How to Select an Accredited RN College near Oakland Tennessee
Selecting the right nursing program near Oakland TN may feel like a difficult endeavor, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may presently understand, to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the appropriate education and training in order to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you study and assess the qualifications of each program you are contemplating before enrolling in your final selection. The fact is, too many prospective students base their determination entirely on the price of tuition and the distance of the school. Selecting the least costly program or the one that is closest to your home is undoubtedly not the most ideal way to select a nursing program. There are several essential additional factors to check into before you decide where to attend classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first review the nursing degree options that are offered as well as what the jobs of nurses are in our medical care system.
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Nursing Degrees Available
There is more than one degree option 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 receive a qualifying degree in just two years, or continue on to attain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief descriptions of the nursing degrees that are offered to aspiring students in the Oakland TN area.
- Associates Degree. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is generally a two year program made available by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and later achieve a higher degree.
- Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more expansive training than the ADN. It is typically a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their prior 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 job market.
- Master’s Degree. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is commonly a two year program after receiving the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.
When a graduating student has attained one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) so as to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing fluctuate from state to state, so don’t forget to check with the Tennessee board of nursing for any state requirements.
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Why Nursing?
Nurses are an essential component of a Oakland TN medical team, and for many patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career opens doors to many opportunities, including research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for various reasons, the most notable are its practical and personal rewards. Nurses provide personal, one-on-one care to patients. Most patients in a medical facility or home care setting have more contact with nurses than with doctors. Nurses often go into the profession due to a passion to administer to the needs of patients, including in instances of short-term treatment of illness and prolonged care of chronic conditions. This human aspect of the health profession, as opposed to the research or analytical related aspects, is appealing to many who elect to pursue a career in nursing. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can choose from an assortment of work environments, including nursing homes, doctor’s offices, medical clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a variety of specializations, including substance addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. While many nurses deliver personal patient care, others choose to be educators, policy consultants or pharmaceutical representatives.
Registered Nurse Job Responsibilities
Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, such as Oakland TN hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general duty is to assist doctors in the treatment of their patients. However, the particular duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or area of expertise as well as where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:
- Providing medications
- Overseeing patients
- Performing physical examinations
- Coordinating care
- Managing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
- Educating patients and their families
- Managing health records and charts
Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more high level job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for instance, must hold a Master’s Degree and generally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat common illnesses or injuries.
Online Nursing Classes
Enrolling in nursing programs online is growing into a more favored way to obtain training and acquire a nursing degree. Many schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain number of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating answer to finding the time to attend school for many Oakland TN students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your work and family commitments have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.
Things to Ask Nursing Schools
Once you have decided on which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Oakland TN or on the web, you can use the following guidelines to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within Tennessee and the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the location of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, 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. In addition to helping confirm that you obtain a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Oakland TN 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) together with 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 important that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Tennessee or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, contact the Tennessee school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Oakland TN healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the RN programs 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 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 confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Oakland TN healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
- Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with Oakland TN hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.
Schools With Nursing Programs Near Me Oakland TN
Associates Of Nursing Oakland Tennessee
Picking the ideal nursing school is arguably the most crucial first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are many factors that you need to think about when picking a nursing college. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have pointed out in this post, it is critical that you choose a nursing college and a degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. You originally came to this website due to your interest in Associates Of Nursing and wanting more information on the topic Best Nursing Graduate Schools.. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Oakland TN.
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Oakland, Tennessee
Oakland is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. In 2010 the population of the town was 6,623,[5] a gain of 417.8% since 2000, for the largest gain of any municipality in the tri-state area of Memphis TN-MS-AR.[citation needed]Reasons for this population boom, are the cities/counties low taxes, its low crime rate, and the 4 lane expansion of U.S. Highway 64 in the early 1990s. Oakland is one of the safest cities in the state to live in.
Oakland is located in west-central Fayette County. U.S. Route 64 is the main highway through town, leading east 9 miles (14 km) to Somerville, the county seat, and west 32 miles (51 km) to downtown Memphis. South 18 miles (29 km) is the Tennessee-Mississippi state line. Tennessee Routes 194 and 196 are north-south state highways in Oakland.
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2010 the town had a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.6 km2), compared to a total area in 2000 of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2). The town limits have expanded north and south of the original town center, and especially to the west along US 64, extending 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to nearly reach the Shelby County line.
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