Hawaii offers a variety of educational options for either entering the nursing profession or furthering your pursuits within the field. For existing nurses who'd like to earn a higher salary, both the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific University offer master's degrees and doctoral programs which prepare graduates to practice as one of the state's 200 nurse practitioners. NPs in Hawaii earn an average salary of $103,000 per year.
Hawaii
We've organized a comprehensive list of Hawaii nursing schools. Below you'll find information on specific nursing programs such as LPN certificates and ADN, BSN, and MSN degrees. You'll also find a profile of nursing education and careers in each major Hawaii city.
Hawaii school overviews
Hawaii nursing programs and careers
City-specific information
Nurses have become critical to the healthcare system in Hawaii, taking on many of the responsibilities that have traditionally been entrusted to doctors. With the medical community relying more and more on nurses, and the need for healthcare on the rise, nursing has become a profession in high demand. In Honolulu, there are plenty of opportunities for nurses at all levels. Given the increasing responsibility in the field, it is essential that aspiring nurses have the best training available.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
Many registered nurses (RNs) choose to continue their studies by pursuing master of science in nursing (MSN) degrees. The MSN is a postgraduate degree that gives nurses the qualifications required to become health policy experts, public health workers, educators, nurse administrators, clinical nurse leaders, and more. MSN programs also allow nurses to pursue careers as nurse practitioners (NPs), nurse midwives, or nurse anesthetists, specialty fields that give nurses more responsibility in the workplace and confer significantly higher salaries.
Although it is possible to become a registered nurse (RN) by attaining a two-year associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), in recent years employers have shown a strong preference toward hiring applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program. Because it is becoming increasingly important to earn a BSN to remain competitive on the job market, RN-to-BSN programs are becoming more and more common.
The best educational option for aspiring registered nurses (RNs) is the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. Although it is possible to become an RN through a two-year associate’s degree program, it is becoming increasingly important to earn a BSN degree to remain competitive on the job market. BSN programs generally take four years to complete, giving each student a comprehensive nursing education that includes courses in hard sciences, such as biology and physiology, and hands-on training through supervised clinical trials.
If you aspire to become a registered nurse (RN), it could be worthwhile to consider pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN). Associate’s degrees in nursing only take two years to complete, and programs are offered at most community colleges. This makes the ADN the quickest and most affordable way to launch your career as an RN.
Registered nurses (RNs) are absolutely critical to providing patient care. In today’s healthcare system, physicians often have so many patients that they are overburdened with extremely crowded schedules, so RNs now take on many of the tasks that have previously been entrusted only to doctors. RNs often take on managerial roles and translate doctors’ orders into care coordination, managing a team of licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and support staff.
Today, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are essential to the healthcare system. They assist physicians and registered nurses (RNs) in a number of organizational tasks, and provide for basic patient care and comfort, monitoring symptoms, changing bandages, administering medications, and keeping doctors apprised of any changes in a patient’s condition. LPNs also help to oversee a team of nursing assistants and support staff.
As a nursing assistant, the name of your job is certainly indicative of your duties: nursing assistants help registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in medical facilities of all sorts. Nursing assistants are responsible for keeping patients comfortable, and helping them with everyday tasks like eating, bathing, and getting dressed. Nursing assistants are generally a social group—if you’ve ever had a hospital stay, they are generally the ones who ask how you’re feeling of if you need anything.
Looking for the best options to kickstart a career in nursing? Hawaii has more than 17,000 nurses of various stripes, and even with more than 500 new nursing students graduating each year, the industry remains in constant need of qualified professionals.
Before you balk at the tuition of Hawaii's most expensive universities, bear in mind that students pay roughly half of list price on average due to various grants and financial aid. Other expenses can add up quickly, however, so it's best to have a full view of the financial costs ahead of time.