Why Nursing?<\/strong><\/h3>\nNurses are an essential part of a Warsaw IN medical team, and for many patients, their primary care providers. A career in nursing opens doors to a number of opportunities, including research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for various reasons, among the most notable are its personal and practical rewards. Nurses provide direct, one-on-one care to patients. Many patients in a medical facility or home care setting spend more time with nurses than with physicians. Nurses often choose the profession out of 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 aspect of the medical profession, as opposed to the analytical or research related elements, is appealing to many who elect to enter into a nursing career. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can choose from a number of work environments, including nursing homes, doctor’s offices, health clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a variety of specializations, such as substance addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. Although many nurses deliver personal patient care, others elect to be educators, policy consultants or pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\n
Registered Nurse Job Duties<\/h3>\n
Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in numerous different medical environments, such as Warsaw IN hospitals, family 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 specific duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization as well as where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:<\/p>\n
\n- Providing medications<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Overseeing patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Conducting physical examinations<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Managing care<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Overseeing 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 more advanced degree may have more advanced job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for instance, must hold a Master’s Degree and normally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.<\/p>\n
Online Nursing Classes<\/h3>\n
Attending nursing programs online is becoming a more popular way to obtain training and acquire a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and almost all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend classes for many Warsaw IN students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, 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. Therefore if your job and household obligations 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 more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.<\/p>\n
Questions to Ask Nursing Colleges<\/h3>\n
Once you have selected which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Warsaw IN or on the web, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you undoubtedly realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within Indiana and the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two points that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other schools.<\/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 recognized accrediting agency. Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided in Warsaw IN for non-accredited schools.<\/li>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses are different 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. Many states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are attending not only delivers a top-notch education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Indiana or the state where you will be practicing.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Visit internet rating companies to see what the assessments are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Additionally, check with the Indiana school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Warsaw IN healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Warsaw IN medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The most ideal way to get 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Check if the schools have associations with Warsaw IN hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n