A Nurse is a person skilled or trained in caring for sick or injured people. It can also refer to a woman employed for the care of a young child.
According to WHO, Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups, and communities, sick or well, and in all settings.
It includes the promotion of health, the prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled, and dying people. Nurses are in every community – large and small – providing expert care from birth to the end of life. Nurses can work in a wide variety of environments, including:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Doctors’ office
- Schools
- Correctional Facilities
- Homeless Shelters
- Rehabilitation Centers
- Senior Care Homes
Nurses may also hold different levels of certification, including:
- Registered nurse (RN): These nurses assist doctors and other medical professionals by providing hands-on care for patients. They also manage and maintain medical records.
- Nurse practitioner (NP): In this role, nurses often diagnose and treat minor conditions and injuries. They may also provide prescriptions to their patients.
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Certified nurse midwife (CNM): These nurses provide gynecological and obstetrics services for women. They may work in hospitals, birthing clinics or private residences.
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Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): In this role, nurses can treat both mental and physical conditions. They often work in clinics, hospitals, senior care homes, community health centers or independent practices.
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Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA): These nurses administer sedation treatments to patients to alleviate pain or prepare them for surgery.
Planning to study nursing and need some additional funding? Luckily there is a wide range of scholarships available to help aspiring nurses achieve their ambitions.
Check out these nursing scholarships on offer around the world, broken down by region.
Nursing Scholarships To Study
Nursing Scholarships to study in the US and Canada…
United States
- A Nurse I am Scholarship by Cherokee Uniforms – Awards up to 10 scholarships, each worth US$2,000, to nursing students.
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) – Offers Continuing Professional Development Scholarships to help members acquire knowledge and skills beyond traditional academic nursing education. A limited number of scholarships for specific academic courses will continue to be awarded.
- American Red Cross Jane Delano Nursing Scholarship – A scholarship available to nursing students who have contributed volunteer service to or are employees of an American Red Cross unit. A limited number of $3,000 scholarships are awarded each year.
- Cascade Healthcare Solutions Nurses Make a Difference Scholarship – An annual $1,000 scholarship awarded to an aspiring nurse who is currently enrolled in (or accepted for) an undergraduate nursing program. You need to be either a legal resident of the US or hold a valid student visa to apply.
- Delta State University – A variety of scholarships on offer to study at the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing.
- Foundation of the National Student Nurses Association (FNSNA) General Scholarship –Open to all US nursing students currently enrolled in a state-approved undergraduate or graduate nursing program. Awards range from $1,000 to $7,500 per academic year.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing – Various merit-based funding opportunities are available for MSN and DNP programs at the university, ranging from US$7,500 to full tuition. With the exception of the Fuld Fellowship in Patient Care Quality and Safety, no separate applications are required.
- Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing Scholarships Database – Search and find scholarships in the US by state, study level, and requirements with this handy tool, which lists over 340 nursing scholarships.
- National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) – Offers annual scholarships for students who are NBNA members or local chapter members, currently enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program, and have at least one full year of study remaining. Awards range from US$1,000 to $6,000.
- Northern Illinois University – Various scholarships are available to study nursing. Only admitted nursing majors are eligible.
- NURSE Corps Scholarship Program – Enables students accepted or enrolled in a diploma, associate, baccalaureate, or graduate nursing program, to receive funding for tuition, fees, and other educational costs in exchange for working at an eligible NURSE Corps site upon graduation. Applicants must be US citizens (born or naturalized), nationals, or lawful permanent residents.
- University of Washington School of Nursing – Various fellowships and awards are available to study nursing at the University of Washington at all study levels.
Canada
- Canadian Nurses Foundation – A range of awards to support Canadian students of nursing at various study levels, from baccalaureate to doctorate. Awards range from US$1,000 to $10,000.
- Montfort Hospital – Six Montfort Clinical Excellence Scholarships of CA$6,000 each are available to study nursing in French. You must have an outstanding academic record and be registered in a baccalaureate nursing program at an Ontario university.
- StudentAid BC Nurses’ Education Bursary – Bursary awards of between CA$500 and $2,000 are available for full-time nursing students in British Columbia who demonstrate the greatest financial need.
- University of Alberta – Various scholarships to study nursing at the university are available, including the Ambassador Award, granted based on academic excellence.
- University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) – A variety of nursing scholarships for current and entering students of UPEI’s nursing school, such as the Friends of UPEI Calgary Bill and Denise Andrew Scholarship in Nursing, which awards up to CA$5,000 for students entering their nursing course, with preference given to students from Calgary.
- University of Toronto Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing – Over 75 undergraduate awards and 100 graduate fellowships are available, awarded based on academic excellence and/or financial need.
Nursing Scholarships to Study
Nursing Scholarships to Study in the United Kingdom
- Florence Nightingale Foundation – A range of research, travel, and leadership scholarships are available from the foundation.
- Queen’s University Belfast Patricia Napier Scholarships – Two postgraduate scholarships covering tuition and registration fees are available to study for an MSc or postgraduate diploma at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.
- RCN Foundation scholarships – A range of educational and hardship grants for nursing students and professionals, including the Olufunke Adeyeye Education Grant which supports nurses and midwives from ethnic minority backgrounds to further their professional studies.
- NHS Nursing Bursary – To be eligible to apply for an NHS bursary you must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man for 3 years up to the start of the academic year. £1,000 grants available for nursing and midwifery students.
- The Royal College of Nursing – If you’re a qualified nurse working in Wales, or are studying to become a qualified nurse at an institution in Wales, you can apply for the June Clark Travel Scholarship, which awards up to £1,000.
- University of Surrey Ted Adams Trust Scholarships for Student Nurses – Awards £3,000 a year for a maximum of three years to mature students (aged 25 and above) studying an undergraduate or postgraduate nursing degree at the university.
Nursing scholarships to study in Asia
- International Medical University, Malaysia – Scholarships are available to fully or partially cover the tuition fees for the full duration of a nursing degree at the International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur. They are awarded to both international and domestic students based on academic excellence, extra curriculum participation, and leadership qualities.
- Asian Nursing Scholarship – Successful applicants will have the opportunity to pursue a Nursing Diploma and work in one of Singapore’s public healthcare institutions.
- University of Hong Kong School of Nursing – Various scholarships to study at the university, including the Academic Elite Scholarship in Nursing, which awards up to HK$231,500 to high-caliber students.
Study in Australia or New Zealand
Nursing scholarships to study in Australia or New Zealand
- New Zealand Nurses’ Organization (NZNO) – Various grants and scholarships to study nursing are available for NZNO members only.
- The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) – ACN runs a number of scholarships funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and the Department of Social Services. It is not required to be a member of ACN to apply for these scholarships.
- University of South Australia – The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers a range of scholarships.
- University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School – Various scholarships is available to study nursing at the university, ranging in value from AU$2,500 to $87,500.
The 5 Nursing Process
The common thread uniting different types of nurses who work in varied areas is the nursing process—the essential core of practice for the registered nurse to deliver holistic, patient-focused care.
Assessment
An RN uses a systematic, dynamic way to collect and analyze data about a client, the first step in delivering nursing care.
Assessment includes not only physiological data, but also psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, economic, and lifestyle factors as well.
For example, a nurse’s assessment of a hospitalized patient in pain includes not only the physical causes and manifestations of pain, but the patient’s response—an inability to get out of bed, refusal to eat, withdrawal from family members, anger directed at hospital staff, fear, or request for more pain mediation.
Diagnosis
The nursing diagnosis is the nurse’s clinical judgment about the client’s response to actual or potential health conditions or needs.
The diagnosis reflects not only that the patient is in pain, but that the pain has caused other problems such as anxiety, poor nutrition, and conflict within the family, or has the potential to cause complications—for example, respiratory infection is a potential hazard to an immobilized patient. The diagnosis is the basis for the nurse’s care plan.
Outcomes / Planning
Based on the assessment and diagnosis, the nurse sets measurable and achievable short- and long-range goals for this patient that might include moving from a bed to a chair at least three times per day; maintaining adequate nutrition by eating smaller, more frequent meals; resolving conflict through counseling or managing pain through adequate medication.
Assessment data, diagnosis, and goals are written in the patient’s care plan so that nurses as well as other health professionals caring for the patient have access to it.
Implementation
Nursing care is implemented according to the care plan, so continuity of care for the patient during hospitalization and in preparation for discharge needs to be assured. Care is documented in the patient’s record.
Evaluation
Both the patient’s status and the effectiveness of the nursing care must be continuously evaluated, and the care plan modified as needed.
Five Reasons Nursing is a Good Career
1. You Want Growth and Variety in the Job Market
2. You Want to Earn a Decent Salary
If you become an advanced practice nurse—a nurse with post-graduate education and training in nursing—you stand to earn an average salary of $90,000, plus sign-on bonuses due to profession shortages (which, as stated, are projected to grow).
3. You Want Lots of Job Options with Real Impact
4. You Want to Learn (and Keep Learning)
5. You Want to Make a Difference in a Niche
Top 4 Highest Paying Nursing Jobs
1. Certified registered nurse anesthetist
Average: $195,610/year Nurse anesthetists are in one of the most well-respected fields in nursing, and it requires years of education, training, and experience to become one.
These nurses provide anesthesia to patients, typically in a surgical, dental, or ER/OR scenario.
2. Dean of Nursing
Average: $188,778/year Love nursing? Love teaching? This could be the perfect fit for you. Nurses in this role are working in a university setting executing the planning and leadership to keep the school’s nursing program running smoothly.
They’re responsible for keeping up with advances and research in the medical field as well as implementing curricula to best prepare nursing students for the workplace.
