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Selecting the best nursing college near Shenandoah PA<\/strong> may seem like a complicated project, especially if you don’t know what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, to practice as a registered nurse, you must obtain the appropriate education and training in order to become licensed. So it is critically important 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 decision entirely on the cost of tuition and the nearness of the school. Deciding on the least expensive school or the one that is nearest to your home is probably not the most reliable way to choose a nursing program. There are various key additional things to look into before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first discuss the nursing degree options that are offered along with what the roles of nurses are in our health system.<\/p>\nRequest Free Information on Nursing Schools Below<\/h4>\n
Nursing Degrees<\/h3>\n
There are several degree options 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 obtain a qualifying degree in as little as two years, or continue on to achieve a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short explanations of the nursing degrees that are available to aspiring students in the Shenandoah PA area.<\/p>\n
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- Associates Degree<\/strong>. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a two year program made available by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level position in nursing in medical centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and later attain a higher degree.<\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more comprehensive training than the ADN. It is commonly 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 wish to advance to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.<\/li>\n
- Master’s Degree<\/strong>. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is typically a two year program after receiving the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When a graduating student has obtained 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. Other requirements for licensing change from state to state, so be sure to contact 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 Become a Nurse?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Nurses are an indispensable part of a Shenandoah PA medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career opens doors to many opportunities, such as healthcare education, research and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for various reasons, among the most significant are its personal and practical advantages. Nurses provide personal, one-on-one care to patients. Most individuals in a medical facility or home care environment spend more time with nurses than with doctors. Nurses commonly choose the profession due to a passion to tend to the needs of patients, including in situations of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic conditions. This humanistic side of the healthcare profession, rather than the analytical or research related facets, is attractive to many who elect to enter into a nursing career. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can choose from an assortment of work environments, including home care facilities, physician’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a variety of specializations, such as substance addictions, critical care, genetics and neonatology. While many nurses deliver primary patient care, others choose to be educators, policy consultants and pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\nRegistered Nurse Job Duties<\/h3>\n
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Registered nurses are the most extensive occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical settings, such as Shenandoah PA hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic role is to assist doctors in the treatment of their patients. Having said that, the particular duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or specialization in addition to 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
- Conducting physical examinations<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Coordinating care<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Supervising LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Instructing patients and their families<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Keeping health records and charts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Nurses with a higher degree may have more high level 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.<\/p>\n
Nursing Online Classes<\/h3>\n
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Attending nursing schools online is emerging as a more in demand way to receive instruction and acquire a nursing degree. Some schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend classes for some Shenandoah PA students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, 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. So if your job and household obligations 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.<\/p>\nQuestions to Ask Nursing Degree Programs<\/h3>\n
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Once you have chosen which nursing program to enroll in, along with if to attend your classes on campus near Shenandoah PA or online, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges throughout Pennsylvania and the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school as well as the price of tuition are probably going to be the primary two things that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the other schools.<\/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. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Shenandoah PA for non-accredited schools.<\/li>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing requirements for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in addition to 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 imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Look at internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Additionally, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Shenandoah PA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions are of the schools as well.<\/li>\n
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates<\/strong>. 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 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 substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Shenandoah PA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain a position.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The most effective way to acquire 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing also. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Shenandoah PA hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Graduate Nursing Programs Shenandoah PA<\/a><\/h4>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing requirements for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in addition to 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 imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to meet 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 comprehensive training than the ADN. It is commonly 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 wish to advance to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.<\/li>\n