Education - Nursing Degree Info

How to Choose the Best Nursing Schools

**How to Choose a Great Nursing School**

Choosing from among the best nursing schools can sometimes be a daunting task. There are so many to choose from that it can seem almost impossible to make a final decision. If you have an idea of what you are looking for in a nursing school, though, narrowing your search can be much easier. Here are a few things you will want to take into consideration as you begin your search for a college.

To begin, consider your budget. Think about the kind of education you want as well as how much time and money you are willing to invest. If you plan on applying to more than one school, check out the financial aid opportunities offered by each one. Some colleges will automatically send you federal aid information to consider, while others will need you to apply for this money on your own. Look over all of your financial aid options before deciding on a college.

You will also want to consider the reputation of each of the schools you are considering. For this reason, try to find out which colleges graduates you will most likely hire upon graduating. Ask potential employers how they evaluate applicants. What criteria do they use? What kind of reputation do the best nursing schools have? Find out what they are proud of so you can be sure to do well in the same way.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many nursing schools are private. This means tuition can become quite expensive. It would be wise, then, to find out how much they plan to charge you. Find out if you can get a discount on tuition based on prior achievement. Otherwise, you may have to pay the full price for your education, which may not always be an affordable price.

Of course, you should also consider the actual class load each of the nursing schools you are considering has. How many students do you have to help in the classroom each day? Try to find out how many hours you have to attend clinical training in addition to your classes. The best nursing schools will be able to accommodate your every need, but it never hurts to ask. If a school has fewer hours available or offers courses only part time, you may want to think about looking elsewhere. The best nursing schools will be flexible.

The internet is an excellent way to locate information on the best nursing schools. In addition to the websites for individual schools, you should also be able to find online review and ratings. Be sure to take all of this information with a grain of salt, however. Just because one person says a school is good does not mean it is the best nursing schools.

Programs and Specialties of The Top Nursing Schools in The U.S.

By laura Lroccoe

Nursing is one of the fastest growing careers in the nation. With a robust job market and a sense of accomplishment in caring for others, it’s a highly regarded career with tons of benefits. Finding the best nursing schools in the U.S. can be challenging with such a rapidly growing field. Many people fail to realize that there are different types and levels of nursing. There are many exceptional programs for nursing and it can be challenging at best to find the one that is the absolute best. There are both traditional schools and those that are online, so it’s important to determine which will work best for you before you go looking for the best possible education in the field.

Programs And Specialties

Before you begin your search, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re planning to specialize in any particular field. For some, a simple nursing degree may be all that is required, while others will require a master’s degree in nursing to reach the particular field of specialty that they desire. There are many fields to consider including:

Midwifery
Anesthesia
Oncology
Pediatrics
Prenatal
Neonatal
Geriatric
Public
Educational
Schools
Endocrinology
Cardiology
Orthopedic
Psychiatric
Radiology
Critical Care
Dialysis
Clinical
Nurse Practitioner
Informational
Health Policy
Educator
Advocate
Researcher
Pain Management
Trauma
Travel

Each particular field will bring with it specific educational requirements and some will require that the person be a registered nurse and then go on to a master program to further their education before they are given the title of the particular specialty that they’re interested in. Programs will be offered at the master’s level as well as the DNP level and more. Understanding the end goal can go far in helping a person to determine the best nursing schools in US before they go on to start their education.

Online Or Traditional

Nursing students will want to determine what is the best fit for them in an education. Will they do best if they go the traditional route and go to a university for their training? Or will they choose to go online and get their nursing degree?

Either choice they make will have some requirements for clinical and lab work. However, the online choice will allow students to choose when they do their school work. This may be important because some students will need to go to work on a daily basis while at the same time attending classes.

A more traditional school will have students attend classes several days per week and will require that they be in attendance and turn in their required work in a timely fashion. This method offers a program that works well for many, however, for some, it is too demanding and they can’t attain their goals due to the fact that they may still be required to work and provide for a family.

Online Graduate Programs

Many prefer to get their education at college and then go online for their graduate programs. This can work well if the person already has a career and needs to work around their daily schedule and attend classes in between their other tasks. As long as the student is turning in the work and reaching their goals in a timely fashion this can work well for many. However, it’s not the starting point.

The starting point is to determine what school or schools will work best to start their nursing career. For many, this will be the beginning college level. Students will begin their studies at a local college level where they will get the prerequisites out of the way. They will take the required courses that will allow them to transfer to a larger school where they can further their studies. These courses are designed to help them facilitate their education so that they can continue on to their chosen degree.

Finding The Best Nursing Schools In The U.S.

Once the basics are covered, it’s time to get serious about what the rest of the education will look like. Each particular school has its own set of pros and cons when it comes to education.

For some, it’s the location. There are many great nursing schools in the nation but it’s important to live within a decent commute time to these schools. However, it’s not always easy to get into such schools. Competition is fierce and many are vying for what they believe to be a top-notch school with a top-notch education. For this reason, many classes are limited in size and the criteria for getting an education there is stringent. This can make it a huge challenge to get into such a facility. If you’re seeking one of these schools you’re going to have to be the best of the best. Many students have found that to reach this goal, they must be able to focus full-time on their studies and not be working any side jobs.

This can be difficult for many and for this reason, many will take classes here and there and slowly work their way up to finding the best of the best for their education.

Top Picks

Columbia University in New York is one of the best ranking schools when it comes to nursing school. However, as mentioned above, there are some stringent entry requirements. As one of the top-rated schools for nursing, Columbia has some stringent requirements that make it more challenging to get into than others. Students are going to have to be the cream of the crop to enter here and attend school. However, if you can get accepted here, Columbia has endless opportunities and is located in the heart of a medical field. Students who attend here are able to learn from the best doctors in their fields of study and they have plenty of opportunities to practice their skills in the many medical facilities in and around the area.

