of Michigan -Ann Arbor
8. University of Colorado - Denver
9. TIE: Rush University - Chicago, IL; University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA

1. Oregon Health and Science University - Portland
2. University of Pennyslvania - A very close second by just 0.20 point.
3. TIE: University of California at San Francisco & San Francisco General Hospital; University of New Mexico (also a top school in Sustainability) at Albuquerque; Yale University.
4. TIE: University of Illinois - Chicago; University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
5. TIE: Emory University - Atlanta, GA; University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ; University of Utah - Salt Lake City; University of Washington - Seattle

1. University of Pennsylvania
2. Yale University
3. University of Colorado
4. University of Washington
5. University of California -San Francisco
6. University of Pittsburgh -Main Campus Pittsburgh
7. Rush University
8. TIE: Columbia University - New York, NY and University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (School of Nursing)

10. TIE: Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA; Catholic University of America Washington, DC; University of Rochester - Rochester, NY 

1. University of Pennsylvania
2. University of Iowa - Iowa City
3. New York University - NYC
4. Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, OH
5. Oregon Health and Science University – Portland
6. University of Michigan
7. University of California -San Francisco
8. University of Texas Health Science Center--Houston
9. Rush University
10. TIE: Duke University - Durham, NC; University of Washington

The University of Pennsylvania Nursing Specialties Programs rate higher on more of the Top 10 Lists for 2009 than any other nursing courses in America. These programs are top not for a number of reasons.

UP nursing students and nurses learn to become research and practicing scientists as well as caregivers. They are never relegated to becoming a servant of other health care professionals, although they work as part of a treatment, recovery, and prevention team of such professionals as most times. They are valuable, proactive team members of a horizontal team.

Many aspects of "Penn Nursing" a a training group include those that do not exists in other schools. One innovation is a state-of-the-art treatment Simulation Lab with mannequins responding exactly as patients (this is seen in TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy). Another is one of the first PACE practices owned and operated by any school of nursing -- It provides expert care to senior citizens, especially the oldest old; a variety of cutting edge classroom setups with the newest electronic medical records (EMR) technology, and clinical and practicum practice in Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. These are two of the best teaching hospitals in the USA. Such advantages make UP the leader in nurse's training.

In addition to these exciting advantages, the training staff at Penn Nursing have been recognized as top researchers globally, especially in schools of nursing that receive federal funds. Click the link below for further information:

University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing: Penn Nursing