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Choosing the best nursing school near Bridgeville PA<\/strong> may seem like a formidable project, particularly if you aren’t sure what to search for in a good degree program. As you may presently know, to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the necessary education and training in order to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you study and measure the qualifications of each program you are thinking about before enrolling in your final selection. Regrettably, too many future students base their selection exclusively on the price of tuition and the distance of the school. Deciding on the least expensive college or the one that is local to your house is undoubtedly not the best way to pick a nursing program. There are a number of important additional factors to check into before you decide where to enroll in classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first cover the nursing degree options that are offered along with what the jobs of nurses are in our health system.<\/p>\nRequest Free Information on Nursing Schools Below<\/h4>\n
Nursing Degrees<\/h3>\n
There are multiple degrees to choose from 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 acquire a qualifying degree in as little as 2 years, or continue on to obtain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some short explanations of the nursing degrees that are available to aspiring students in the Bridgeville PA area.<\/p>\n
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- Associates Degree<\/strong>. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is commonly a two year program made available by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level position in nursing in medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately obtain a higher degree.<\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more expansive training than the ADN. It is normally a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be eligible 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 progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the employment market.<\/li>\n
- Master’s Degree<\/strong>. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is normally a 2 year program after attaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
After a graduating student has earned 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 don’t forget to check with the Pennsylvania board of nursing for any state mandates.<\/p>\n
Click Here to Get Free Information on Nursing Schools Near You!<\/a><\/h4>\n
Why Enter the Nursing Profession?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Nurses are an indispensable component of a Bridgeville PA medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career can lead to a number of opportunities, such as healthcare education, research and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for several reasons, the most significant are its personal and practical advantages. Nurses provide personal, one-on-one care to patients. Most patients in a medical facility or home care environment have more contact with nurses than with physicians. Nurses commonly go into the profession out of a passion to tend to the needs of patients, including in cases of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic ailments. This humanistic side of the health profession, rather than the analytical or research related aspects, is attractive to many who decide to pursue a nursing career. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can select from a variety of work settings, such as home care facilities, physician’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a variety of specializations, such as addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. Although most nurses provide primary patient care, others opt to be educators, policy advisers or pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\nRegistered Nurse Job Responsibilities<\/h3>\n
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Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical settings, such as Bridgeville PA hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general function is to help doctors in the care of their patients. Having said that, the specific 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 functions of an RN may include:<\/p>\n- \n
- Providing medications<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Observing patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Performing physical examinations<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Managing care<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Supervising LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Informing patients and their families<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Keeping health records and charts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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 commonly work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can provide primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat basic illnesses or injuries.<\/p>\n
Online Nursing Degrees<\/h3>\n
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Enrolling in nursing programs online is becoming a more in demand way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing degree. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical approach to finding the time to attend classes for some Bridgeville PA students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. 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 job and family commitments have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, it could be that an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.<\/p>\nWhat to Ask Nursing Colleges<\/h3>\n
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Now that you have decided on which nursing degree to pursue, and whether to attend your classes on campus near Bridgeville PA or on the internet, you can use the following checklist to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges throughout Pennsylvania and the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously discussed, the site of the school along with the price 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 see how your selection compares to the other programs.<\/p>\n- \n
- Accreditation. <\/strong>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. Besides helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Bridgeville PA for non-accredited schools.<\/li>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. 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. Some states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>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 also. In addition, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Bridgeville PA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgments are of the schools as well.<\/li>\n
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates<\/strong>. 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Bridgeville PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The most ideal way to obtain 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Check if the schools have a working relationship with Bridgeville PA hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Nursing Colleges Near Me Bridgeville PA<\/a><\/h4>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. 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. Some states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Observing patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more expansive training than the ADN. It is normally a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be eligible 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 progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the employment market.<\/li>\n