Tag: RN

Facts About LPN to RN Bridge Programs

In the United States, being a licensed practical nurse or LPN has a lot of advantages.  One practical advantage is that LPN’s consume a shorter period of time in acquiring formal education. They are able to save time and money in earning a degree that qualifies them for a nursing career. However, the chances for a promotion is relatively small compared to RN’s. Medical institutions usually prioritize RN’s for a lot of vacancies in higher positions. This is one of the major reason why many LPN’s take LPN to RN Bridge programs to qualify them for better employment opportunities.

Who is qualified to take LPN to RN bridge programs?
A person who finish an associate degree in nursing is qualified to take this type of educational enhancement program. LPN’s who are currently employed in the workforce is also eligible to take this kind of bridge programs. A student who got enough nursing credits may also avail of this bridging program.

What the best way to take a LPN to RN bridge program for employed LPN’s?
The basic process of a LPN to RN Bridge program is to earn further nursing units to qualify them for a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Normally, a LPN enrolls these in subjects in a nursing school and attend regular classes. Attending regular nursing classes can be challenging to LPN’s who are currently working. The best and ideal way to earn the required nursing units is thru enrolling in online distance learning programs. This method of formal education allows a LPN to earn nursing credits without physically attending scheduled classes conducted in the school campus.

How long does it take to finish a LPN to RN bridge program?
This type of bridge program usually takes about One year to One and a half year. This primarily depends on the school you are choosing. It’s best to choose an online school that can allow you to finish a LPN to RN bridge program in the shortest possible time.

When to Take a Short Term Course in Nursing

A nursing career can be very interesting and fulfilling. The field of medicine is a branch in science that is very important to human existence. This field is also developing periodically and many new skill and knowledge are being discovered and applied. The demand for highly skilled professionals in this type industry is very high. Numerous medical and health institutions all over the world are seeking qualified employees to join their team.

One of the in-demand professionals in the field of medicine are nurses. They are the ones whom doctors rely on for taking care of patients. A student can take up two type of nursing courses in college. One is the full term four year course. And the other one is the short term Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) course. Both courses can provide a student with the skill and formal education needed to practice a nursing career.  However, some people choose to earn a short term ASN course. If you’re undecided whether to take a full term or short term nursing course, this guide will help you determine if a short term course is ideal for you.

For Working Students
Taking a short term nursing course is ideal to students who are currently in a workforce. People who are working in an institution that is closely related to the medical field choose taking an ASN course to enhance their skill and qualifications. An ASN course offers students lesser time for earning a college degree in nursing.

Has a Family and is Busy Taking Care of Children
Young parents or single parents will still have an opportunity to earn a nursing degree without sacrificing quality time for their family. A student can earn a degree for his or her career without spending too much time for it. An ASN courses have lesser subjects which provide more time for parents to be with their children. If you can’t leave your small children behind for a long period of time then it would best to choose an ASN course.

Students Who Want to Cut Down on Cost
Earning a full term nursing degree is more expensive than a short term ASN degree. The subjects to be taken in a short term nursing course are fewer compared to a full term course.

Top Three Characteristics of High Quality Nursing Schools

Choosing the ideal school to earn your nursing degree is very important. The type of nursing school plays an important role in developing professional skills and knowledge needed to practice a nursing career. These Nursing Schools are the foundation of a person’s nursing ability to provide healthcare service to patients. On top of that, a lot of medical institutions opt to employ nurses that came from respected and prestigious nursing schools.

You should be able to distinguish well which school to consider. Among the many nursing school offering nursing degree choose a school that have these qualities. This will be your quick guide in choosing the best nursing school in your area.

Highly qualified faculty members

The school’s Teachers and instructors are the front liners towards molding you to an efficient and well knowledgeable nurse. Some nursing schools have more qualified sets of faculty members compared to other. Choose a school that have high-credential faculty members on their list. A good indicator is membership in the National League for Nursing.

