How to Choose the Best RN Degree Program near Haileyville Oklahoma
Locating the best nursing school near Haileyville OK may seem like a difficult endeavor, especially if you have no idea what to look for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, to practice as a registered nurse, you must obtain the proper education and training in order to become licensed. So it is critically important that you study and evaluate the qualifications of each college you are contemplating before enrolling in your final selection. Unfortunately, too many future students base their decision exclusively on the price of tuition and the nearness of the school. Choosing the least costly college or the one that is nearest to your home is most likely not the best way to select a nursing program. There are many crucial additional considerations to check out before you determine where to enroll in classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first go over the nursing degree choices that are offered along with what the jobs of nurses are in our health system.
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Nursing Degrees Available
There are several degree options available to become a nurse. And in order to become a Registered Nurse (RN), a student must attend an accredited school and program. A nursing student can earn a qualifying degree in just 2 years, or advance to earn a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some brief summaries of the nursing degrees that are offered to aspiring students in the Haileyville OK area.
- Associates Degree. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically a 2 year program made available by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare centers such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately attain a more advanced degree.
- Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more expansive training than the ADN. It is generally a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their past training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might want to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.
- Master’s Degree. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is generally a 2 year program after achieving the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.
After a graduating student has attained one of the above degrees, he or she must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) so as to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing change from state to state, so be sure to get in touch with the Oklahoma board of nursing for any state mandates.
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Why Become a Nurse?
Nurses are an essential component of a Haileyville OK medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A career in nursing can lead to a number of opportunities, such as research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for several reasons, the most significant are its practical and personal rewards. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Many patients in a medical facility or home care setting have more contact with nurses than with physicians. Nurses frequently go into the profession out of a passion to administer to the needs of patients, including in cases of short-term treatment of illness and extended care of chronic ailments. This human side of the medical profession, as opposed to the research or analytical related aspects, is attractive to many who choose to enter into a career in nursing. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can choose from an assortment of work settings, such as nursing homes, physician’s offices, medical clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a variety of specializations, including substance addictions, critical care, genetics and neonatology. While many nurses provide direct patient care, others opt to be educators, policy advisers or pharmaceutical representatives.
Registered Nurse Job Functions
Registered nurses are the largest occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in numerous different medical environments, including Haileyville OK hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary function is to assist doctors in the treatment of their patients. Having said that, the exact duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or specialization as well as where they work. A portion of the functions of an RN may include:
- Administering medications
- Overseeing patients
- Conducting physical examinations
- Coordinating care
- Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
- Instructing patients and their families
- Keeping health records and charts
Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more advanced job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for example, must hold a Master’s Degree and typically work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can provide primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.
Online Nursing Schools
Enrolling in nursing schools online is becoming a more favored way to receive training and earn a nursing degree. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend college for some Haileyville OK students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your work and household obligations have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online nursing school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.
Questions to Ask Nursing Schools
Once you have decided on which nursing degree to pursue, as well as if to attend your classes on campus near Haileyville OK or online, you can utilize the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within Oklahoma and the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two points that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other programs.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program along with the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Aside from helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Haileyville OK for non-accredited schools.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for registered nurses vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides a top-notch education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Oklahoma or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, contact the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Haileyville OK healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgments are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the RN colleges you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Haileyville OK medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
- Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have associations with Haileyville OK hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.
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Night Nursing Schools Haileyville Oklahoma
Picking the ideal nursing school is arguably the most crucial step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are numerous variables that you must think about when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed in this content, it is important that you pick a nursing school and a degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the health care community. You originally came to this website due to your interest in Night Nursing Schools and wanting more information on the topic Part Time Nursing Courses.. However, by using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Haileyville OK.
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Haileyville, Oklahoma
Located in Pittsburg County, Haileyville lies at the junction of U.S. Route 270/State Highway 1 and State Highway 63, fourteen miles east of McAlester and a little more than one mile west of Hartshorne. The French explorer Jean Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe first mapped the site of Haileyville in 1719 during his expedition to the Arkansas River. In 1898 D. M. Hailey, M.D., established the town of Haileyville, when he claimed a tract of land east of McAlester and opened the area's first coal mines. A confederate veteran, Hailey had first moved into Indian Territory in 1868 to practice medicine and before long had become involved in several business ventures. His mining investments began when he and James Elliot started the Hailey-Ola Mining Company, leasing coal land from the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, which laid tracks in the area in 1889-90. The first mine, named Number One Slope, began production on St. Patrick's Day in 1899.
Haileyville, in the Choctaw Nation, was a company town, which was a common feature of coal-mining communities. Italians, American Indians, Russians, and Americans comprised most of Haileyville, and many worked in the mines or on the railroads. Coal from the area was only profitable due to the railroad junction. The town was home to the freight and passenger offices of the Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Gulf Railroad, which later became the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Company (Rock Island). By 1902 the railroad had 1,052 miles of track, including a branch from the town that ran to Ardmore. Haileyville remained the division point of the Rock Island Railroad until 1958, when the offices moved to El Reno.
On April 20, 1901, the U.S. Post Office Department designated a Haileyville post office. The 1907 population stood at 1,452, and it climbed to 2,024 in 1910. In 1911 a bank, the New State newspaper, five hotels, three doctors, and several retail and other businesses served the residents. The community and its close neighbor, Hartshorne, are known as the "twin cities" of Pittsburg County due to their proximity. Governor Lee Cruce proclaimed Haileyville a first class city on February 12, 1912. After a 2,067 population in 1920, the number of residents declined to 1,801 in 1930, 1,183 in 1940, and 922 in 1960. In 1946 one coal company, a bank, and an ice plant were the main businesses, with gas stations, grocery stores, and a hardware store. After the coal mines closed, lumber, farming, and ranching became the primary modes of production.
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