When it comes to narrowing down your nursing school options in New Jersey, consider this: on the list below you’ll find well over 3 dozen schools, all accredited by either the CCNE or the NLNAC, and representative of just about any type of nursing degree you could imagine. PLUS you can pick and choose from urban or rural campus.
Tip: If you’re interested in a 2-year Associates degree or a Practical Nurse program you can generally follow this guideline--narrow down the list to community colleges and possibly the “county” colleges and hospital programs. Interested in a good old-fashioned diploma program then stick to the few hospital-based schools on the list; baccalaureate degrees, 4-year colleges; advanced degrees, graduate and post-grad nursing degrees, narrow down the list to the universities.
Over half of all working RNs work in the state’s hospitals, while the rest are scattered throughout various other patient care and non-patient care facilities. Good job opportunities are usually available in major hospitals, but don’t overlook regional community hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and public and community health centers in smaller cities and towns.
Students are often attracted to the busy hospitals—it may be where they did clinical rotations, the hospital may offer sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement benefits, even loan repayment incentives. The state can boast 2-Level I Trauma Centers and a handful of Level II, both of which make nursing more exciting. Nurses get the opportunity to gain access to a diverse patient load and experience a spectrum of nursing specialties before settling on any one.
The New Jersey Board of Nursing will become a vital source as you progress through nursing school. Use it as your official source for nursing practice guidelines and laws, including: