There are many factors to consider when researching the career outlook for a specific profession. For nursing, these factors include education, licensure requirements, demand for nurses, and the typical work settings or specialty areas that are common for the location where you are interested in employment. If you are considering a change to nursing from another career, this blog is for you. We will explore several areas relevant to the nursing career outlook and discuss the steps for how to become a registered nurse (RN) in Kansas.
Transitioning to nursing from another type of work can come with questions. You may wonder what your typical day might be like if you become a nurse, how much flexibility you will have with scheduling, and whether there are other options besides a hospital for employment. The answers to these questions depend on the specific type of nursing career you choose, but there are many clinical and non-clinical positions available for nurses. A bachelor’s degree in another field is a foundation you can use to begin your transition to nursing.
Complete The Form to Access My ABSN Program Guide
Required Steps for RN Licensure in Kansas
To become a registered nurse, you must meet the educational requirements for RN licensure set forth by the state board of nursing where you will work. The Kansas Board of Nursing begins the RN application process by verifying your educational transcripts from an approved nursing program. To qualify for a nursing license, you will first need to graduate from an accredited nursing program.
If you are not excited by the thought of traditional classroom education, know that there are online and accelerated program options that can be pursued with flexibility around your outside commitments. The decision of whether you should become a second career nurse depends on whether you are interested in completing an educational program. There are excellent Kansas online nursing programs available to help you achieve this educational goal if you choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
The next step in the RN licensure process is the completion of fingerprints and a criminal background check that you will submit to the board of nursing along with your educational transcriptions. This process has an associated fee and is mandatory for all nursing licensure applicants.
Along with your licensure application, you must show proof that you have registered for the NCLEX examination. Successful completion of the national licensing exam is required for initial RN licensure in Kansas. If you are unsuccessful on the exam, you must resubmit an application for nursing licensure to the Kansas Board of Nursing (along with the application fee) and you must re-register for the NCLEX examination.
Note that Kansas is part of the nurse licensure compact. This opens up possibilities for Kansas residents to obtain a multistate RN license and work in other states that are part of the compact. Next, let’s explore how much you can expect to earn as a nurse in Kansas, along with the current and projected demand for RNs.
RN Salary and Demand in Kansas
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Services, registered nurses in Kansas made an annual mean wage of approximately $66,560 in 2021. If you are exploring nursing positions in Kansas and consider salary one of the most important factors for employment, outpatient care centers and general medical and surgical hospitals generally have the highest average salaries for registered nurses.
When looking at the number of nurses employed within a defined geographical area, the concentration of nurses in Kansas is about the same as the national average. In Kansas, there were approximately 28,980 RNs employed in May 2021.
The occupational outlook for RNs is positive, with anticipated job growth of approximately 6% between 2021 and 2031. With many different work settings and specialty areas to choose from, nursing in Kansas is an in-demand career choice.
Work Settings and Specialties for Kansas Nurses
According to the U.S. News and World Report, Kansas was ranked #31 of all the United States for access to healthcare and #48 for healthcare quality. There is a need for qualified nurses to serve with purpose in Kansas to continue improving health care access and quality of care.
Kansas is a mix of rural and urban areas, allowing nurses to work in various settings and specialty areas. These might include:
- Pediatric specialty clinics
- Home health agencies
- Mental health nursing
- Hospitals and surgical centers
- Academic settings
- Primary care outpatient clinics
- Assisted living communities
As you think about the potential for nursing as your second career, you may still need to decide whether nursing is right for you. But if you are an aspiring nurse ready to explore online nursing programs in Kansas, you can consider Holy Family University’s online accelerated nursing program as one pathway forward to your future in nursing.
Become a Registered Nurse With Holy Family University
A bachelor’s degree in another field is required for eligibility to enroll in Holy Family University’s online Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. You can become a skilled nurse in less time than a traditional program using your current educational background as the starting place.
The didactic coursework in Holy Family University’s Second Degree Distance Hybrid BSN program is 100% online. There is an immersive on-campus experience lasting one week that provides hands-on experience with various clinical skills in preparation for your RN clinical experiences. This experience uses high-tech simulation to give you practical experience in authentic patient care.
When the time comes for you to complete your nursing clinical experiences, Holy Family University has a dedicated clinical placement team available to help ensure you work with qualified preceptors and clinical sites in your community.