Nursing Degree Info

Nursing School Information

The Many Types Of Nursing Jobs

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types of nursing jobs

Finally. The years of nursing school are almost over. You are nearing graduation and now it’s time to start your career. Your school may offer job placement or you may want to check out your choices to see what types of nursing jobs are available in your area.

Fortunately, nurses are in high demand so finding a job should be fairly easy. Local hospitals continue to expand and grow to accommodate the ever growing population. New medical facilities are being built.

Your education level and experience determine different nursing jobs you are eligible for. We will go over some of the nursing jobs available and the education level needed.

Types of Nursing Jobs

These are the different types of nurses that you will find most commonly. They aren’t mutually exclusive so you could be an RN while also being an APN.

RN (Registered Nurse)

A registered nurse has either a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree in nursing. They work in hospitals, doctor’s office and help to treat patients.

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)

This is usually the first stage of nursing. An associate’s degree is necessary and an LPN needs licensed. An RN will supervise them. They can give shots, check vital signs and administer medicine.

NP (Nurse Practitioner)

Most nurse practitioners work under the guidance of a physician. You will find more and more who are taking on the role of physician. They can prescribe medication, diagnose diseases and start treatment plans. This might be a good position for someone who may want to be more independent without having all the education that a physician needs.

Travel Nurse

If you love to travel, this would be the perfect type of job for you. Most jobs are temporary and can be anywhere in the world. You would need the same education as an RN and would perform the same tasks.

Home Health Nurse

A home health nurse will care for patients in their home. Patients could include people with mobility or developmental issues, or seniors. If you love working with people but don’t like to work in a hospital setting, this could be perfect for you.

NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse)

You will need special certification and the same degrees as an RN. An NICU nurse cares for newborns that are premature or critically ill.

School Nurse

If you enjoy working with children, you will work in a school and help children who become sick or injured during school hours. You will also promote good health strategies and techniques for student and staff alike.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

A psychiatric nurse specializes in assisting patients and helping them to master their mental illnesses. You will also handle crisis intervention and therapies while working closely with a treatment team to help patients live a more productive life.

Labor/Delivery Nurse

You will welcome newborns in the world and care for mothers during the childbirth. You can administer medications and monitor contractions and labor progress. You may continue caring for the mother and baby after birth as well.

Staff Nurse

A staff nurse can work in many different settings. Some of the places to work include rehabs, outpatient facilities, critical care and psychiatric facilities. They supervise RNs, LPNs and other medical staff workers.

When searching for your employment, there are low stress nursing jobs and there are ones that have you running from the beginning of the shift until the end. Find a job that suits your personality and find what you love.

You’ve worked hard to get your degree, now it’s time to research for the best nursing jobs available.

Why A Nursing Degree Online Might Be A Better Option

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You are well aware of the traditional way to get an education. You sit in a classroom, take notes and then get some lab time.

nursing degree onlineWhen searching for online nursing degrees, be aware that all of your classes cannot be online. You will have to work at a facility so that you can get your clinicals.

Online for More Options

There are certificates that you can get online and you can start your career in nursing as a certified nursing assistant.

There are some programs that enable you to complete your associate degree in nursing by taking some classes online and then working in a local facility to get your hands on experience.

If you are already an RN and you want to further your education, you could the classes online that you would take on any on-campus program And of course, do your clinicals at the local hospital or other health facility.

Because so many are now enrolled in online programs, prospective employers consider an online degree the same as an on-campus degree.

You have to be aware that you’re not going to be able to take all your classes online for any type of nurse that is above a certified nursing assistant. At this point in time there is no other way to get the experience you need except with some on-the-job training.

On Your Time

It may be tough to find time to go to college while you are working a full-time job. For nurses that wish to continue their education in nursing, they can still work and take one or two classes a semester.

When you enroll in an on-campus college program, you may have to take a full schedule which can be impossible when you are working 40 hours a week or more.

