Conventional universities, such as the University of California San Francisco, offer specialty training for nurses, as do accredited, online-focused schools, like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University. Health-care centers also may provide specialty training programs, like those provided for registered nurses (RNs) by the California Pacific Medical Center. Other universities, such as Johns Hopkins, offer extensive continuing education programs, symposia and case study presentations, which help advance a nurse's specialty training.
Specialty training certificate programs provide staff nurses excellent opportunities to develop their practical skills. As health care becomes more specialized, it makes sense that nursing training does as well. Nurses today can choose from varied clinical specialty programs, such as operating room care, forensic nursing, emergency care, labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care, acute rehabilitation and critical care.
Nurses may also elect to specialty train as nurse practitioners. Prerequisites for nurse practitioner programs typically include a current RN license, a bachelor's degree and at least one year of nursing practice. Columbia University School of Nursing offers seven master's programs for aspiring nurse practitioners in the following specialties: acute care, adult care, family care, neonatal care, pediatrics, psychiatric care and women's health.
Nurses who seek careers in health care administration can choose from several specialty training programs, such as master's degrees in business administration, health care administration, informatics or public health. This advanced training prepares nurses to work as directors of nursing, chief nursing officers, nursing IT specialists and as nursing liaisons between government agencies and community health organizations.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center oversees certification exams for more than 40 specialty and advanced nursing practice programs annually. Prerequisite qualifications for taking the specialty training exams vary, so it is important that you confirm these details match your particular study program. Some specialty training programs only require a current RN license, whereas others may require a bachelor's or master's of science degree in nursing, along with a set number of practice hours.