There are several education pathways for students pursuing a nursing career in the Saint Louis suburbs of Illinois. Nursing graduates can look forward to employment with major local healthcare providers like Tenet Health and VITAS Healthcare. It is important for students to find the right program and to understand what type of nursing certification is required to begin practice.
Certified nursing assistant
Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) perform basic nursing procedures for chronically sick, elderly, and rehabilitating patients in a variety of medical settings. Prospective students can select from over 50 approved CNA certificate programs throughout the state of Illinois, including several in the Saint Louis suburbs. Students with extensive work or extracurricular commitments can often find part-time, evening, or weekend courses at local schools. There are more than 18,000 CNAs employed in the Saint Louis metropolitan area, with salaries that can exceed $26,500 annually for top performers.
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide fundamental nursing care such as dressing wounds, collecting samples for laboratory tests, and monitoring vital signs. After completing a one- to 1.5-year certificate program, prospective LPNs must pass a national licensure exam, the NCLEX-PN. The 6,300 LPNs employed in the Saint Louis metropolitan area have a median annual salary in excess of $41,000.
Registered nurse
Registered nurses (RNs) play a critical independent role in administering patient care, working closely with attending physicians and often managing LPNs and CNAs. Prospective RNs in Illinois have four prelicensure options: hospital diploma, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or direct-entry master’s degree. All RNs must pass the NCLEX-RN national licensure exam before practicing. Saint Louis boasts more than 33,000 RNs in the broader metro area, who command a median annual salary of $57,500. Nurses with a bachelor’s or master’s degree typically earn top-quartile pay of $71,000 or more annually.
To assist those seeking a career in nursing, we have listed below the accredited nursing schools and programs in the Saint Louis suburbs of Illinois.