If there’s one thing we’ve learned since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s that we need more nurses. Nurses around the world say they are overworked and underpaid.
Even countries that produce the most and best nurses are struggling to fill vacancies and to keep the health care workers they have.
But which countries actually produce the best nurses? To determine that, Insider Monkey used Quacquarelli Symonds’ list of the world’s top nursing universities. “After all, a quality practical education is synonymous with quality practitioners,” it wrote. The staff pulled out the top 75 schools, tallying which ones were in which countries. Here are the top five:
No. 5: Canada
Our neighbor to the north has eight universities on the QS list of top 75 schools. A four-year degree is required to become a licensed practitioner, and nurses can make $90,000 Canadian, or $65,500 U.S., a year. The University of Toronto is ranked among the top 10 nursing schools in the world.
No. 4: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Hong King SAR has nine universities on the QS list of top 75 schools. The the Hospital Authority administers a four-year diploma program, which qualifies nurses to work when they complete it. The Chinese University of Hong Kong offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing. Practitioners can make as much as $119,000 Hong Kong, or $15,000 U.S.
No. 3: United Kingdom
Three of the world’s top 10 nursing universities are in the U.K., with 10 schools on the QS list of top 75. The King’s College in London is the second best nursing school in the world. Accelerated nursing courses can be completed in two years, and salaries for can start at £32,000, or nearly $39,000 U.S.
No. 2: Australia
Australia has 18 universities on the QS list of top 75 schools, with two among the world’s top 15 nursing schools. The country has two categories of nurses: enrolled, which required a one-year diploma; and registered, which is a three-year diploma. Graduates can earn up to $70,000 Australian a year, or $46,500 U.S.
No. 1: United States
With a whopping 20 schools on the QS top 75, the U.S. takes the top spot in Insider Monkey’s analysis. “The University of Pennsylvania is the top ranked nursing school in the world, with a perfect score for academic reputation,” Insider Money wrote. The U.S. also claims five of the top 10 nursing schools on the QS list. Postgraduate nurses can make a median $123,780 a year.
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