If you are looking to pursue a career in nursing in the Kansas City area, there are several types of nursing programs and career paths available to you, each with its own advantages. Most nursing programs will lead you to either become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), a licensed practical nurse (LPN), or a registered nurse (RN).
Becoming a CNA is the quickest and easiest way to launch your nursing career. The basic educational program only takes eight to ten weeks to complete, and you're qualified to begin working as a CNA as soon as you pass the certification exam at the end of the program. As a nursing assistant, you would provide patients with their most basic everyday care, assisting them with eating, showering, getting dressed, and other daily needs. In this position you could expect to make about $23,580 annually in Kansas City.
Becoming an LPN requires a bit more education. Programs range from 12 to 18 months, and also have a licensure exam at the end. As an LPN, you still provide for your patients' most basic needs, but you also have responsibility for some of their medical care, performing tasks such as changing bandages and IVs. In Kansas City, you could expect to earn an annual salary around $34,340 in this job.
Becoming an RN takes even more education, requiring either a two-year associate's degree or a four-year bachelor's degree. Although both of these options will put you on track to becoming an RN, many employers prefer that their RNs hold bachelor's degrees, putting those who pursued a four-year program at a significant advantage in the job market. As an RN, you provide basic care and medical assistance, but you are also responsible for assessing the patients' overall care and supervising LPNs and CNAs. In Kansas City, you could expect to make about $62,790 as an RN.
Any of these career paths could land you a job at one of Kansas City's major healthcare employers, such as Providence Medical Center and Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. To help you begin your search for the right program, we've put together the below list of nursing schools in the Kansas City area.