What To Expect In An RN Course

RNs are required to have at the least an associate degree, but a bachelor degree in nursing (BSN) are also available, and preferred by the vast majority of hospitals, and can help an RN’s possibilities to generate better pay. Weigh your school options based on your current academic needs and schedule.

An Associate of Science degree in Nursing (ASN) contains programs in anatomy, nursing, nutrition, chemistry, and biology among others. You’ll also be required to take general liberal arts classes. Getting an ASN is the most popular choice for RNs and paves the way to entry-level staff nurse roles which will provide you with hands-on experience in the nursing industry. This is the quickest direction to becoming an RN as most associate degree programs last about two to three years.

An ambitious RN can get a bachelors of science in nursing (BSN) in four years at a college or university. If you’re already an RN, you can join an RN to BSN program which is designed particularly for RNs who have an associates level or nursing degree. This direction usually requires about two to three years. An even faster BSN choice is for applicants who already hold a bachelors degree in another area. An accelerated BSN program allows learners to apply general education credits from their first degree to the BSN. This path requires between one to one-and-a-half years.

Here’s a typical example of what schools offer in their nursing programs:

  • Bioethics
  • Fundamentals of microbiology
  • Nursing research
  • Nursing care of the older adult
  • Public health nursing

After finishing your degree, you’ll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). In order to sit for the examination, you’ll need to apply for a nursing license from your state board of nursing. Since each state has different qualifications specifications, check with your state board to make sure you’ve met the specifications to be able to take the examination.

The Nursing Baccalaureate Program

Nursing is one of the most in demand profession in the country today, and is expected to rise more in the coming years. This makes the profession more appealing; the higher the demand, the better chances of employment. The baccalaureate program offers courses that prepare the student to become a professional nurse.

BSNThe program is composed of classes and trainings that best prepare the students to handle medical care, treatment and support to patients. The students will learn the basic nursing care, fundamentals, theories, medicines, terms etc. At some point of the curriculum, the nursing student will be exposed in an actual situation. Wherein they will learn how it the real scenario looks like; this is done to better prepare the student before they graduate. Once the student satisfies the requirements, they will be qualified to take the examination for licensure to practice as a registered nurse.

The objective of the BSN program is to prepare graduates to work as professional nurses in a number of scenarios. Graduates are envisioned as having acquired fundamentals for ongoing professional development. Nurses are expected to be fully equipped once they graduate; there’s no more time to practice once the nurse is on duty. The patient’s recovery and safety depends on how the nurse handles the treatments and medications.

The curriculum is developed to assist the student to develop skills, stimulate intellectual curiosity and also to develop the capability to work with other health workers. The professional nurse is dedicated to the function of maintaining health insurance and ensuring the quality of health care services. The nursing school plays an important role in preparing the nurse to become well-equipped with skills and knowledge needed for efficiency.

Nursing Challenges: Stress

Nurses face different challenges daily, not just in the hospital but in their personal life as well. Nursing is actually a career with lots of challenges. Nurses are confronted with emotional and professional demands that lots of people can’t even imagine. Taking responsibility for the wellness of people’s lives is a big challenge for individuals employed in healthcare. There have been numerous enhancements to controlling most of the physical perils of the nursing care. Good examples include universal safeguards and safety practices. However, there are concerning hazards to some nurse’s mental and emotional health.

nursing challengesStress is associated with people working in the hospital. It may be the emotional and physical reaction experienced when a person is put in a situation he or she is not capable of handling. Nurses face different types of patients with different kinds of health conditions. These put so much stress on them while doing their own routine.

Signs and symptoms of stress include fatigue, disrupted sleep programs, high blood pressure and pulse, appetite loss or overeating, muscle tension, decreased libido, utilization of alcohol or drugs, irritability, eagerness, sadness, poor concentration, anxiety, worry, ambivalence, memory lapses, and lack of spontaneity. Physical results of stress may include cardiovascular disease, stroke, immune disorders, putting on weight, weight reduction, intestinal problems, diabetes, discomfort, headaches, fertility issues, allergic reactions, skin conditions, hair thinning, periodontal disease, and much more.

Stress could be handled in a number of ways in which can result in enhanced overall health and wellness for people employed in healthcare. Though the career has so many challenges, it’s still a satisfying profession which has a profound and positive impact on many people’s lives.

RN Classes Requirements

RN classesOne of the ultimate goals of a nurse is to get a license to become a registered nurse. There are many RN classes you must take and finish to get the opportunity to take the NCLEX.  RN courses are most frequently drawn in associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in nursing. While both kinds of programs prepare students to accept National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and obtain licenses to work as RNs, bachelor’s programs can lead to additional career possibilities in teaching, research and management. Some bachelor’s programs, particularly those offered online, have Registered Nursing licensure like prerequisite prior to enrollment.

