2021 - Best Nursing Schools in Hawaii

Kapiolani Community College is located in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Their motto is "Kulia I Ka Nu'u - Strive for the Highest." The nursing program at Kapiolani Community College ranks as one of the best in both the state and nation. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii prepares nurses to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, doctors’ offices, community healthcare settings, and so on. 

Kapiolani Community College has incorporated a career ladder model into their Associate in Science degree in Nursing program. This model aims to allow students to acquire skills to become a nurse aid while also training for their licensure to become practical nurses and registered nurses.

The students are considered capable enough to become a nurse aide after completing the first semester of the ADN program in an acute setting. Similarly, the students who are interested in obtaining certification as a nurse aide in a long-term care setting need to apply and be accepted into their Long-Term Care Nurse Aide course. 

To guide potential students and help them evaluate their eligibility, Kapiolani Community College holds Nursing information sessions regularly. The college also provides federal financial aid, UH System tuition waivers, and private nursing scholarships to their students.

Undergraduate Programs: Kapiolani Community’s Associated Science Degree in Nursing Program prepares nurses to participate in the planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care in various settings. Graduates of this degree are eligible to both work as RNs or get direct admission in the fourth year of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs at UH Manoa and UH Hilo.

University of Hawaii at Manoa is located in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Their nursing department offers many options for its nursing students.  They offer a general BSN degree.  They also offer a high school direct entry option, which allows an incoming freshmen entrance into the program. The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is the only doctoral/research university-intensive institution in Hawaii. Both the school and University are dedicated to improving the global healthcare scenario through education, research, and service. In addition to instructional, clinical, and research activities, the school also has a Translational Health Science Simulation Center that trains students, faculty, and practicing providers to improve healthcare quality and patient safety.

To ensure that no student gets left behind in academia, the school has a Veterans to Nurses Program, which helps US veterans get accelerated BS nursing degree through academic and support services. Similarly, the IKE AO PONO Program assists Native Hawaiian Pacific Island students in achieving academic success. Thus, if you are looking for a diverse and inclusive study environment, then the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene is the best choice you can make.

Undergraduate Programs: The Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene welcomes students from all backgrounds and has individualized programs for each group of students. There is a full-time High School Direct Entry program that directly admits high-school students so that they can complete their nursing degrees in four years. Similarly, the BS in nursing degree admits current UH Manoa transfer and veteran students. Finally, the Online Associate Degree in Nursing to Bachelor science is a part-time and full-time online class designed for ADN diploma graduates.

Graduate Programs: University of Hawaii at Manoa offers both masters and doctor of nursing practice degrees for individuals with or without a nursing bachelor’s degree and for RNs with an associate degree as well. The Master’s Degree in Advanced Population Health Nursing prepares nurses for an advanced role in population health. Similarly, the University has multiple Doctoral programs such as Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Post-Master’s in Organizational Leadership, all of which prepare nurses for specialized advanced nursing practice and organizational leadership.

The Division of Nursing and Allied Health offers two separate nursing programs: the Certificate of Achievement in Practical Nursing leading to licensed practical nursing and the Associate of Science in Nursing leading to registered nursing. Adult Residential Care Home Operator classes are also offered. Upon completing the prescribed ARCH coursework, students will be eligible for licensure by the State Department of Health as an Adult Residential Care Home Operator.

The Nursing and Allied Health Division of Hawaii Community College ranks among the best in both the state and the country. The college is the perfect educational center for students who want to be a part of a close-knit community. Hawaii Community College is no less than a Hawaiian village composed of a family of administrators, faculty, staff, students, their family, and the Hawaii Island Community. 

Hawaii Community College has made a commitment to become the center for the study of Hawaiian culture, where students prosper in a work-based learning environment as they apply classroom education to the community. There are program advisory councils for each program, and continuous efforts are made to learn how the students and the college can assist in the development of the community. 

There are also multiple financial aid options to help students achieve their maximum academic potential without the burden of financial constraints. 

Undergraduate Programs: Hawaii Community College offers two undergraduate programs, one of which is the Certificate of Achievement in Practical Nursing. The course prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for entry-level positions as LPNs. Graduates are also eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN.

Their Associate in Science Degree in Nursing prepares nurses to practice as RNs in all kinds of healthcare facilities such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community-based settings.

Located in Lihue, Hawaii, the nursing school of Kauai Community College ranks among the state’s finest. Kauai Community College strives to create an inclusive environment for all kinds of students, and thus the college doesn’t tolerate discrimination of any kind. If you are looking for a safe and close-knit environment to thrive in, then you should definitely turn to Kauai Community College. 

