Cincinnati may come to mind when you think about Ohio, but metropolitan influences exist throughout this state in places such as Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and in accompanying suburbs. But, a visit to this state reveals beautiful countryside as well, filled with Amish and Mennonite communities. A nurse who seeks either urban or rural educational or career experiences can find it all in Ohio, along with high-tech facilities to bolster this seventh most populated state’s health care offerings.

Becoming a Nurse in Ohio

The nurse who seeks a doctoral degree in nursing can find suitable programs at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing in Cleveland. A sampling of programs offered at this school includes acute care, adult care, anatomy, community health, family care, geriatrics, nutrition and more. This school also can provide the nurse student with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Other schools that offer the BSN and MSN include the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Cleveland State University in Cincinnati and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. A sampling of smaller schools that offer an associate’s degree in nursing includes Bethesda School of Nursing in Cincinnati, Clark State Community College in Springfield and Hocking College in Nelsonville. Most of these schools offer programs that can help the student nurse study for LPN/LVN and RN licensing.

Nursing Jobs in Ohio

Some of the largest health care employers in Ohio include University Hospitals Health System, which serves patients at more than 150 locations throughout northern Ohio; Summa Health Systems, with more than 1,200 licensed inpatient beds on the Akron City, St. Thomas and Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital campuses; and, OhioHealth, a family of not-for-profit faith-based hospitals and healthcare organizations that serve patients in central Ohio. Nursing salaries range according to the nurse’s experience and degree earned and the job description and location. An LPN in Cleveland, Ohio, for instance, can earn $40,000 per year, and that same LPN in Akron can earn about $34,000 per year. Statewide, an RN can earn about $70,000 per year.