RN hopefuls are required by some nursing courses. These RN classes may include anatomy and physiology, psychology and microbiology which are basic and must be fully understood by the students. An initial nursing course provides an introduction to patient care techniques which introduce students to the methods and approaches required to deal properly with patients. Students then learn how to perform health checks, provide medicines, supply patients with health and wellness advice, and supervise other medical professionals. Nursing students also gain hands-on clinical experience in the fundamental, intermediate and advanced levels in their program.

The following is the list of examples of classes students frequently encounter in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in nursing.

Medical-Surgical Nursing Course
This course provides a broad study of nursing practice which is focused on adult patients. The training covers the management of disorders in most major systems of the body including respiratory system, nerve, bone and joint and kidney disorders. Students also learn methods for taking care of patients going through surgery.

Mental Health Nursing Course
Patients with psychological disorders or mental illness require unique nursing care. Students within this course learn how to identify issues in mental health and develop both medicinal and psychotherapeutic treatment plans.

Health Promotion Course
A registered nurse role doesn’t just deal with patients but additionally, they are also required to promote wellness through healthy living. They will be providing info on diet and disease prevention that registered nurses can pass on to patients and also to groups of patients.

Nursing Pharmacology Course
Pharmacology courses acquaint nursing students about drugs and medicines that they’ll encounter throughout their profession. Students find out about drug classifications and effects, in addition to techniques in administration.

Once you finish the RN classes and the program requirements, you will be ready to take the NCLEX, get your license and start working as a registered nurse.

Why Choose Nursing Education?

When you are pursuing college, you will have many options on what career you will take. You could become an engineer, a chef, an attorney, a photographer etc., depending on what field you most likely see yourself in the future. But if you want to have a career in the health care field, then you could enter a field that has become desperate for candidates: nursing.

nursing-programsNursing is an excellent choice for any students who are interested in health care. Opportunities are growing for nurses faster than qualified individuals can fill the openings, which virtually ensure your employment once you graduate. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nursing is the fastest growing profession in the economy. There is also a projected shortage for nurses, currently and in the years to come. The estimates of the U.S. Healthcare Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) state that the country will need several hundred thousand more nurses by year 2020. This shows how important nurses will be and how large the opportunity is for them.

Nursing is a noble profession and it positively affects individuals in the community. When you are a nurse, you have the opportunity to provide care for infants, children, adults and elders to avoid or prevent diseases or to help patients recover from their illnesses. Nurses actually compose most of the healthcare work force and have diverse work settings.

Nurses can either work on hospitals, heath clinics, care facilities, home health agencies, or schools. Advancing your studies is possible in nursing. You can pursue nursing education at the graduate levels to advance your skills and earn more knowledge. Salaries are not an issue for nurses. Due to the accuracy and the efforts offered by nurses, they need proper compensation. The growing need for nurses also helps in the increase of nurses’ salary. But, for nurses who work for the love of the services they rendered, salary is just a bonus.

Teaching Fundamentals of Nursing

If you are among those who find satisfaction in helping and looking after people, then nursing is the best suited profession for you. There is a great demand of nurses in the healthcare sector. Today, nursing staff are not only limited to medical centers, but they are also in demand at treatment centers, volunteer organizations, pharmaceuticals, hospices, jails, residential areas etc. Nursing is a growing profession with no signs of decline. Hence, the first step to start a profession in the patient care market is to get registered in a college of nursing. There are many universities, colleges and community colleges that offer programs on nursing for learners desperate to learn primary skills and fundamentals of nursing.

fundamentals_of_nursingHowever, the qualification for a person to engage in a degree in nursing is only after finishing secondary school. Once registered in the course, a person is taught the basics of the anatomy of the human body, physiology, chemistry, other basic nursing skills and ideas to handle sufferers properly. The fundamentals of nursing include the primary and important jobs of a CNA in the healthcare market. These primary responsibilities are activities of everyday life like bathing, washing, grooming, dressing, ambulation, exercising, feeding, etc. Apart from correct diagnosis and medications, the recovery of an individual also depends on the type of care and support he gets from the hospital staff. Hence, it is necessary to know and carry out the fundamentals of nursing concepts and practice efficiently. Most of the training programs accomplish direct placement to people who qualify with good grades.

A degree program in nursing is generally of three to four years. This program is separated into two parts. One part of the training is conducted into classrooms where learners are introduced to the fundamentals of nursing. This is called the Common Foundation Program. While the other aspect concentrates on the working experience and is performed in medical centers or medical organizations. After studying the primary principles in nursing, a person is needed to choose his/her field of expertise. For example, specializing to emotional wellness issues or specializing to studying problems or in nursing for children. Those people who opt for a degree course in nursing spend three years, while those who opt for a degree program in nursing are needed to study for four years. However, there are some organizations that provide a degree in nursing in just three years.

