Nursing Degree Info

Nursing School Information

Why Accelerated Nursing Programs Can Be A Fast Track To Success

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An accelerated nursing program is for students who currently hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. This program shortens the time needed to earn a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) in only 11 – 18 months. Students may not be allowed to work another job because of the rigorous schedule.

accelerated nursing programsThe students who take an ACP are motivated, ambitious and are working for academic excellence. There are usually two reasons why someone would want to take this fast-paced program: Current job dissatisfaction or the complete opposite reason of absolutely loving nursing.

Types of Accelerated Nursing Programs

You have to be careful when you are researching your list of accelerated nursing programs for the type of bachelor degree they are looking for. Some prefer students to have a bachelors in science and some programs will accept a bachelor’s degree in any field.

On Campus or Online

If you are extremely focused and disciplined person, you may find that an online program would work for you. If you would rather learn in an environment with other students, look into an on-campus program.

700 to 800 hours are the required clinical time for an accelerated nursing program. However, the clinical phase starts sooner in an accelerated program.

Accelerated BSN Classes

Once the prerequisites are out of the way, you can get started with your nursing classes. Some of the courses include:

  • Nursing Profession Introduction
  • Maternity and Newborn Nursing
  • Mental Health Nursing
  • Pharmacology
  • Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
  • Pathophysiology
  • Nursing Research

Your clinicals will be at a hospital or some other kind of health care facility where you will gain the skills needed with real on-the-job training. You will also work with a nurse for one on one training.

What Do Accelerated Nursing Programs Look For

  • A grade of B or higher
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA.
  • Pre-screening Questionnaire

What If You Have A Low GPA

You may have to go back to school and retake courses that you did not do well In the first time around. Or you may want to take courses that you know that you’re going to get a good grade and such is volleyball or nutrition to get your GPA back up to 3.0.

If your GPA was low because of a particular hardship or reason, you may be able to write a letter to the school explaining the situation and what you have done to overcome and become better students.

If the last two years of your schooling you excelled at academic work, some schools may not look past the last 60 units. This could help wipe out the bad undergraduate grade point average.

Salary and Job Growth Projections

Demands for all types of nurses is expected to continue to rise. Your future salary will vary greatly depending upon your chosen field, your advanced degrees and certifications and your state.

If you want to fast-track your way to a better career in nursing, start researching the programs available, the tuition, and the prerequisites than can boost your salary and allow you to work in the field that you are most suited for.

What Qualities Should You Look For When Choosing A Nursing School?

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What factors should you consider in the top nursing schools? The first thing you have to figure out is if you actually want to go to one of the nation’s top nursing schools or if you want to go to a nursing school that’s a top choice for you. In either case, graduating from a great nursing school can polish your resume, boost your credentials, and open doors to better jobs and higher salaries.

If you’re just looking for the best nursing schools across the country, then you’re more than likely heading to the East Coast. As of 2019, the best nursing master’s program was offered by Johns Hopkins University, a private school in Baltimore Maryland. Duke University of Durham, North Carolina followed closely on the list, as did Emory University of Atlanta, Georgia and the Philadelphia campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The West Coast finally shows up at number five thanks to the University of Washington in Seattle.

If you’re just looking for a nursing school that would be a top choice for you, then you should know that most major cities have a nursing school. Location is certainly going to be a consideration as you decide or figure out how far from home you’re willing to be. Weight the pros and cons of urban schools versus more rural ones. A big school can offer things like mentoring, external training, and even time in hospitals or venues that you might not otherwise have access to. A smaller school, on the other hand, can provide far more personalized approaches, possibly even with smaller class sizes and more instructor attention.

Accreditation matters, and any schools you look at need to be accredited by one of the two national general nursing organizations. One is The National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission. The other is The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Also look into the clinical rotation program of the school, because you’d like to get as much hands-on experience as you’re able to while you are going through your training.

Examination success is an understated factor in looking at nursing schools. How many over their students wind up passing the NCLEX exam will tell you how well-prepared their students are.

Tuition is the final factor to take into consideration. The tuition levels at nursing schools vary a lot, so you need to look for how much education you can get for a minimal monetary investment.

Having said that, don’t let high tuition levels scare you off from a school that you want to go to though. The traditional student aid routes are typically open to most nursing schools. Also, the growing nursing shortage of recent decades has created a lot of opportunities and chances in terms of educational funding that you can stand to benefit from. Inquire about work-study programs and financial aid, and make sure you check with any local hospitals or organizations to discover what scholarships are out there that you can possibly apply for. The help is out there.

What Are The Top Available Nursing Careers For RNs?