The nursing students here benefit through the Career Ladder Nursing program, which allows students to get a Certificate of Achievement and eligibility to take the NCLEX-PN after the completion of the first year of the ADN curriculum. Similarly, graduates of the program are eligible for direct admission to the fourth year of the BSN program at UH Manoa. 

In addition to the courses, the college also encourages students to keep learning through its non-credit courses of business and lifelong learning through the Office of Continuing Education. The college provides open access, affordable education in small classes that value students’ individuality and quality education. 

Undergraduate Programs: The three-year ADN course at Kauai Community College helps to prepare competent nurses who develop clinical insights through reflective practice, self-analysis, and self-care. Nursing graduates of Kauai Community College are well-versed in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and client-centered care.

The nursing department of Hawaii Pacific University College of Health and Society is dedicated to the education of competent healthcare professionals. The students are instructed in an honest, moral, responsible, and kind environment, and they practice these values in their careers as well. 

Instructors at HPU are top in their respective fields and excel in both face-to-face teaching and online environments. This affordable school is committed to providing the students with the best private education that enables them to become highly-qualified caregivers and changemakers. Students here learn in a flexible, multicultural environment, and they practice their skills in multiple healthcare centers, as well as the Experimental Learning Center. 

Undergraduate Programs: The BSN curriculum at HPU provides students with the opportunity to study concepts, theories, and skills through a challenging curriculum and competent, caring faculty.

Graduate Programs: The school also offers a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) course dedicated to preparing nurse leaders, quality caregivers, and policymakers. Students also have the option to attend the MSN classes online at their convenience. The MSN course allows students to choose between Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner.

HPU also has a DNP course which can be taken both online and face-to-face. This course prepares nurses to become the highest level of nurse administrators, policymakers, instructors, and researchers.

The Nursing Program at the University of Hawaii, Maui College, provides a collaborative learning experience that teaches the students the values of hope, harmony, compassion, responsibility, and goodness. The university itself is committed to providing affordable, convenient, and inclusive education to every student.

Nursing education at the University of Hawaii, Maui College incorporates knowledge, skills, and attitudes with quality learning and compassionate care in their education. The students learn nursing skills and theory from top-class instructors in small classroom sizes where each students’ individuality is valued. They also practice their clinical skills in a variety of healthcare institutions in the area where they learn clinical reasoning, judgment, patient evaluation, and communication. Various nurse leaders and care providers graduating from UHMC have gone on to work in a plethora of healthcare facilities all over the world.

Undergraduate Programs: UHMC has two undergraduate programs as a part of the Nursing Career Ladder program. The students are awarded a Certificate of Achievement (CA) when they graduate with their Practical Nurse degree. There is also an Associate in Science Degree (AS) for students who want to sit for their NCLEX-RN exam and become Registered Nurses.

IN addition to it, students who have successfully completed their PN and RN courses can study in the BSN program at UH Manoa or get admitted to the third level UHM Bachelor of Science courses offered at UHMC

Located at the heart of Hilo, Hawaii, the School of Nursing at the University of Hawaii at Hilo strives to prepare students to thrive, compete, innovate, and lead in their professional and personal lives. Students are actively engaged in applying their theoretical knowledge with practice and connecting with the distinctive natural and cultural environments of Hawaii.

Students at UH Hilo School of nursing are actively invested in research, community service, internships, and study abroad activities. They are instructed in a small-sized classroom which further helps to create long-lasting bonds between students and faculty members, which creates a close-knit community-like environment that helps students learn more and prosper. 

The School of Nursing allows students to engage in health-related projects in community projects such as health teaching in elementary schools and blood pressure and diabetic screening activities. The students get the opportunity to learn in rural clinical settings. The school also has a learning lab with low and high-fidelity manikins that create a simulated hospital environment where students learn to excel at their clinical skills.

Undergraduate Programs: The BSN program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo allows students to engage in hands-on learning and leadership environments. The program emphasizes life-long learning and also teaches students to deliver quality nursing care that is culturally sensitive in rural environments as well.

There is also an RN to BSN program designed for practicing RNs and is designed with flexibility that helps the students work around their schedule. 

Graduate Programs: UH, Hilo School of Nursing offers a DNP program designed to prepare the nurses for advanced nursing practice and leadership. The DNP program provides them with a terminal degree in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) course, which focuses on leadership and application of research and practice. There are two pathways for the DNP program at UH Hilo, namely, MSN to DNP and BSN to DNP.