How to Choose the Right Nursing College near Orting Washington
Selecting the best nursing college near Orting WA may feel like a challenging project, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may presently know, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to obtain the necessary education and training to become licensed. So it is essential that you study and evaluate the qualifications of each program you are thinking about before enrolling in your ultimate choice. The fact is, too many potential students base their decision solely on the cost of tuition and the proximity of the school. Selecting the least expensive college or the one that is closest to your home is probably not the best way to pick a nursing program. There are various important additional factors to look into before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first review the nursing degree alternatives that are offered as well as what the roles of nurses are in our health system.
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Nursing Degrees Available
There are several degree options offered 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 obtain a qualifying degree in as little as two years, or advance to earn a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some brief descriptions of the nursing degrees that are available to aspiring students in the Orting WA area.
- Associates Degree. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and later obtain a more advanced degree.
- Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more comprehensive training than the ADN. It is usually a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be eligible to complete an accelerated program based on their previous 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 typically a two year program after attaining the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.
Once 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 fluctuate from state to state, so make sure to check with the Washington board of nursing for any state requirements.
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Why Become a Nurse?
Nurses are an integral part of a Orting WA medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career can lead to many opportunities, including healthcare education, research and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for several reasons, among the most notable are its personal and practical advantages. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Most patients in a hospital or home care setting spend more time with nurses than with doctors. Nurses frequently go into the profession out of a passion to administer to the needs of patients, including in instances of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic conditions. This human side of the healthcare profession, rather than the research or analytical related aspects, is attractive to many who decide to enter into a nursing career. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can select from a number of work environments, such as home care facilities, physician’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a number of specialties, including addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. Although many nurses deliver personal patient care, others opt to be educators, policy consultants or pharmaceutical representatives.
Registered Nurse Job Activities
Registered nurses are the largest occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, such as Orting WA hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general function is to support doctors in the care of their patients. Having said that, the specific duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization along with where they work. Some of the functions of an RN may include:
- Providing medications
- Observing patients
- Performing physical examinations
- Coordinating care
- Managing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
- Informing patients and their families
- Keeping 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 generally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can provide primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat common illnesses or injuries.
Online Nursing Schools
Enrolling in nursing colleges online is emerging as a more popular way to get instruction and acquire a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a specified amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating approach to finding the time to attend school for some Orting WA students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of 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, perhaps an online nursing program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.
Questions to Ask Nursing Degree Programs
Once you have chosen which nursing degree to pursue, as well as whether to attend your classes on campus near Orting WA or online, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges throughout Washington and the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the primary two factors that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to 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 as well as the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Orting WA for non-accredited schools.
- Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites 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. Some states require a certain 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 requirements for Washington or the state where you will be working.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Also, contact the Washington school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Orting WA 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 programs 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 dissatisfied 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 favorable reputation within the Orting WA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students obtain a position.
- Internship Programs. The best way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with Orting WA hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.
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Nursing Schools Near Me Orting Washington
Selecting the ideal nursing degree program is perhaps the most important first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are a number of variables that you need to think about when picking a nursing college. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this post, it is essential that you pick a nursing school 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 Nursing Schools Near Me and wanting more information on the topic Where to Find Nursing Training Near Me.. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Orting WA.
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Orting, Washington
Orting is a city located approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Mount Rainier. The first-ever recorded claims for the land in Orting were made in 1854 by William Henry Whitesell (also the first postmaster), Thomas Headley, Daniel Lane, and Daniel Varner. These four people all have streets in the city named after them and a monument in the Orting City Park commemorating them. The city was officially incorporated on April 22, 1889. Early growth came as the area developed fields for production and logging industries. Later, Christmas tree and bulb farms became important to the local economy. Orting was also a supply town for the coal mining towns of Wilkeson and Carbonado. The first railroad in the city was built in 1877 by the Northern Pacific Railway and was called "Whitesell's Crossing" because the it ran right through the Whitesell property. The population rose quickly after this railroad was built as it made transportation in and out of the city much easier. What remains of the railroad is now the Meeker Southern Railroad, which runs between Puyallup and McMillin.
On November 7, 2006, there was a horrifying flash flood in Orting.[6] At around 8:00 AM on November 7, 2006, the neighborhood Village Green in Orting flooded. It only took about 2 hours for the water to rise as high as half the height of some houses. This flood was part of the major Pineapple Express flooding, which devastated many parts of Western Washington. The cause of the Orting Flood has been debated. Some people say the sewers could not handle the 2 days of continuous rain leading up to the flood while others say that the levees on the Puyallup River broke. But because of the Pineapple Express, the freezing and snow levels on Mount Rainier rose too fast, and the snow started to melt. The Orting School District closed all of Orting's schools for 2 days due to the massive clean-up that was needed. Both the Carbon River and the Puyallup River were responsible for this flooding due to the city of Orting being surrounded by these two rivers.
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 6,746 people, 2,184 households, and 1,688 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,471.1 inhabitants per square mile (954.1/km2). There were 2,361 housing units at an average density of 864.8 per square mile (333.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.9% White, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 2.4% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.2% of the population.
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