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Registered nurses are healthcare professionals who have been in demand for decades. They are also some of the most highly respected professionals in the United States, and there are many top available nursing careers for RNs. Some of the benefits of being an RN include:

High average salaries
Job stability
Great benefits

The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) has listed the average annual salary for a RN is $64,000. This works out to around $30.00 an hour. Both the annual and hourly salary averages are considered to be above the national average. An RN is a job position that is thought of so highly that it was awarded the title of ‘Best Job In the Country’ by U.S. News in 2012.

Registered nurses have job duties that place them on the front lines in the medical field. Not only do they provide patient care, but they are also helping to educate families and patients about certain situations, health care and more. In some cases, they also provide emotional support to family members and patients that a lot of other medical professionals do not provide.

The most commonly performed tasks by Registered nurses are:

Operate medical equipment
Recording symptoms
Administering treatments
Administering medications
Supervise lower level nursing professionals
Assist in exams
Observe patients

So, with that said, what are the best available nursing careers for Registered nurses?

Oncology Registered Nurse

An oncology registered nurse specializes in providing care to patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. These nurses may work in a hospital or they may work in a doctor’s office. The job duties include:

Administering chemotherapy
Monitoring patients
Administer other treatments

Oncology registered nurses often find themselves in positions where they have to provide some level of emotional, mental and moral support to their patients.

Dialysis Registered Nurses

With an average salary of $100,000 a year, this is one of the highest paid nursing careers in the medical field. This type of nurse specializes in providing dialysis to their patients that have kidney problems. These nurses may work in medical facilities, hospitals, and dialysis centers.

In some cases, these nurses may also work on cruise ships and resorts that have dialysis areas set up for their guests.

There is a lot of job stability in this specialized field. In fact, the job growth percentage is projected to increase by over 25%.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse

These are nurses that work in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). They provide care around the clock to newborns who are premature or sick. This job is not only rewarding financially, it is also a very rewarding job to care for those who cannot defend themselves.

These nurses are in high demand, and they also take part in medical care that is highly specialized.

Travel Registered Nurses

If you are looking for a nursing job that allows you to do what you love in different places around the world, travel nursing is the job for you.

Even though it does not pay as much as other types of nursing, being able to travel is one of the major perks. Registered nurses can work on cruise lines, or can work through a nursing agency.

These are some of the top available nursing careers available for qualified nurses. The profession is always evolving, and the best nurses continue to advance their education so they can work in different specialties.

The 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Picking A Nursing School

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When you are considering enrolling in nursing school, it can be a very stressful time as well as a very exciting time. This is one of the most important decisions that a student or adult will make when they are ready to make a career transition. With the cost of tuition, living situations and nursing degree options on the mind of nursing school applicants, the last thing they may want to think about is picking the top nursing schools to apply to.

If you are about to start applying for nursing school, you do not have to worry about finding the college or university that is best for you. By avoiding these three mistakes, you will set yourself up for success. However, before you apply, it is important that you do some homework. There are several mistakes that you will need to avoid when you are trying to find the perfect school to start your educational journey.

Not Knowing What You Are Looking For In A School

Before you start looking for colleges, you will need to take some time to really think the type of nursing school you are looking for. What schools are you interested in that offer the curriculum that you want to study?

For example, think about factors such as:

College size
College location
Living arrangements
Social activities

Examine the accessibility of the professors in the nursing program, the quality of research materials available, class sizes, computer labs and other factors that are essential to your specialty.

You will then need to visit the campuses that pique your interest so you can get a better feel for each school’s campus environment.

Failing To Visit Enough Nursing Schools

You will never get an accurate idea of what the campus looks like simply by watching online videos and reading brochures. You should visit each nursing school you are thinking about applying to and try to visit while classes are in session. This will give you a sense of what it would be like to attend school every day.

While you are visiting, speak to with students who are already enrolled in the program. Be sure to ask about the instructors, the course load and whether or not they like the program.

Schedule an appointment to meet with an admissions representative, financial aid representative, and other administrations to ask any questions you may have pertaining to your educational requirements.

Ignoring The True Costs Of Attending Nursing School

Although every nursing school has its own tuition and expenses costs for room, board, books, and supplies, it is important to know how much you will be paying every semester. Information regarding financial aid benefits may be vague and confusing.

Smiling medical people with stethoscopes. Doctors and nurses

While one school may provide total financial assistance, another may offer disbursements from student loans and others may offer grants and scholarships. It is important to understand the difference because grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid while loan disbursements have to be repaid.

When you are ready to embark on a nursing school journey, do not let others make the decision for you. Picking the top nursing schools to attend requires plenty of consideration so you will be able to avoid these mistakes. So, take the time to make a sound choice.