Accreditation

You may want to belong to an educational institution that have earn the proper accreditation in the field of nursing.  Accreditation Bodies like The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Nursing Board Exam Passing Rate

An effective nursing education program may be measured on the number of nursing board passers a school have produced. It’s preferable that you choose a nursing school that has a high rate of board passers in five consecutive years. Schools that have high percentage of passing rate often maintain high quality of education. You want to have this kind of quality nursing education to mold you to a highly qualified nursing professional.

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.

How to prepare yourself for a Nursing career

Choosing a career requires careful thinking and right decision making. You want to have a career that will enhance your ability, skills and knowledge. A good career path should be interesting, enjoyable, and inspiring. You want to be in a career that makes you happy and enables to you have worthwhile experiences while working.

Among the many available careers, you have chosen to be in the field of healthcare as a nurse. This type of career is lucrative and highly respected. Proper knowledge and high quality of skills are required from healthcare professionals. On top of that, a nursing graduate should undergo the mandatory board exam that regulate and maintain the standards for this particular profession.

Although pursuing this type of career can sometimes be strenuous, it’s better to be ready and prepare for the long career journey ahead.

Choose which type of nursing career you want

Basically there are two nursing career you can take. One as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and the other as a Registered Nurse (RN).  There is actually a noticeable difference between the two closely related careers. RN’s have more subjects and spend more time in school earning their professional nursing degree.  While LPN’s earn a degree in practical nursing. RN’s have better opportunity in terms of high compensation and career growth.

Learn, Study and pass your course

The best preparation for a nursing career is by making a good reputation in your academic performance.  These lessons you got while earning your degree in nursing are vital in your chosen career. It’s preferable to have basic to advance knowledge on the fundamentals of nursing which are very useful in your line of work.

Make sure you pass the licensure exam

Implement strategies that will increase your chances of passing the nursing board exam in your location. You can enroll in tutorial classes or spend a time doing self-review before you take the exam. Through the help of dedication and the right preparation a career in nursing will be within your reach.

Top Two Jobs Nursing Graduates Can Get

Graduation means the end of painstaking formal education and the start of your professional career. Among the many courses offered in the school you choose is a degree in nursing. Now, you’ve probably been wondering what kind of jobs you will get with the Nursing education you got in college.

As a nursing graduate you would want to have a job that is closely related to healthcare. This industry has always been stable and continuously progressing. The demand for healthcare related jobs is also rising.  A career in the field of healthcare requires proper education and professional skills which a lot people don’t have. Fortunately, you got the right education and training that can qualify in this type of industry.

The healthcare industry has a wide scoop of careers that nursing graduates like yourselves can have. If you decided to practice your profession in the field of healthcare here are some of the top jobs you can have:

  1. Hospital Nurses- One of the primary workforce in hospitals are the nurses. They are the ones who assists doctors and physician in doing medical treatments to patients. Nurses are also in-charge of the patient’s recuperation when the doctors is not around. Almost every Hospitals in the world are in need of qualified nursing professionals who can provide medical skills to their institution. A hospital is the best place to build a career if you want to have a top-notch job with your nursing degree.
  2. Part of an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) – Members of an EMT are required to have healthcare related education and training. As a nursing graduate you are qualified to be a Paramedic. If you are an outgoing type of person, this type of career would be very much favorable and enjoyable to your part.

How To Become A Good RN

Most people think that the nursing profession is the hardest, most complicated and toughest job on earth. But, for most registered nurses, they feel that they are the luckiest people because they were given the chance and opportunity to touch and help the lives of the sick, needy and weak people. However, it is not easy to become a good nurse. Registered nurses have to prove that they are worthy of their profession. Experts say that good nurses can contribute to the success and stability of the patient’s condition. Most RN’s don’t just apply theories and knowledge in treating patients. They also use personal touch, empathy and care.