Many online nursing schools offer accelerated programs which allows a person to finish in only 6 to 8 weeks.

The Most Common Nursing Degrees Offered Online

Most schools Offer only a handful of programs for online degrees. The most common online degrees are for Registered Nurses who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing.

Cost of Online Degrees

Although this could vary by school and program, the approximate price is between $110 and $170 for each credit. If you enroll in an online program that is out of state you do not have to pay any out-of-state tuition.

Prerequisites

The entrance requirements are different for each school or degree program. The basic requirements are:

  • Two years of a foreign language in high school
  • Four years of English in high school
  • Three years of science in high school including chemistry and biology
  • Three years of math in high school including algebra 2 and geometry
  • Minimum GPA between 2.0 and 3.25
  • For the SAT or ACT exam, the minimum scores will vary per school

For the RN to BSN, RN to MSN and the MSM program, the requirements are:

  • Graduated from an NLN accredited nursing school
  • A 2.5 to 3.0 GPA in any prerequisite courses
  • An RN license

Credit for Work Experience

Some online programs offer work experience credits. You’ll need a portfolio that has been officially documented that lists all of your experiences that are relevant to any of the classes offered.

You may have to complete the College Level Examination or the Proficiency Examination Program.

If you are currently working on another job, whether it’s a nursing job or not, starting out with an online program can be a good option.

When you decide what you need, start looking online to find a nursing degree program that fits your needs.

Neonatal Nursing For A Rewarding Career

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For many people, becoming a nurse has been a lifelong dream. A young person is not thinking of the paycheck involved. Instead, they are thinking that they want to help people and make a difference.

neonatal nurseBut once nursing becomes a reality and they start their education, they then have to figure out what type of nursing they are going to specialize in.

Every type of nurse plays a critical role in healthcare. If you are someone that enjoys working with babies, you might want to consider labor and delivery, or neonatal nursing. A neonatal nursing education requires a bit more time but will allow you to work with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

A Day in the Life of a Neonatal Nurse

A neonatal nurse cares for premature infants directly after birth. Neonatal nurses must monitor conditions 24/7 in an intensive care unit.

Working with these newborns and their families may be less physically demanding than other positions even though they work long shifts and often overnight. This is not a 9-to-5 job and just like most other nurses, you can expect to work overnights, weekends and holidays.

No two shifts are like although the basic duties include administering feedings, monitoring vitals, and making sure the newborns are comfortable.

Neonatal Working Conditions

A neonatal nurse must love working with newborns and parents. This is a very high-pressure, fast-paced job and as a nurse you must constantly be alert for the entire shift.

The health conditions of the infants in the intensive care unit can change in a moments notice, so a nurse working in this position must be mentally agile and able to make snap judgment calls.

Although a highly stressful job, a neonatal nurse will tell you the rewards greatly outweigh the stress or other problems that they may face.

Neonatal Nursing Requirements

An NNP will need to be licensed as a registered nurse first. After becoming licensed as an RN, http://nursingdegreeinfo.com/how-long-is-nursing-school/ you’ll work with children or infants to gain experience. This may include working in a pediatric unit or a nursery in the hospital.

A Master of Science Nursing Degree with study in neonatology or an Advanced Practice Neonatal Nursing program is necessary to become an Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. The National Certification Corporation can issue neonatal nurse practitioners their certification.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioners Work Places

An NNP will work in the following settings:

Neonatal Intensive Care Units

  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Research Institutions

How Much Does A Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Make

PayScale.com report that the average annual salary of an NNP is $98,160. The typical hourly salary of a part-time NNP is $52.65. The need for an NNPs is expected to increase in the coming decade. The most desirable candidates will have advanced education training and experience.

If you possess the agility and empathy to care for newborn infants, you will find this a highly rewarding career. Although financially rewarding, for most nurses, money is not the reason for entering this field.

There are online classes that you can start with to get some of your classroom training done if you are currently working full time or don’t have a nursing school campus near you. Either way, there’s no time like right now to get started.

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.