Why Nursing?<\/strong><\/h3>\nNurses are an integral part of a Hay Springs NE medical team, and for a number of patients, their primary care providers. A nursing career can lead to many opportunities, including research, health care education and specialty areas of practice. Nurses go into the profession for many reasons, the most notable are its personal and practical advantages. Nurses provide personal, one-on-one care to patients. Most patients in a medical facility or home care environment have more contact with nurses than with doctors. Nurses frequently go into the profession due to a desire to administer to the needs of patients, including in situations of short-term treatment of illness and long-term care of chronic ailments. This humanistic aspect of the health profession, as opposed to the analytical or research related facets, is appealing to many who decide to pursue a nursing career. Nurses have extensive applicable skills and can select from an assortment of work settings, including nursing homes, physician’s offices, medical clinics, community centers and hospitals. Also, nurses can advance into a variety of specialties, including substance addictions, critical care, neonatology and genetics. Although most nurses provide primary patient care, others opt to be teachers, policy consultants and pharmaceutical representatives.<\/p>\n
Registered Nurse Job Activities<\/h3>\n
Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical settings, namely Hay Springs NE hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary duty is to support doctors in the treatment of their patients. However, the specific duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise as well as where they work. A portion of the duties 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
- Informing patients and their families<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Managing 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), as an example, must hold a Master’s Degree and often work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat common illnesses or injuries.<\/p>\n
Nursing Online Classes<\/h3>\n
Attending nursing colleges online is emerging as a more favored way to receive training and acquire a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specific amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend college for many Hay Springs NE students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous 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 commitments have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing school will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.<\/p>\n
Things to Ask Nursing Programs<\/h3>\n
Once you have determined which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Hay Springs NE or on the web, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are many nursing schools and colleges within Nebraska and the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school as well as the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the first two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final choice, use the following questions to see how your selection compares to the other programs.<\/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. In addition to helping make sure that you get a premium education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available in Hay Springs NE 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) along with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified 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 an excellent education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Nebraska or the state where you will be practicing.<\/li>\n
- Reputation. <\/strong>Look at online rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, check with the Nebraska school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Hay Springs NE 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 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 dissatisfied 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 Hay Springs NE medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain a position.<\/li>\n
- Internship Programs<\/strong>. The most effective 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. Many states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing as well. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Hay Springs NE hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n