The sterile scent of antiseptic lingers in the air as nurses move briskly through the halls of hospitals across the country, their hands steady, their minds sharp. They are the backbone of healthcare—the first to hold a patient’s hand, the last to double-check a chart before a critical dose of medication. For decades, the image of nursing has been one of bedside compassion, of skilled hands adjusting IV drips and measured voices offering reassurance. For nursing to truly advance in the 21st century, it must stretch beyond patient care. Today's nurses are finding that the future of their field is not just about care—it's about leadership, policy, and technology.

Nurses lead change in care, policy, and technology. At Clarkson College, we prepare you for all three.

Beyond the Bedside

Consider the perspective of Faye Glenn Abdellah (1999), a pioneering nurse and former Deputy Surgeon General of the United States, who emphasized proactive leadership in nursing:

“We cannot wait for the world to change...
Those of us with intelligence, purpose, and vision must take the lead and change the world.”

This sentiment reflects the evolving role of nurses, who are increasingly leading in research, hospital administration, and technology development. With the rapid rise of AI in healthcare, professionals who once focused solely on patient care must now navigate electronic health records, predictive analytics, and robotic assistance.

Clarkson College: Preparing Nurses for the Future

At the forefront of this transformation is Clarkson College, a pioneer in nursing education since its founding in 1888 as Nebraska’s first nursing school. Recognizing that modern nurses must be equipped with more than just clinical expertise, Clarkson College has designed programs that prepare students for leadership, policy, and technological innovation.

From Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs that immerse students in clinical practice from their first year to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees that focus on healthcare leadership, Clarkson College ensures that its graduates are not only skilled in patient care but also ready to drive systemic change. For those already in the workforce, the RN to BSN program provides flexible pathways to advance their careers, while Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees offer several specializations. Some of which include Healthcare Administration and Nursing Education tracks. With access to over 1,000 clinical sites across 45 states, Clarkson College students graduate with a breadth of experience that prepares them for diverse roles.  The results speak for themselves.  Clarkson College’s board licensure pass rates consistently exceed state and national averages, proving that its holistic approach to nursing education is as effective as it is forward-thinking.

AI Literacy: Harnessing Technology for Better Patient Care

As artificial intelligence reshapes healthcare delivery, nurses with AI literacy skills become invaluable assets. The Clarkson College AI Literacy concentration empowers nursing students to understand and effectively leverage AI technologies in clinical settings. The non-technical program focuses on practical applications rather than coding, making it accessible to all nursing students. Courses like "AI for Decision-Making" and "AI for Creativity and Design" teach nurses how to implement AI solutions that enhance patient monitoring, streamline documentation, and support clinical decision-making Perhaps most crucially, the "AI Ethics" course addresses the ethical frameworks surrounding healthcare AI, ensuring nurses can advocate for responsible technology use that protects patient privacy and promotes equitable care.

Project Management: Leading Healthcare Initiatives

The backbone of modern healthcare improvement lies in effective project management. The Clarkson College Project Management concentration equips nurses with the skills to lead complex healthcare initiatives, from quality improvement programs to department-wide transformations. In "Predictive Project Planning," nursing students learn to develop detailed project plans for clinical initiatives, while "Managing Risk and Uncertainty" teaches them to identify and mitigate potential issues before they impact patient care. "Agile Frameworks and Methodologies" introduces adaptive planning approaches particularly relevant to the rapidly changing healthcare environment. With median salaries for healthcare project managers ranging from $75,000 to $115,000, this concentration opens lucrative leadership pathways for ambitious nurses who want to drive systematic improvements in healthcare delivery.

Nutrition: Enhancing Clinical Expertise

Nutrition plays a critical role in patient outcomes across all healthcare settings. The Clarkson College Nutrition concentration deepens nurses' understanding of nutritional science, enabling them to provide more comprehensive care. Courses like "Medical Nutrition Therapy" teach nurses to apply therapeutic diets to patients' unique medical needs, while "Lifecycle Nutrition" explores nutritional requirements across the human lifespan. This knowledge proves particularly valuable for nurses specializing in chronic disease management, pediatrics, gerontology, or community health. As preventive care gains prominence in our healthcare system, nurses with advanced nutritional knowledge become essential in developing intervention programs that address diet-related diseases like diabetes and obesity—conditions that the CDC identifies as major public health challenges.

Cybersecurity: Protecting Patient Data

While perhaps less obvious than other concentrations, cybersecurity expertise has become increasingly relevant in nursing practice. With healthcare organizations experiencing more data breaches than any other industry, nurses with cybersecurity knowledge help protect sensitive patient information. The Clarkson College Cybersecurity concentration prepares nurses to understand threats to healthcare data and implement best practices for information security. Courses like "Network and System Security" and "Security Operations" are particularly relevant as nurses increasingly work with electronic health records and connected medical devices. For nurses pursuing informatics roles or leadership positions, this concentration provides crucial knowledge about protecting patient privacy and maintaining data integrity—both ethical and legal imperatives in modern healthcare.

The Push for Advanced Education

Despite their indispensable role, many nurses find themselves locked out of decision-making positions. Less than 5% of hospital board members are nurses, even though they make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce. The solution? Advanced education with interdisciplinary expertise. At Clarkson College, students learn more than how to care for patients. They learn how to lead with specialized knowledge that complements their clinical skills. With small class sizes and a faculty committed to mentorship, students gain the critical thinking and leadership abilities needed to advocate for policies, manage healthcare systems, and influence the direction of the profession.

More than Patient Care, Answering the Call

The future of nursing goes beyond answering a patient's call button. The field is about answering the call for systemic change. Nurses must be at the table where decisions are made, where healthcare budgets are set, where laws are written. The next generation of nursing leaders is emerging, and they are bringing with them interdisciplinary expertise and vision to transform the profession from within.

In the words of Florence Nightingale (n.d.), the founder of modern nursing: "Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives."

At Clarkson College, that learning means stepping beyond the bedside—into boardrooms, legislative chambers, and innovation labs—where nurses equipped with specialized knowledge in AI, project management, nutrition, and cybersecurity are shaping the future of healthcare.