Nursing Degrees in Virginia

Regardless of whether you live in the mountains of Virginia or near the shores of Virginia Beach, you can find many educational opportunities. Nursing degrees in Virginia are plentiful with many accredited schools to choose from to get your degree in order to take your certification exam and become a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.

The many schools in Virginia provide ample opportunity for you to get any one of the various nursing degrees such as:

  • Diploma in Nursing
  • Practical Nursing Degree
  • Associate’s Degree
  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • Master’s Degree
  • Doctoral Degree

Each of these different degrees affords you the opportunity to work in one of the many hospitals and medical facilities throughout the state.

 To Wait or Not to Wait

The shortage in nurses has brought many new students to the fields that are anxious to get into nursing school and get their new career started. Most of these people want to go into the Associate Degree program due to it being a shorter class and yet as the same time being simple to bridge to the Bachelor’s Degree. However, the influx of students into the Associate’s Degree program has created a waiting list.

The alternative to entering the nursing field through the Associate’s program is to either enter a practical nursing degree program or a Bachelor’s Degree program. You can also seek your nursing education online or through accelerated programs that will get you out of school faster. These may not be the route you had intended to go to get your degree; however, they are faster than waiting for a spot to open up in what are often long waiting lists.

Tuition Assistance

If you need tuition assistance to get one of the nursing degrees in Virginia you are in luck. The state has created what they call the Virginia State Loan Repayment Program in order to help fill the nursing shortage, particularly in areas that are rural or poor and in need of medical personnel.

This program will pay nurses who work at least two years in these locations up to $25k to cover your tuition. This money is give after the two years of service so you may have to find alternate ways to pay for the nursing degree initially. Some options that you may consider include:

  • Scholarships from nursing associations in Virginia and other areas;
  • School scholarships;
  • Student loans that you can repay quickly with your tuition reimbursement;
  • Employer assistance;
  • Grants and other state funding

You can find many different ways to pay for your tuition to one of the many nursing schools in Virginia if you take the time to research the many options available and keep in mind that you can get a large portion of your money back with the loan repayment program.

Virginia Nursing Jobs

Many students who attend nursing school in Virginia choose to stay in the state to pursue their career. There are many different regions to choose from, such as large cities like Richmond or small rural cities that are in need of nurses. The large metropolitan areas like Richmond have larger hospitals with trauma centers. Some of these larger hospitals are also teaching hospitals that help draw nursing students to the state.

The need for nurses goes well beyond the large metropolitan areas. In fact, the repayment program offered by the state is designed around the smaller, more rural areas that are experiencing extremely low nursing numbers. Many of these have excellent facilities but are in need of staff to work in them.

Researching Schools

If the information here has sparked an interest in the various nursing degrees in Virginia then you should continue your research by visiting the Nursing Schools in Virginia section of this website. Here you can find everything you need to know about nursing in Virginia from schools that are available and the details about the nursing programs they offer.

Schools that offer nursing degrees in Virginia are plentiful and come with excellent financial incentives such as tuition repayment all while living in a beautiful, historic state. If you choose to stay and work, there are many different hospitals and medical facilities that can put your nursing skills to good use.