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.

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.

Basic RN Classes

There are many Universities that now offer web based programs or have a distance studying program for certain degrees. Learning management systems would also be a good spot to look as they have an extensive selection of programs that cover all careers and degrees. You can complete a lot of your studying or studying online, however, you must be present for your clinicals. With nursing, it needs not only a lot of knowledge, but also practice routine. You are not going to understand how to successfully do everyday tasks such as putting in an IV to a person if you don’t actually practice on a person. However, you can get a lot of your RN classes out of the way by completing them online. Do some research, check out what schools offer distance learning programs or what other online schools have the RN classes necessary to help you complete your training.

RN_ClassesTo become an RN, you only need a 2-year Online Degree in Nursing (ASN). There are also ‘fast-track’ programs that will allow you to produce your LPN degree in about 10-12 months, but they will load the work on you during that interval. A lot of the LPNs usually work in assisted living facilities or physician offices. Pay ranges are going to be based on your experience, the shift that you like and the setting in which you want to work.

Most programs offer RN-BSN programs solely so RN’s are able to work and go to school. But to get your main RN licensure, you must have a certain number of hours of classroom times to do the RN classes and you also have to work a certain clinical site (where you work in a hospital or long term care service while attending school). This is done to make sure that you successfully pass your tests, since a lot of them are hands-on.

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.

ASN vs. BSN

In our modest viewpoint, no education is bad, whatever the degree of study. Then, why is there much discussion over whether one should go for an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)? It is being suggested that companies these days want to seek the services of those with a 4-year degree more than those with the 2-year associate’s degree. But not everyone has enough time or resources to go for a longer, more costly 4-year degree. Let us guarantee you that those with an ASN degree are not at any drawback at all. Many effective RNs have made it big in their professions starting off with just an associate’s degree. Regardless of your certification, what exactly is essential is that you work with commitment, always try to understand from more experienced co-workers and do the best you can at your job.

A BSN generally includes over 4 years and includes more programs in nursing theory, such as nursing research and nursing and technology. An ASN, however, is smaller over 2 years and is more targeted on primary nursing education and training. With a 4-year BSN degree, extra programs in management, leadership, communication and community nursing are trained and learners also get a possibility of more clinical experience than in an ASN program.

ASNAdvantages of the ASN Degree

Just because it’s shorter does not make it any less lovely. For many, the ASN is a much better choice than the BSN because:

  • It’s more affordable
  • It requires only 2 years
  • It prepares you as well as the BSN to take the NCLEX-RN certification exam

Advantages of the BSN Degree

There are advantages of going for the BSN too, such as:

  • Greater possibilities for profession improvement into greater roles such as a Nurse Manager
  • Direct entrance into a Postgrad Nursing Program such as a Master of Science (MSN) in Nursing

Regardless of which degree you go for, what exactly is essential is that your degree is from an approved organization, be it a worldwide identified university in your state, or an approved on the internet nursing school. Whether you take the ASN degree at, say, a community college, or opt for a BSN from an approved university, you can take the NCLEX-RN exam after finishing either of the degrees, as per the need for licensure in most states.

Nursing Schools and NLN

A wide variety of courses is being offered, bachelors, masters, doctoral and associate degrees. The number one essential requirement to be allowed into a nursing school is a secondary school diploma. You also need to have good grades in math, science, chemistry, English and psychology, and there are other organizations that require the NLN (National League for Nursing) as necessity. These organizations are training schools specific in teaching and preparing learners to become a nurse. Students will be prepared to become professional healthcare providers in many different medical configurations such as treatment centers and medical centers, schools, doctors’ offices and senior’s homes.

As the inhabitants are growing and the technology in medical care is developed ever more, job possibilities for expert nurses are flourishing and increasing. Nurses will continue to be in great demand all across the globe. The factors for health professional education vary considerably around the world, but the academic methods and the expert skills obtained by graduate students in European countries and in the US assure the medical staffs who are qualified here, a good chance, both expertly and economically. NLN is part of that guaranteeing body.

Nursing schools provide several major Nursing Degree Applications such as General Diploma programs, Associate of Science programs, Bachelor’s and Master Programs and Doctor of Science programs. Most programs combine theoretical and educational setting education with working experience in a number of medical care settings like medical care or community centers, sectors and hospitals.

For numerous nursing educational institutions accreditation from the NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission) is the first thing, and most nursing educational institutions are offering grants and financial support in order to assist their learners. RNs can benefit hugely from nursing school applications. They already have medical experience and they will be able to flourish their abilities, improve their professional knowledge, increase their professions and increase their incomes.