What are the Fundamentals of Nursing?

fundamentals_of_nursingThere is lot of training and education involved before anyone can be truly certified as a health professional. Anyone who intends to be a health professional has to meet up with certain specifications. Without satisfying those specifications, an applicant aspiring to be a nurse cannot join any hospital, medical center or any medical relevant institutions.

The beginning to starting the journey of becoming a nurse is to have a school certificate. It is essential to select a training institution that will provide the essential coaching, information and abilities to become a health professional. Someone who is interested in nursing should show interest in topics like health sciences and biology. Any topics relevant to science can also be very useful in gaining information and training to become a health professional. After finishing the basic programs, a student undertakes an advanced program such as Associate’s program in Nursing. An applicant also has to clear certain national examinations to be certified and registered as a nurse.

There are different requirements for qualifying for the best training institutions on nursing. Some of them include having basic information on first aid, interest in topics such as biology, anatomy of the human body, psychology, chemistry, terminology relevant to healthcare. Criteria or pre-requisites for becoming a health professional differ from nation to nation. In USA, nursing is a safe profession as the nurses are paid according to the spending program of the region. So what are the fundamentals of nursing which every ambitious health professional needs to know? To study and comprehend the fundamentals of nursing, it is essential to know the various factors in different stages. The first level contains knowing the “Fundamental nursing skills and concepts” which gives an introduction to nursing and gives details on nursing care, the procedure of nursing and ethical and legal aspects when it comes to nursing. The second stage is to comprehend the fundamentals of nursing procedure and practice. This contains communication, main symptoms and assessment of health, infection and details on key medication for various diseases. The concluding stage includes the physiological understanding of a range of practices needed to be a nurse.

LPN RN Bridge Online Programs

Did you know that a licensed practical nurse can now shift to another profession and become a registered nurse online? Yes, you have read it right! Aside from the conventional education, you can now complete nursing courses on the internet through LPN RN bridge programs, on the internet. This kind of program is not as well-known as other web based programs, but it is gradually becoming an option for some licensed practical nursing staff.

LPN_RN_bridgeOnline LPN to RN programs are regarded as bridge programs. To put it simply, this kind of program allows an individual to link the missing capabilities and educational topics between the two careers. So, you may be asking, why would a licensed practical health professional choose to become a registered nurse? Of course, there is no particular response to this query. Although, here are some of the most typical factors for a profession change:

  • Higher salary – RNs have higher wage than licensed practical nurses. This is relevant to the simple reality that the RNs generally have more obligations than LPNs. On average, a nurse can generate around $68,000 yearly as opposed to $54,000 regular wage of LPNs.
  • Career advancement – A lot of individuals want to further their career. Becoming a nurse is one way. You should keep in mind that to be able to achieve your goals, you always need to challenge yourself to become better when it comes to your profession. Entering into a LPN to RN bridge program is absolutely a right choice when it comes to profession growth.

These are just some of the many factors why individuals would want to move from being a licensed practical nurse to a registered nurse.

Nursing Education for International Students

Quality medical care is an issue of concern globally and Nursing can and must play a major and international part in changing the medical care atmosphere. To this end, many worldwide medical professionals are being subsidized by their government authorities to go to academic programs in the United State to prepare them to satisfy the difficulties of the twenty-first century.

In order to be active members in challenging medical care results, medical professionals need to develop extended understanding, abilities and techniques to enhance their nursing education in an evolving world. The abilities and understanding consist of being able to identify and communicate nurse’s values within the sociocultural, economic and political environments of their native nations, and being able to demonstrate the results and affordability of nursing’s activities to improve wellness results.

Advanced nursing education for international learners may consist of a variety of academic models. For learners who have experienced technical training in their own nations, innovative understanding may mean earning the baccalaureate or initial university degree in nursing. A number of system options exist, including traditional baccalaureate applications, faster applications for learners with a baccalaureate degree in another self-discipline, and RN-BSN and RN-MSN achievement applications. Master’s teaching applications in nursing generally have a clinical focus such as emergency nursing, maternal-child wellness, or midwifery. Doctorate understanding in nursing in the United States involves structured curriculum and a thesis study, unlike the guide model found in European colleges. At the doctoral level, the system of studies includes content related to nursing science, research, academic techniques and results assessment.

It is hard for United States learners (and staff too) to appreciate the level of medical care and the harmful deaths and death rate experienced by third world countries. Through first hand information of real activities, United States learners become more aware of international wellness issues as well as the significances of social principles on the development of the nursing occupation. Although providing academic opportunities for worldwide learners is incredibly fulfilling for the coordinator organization and United States learners, such a starting point is not without disadvantages.