What Are the Top Nursing Schools in the USA?
With more than 3,000 nursing education programs in the U.S., it can be tough to pick just the right one. Nursing schools vary a great deal in their theoretical approaches and their methods for integrating classroom learning with clinical experience.
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Types
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Most nurse leaders rank the four-year bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) as the best model for nursing education. Associate degree programs are the next best choice, and diploma schools are being phased out.
Accreditation
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While nursing school accreditation is voluntary, the best schools are accredited by The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
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Method
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U.S. News & World Report asked nurse educators to rank accredited nursing schools. This type of judging is known as peer assessment, and the underlying assumption is that the reviewers are knowledgeable.
Top-Ranked
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According to U.S. News & World Report, the best nursing schools are the University of Washington in Seattle, the University of California at San Francisco, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Considerations
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It's a good idea to make a site visit to a school before making your final decision. Get a sense of the faculty and facilities such as classrooms and learning labs.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of The U.S. Army
