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Selecting the right nursing school near Tompkinsville KY<\/strong> may feel like a formidable endeavor, particularly if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may presently understand, in order to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the proper education and training to become licensed. So it is critically important that you study and evaluate the qualifications of each program you are thinking about before enrolling in your ultimate selection. Unfortunately, too many future students base their decision entirely on the price of tuition and the proximity of the school. Selecting the least costly program or the one that is local to your house is undoubtedly not the best way to decide on a nursing program. There are a number of key additional aspects to look into before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first go over the nursing degree choices that are offered as well as what the functions of nurses are in our medical system.<\/p>\nRequest Free Information on Nursing Schools Below<\/h4>\n
Nursing Degrees<\/h3>\n
There is more than one degree option to choose from to become a nurse. And to become a Registered Nurse (RN), a student must enroll in an accredited school and program. A nursing student can obtain a qualifying degree in just 2 years, or continue on to obtain a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short descriptions of the nursing degrees that are offered to aspiring students in the Tompkinsville KY area.<\/p>\n
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- Associates Degree<\/strong>. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is generally a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level position in nursing in medical centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many utilize the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately obtain a more advanced degree.<\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more expansive training than the ADN. It is commonly a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their previous training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might wish 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 commonly a two year program after receiving the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Once 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) to become licensed. Various other requirements for licensing change from state to state, so don’t forget to check with the Kentucky board of nursing for any state mandates.<\/p>\n
Click Here to Get Free Information on Nursing Schools Near You!<\/a><\/h4>\n
Why Choose Nursing as a Career?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Nurses are an essential component of a Tompkinsville KY medical team, and for a large number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career can lead to a number of opportunities, including research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses enter the profession for several reasons, the most meaningful are its practical and personal rewards. 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 doctors. Nurses commonly go into the profession due to a passion to administer to the needs of patients, including in cases of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic conditions. This humanistic side of the medical profession, as opposed to the analytical or research related aspects, is attractive to many who choose to enter into a nursing career. Nurses have a wide range of applicable skills and can select from an assortment of work environments, such as home care facilities, physician’s offices, medical clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can progress into a variety of specialties, such as substance addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. Although many nurses provide personal patient care, others elect to be teachers, policy advisers and pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\nRegistered Nurse Job Functions<\/h3>\n
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Registered nurses are the largest occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, namely Tompkinsville KY hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general role 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 specialization in addition to where they work. A portion of the functions of an RN may include:<\/p>\n- \n
- Administering medications<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Monitoring patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Conducting physical examinations<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Coordinating care<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Overseeing 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 complex 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 administer primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.<\/p>\n
Nursing Online Programs<\/h3>\n
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Attending nursing programs online is becoming a more in demand way to obtain instruction and attain a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs require a certain number of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the remainder of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical answer to finding the free time to attend college for some Tompkinsville KY students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of 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 economical. And many online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your work and household commitments have left you with little 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>\nWhat to Ask Nursing Programs<\/h3>\n
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Once you have chosen which nursing degree to enroll in, along with if to attend your classes on campus near Tompkinsville KY or online, you can use the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout Kentucky 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 already discussed, the site of the school and the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the primary two points that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate 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 acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping confirm that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not provided in Tompkinsville KY 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 required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only provides an excellent education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Kentucky or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Check online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Kentucky school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Tompkinsville KY 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 essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a superb reputation within the Tompkinsville KY medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students obtain employment.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The best way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Almost all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Tompkinsville KY hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Nursing Training Tompkinsville KY<\/a><\/h4>\n
- Licensing Preparation<\/strong>. Licensing requirements for registered nurses vary 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. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only provides an excellent education, but also readies you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Kentucky or the state where you will be working.<\/li>\n
- Monitoring patients<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Bachelor’s Degree<\/strong>. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more expansive training than the ADN. It is commonly a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their previous training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might wish to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.<\/li>\n