How to Enroll In the Right RN College near Langhorne Pennsylvania
Finding the right nursing college near Langhorne PA may seem like a challenging endeavor, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to obtain the proper education and training in order to become licensed. So it is essential that you study and assess the qualifications of each school you are contemplating before enrolling in your final choice. The fact is, too many future students base their determination exclusively on the price of tuition and the proximity of the school. Deciding on the least expensive school or the one that is local to your house is most likely not the best way to choose a nursing program. There are many key additional factors to check out before you make a decision where to enroll in classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first review the nursing degree options that are offered as well as what the roles of nurses are in our medical care system.
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Nursing Degree Options
There are multiple degrees available to become a nurse. And in order to become a Registered Nurse (RN), a student must enroll in 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 short descriptions of the nursing degrees that are available to aspiring students in the Langhorne PA area.
- Associates Degree. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is commonly a two 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 earn a higher degree.
- Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more in depth training than the ADN. It is generally a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their past training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may want to advance to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the employment market.
- Master’s Degree. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is normally a two year program after obtaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.
After a graduating student has acquired 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. Various other requirements for licensing change from state to state, so be sure to contact the Pennsylvania board of nursing for any state requirements.
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Why Become a Nurse?
Nurses are an indispensable part of a Langhorne PA medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A career in nursing opens doors to many opportunities, including healthcare education, research and specialty areas of practice. Nurses go into the profession for many reasons, the most significant are its personal and practical advantages. Nurses provide personal, one-on-one care to patients. Most patients in a hospital or home care setting spend more time with nurses than with physicians. Nurses often choose the profession due to a desire to tend to the needs of patients, including in instances of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic conditions. This humanistic side of the health profession, as opposed to the research or analytical related elements, is appealing to many who elect to pursue a career in nursing. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can select from a number of work environments, including home care facilities, doctor’s offices, medical clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a number of specialties, including substance addictions, critical care, genetics and neonatology. Although many nurses deliver primary patient care, others elect to be educators, policy advisers or pharmaceutical representatives.
Registered Nurse Job Activities
Registered nurses are the most significant occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical environments, including Langhorne PA hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary duty is to help doctors in the care of their patients. However, the exact duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization as well as where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:
- Providing medications
- Overseeing patients
- Performing physical examinations
- Managing care
- Managing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
- Educating patients and their families
- Taking care of health records and charts
Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more advanced job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for example, must hold a Master’s Degree and often work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.
Online Nursing Classes
Attending nursing schools online is growing into a more preferred way to get training and acquire a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend school for many Langhorne PA students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your work and family obligations have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.
Questions to Ask Nursing Schools
Now that you have chosen which nursing degree to pursue, along with if to attend your classes on campus near Langhorne PA or on the internet, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges within Pennsylvania and the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already pointed out, the site of the school as well as the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up 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. Besides helping verify that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Langhorne PA for non-accredited schools.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for registered nurses are different 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. Some 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 an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Langhorne PA 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 schools you are considering 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 important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Langhorne PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain employment.
- Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Langhorne PA hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.
Associate Degree Nursing Programs Langhorne PA
Nursing Colleges Langhorne Pennsylvania
Deciding on the right nursing degree program is potentially the most important step to launching a new career in the health care field. There are many aspects that you must take into account when selecting a nursing program. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial situation. As we have pointed out within this content, it is critical that you select a nursing school and a degree program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. You originally came to this website due to your interest in Nursing Colleges and wanting more information on the topic Where to Find RN Schools Near Me.. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Langhorne PA.
More Pennsylvania Nursing Locations
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
The mailing address "Langhorne" is used for Langhorne Borough but it is also used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's ZIP code of 19047. Sesame Place, while physically located in surrounding Middletown Township, has Langhorne as its mailing address. Langhorne also includes the northeastern part of Lower Southampton Township, which uses the ZIP code 19053.
Langhorne began in the 17th century when Jack Alexander built his house in the area. The road from Bristol grew into a very important transportation center between Trenton and Philadelphia in the later 18th century and 19th century. Langhorne eventually became the stagecoach transportation hub of Bucks County, transporting people between Trenton and Philadelphia and was then known as Four Lanes End, later known as Richardsons Corner.
The first mention of Attleborough was recorded on a deed in the Recorder's Office, Deed Book 6, page 210, 7 November 1737. Isaac Hicks laid out a plan for "Washington's Square in Attleborough" in November 1783. Historian William J. Buck wrote "A resident of the place has informed me that this name is of local origin; that a William Richardson Atlee (son of Colonel Samuel Atlee of the Revolutionary Army), a lawyer and son-in-law of General Wayne, resided here about 1790 or perhaps a little earlier. A fire engine was ordered to be made, for which £50 had been raised. When it was finished, word was sent from Philadelphia inquiring what name they wanted it called. Someone suggested that, as Mr. Atlee had been one of the principal contributors, it should be called after him. When the engine arrived, it was found to have painted on its sides Atleebury, which still to be seen. Shortly afterwards a post office was established here, when it was called Attleborough, a slight change from the original." However, the post office was not established until 1 April 1806, Richard Croasdale, the first postmaster.[3]
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