There have always been great reasons to get into nursing school -- it's the one field you can go into knowing that you'll spend every working day of your life helping people feel better, get better, and stay better. There is always demand for more nurses, so getting a certification from a practical nursing school is a virtual guarantee of constant employment. And in most cases, the wage for a mid-ranked LPN is above median wage for the country.
With the economy ever-slumping and the peak baby boomers just hitting retirement age, the demand for nurses -- especially home health care nurses and geriatric nurses -- will continue to explode in the coming decade. That's why practical nursing schools all over the nation are girding their metaphorical loins, preparing for a deluge of new students. As everyone knows, when demand for a job goes up, the pay goes up as well -- and nursing already pays pretty well already.
With the aging population guaranteeing job stability, and the training necessary to get certification through an LPN program with a specialty in home health care available in two years or less from a wide variety of nursing schools, expect to see a waiting list to get into some nursing programs in the coming years.
Of course, you'll always be able to complete the short training and easy test to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, but that's kind of like being a assistant dental hygienist -- not very well respected, and not very well paid. If you need an income yesterday and you're willing to work days and spend your nights at a practical nursing program, it's not a bad option. If you can get into a nursing school directly, however, it's generally better to start your career with your LPN certification.
The last option is to stick with the nursing program even longer and attempt to become a Registered Nurse right off the bat -- but not many people are willing to sacrifice the extra couple of years and add to their school debt in order to obtain a status that they can get just as easily by taking registered nursing programs at their institution of choice (while they work there as an LPN.)
Even if you live out in the boondocks and you don't have a college that offers practical nursing programs, you aren't without options. A variety of online institutions have recently become accredited to deliver nursing classes to anyone with an Internet connection. The advantages of doing so are the same as the disadvantages: it's on your schedule. If you're a type A personality, you can dominate the online practical nursing program and come away with an LPN degree in six months. If you're a type Z personality, you can fritter away years slowly building up enough credits to get certified. It's all up to you.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Nursing School - Become A Nurse
Nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in the medical industry, and the first step towards reaching that goal is to find a top notch nursing school. For anyone who wants to get into this exciting career, there are many quality nursing programs available to choose from, but first you have to have a plan of attack.
Nursing School Pre-Requisites
Some pre-requisites for getting into nursing school are having a high school diploma, or at least a GED. You have the option of either embarking in your journey to nursing immediately after high school, or you can begin as a nurse's assistant and then gradually work your way up, which is a great way to get valuable work experience. Either way, nursing school is a must.
If you are starting out as a nursing assistant before looking into nursing programs, you will first need to get your Certified Nurses Assistant Certificate. This usually takes about 6-12 weeks to finish, and it will teach you the basics of patient care-- such as taking vital signs, drawing blood and developing a bedside manner. These are all important practical skills to learn, and you will use them frequently in nursing school as well.
The next step is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, or LPN. There is a huge demand for LPNs, and the process takes about 12 months at either a community college or other practical nursing school. This training entails both text book learning and also hands-on training, and once you complete this coursework you will need to pass a state issues exam in order to achieve your certification.
Becoming a Full-Fledged Nurse through Nursing School
Many LPNs then go on to become a Registered Nurse, or RN. At this point there are two different types of nursing programs. There is the BSN degree, which gives you a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. This is the most common degree taken by LPNs at a nursing school. You can also get a AND degree, which is an Associate's degree. This takes half the time of a BSN, but your job choices may be somewhat more limited. Depending on how much previous work you've done in school, you may be able to get your RN degree in 12 months, and with both types of degrees you will get a high level of in the field experience, and more work opportunities than a nurse's assistant.
Some people may prefer the old fashion college experience, which is still possible, but if you are bent on following this path, you may end up in school years longer than you'd need to spend at a more flexible nursing school. Once you have achieved a BSN, you have a world of opportunities open to you, including going into a specialization such as anesthesiology, or becoming a nurse practitioner.
Nursing School Pre-Requisites
Some pre-requisites for getting into nursing school are having a high school diploma, or at least a GED. You have the option of either embarking in your journey to nursing immediately after high school, or you can begin as a nurse's assistant and then gradually work your way up, which is a great way to get valuable work experience. Either way, nursing school is a must.
If you are starting out as a nursing assistant before looking into nursing programs, you will first need to get your Certified Nurses Assistant Certificate. This usually takes about 6-12 weeks to finish, and it will teach you the basics of patient care-- such as taking vital signs, drawing blood and developing a bedside manner. These are all important practical skills to learn, and you will use them frequently in nursing school as well.
The next step is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, or LPN. There is a huge demand for LPNs, and the process takes about 12 months at either a community college or other practical nursing school. This training entails both text book learning and also hands-on training, and once you complete this coursework you will need to pass a state issues exam in order to achieve your certification.
Becoming a Full-Fledged Nurse through Nursing School
Many LPNs then go on to become a Registered Nurse, or RN. At this point there are two different types of nursing programs. There is the BSN degree, which gives you a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. This is the most common degree taken by LPNs at a nursing school. You can also get a AND degree, which is an Associate's degree. This takes half the time of a BSN, but your job choices may be somewhat more limited. Depending on how much previous work you've done in school, you may be able to get your RN degree in 12 months, and with both types of degrees you will get a high level of in the field experience, and more work opportunities than a nurse's assistant.
Some people may prefer the old fashion college experience, which is still possible, but if you are bent on following this path, you may end up in school years longer than you'd need to spend at a more flexible nursing school. Once you have achieved a BSN, you have a world of opportunities open to you, including going into a specialization such as anesthesiology, or becoming a nurse practitioner.
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