As nurses receive their RN licensure, pursue bachelor’s or graduate-level degree programs, and begin their careers, they are encouraged to take advantage of the wealth of online resources at their disposal. This page identifies and organizes renowned nursing publications, exam tutorials, nursing organizations and societies, licensing and certification information, and career resources – all of which are available online.
Nursing Resources
Nursing School Resources
-
General College Resources
-
StudentAffairs.com
This comprehensive site features job listings, online courses, a resume tutorial center, and a student blog dedicated to securing post-graduate employment. -
National Association for College Admission Counseling
The ‘Students and Parents’ section of this site includes information for outgoing high school seniors and their parents about choosing the right school, obtaining financial aid, and managing expenses while attending college. -
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
This navigation tool enables students at any higher-learning institution in the U.S. to obtain specific information about their school’s health insurance policy (including deductibles and areas of coverage).
-
StudentAffairs.com
-
Nursing-Specific College Resources
-
National Student Nurses Association
With more than 60,000 members across the country, the NSNA is the nation’s largest organization for nursing students. The website features sections dedicated to financial aid, postgraduate employment, and ‘back-to-school’ issues. -
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
As the “the national voice for America’s baccalaureate-and higher-degree nursing education,” the AACN offers scholarships and fellowships, internship opportunities, and information about college majors/specializations at all postsecondary levels.
-
National Student Nurses Association
Financial Aid, Scholarships, Grants
Nursing students at all level can explore loans, scholarships, grants, and other sources of funding on our
financial aid section or find more information in our detailed guides.
Licensure & Certification
-
Nursing Licensure Bodies
-
Nurse Licensure Compact
This compact allows nurses to practice in participating states on one license. -
Licensure of Nurses: An Integral Part of Public Protection
Published by the NCSBN, this paper addresses the importance and process of becoming a licensed nurse. -
Nursys
This database provides licensure and discipline information on nurses registered with participating nursing boards. License reports are available to nurses changing states, employers hiring new nurses and the public.
-
Nurse Licensure Compact
-
Nursing Certifying Bodies
-
American Nurses Credentialing Center
The ANCC administers programs and certifications for nurses in over 40 practice-specific subfields. -
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
The PNCB oversees certification programs for pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs), certified pediatric emergency nurses (CPENs), and acute care certified pediatric nurse practitioners (CPNPs). -
National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
This body manages certification for nurses who deliver anesthesia to patients in any medical/clinical setting. -
American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB)
This body manages certification for certified nurse-midwives (CNM) and certified midwives (CM). -
Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC)
This body oversees certification for nurses who treat cancer patients.
-
American Nurses Credentialing Center
Exams and Continuing Education
-
Nursing Exam Resources
-
NCLEX Test Plans
This tutorial page from NCLEX features a webinar and templates of the three primary formats for the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams (basic, candidate, and educator). -
The NCLEX-RN Exam from Kaplan Nursing
This guide to the registered nurse exam features test-taking tips, a breakdown of the grading system, sample tests, and information about registration. -
American Nurses Credentialing Center
The ANCC provides specific information about applying for and earning 49 different certifications that fall into four categories: nurse practitioner certifications, clinical nurse specialist certifications, specialty certifications, and assessment-based certifications.
-
NCLEX Test Plans
-
Nursing Continuing Education Resources
-
Free Continuing Education Classes
This database from Nurse.com features an up-to-date list of online courses for nurses to enroll in. Individual courses include “Measuring Quality Outcomes,” “Population Health,” and “The Two Sides of Stroke.” -
NurseCEU.com
This directory of courses is geared toward “RNs, LVNs, LPNs, Nurse Practitioners, critical care nurses, and other individuals working to provide health care.” The site allows you to browse CE opportunities related to 44 specialized nursing areas.
-
Free Continuing Education Classes
Career
-
Nursing Job Market Resources
-
National League for Nursing
The NLN provides resources, advocacy, and support for nursing education in order to strengthen the workforce and improve public health. -
Nurse.com
The digital employment navigation tool on Nurses.com allows job-seekers to search for open positions across the country. They may customize the search by choosing from one or more of the 54 different specialties listed. -
HEALTHeCAREERS Network
This site (which requires free online registration) features a search tool that anyone in the medical profession can use to search for jobs; individual categories are available for ‘nursing,’ ‘nurse practitioner,’ and ‘physician assistant.’
-
National League for Nursing
-
Nursing Community and Organizations
-
American Nurses Association (ANA)
Founded in 1896, the ANA today serves 3.1 million members. The website’s content is categorized into the following groups: ‘career and credentialing,’ ‘practice,’ ‘ethics,’ ‘health and safety,’ ‘policy and advocacy,’ and ‘conferences,’ with an additional section detailing member benefits. -
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
This organization (which serves 189,000 members nationwide) is dedicated to nurse practitioners, professional nurses who have received advanced training beyond the requirements for RNs. -
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
Dedicated to the professional nurses who administer anesthesia to millions of people each year, the AANA (which turns 83 in 2014) boasts a membership of roughly 47,000 nurse anesthetists across the country. -
STTI – Honor Society of Nursing
Membership in the Honor Society of Nursing is extended to undergraduate and graduate nursing students who are dedicated to improving world health. -
American Association for the History of Nursing
The AAHN strives to improve the future of nursing through the study and preservation of the practices and techniques of the past.
-
American Nurses Association (ANA)
-
Patient Care and Healthcare Resources
-
10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies
This report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) details some of the most important patient care-related studies of the last few decades. -
EBSCO’s Nursing Products
EBSCO provides nurses with access to reference centers to look up ailments and treatments, databases of authoritative, medical journals and magazines, and continuing education resources. -
Lippincott’s NursingCenter.com
Providing nurses with access to more than 50 journals, and continuing education and clinical practices resources, Lippincott’s Nursing Center strives to “help you in your practice.”
-
10 Landmark Nursing Research Studies
-
Nursing Lifestyle Resources
-
Scrubs: The Nurse’s Guide to Good Living
This magazine not only discusses the nursing profession, but also offers fashion and beauty advice, weekend getaway recommendations, and tips for saving money on nursing school and continuing education opportunities. -
Minority Nurse Blog
Although this blog is geared toward nurses who belong to minority groups, much of the content about maintaining a work-life balance and reducing stress is applicable to anyone within the profession. -
Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses
This 22-page article from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality discusses some of the factors related to workplace environment that contribute to stress in all professions (but especially where nurses are concerned).
Aspiring nurses can learn more about the occupation realities across the field on our career section.
-
Scrubs: The Nurse’s Guide to Good Living
Journals
-
Free Nursing Journals
-
Journal of Nursing: Research and Reviews
Founded in 2011, this peer-reviewed, international journal focuses on diagnostics, patient education and counseling, ethics, and clinical/hospital administration. -
Open Journal of Nursing
Maintained by the Scientific Research open-access network, this tri-annually published journal features academic articles that tackle patient care, nursing education, clinical drug trials, and other relevant industry topics. -
BioMed Central (BMC) Nursing
With an archive that dates back to October 2002, BMC Nursing is an open-access publication featuring specialized research studies.
-
Journal of Nursing: Research and Reviews
-
Subscription-Based Nursing Journals
-
American Journal of Nursing
With a focus on evidence-based information and research, the AJN endeavors to share nursing perspectives on professional issues. -
Journal of Nursing Scholarship
As the official journal of the Honor Society of Nursing, the JNS publishes articles and research focused on improving global health. -
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Also published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Worldviews provides practicing nurses and students with a forum to discuss the best practices of evidence-based nursing worldwide.
-
American Journal of Nursing