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RN to MSN Programs in Kentucky

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Tempted by Northern Kentucky University? Wondering what else is available? Our guide to Kentucky RN to MSN programs has you covered! Use the school listings to determine if there's a pathway and concentration that suits your needs. And learn more about the structure of online RN to MSN programs in Kentucky.

Careerists may also want to glance at our section on jobs for Kentucky RN to MSN graduates. We've highlighted links to important healthcare reports, job & wage data, local job boards, hospital rankings, and KY nursing associations & organizations.

Online RN to MSN Programs in Kentucky

We don’t currently have any Kentucky schools in our database that offer online RN to MSN programs. If you know of any, please let us know (info at degree prospects.com). Thanks!

Kentucky’s Healthcare Landscape

Kentucky is in all kinds of trouble. Data from the United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings and the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) paint a tough picture for the state:

  • Kentucky tends to have high death rates from cancer, diabetes, drug overdoses, heart disease, and firearms. It can be #1 in the country for cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease.
  • Unsurprisingly, it also has a high prevalence of smoking, excessive drinking, and frequent mental distress. Kentucky is one of the leading producers of tobacco, which provides an extra challenge to public health.
  • Many other factors are extremely troublesome, including adult & childhood obesity, infant mortality, children in poverty, and physical inactivity.

You can see why Kentucky ranks so low for Healthy Lives in the Commonwealth Fund’s Scorecard on State Health System Performance. And although it agreed to Medicaid expansion, it also has troubles with Disparity and Avoidable Hospital Use & Cost.

Rural areas are being hit the hardest:

  • In the 2018 U.S. Rural Health Report Card, Kentucky received an overall grade of F, with more of the same for general health, mental health, physical health, and low birth weight. The only area where it’s doing well is the uninsured rate.
  • 40%+ of Kentucky residents live in rural counties—a place where the age-adjusted mortality rate can be 18% higher than urban counties.
  • If you look at the BCBS Health Index Map and County Health Rankings, you’ll see that counties with the lowest rankings in health outcomes & health factors are clustered around the eastern part of the state. Think Coal Country and Appalachia.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is monitoring issues with reports & data, and doing its best with health projects, but it’s a huge battle.

Kentucky Nursing Challenges & Opportunities

In other words, Kentucky APRNs will have their work cut out for them. Legislative action on a state and federal level, changes in hospital administration, rural health initiatives, the list goes on and on.

  • Access to care is a big one. Without solid primary care & maternal care and early intervention, there will be a new generation of rural patients in Kentucky with major health problems. Telehealth and travel nursing are two possibilities, but APRNs may also want to contribute to reorganizing rural hospitals & clinics to improve services.
  • Public health is another key issue. Tackling unhealthy behaviors requires large-scale coordination & fundraising—skills that nurse leaders & executives have in abundance.
  • FNPs can also start to make a difference on the ground, with patient education, community-led projects (e.g. weekend games for kids & adults, healthy eating markets, drug recovery centers, etc.), and grassroots advocacy.

Jobs for Kentucky RN to MSN Graduates

Career Outlook for RN to MSN Graduates

You can get a broad sense of the job territory for Kentucky APRNs by visiting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)’s pages on Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Instructors & Teachers, Postsecondary. The job & wage maps are particularly useful—hover over a state or region to see the data points being used.

Overall, Kentucky has a fairly high concentration of NPs for its size & population, but wages are often in the bottom bracket. The biggest hubs—as you would expect—are Louisville/Jefferson County (~24% of NPs) and Lexington-Fayette (~18% of NPs). This trend looks likely to continue as more folks flock to cities.

  • Lexington: Lexington has some of the Best Hospitals in Kentucky and a number of Magnet Facilities, including KU Albert B. Chandler Hospital and Baptist Health Lexington. KU Nursing is nestled in Lexington, Frontier Nursing University is in Versailles, and the Frankfort Regional Medical Center isn’t that far away.
  • Louisville: Louisville has a cluster of Schools of Nursing, which is one of the reason it employs ~36% of the state’s nursing instructors. Louisville is also home to Baptist Health Louisville and Norton Hospital (Baptist Health is a Magnet Facility).
  • Cincinnati/Edgewood: St. Elizabeth Healthcare is a big player in the Edgewood area, and Cincinnati hospitals & universities often have postings for APRNs.

Hoping to help in rural areas? The Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH) is a good place to start. In particular, NPs, CNMs, and Psychiatric Nurse Specialists should apply for the Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program (KSLRP). Applicants agree to work for 2 years in rural and underserved locations throughout the state. If you’re interested in building networking connections, check out the list of Conferences, Workshops, and Webinars.

Thinking of running your own practice? The Kentucky Board of Nursing’s section on APRN Practice has complete details on laws & limitations. As of 2019, Kentucky APRNs could prescribe drugs independently after four years of practicing under a collaborative agreement with a supervising physician. See the Board of Nursing for the latest updates.

Career Resources for Future APRNs

Kentucky Nursing Job Boards

Kentucky APRN Salary & Wage Data

Kentucky Nursing Organizations

State Board of Nursing

Kentucky Nursing Associations & Coalitions

Kentucky Nursing Specialty Organizations