Nursing Degrees in Michigan
There are a lot of avenues for students to get nursing degrees in Michigan. All of these schools are subject to approval by the State Board of Nursing, so not every college in Michigan is capable of turning out licensure-ready Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN).
As of this writing, the nursing schools in Michigan that currently have the Board’s approval for nursing baccalaureate (BSN) programs are:
– Andrews University Department of Nursing
– Calvin College Department of Nursing
– Davenport University, Grand Rapids, Midland, and Warren
– Eastern Michigan University School of Nursing
– Finlandia University School of Nursing
– Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof School of Nursing
– Hope College Department of Nursing
– Lake Superior State University Department of Nursing
– Madonna University Department of Nursing
– Michigan State University Department of Nursing
– Northern Michigan University Department of Nursing
– Oakland University Department of Nursing
– Rochester College Department of Nursing
– Saginaw Valley State University Crystal M. Lange College of Nursing and Health Services
– Siena Heights University School of Nursing
– University of Detroit-Mercy McAuley School of Nursing
– University of Michigan-Flint School of Nursing
– University of Michigan-Ann Arbor School of Nursing
– Wayne State University College of Nursing
– Western Michigan University Bronson School of Nursing
These are all of the schools currently offering Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in Michigan (MI) that allow nursing students to take the NCLEX-RN upon graduation, but this list is subject to change as schools gain or lose their Board-approved status. Though registered nurses don’t yet require a BSN to become licensed in Michigan, the nursing industry is currently working on tightening its educational standards, so a BSN may become a requirement in the future.
Right now, there are several community colleges that offer associate’s degrees (ADN/ASN/AASN) for registered nurses, including Alpena Community College, various Baker College campuses, Grand Rapids Community College, St. Clair County Community College, Schoolcraft College, Southwestern Michigan College, Washtenaw Community College, Wayne County Community College, and West Shore Community College, among others. These schools may present good alternatives for students that end up stuck on a waiting list for the four year nursing program of their choice.
There are also several nursing doctoral degrees for those wanting Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD in Nursing Degrees in Michigan. Programs at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University nursing schools are just two examples.
Michigan‘s Board of Nursing
Michigan’s Board of Nursing is a part of the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory affairs. It governs educational requirements, licensing and examinations, license renewal regulations, and determines which of Michigan’s nursing degree programs meet its criteria.
Anyone looking to pursue nursing degrees in Michigan absolutely must make the Board of Nursing their first stop. By contacting the Board, they can get lists of all of Michigan’s currently approved nursing degree programs, organizations that offer financial aid to nursing students, and the criteria that they will have to meet in order to take their licensing examinations, like the NCLEX-RN.
Don’t Get Scammed by Fake Degree Programs
When it comes to programs that are approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing, students need to exercise due caution. Contacting the Board for their specific list of approved programs is crucial, because there is absolutely nothing stopping a school from misrepresenting their nursing programs as approved to unwitting students. Unfortunately, in cases like this, it’s “caveat emptor”- it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is signing up for an approved program before they enroll. If they do not graduate from an approved program, or end up graduating from one that they were only told was approved, they cannot take their licensure examination, and can not practice in the state of Michigan.
Unfortunately, “accredited” doesn’t always equal “approved.” It’s possible for an accredited school to offer a nursing education program that is not approved by the Board. Many people make the false assumption that accredited and approved are synonymous, and get burned when they aren’t able to become licensed afterward.
It’s important for more people to pursue nursing degrees in Michigan if Michigan is going to stay ahead of the nursing shortage. Expert predict that there’s going to be a shortage of around 580,000 nurses in the U.S. alone by 2018, which makes good nursing programs more important than ever. By enrolling in one of Michigan’s many nursing schools, students can get a quality background in nursing theory and clinical practice, and pass their NCLEX-RN.
