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Locating the right nursing school near Olympia Fields IL<\/strong> may seem like a challenging endeavor, especially if you don’t know what to search for in a good degree program. As you may presently know, in order to practice as a registered nurse, you must acquire the necessary education and training in order to become licensed. So it is essential that you study and determine the qualifications of each school you are considering before enrolling in your final choice. Regrettably, too many future students base their decision exclusively on the cost of tuition and the nearness of the school. Picking the least expensive school or the one that is local to your home is no doubt not the best way to select a nursing program. There are several key additional things to explore before you decide where to attend classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first discuss 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 Available<\/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 enroll in an accredited school and program. A nursing student can earn a qualifying degree in just two years, or continue on to earn a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some short summaries of the nursing degrees that are available to aspiring students in the Olympia Fields IL area.<\/p>\n
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- Associates Degree<\/strong>. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a two year program offered by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and afterwards earn a higher degree.<\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more in depth training than the ADN. It is usually a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their past training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may desire to progress 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 usually a 2 year program after attaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Once a graduating student has received one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in order to become licensed. Various other requirements for licensing change from state to state, so be sure to get in touch with the Illinois board of nursing for any state requirements.<\/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 important part of a Olympia Fields IL medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A career in nursing opens doors to many opportunities, including research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for several reasons, the most notable are its practical and personal advantages. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Many individuals in a medical facility or home care environment spend more time with nurses than with physicians. Nurses often go into the profession out of a desire to tend to the needs of patients, including in cases of short-term treatment of illness and extended care of chronic conditions. This humanistic side of the medical profession, as opposed to the research or analytical related aspects, is attractive to many who decide to pursue a nursing career. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can choose from a variety of work settings, including nursing homes, doctor’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a number of specialties, such as substance addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. While many nurses provide primary patient care, others elect to be educators, policy advisers and pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\nRegistered Nurse Job Responsibilities<\/h3>\n
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Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, such as Olympia Fields IL hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general job is to help doctors in the care of their patients. However, the particular duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization as well as where they work. Some of the functions of an RN may include:<\/p>\n- \n
- Administering 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
- Managing 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), as an 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 basic illnesses or injuries.<\/p>\n
Nursing Online Schools<\/h3>\n
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Attending nursing schools online is becoming a more preferred way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the time to attend classes for some Olympia Fields IL students. Regarding tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more easily 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 job and household obligations have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing school will make it easier to fit a degree into your busy schedule.<\/p>\nWhat to Ask Nursing Programs<\/h3>\n
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Now that you have chosen which nursing program to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Olympia Fields IL or online, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout Illinois and the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from so that you will have a workable list. As we previously discussed, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two points that you will look at. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.<\/p>\n- \n
- Accreditation. <\/strong>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 ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Olympia Fields IL for non-accredited schools.<\/li>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing criteria for registered nurses differ 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. Some states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Look at internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, contact the Illinois school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Olympia Fields IL 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 schools 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 essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a superb reputation within the Olympia Fields IL medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain employment.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The best way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Check if the schools have a working relationship with Olympia Fields IL hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Accelerated Nursing Degree Olympia Fields IL<\/a><\/h4>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing criteria for registered nurses differ 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. Some states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.<\/li>\n
- Monitoring patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more in depth training than the ADN. It is usually a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their past training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may desire to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.<\/li>\n