Loan forgiveness programs for nurses

[AshleyPCA]

Hello nurses!

I hopefully will be passing my NCLEX within the next couple weeks and will be looking for nursing positions right away and considering grad school. Nursing is my second degree, so I have a rather large (being modest) loan repayment schedule coming. Let's just say it's much larger than average and I am very worried. I have been researching loan forgiveness programs and I understand that there are some for nurse educators and some for nurses agreeing to work in rural or underprivileged areas. I just don't want to jump into a position right away that will not offer me any incentives to work toward loan forgiveness (say it's not in a rural area or something like that).

I am just wondering if anyone has any information about specific ones provided by the federal government or the state of Minnesota or in the Midwest anywhere? Any new/different ones out there that I may have overlooked or not heard of yet? I am willing to relocate and to commit to a certain number of years at a specific location, of course. I am interested in nursing education, however I am hearing nurse educators just don't get paid much. So it is even worth it if I still have large student loan payments meanwhile working toward the forgiveness?

Any information, advice, or links would be wonderful!

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Here are a few to get you started...Google is your friend!

MNACHC , Benefits.gov - Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program , Loan Forgiveness Programs

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Nursing education is NOT a career selection that should be a Plan B for your MSN. There are soooo many reasons. Probably the most important one IMO, is that we should never subject newbies to an instructor who is not positive and passionate about nursing. They have enough to deal with... let's don't make it even worse with apathetic &/or mediocre faculty. Academic nurse educator salaries are pathetic; not enough to make up for the lack of career advancement and stressful environment (everyone wants to sue you, all your decisions are second-guessed, very little support from leadership, etc). There is also an increasing number of adjunct faculty used as a low cost substitute for full-timers. This is the worst!!! Most of the time, it is a per-course payment that averages out to less than minimum wage.

Workplace educators can make a very decent salary, but you'll have to pay your dues first; attain high levels of clinical expertise, teaching experience & graduate education... this can take quite a while.

I know quite a few new grads who are creating their own 'loan repayment program' by working an additional PRN job... and reserving that income only for paying off their loan. I know one nurse who has managed to pay off his undergrad loans in

[elkpark]

Even if you want to teach nursing, you would need several years of solid clinical experience to be considered qualified/competitive for teaching/educator positions. Best wishes!