Why Choose Nursing as a Career?<\/strong><\/h3>\nNurses are an essential component of a Sarasota FL medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career opens doors to a number of opportunities, such as healthcare education, research and specialty areas of practice. Nurses go into the profession for various reasons, among the most meaningful are its practical and personal advantages. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Many individuals in a hospital or home care setting spend more time with nurses than with physicians. Nurses frequently go into the profession out of a desire to administer to the needs of patients, including in instances of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic conditions. This humanistic aspect of the healthcare profession, rather than the research or analytical related elements, is attractive to many who elect to pursue a nursing career. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can choose from an assortment of work settings, including nursing homes, physician’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a number of specializations, such as addictions, critical care, genetics and neonatology. Although most nurses deliver personal patient care, others opt to be educators, policy advisers and pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\n
Registered Nurse Job Duties<\/h3>\n
Registered nurses are the most extensive occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical settings, including Sarasota FL hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic duty is to aid doctors in the care of their patients. However, the specific 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:<\/p>\n
\n- Providing medications<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Monitoring patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Performing physical examinations<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Managing care<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Managing 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 complex job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for example, must hold a Master’s Degree and often 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
Enrolling in nursing programs online is emerging as a more favored way to receive training and acquire a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical answer to finding the time to attend college for some Sarasota FL students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. So if your job and household responsibilities have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, maybe an online nursing school will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.<\/p>\n
Questions to Ask Nursing Degree Programs<\/h3>\n
Once you have chosen which nursing degree to enroll in, along with whether to attend your classes on campus near Sarasota FL or on the internet, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout Florida and the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school as well as the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to 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 in addition to the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a premium education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided in Sarasota FL for non-accredited schools.<\/li>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a specified 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 delivers an outstanding education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Florida or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Look at internet rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Additionally, get in touch with the Florida school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Sarasota FL 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 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 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 favorable reputation within the Sarasota FL medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain a position.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Sarasota FL hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n