How to Select the Right RN Training Program near Brentwood Tennessee
Choosing the right nursing school near Brentwood TN may feel like a difficult endeavor, particularly 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 must receive the necessary education and training in order to become licensed. So it is essential that you research and assess the qualifications of each college you are thinking about before enrolling in your final choice. Unfortunately, too many potential students base their determination exclusively on the price of tuition and the nearness of the school. Deciding on the least costly program or the one that is closest to your residence is no doubt not the best way to choose a nursing program. There are a number of crucial additional aspects to explore before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first go over the nursing degree alternatives that are available along with what the jobs of nurses are in our medical system.
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Nursing Degree Options
There is more than one degree option to choose from to become a nurse. And to become a Registered Nurse (RN), a student must attend an accredited school and program. A nursing student can acquire a qualifying degree in as little as 2 years, or continue on to attain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief explanations of the nursing degrees that are offered to aspiring students in the Brentwood TN area.
- Associates Degree. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a two year program made available by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level position in nursing in medical facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ the ADN as an entry into nursing and subsequently achieve a more advanced degree.
- Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more in depth training than the ADN. It is normally a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their previous 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 normally a 2 year program after achieving the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for instance 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. Other requirements for licensing fluctuate from state to state, so don’t forget to get in touch with the Tennessee board of nursing for any state requirements.
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Why Become a Nurse?
Nurses are an important component of a Brentwood TN medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A career in nursing opens doors to many opportunities, such as research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for many reasons, the most meaningful are its practical and personal rewards. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Most individuals in a medical facility or home care setting have more contact with nurses than with doctors. Nurses commonly choose the profession out of a desire to tend to the needs of patients, including in instances of short-term treatment of illness and prolonged care of chronic conditions. This humanistic aspect of the health profession, as opposed to the research or analytical related aspects, is attractive to many who choose to enter into a nursing career. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can select from an assortment of work settings, including home care facilities, doctor’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a variety of specialties, including substance addictions, critical care, genetics and neonatology. While most nurses deliver direct patient care, others opt to be teachers, policy advisers or pharmaceutical representatives.
Registered Nurse Job Responsibilities
Registered nurses are the most extensive occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, such as Brentwood TN hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary job is to support doctors in the care of their patients. Having said that, the particular duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise as well as where they work. A portion of the duties of an RN may include:
- Administering medications
- Monitoring patients
- Conducting physical examinations
- Coordinating care
- Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
- Instructing patients and their families
- Managing health records and charts
Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more complex job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for instance, must hold a Master’s Degree and typically work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat basic illnesses or injuries.
Online Nursing Degrees
Attending nursing schools online is growing into a more popular way to obtain instruction and earn a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend college for some Brentwood TN students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online nursing school will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.
What to Ask Nursing Programs
Once you have decided on which nursing degree to enroll in, as well as if to attend your classes on campus near Brentwood TN or on the internet, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within Tennessee and the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously pointed out, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two factors that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the other schools.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program as well as the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping confirm that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Brentwood TN for non-accredited schools.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Tennessee or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Check online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Additionally, get in touch with the Tennessee school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Brentwood TN 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 looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Brentwood TN medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.
- 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 specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with Brentwood TN hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.
Nursing Schools Best Brentwood TN
Becoming A Nurse Brentwood Tennessee
Enrolling in the ideal nursing college is potentially the most important first step to starting a new career in the healthcare field. There are many aspects that you need to consider when selecting a nursing college. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have highlighted within this article, it is important 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 Becoming A Nurse and wanting more information on the topic What Education Is Needed To Become A Nurse.. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Brentwood TN.
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Brentwood, Tennessee
Successive cultures of prehistoric Native Americans occupied this area for thousands of years. In the first millennium of the Common Era (CE), Mississippian culture people, known locally as the Mound Indians or Stone Box Indians, built complex earthwork mounds topped with ceremonial buildings. Their settlement was part of a culture that extended throughout the Mississippi Valley and its major tributaries, and traded with other groups across the continent.
Artifacts and mounds of the Mississippian culture have been found during development in the Meadowlake subdivision, and at the library site on Concord Road. Primm Historic Park contains and preserves the largest of the earthwork mounds, which is still visible today. By 1300 these people had largely abandoned this settlement; archeologists have struggled to determine the reasons. There may have been epidemic disease, environmental problems, or warfare with other tribes.
When early European-American settlers arrived in this area in the late 1700s from east of the Appalachian Mountains, it was largely being used as a hunting ground by Native American tribes from Georgia and Alabama. This resulted in many conflicts as the whites encroached on their territory and competed for their resources. In 1786, soon after the United States gained independence, Creek or Cherokee warriors raided the Mayfield family fort, at a site that is now the intersection of Wilson Pike and Old Smyrna Road. Southerland Mayfield and two other men were killed, and the boy George Mayfield was taken captive. One of the Creek families adopted him, as was their practice with war captives. Most Native American tribes adopted young captives to replace individuals they had lost to illness or warfare. After ten years, George Mayfield was returned to European-American society, which was likely a difficult transition for him.
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