Insights into Individual Nursing Programs

You may have made a decision to enter into the medical field but do not yet know which particular nursing program you should select much less which school would be the best one for your to choose. To make the process easier it may be best for your to map out your nursing plans through determining what your needs are on both a personal and professional level. Do you want a flexible schedule, do you wish to work in a hospital, or are you interested in working in a doctor's office? Determining answers to these questions can be a great first step towards selecting the right nursing program for yourself.

You can choose from a wide range of nursing program options that include getting certified as a licensed piratical nurse (LPN), earning a doctorate of nursing degree or pursing a registered nurse license (RN). Licensed practical nurse degrees last for one year and you can train for them either at a hospital or at a nursing school. Students who earn their LPN license take courses that show them how to read a patient's vital signs and assist the patient in any way that's required either by their supervisor or the patient.

Community colleges and technical schools offer a 2-year associated of science degree in nursing (ASN). This career path allows you to attend classes that tend to focus on the technical aspect of nursing rather than spending a lot of time on theory. Registered nurses, who need at least a 2-year degree, manage the care of a patient by following the orders of the doctor and the charge nurse in a hospital or home health setting.

Sometimes, an RN acts as an advocate between patients and their doctors. Thirty percent of graduates pursing an associate of science degrees go on to earn a 4-year bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN). Students who decide to earn a BSN often go on to pursue nurse practitioner careers or earning a certificate to practice as a nurse anesthesiologist.

It should go without saying that the particular school in which you attend will play a major role in how you pursue your career. Let's look at the example of working as a nurse in a hospital. The hospital will do what is needed to train the student in what will be required to pass a particular nursing program which is specifically being trained for. Hospitals which employ such a hiring practice will often make students sign a contract which requires them to work for the hospital for a set number of years as a means of paying back the costs of the learning program and the guaranteed job offer which has been put forth.

A great many nursing schools present the opportunity to enrol in classes while on campus and take part in a training program at a medical facility along the lines of a nursing home or hospital. You could also look into the online nursing programs which are available through Kaplan University and the University of Phoenix among many more. Be sure to look into the accreditation of each school to determine whether or not it will meet your state's requirements before you sign up with an online program or a traditional brick and mortar school.