Cleveland offers many state-approved nursing programs for students to pursue a nursing career. Graduates can look forward to employment at the city’s major healthcare organizations, including University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic. It is important for aspiring nurses to select their role and career path carefully.
Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
The LPN’s job scope includes collecting samples, monitoring vital signs, and even maintaining certain types of intravenous lines. LPNs provide hands-on nursing care in a variety of medical settings, from nursing homes to hospitals. After completing a short certificate program of 12 to 18 months, prospective LPNs must pass a national licensure exam, the NCLEX-PN. The 7,700 LPNs employed in the Cleveland metropolitan area have a median annual salary of $43,400.
Nursing assistants provide bedside care and perform quality-of-life tasks for their sick, elderly, and rehabilitating patients. Aspiring CNAs must complete a very short certificate program and pass a state-administered certification exam. There are more than 13,000 CNAs employed in the Cleveland metropolitan area, with salaries typically between $20,000 and $30,000 annually.
Registered nurse (RN)
Registered nurses have the broadest scope of independent healthcare responsibility, including administering treatments and medications, operating medical equipment, performing diagnostic tests, and establishing patient care plans. Ohio offers multiple pathways to becoming an RN: hospital diploma, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, and direct-entry master’s degree. All RNs must pass a national licensure exam, the NCLEX-RN. Cleveland’s 28,000 RNs command a median annual salary of $65,000; those with a bachelor’s degree often earn top-quartile pay of $73,000 or more per annum.
To assist those seeking a career in nursing, we have profiled below a detailed list of Cleveland schools offering state-approved nursing programs.