Tag: accredited nursing programs

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.

Nursing Standards of Care

A standard of care states what a person must do or perform in a health care activity. One particular example of standard of care may illustrate what you should do if you found a patient just fallen to the floor. The certified nursing assistant must call for help, adhere to the patient and look at the person to see if they are hurt or needs further treatment. If you can’t do these things, you are not following the standard of care. If you don’t do what is expected to a nursing assistant, you may be held accountable for any harm or damage done to the patient or citizen.

Different states have their own standards of care that must be followed by nursing assistants. Nursing assistants must report abnormal signs or symptoms they observe during their shift. In case a nursing assistant doesn’t report shortness of breath to the nurse, this nursing assistant isn’t providing care based on the standard of care in their state.

An institution or association may have their own standards of care. For instance, our national law states that patient and resident health information have to be kept discreet, that means no other person should access it unless authorized. In case a nursing assistant tells other people about the health condition of another individual, they’re not following a standard of care. All workplaces have a policy and procedure book that has standards of care. There are certain rules and regulations that must be strictly followed.

States provides the scope of practice for nurses, doctors, nursing assistants and others. They list exactly what a person can and cannot do in their job. If nursing assistant assists an individual with their medicines in a nursing home, they’re doing things outside of their scope of practice. They’re only allowed to do this in an assisted living home. Also, if a nursing assistant provides a person their medicine anywhere, they are not following their scope of practice.

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.

Importance of NLNAC to Nursing Programs

Choosing a nursing school is an integral part of your career. There are a lot of considerations to take into account, like the distance of the school from where you live and the cost of the program. One thing to consider is the accreditation of the nursing school. Nursing, like some professions, has more than one accrediting agency. The university is either accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

accreditationLet’s get to know the background of this accreditation agency. NLNAC was first created in 1893. When the new Higher Education Act made some changes in the accrediting requirements and processes, the NLNAC was not able to comply. This made way to the entrance of the CCNE in 1998. There are people who favor the NLNAC accreditation because it supports a larger mixture of institutional missions and therefore provides greater opportunities for students. Some say that it had an explicit standard addressing a program’s integrity, which the CCNE lacked. Having an accreditation basically controls the profession’s quality and standards. They are referred as gatekeepers to quality. Through accreditation, students will be guided on what program or school to choose, determining the more dominant program and the more competitive. The two accrediting agencies have their own focus and standards.  Both have their pros and cons, but helps improve the quality and effectiveness of a nursing school.

Accreditation is very imperative for the forthcoming nursing student when choosing an entry-level nursing program. In the U.S., all nursing schools must have a license and an approval from the state where it is located. There are certain requirements that must be met by the school to be accredited. Whatever accreditation the school will use, it will enhance the quality of its nursing program which will create more competitive nurses.

 

NLNAC Accreditation Process

Accreditation “is a process of acknowledging organizations for performance, reliability and quality that allows them to the confidence of the academic community and the public. In the United States, this identification is extended mostly through nongovernmental, unpaid membership organizations that establish certification requirements, evaluate organizations against those requirements and accept organizations that meet the requirements.”

The NLNAC “is recognized nationwide as a specialized accrediting organization for both post-secondary and college degree applications in nursing knowledge.” It stands for National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The NLNAC accredits all types of post-secondary nursing programs, such as those provided by community and specialized schools. Although the process is controlled, qualification indicates a nursing system satisfies the NLNAC’s established requirements for training and student development. Federal features, such as veterans’ medical centers, require that job candidates graduate from a nationwide approved nursing system, and some institutions have the same need for transfer students.

Program accreditation means a program or course satisfies specific national requirements identified by an accrediting body, such as NLNAC.

Program acceptance means a program or course satisfies requirements described by state guidelines. In the case of nursing, the program also must meet guidelines described by the state Nurse Practice Act. State program acceptance allows nursing graduates to sit for the national certification exam (NCLEX) to be licensed as RNs.

Not all educational institutions have this need, but you should always examine the entrance specifications of your preferred transfer university properly.