The University Of Pennsylvania is another top-notch school that offers up a variety of options when it comes to a nursing degree. Students can opt for a baccalaureate, master’s or a doctorate in nursing as their degree.

The University of Pennsylvania believes in a low student to teacher ratio. The students learn in smaller sized classes and this gives them an edge in their educational goals. When the ratios are so low, students will greatly benefit from the one-on-one student to teacher ratio and it can show in their education. With flexible degree options, students are able to take advantage of the other subjects that are offered and get minors in literature and other subjects while pursuing their nursing degrees.

The west coast has many great options as well with major universities in California, Oregon, Washington State, and Colorado having excellent health care educational opportunities available.

Finding the best school for your educational needs is part being in the right location, and part understanding the pros and cons of each particular university. Setting your goals can help to define and determine which school will give the best possible educational opportunity for the requirements for the particular degree that is being sought.

Focusing on the end goal can help a person to go far in achieving their goal without having to give up on their dreams.

Finding the best nursing schools in the U.S. will be much easier when a student has taken the time to define their goals and do all of the prerequisites that are required before they attempt to gain entry into the more major universities. The educational opportunities are available for each and every student in nursing who desires to reach higher for their degree. Specializing will help them to reach the desired level of earning and their degree of interest in nursing.

Current Registered Nurse Education Requirements

By laura Lroccoe

Registered nurses are in high demand, and there are millions of them working across the country. The registered nurse education requirements are quite stringent, and they are something that will take a long time to attain. Fulfilling the registered nurse education requirements can take three years or more to reach.

To become a nurse, you must have a high school diploma or a GED and then, you will need to go through a degree program in most cases. These programs require you to learn in a classroom setting and some of the courses consist of chemistry, biology, nutrition and psychology, as well as microbiology. There are also courses that include clinicals and other issues that will relate to dealing with people and handling the practice.

A diploma in nursing is another option but are less common. These programs are usually offered by a hospital and typically take about three years to get through.

It’s most common for aspiring nurses to go from high school, directly into a four year BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) program. This will open up many opportunities in a variety of health care settings.

You will need to take the National Council Licensure Examination so that you can practice. Although having an associate’s degree in nursing can get you started working right away, you might find that your chances for advancement will be much improved if you continue your education and get a bachelor of science in nursing degree.

Nursing is a job that is quite difficult and challenging. You will be dealing with a wide range of people over the course of your career, including children, the elderly, bariatric patients, newborns and more. You will have the chance to specialize depending on what sort of patients you want to deal with the most, and this will offer some good opportunities to develop your career.

More than half of all RNs work in hospitals, but you will have the chance to work elsewhere if you would like to. Some nurses work in nursing homes or other places where patients require aid around the clock. This means that there is demand for nurses all day, every day. You will have the chance to work in a dynamic and exciting field, but your hours could be quite unsociable.

Nursing is very rewarding but it can be difficult to disconnect yourself from your patients, so it can be emotionally draining at times, especially if you are working with people who are suffering from ill health.

If you are struggling to cope with the patients that you are working with, then help is available, and there is support for nurses who need it. Talk to your employer about the help that is available to you, especially when you are new to the practice. They will be able to offer you advice and support as necessary. Nurses are in huge demand, and the hospitals want to make sure that the ones that are working with them are happy and healthy, so that they do not burn out as a result of the work that they are doing in the hospital.

CNA School Training Programs For Certification

By laura Lroccoe

When you go to school to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, you won’t need a college degree. A CNA school is usually a college or vocational school that offers classes that will enable you to become certified as a nursing assistant.

Job Description

A CNA will work alongside of RNs and LPNs, caring for patients in different types of healthcare settings. They work very closely with patients but do different kinds of tasks that an RN or LPN might do. Typically, CNAs work in nursing homes.

They help with daily activities such as bathing or dressing. They may take a patient’s blood pressure, temperature or other vital signs. They dress wounds and help with other types of medical procedures. There may be some unpleasant responsibilities involved and it can be physically demanding but a CNA can develop strong relationships with their patients.

Requirements for a CNA Certification

There are a number of requirements that you will have to fulfill to get certified. It varies by state but the requirements are very similar. You will need to check to make sure that your education program has been approved by your state. You can find this out by checking with the health or nursing board.

If you have a CNA certification from another state and you move to a different state, you will have to check to see what you have to do to meet that state’s requirements. You may just have to apply for certification endorsement.

CNA classes will take about four to 12 weeks. You will learn how to deliver personal care, taking vital signs, work on your communication skills and learn about patients’ rights.

Taking The Exam

The CNA certification exam is usually given by a third-party. There are different test centers located in different areas of your state. Although the exams may vary from state to state, most consist of a written multiple choice section and then, a manual skills test in which you will be evaluated by an RN who watches you perform certain skills.

You will take both parts on the same day. You typically get about two hours to finish the multiple choice part and then about 25 to 45 minutes on the clinical skills section.

Recertification

A CNA will have to have a minimum of 48 hours in continuing education every 24 months. Many of the states will require that a CNA does a minimum of 12 hours per year of this two year time frame. Some of this important training will consist of first aid, medical record documentation, patient rights and domestic violence.

The state board of nursing where you are located will provide all the information you need to allow you to earn these credits. You will be required to show proof that you were actually paid as a CNA during that two-year period. Very often, your employer will pay for these courses or they could even provide you the necessary education.

The job outlook for CNAs is expected to be faster than average for growth. As more of our population becomes older, they will be entering into nursing homes. You could also work as a home health care CNA.

If you think this could be a career you are interested in, be sure to find a CNA school that offers you the classes you need to get started today.