3. General nurse practitioner
Average: $120,680/year A general nurse practitioner role offers nurses a variety of options. They can work in a variety of primary care settings like hospitals or clinics, or open an independent practice on their own.
This is a growing field that typically requires a Master of Science in Nursing, plus a Nurse Practitioner license.
4. Certified nurse midwife
Average: $116,253/year This is a unique nursing position, but if you have the experience, time, and care to give to expectant mothers, this can be a truly rewarding nursing career path.
Oftentimes the role a nurse midwife doesn’t end after the delivery, as many midwives continue a working relationship with the mother and newborn with follow-up care. Midwives can work independently or under the direction of a physician.
10 Qualities of a Good Nurse
1. Caring
While it may seem like a given, most people assume that all nurses enter the field because “caring” is one of their leading qualities—but this shouldn’t necessarily be an assumed nursing characteristic.
Many nurses who choose the nursing career path to prioritize job security, are interested in using it as a starting point for another career or have a lack of alternative ideas/options.
2. Communication Skills
Strong communication skills are critical characteristics of a nurse. A nurse’s role relies on the ability to effectively communicate with other nurses, physicians, disciplines across other units, patients, and their families.
Without the ability to interpret and convey communication correctly, medical errors are more likely to occur, patients often feel neglected or misinformed, and the entire unit will feel the impact.
By prioritizing and practicing communication skills, nurses will provide safer care and benefit their patients, their unit, and the entire hospital/health system—not to mention, their long-term careers.
3. Empathy
With nurses caring for perhaps thousands of patients throughout their careers, it can be all too easy to become desensitized or remember what it was like to be a “nonclinical” person.
A characteristic of a good nurse is one that shows empathy to each patient, making a true effort to put themselves in their patient’s shoes.
By practicing empathy, nurses are more likely to treat their patients as “people” and focus on a person-centered care approach, rather than strictly following routine guidelines.
When patients are fortunate enough to encounter these characteristics of a good nurse, it makes their care experience that much better.
4. Attention to Detail
Nurses are undoubtedly under immense pressure as they balance receiving orders from physicians with using their own knowledge skills and critical judgment to provide the highest quality patient care.
Add to this combination caring for multiple patients simultaneously, and the risk of human error can seem almost inevitable.
A good nurse knows the stakes are high and that unlike in most other industries, they’re responsible for people’s well-being and more importantly—their lives.
Having strong attention to detail is one of the nurse’s personality traits that can easily and quickly determine how successful they’ll be in their role.
5. Problem-Solving Skills
While clinical knowledge and training are taught throughout a nurse’s education, on-the-job training is the most effective way to help shape a nurse’s problem-solving skills.
And although years of experience can help hone this skill, some naturally possess better problem-solving skills as part of their qualities and traits of a nurse.
Problem-solving skills are essential to nursing, as nurses generally have the most one-on-one time with patients and are often responsible for much of the decision-making related to their care.
Even seemingly small decisions can have major impacts and cause adverse patient outcomes if incorrectly made.
6. Stamina
The physical demand on nurses is perhaps one of the most underestimated aspects of their careers. Within one shift, a nurse lifts an average of 1.8 tons (roughly the weight of a hippo) with the patient lifting and adjusting.
Additionally, studies have found that nurses walk an average of 4-5 miles per shift. In an average 12-hour shift, nurses exercise a unique balance of physical and emotional stamina that few other industries encounter. Effectively managing this skill is what makes a great nurse.
This extremely important skill impacts nurses, their coworkers, and of course, the patients. Having sufficient stamina is one of the most important qualities of a great nurse.
7. Sense of Humor
To derive satisfaction from such a mentally and physically exhausting career, nurses that can find time for a laugh are typically more successful in their roles.
Because nurses encounter varying degrees of high-stress situations, taking the opportunity to enjoy the downtime and incorporate a lighthearted attitude can provide a sense of stress relief beyond measure.
8. Commitment to Patient Advocacy
This concept is the foundational core tenet of healthcare from the Hippocratic Oath to nearly every hospital’s mission statement in one phrase or another: keep patients safe, and deliver the highest quality of care.
In other words, be an advocate for patients, with special attention to their overall safety.
9. Willingness to Learn
With technological improvements and breakthrough studies in science, the healthcare industry (and healthcare workers) must prove to be successfully adaptive to provide the highest quality patient care possible.
Nurses spend more bedside time with patients than any other role in healthcare and their willingness to learn and put new knowledge into practice is one of the leading traits of a good nurse.
10. Critical Thinking
While having a strong willingness to learn is an important skill in a good nurse, putting that knowledge into successful practice requires an ability to think critically—especially in high-stress situations.
A nurse with highly functioning critical thinking skills is one of the most important characteristics of a professional nurse. Nursing Scholarships In UK, US, Canada 2024. Hope you found this helpful.
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