Read on and appreciate what it takes to become a good and effective RN. A good nurse is:

Responsible
A good nurse is responsible enough to know all her responsibilities to their patients. A nurse’s main responsibility is to assess, diagnose, plan for care, implement care and evaluate the outcome of care. A good nurse knows that there is no room for error , otherwise, they will harm and complicate the patient’s condition. In addition, a responsible nurse never fails to perform her duties even in emergency situations.

Caring
A good and effective registered nurse is open-minded, understanding and caring. They also have the capability to empathize with the patient’s situation. Generally, nurses deal with different patients and situations every day. Some of them loose their patience and focus. However, it is very understandable since some patients and family members have high and intense emotions which leads them to panic and argue with nurses. A good and effective nurse will always compose herself and will do everything to provide better care to improve patient’s condition.

Good in communication skills
Nurses know that to have a smooth and passive workplace, they should have good communication and coordination towards other healthcare team member. In order to provide the best care to patients, they should be able to communicate and listen well. Also, good nurses follow directions from their superiors and doctor’s order. Nurses that have good communication skills can prevent medical errors and can achieve great patient’s satisfaction.

These traits can help aspiring nurses to become effective. However, it should be combined with other positive behavior.

The Effectiveness of E-Learning in Organizations

Research has proven that students showed positive academic outcomes when learning are integrated with technology. For instance, students who took all or part of their learning process online performed better compared to those who took the same course in an actual student-teacher face-to-face environment.

Because of this, many organizations today, including the RN community, have increasingly adopted learning methods and tools to train and develop, not only students, but also employees. This article will tackle about the usefulness of distance learning systems in the work environment. Before anything else, let us familiarize ourselves with this new found process.

What is Distance Learning?

Many organizations use distance learning as a training technique to meet the difficulties faced in the fast-tracked work environment. The use of videos, audio recordings, computer, and internet in training and disseminating information for effective workforce is one example of using this method. Management development, job skills, improving customer service, and new products are some of the topics being taught.

Due to the fact that learning distance is broadly diffused in the educational and organizational setting, its definition is undetermined. Despite of this, one commonality of distance learning is that training takes place synchronously. This means that the material is covered to multiple participants all at the same time even though they are distance apart. Another common attribute is the utilization of electronic mediums such as video, audio, multimedia technology, and computer.

The most fitting term that can also be used for distance learning is “E-learning.” Though few authors separate the two, e-learning is quite synonymous to distance learning due to the use of electronic-based materials. The only difference is that e-learning can take place on-site, while distance learning does not. In this article, we will use e-learning as another name for distance learning.

What are the Benefits of E-learning?

E-learning is advantageous in the organizational background and we’ll name some of the benefits it can bring:

  • Fast way to train employees from across the country.
  • An opportunity to utilize the best instructors and provide information that is up to date.
  • Training of more people in a short learning session that is easier to schedule and coordinate.
  • Higher rates of course completion and retention.
  • Convenient to employees due to delivery at work or home sites.
  • Easy accessibility on learning resources and experts.

Career Challenges of a Registered Nurse

The registered nursing career is facing similar old problems as it was in the past. New technology is required to improve the quality of health care services for all patients and there are so many things that need to be developed and changed to make the health care services run smoothly. There are a lot of challenges covering an RN job. This includes the tiring work shifts, impossible work-life balance, continued education and advanced treatment methods.

At the nursing work station, there are many untoward incidences that may lead to injuries and other chronic hazards. An RN is prone to back injuries because of long working shift caring for the patients. It is probably one of the reasons why there is a nursing shortage since most of the nurses with back injuries leave the profession and take other careers.

registered nurseTechnologies are moving at neck-breaking speed, altering the job atmosphere and imposing new skills-training and continuing-learning within the clinical setting. Nurses feel they cannot continue to the profession because of the pressure to upgrade their skills and to keep up with the technology. Continual learning belongs to today’s world; it doesn’t mean nurses have to know everything. It entails nurses to have accessibility to update their understanding and their skills. Keeping up with trends, technology, and research might be outside of nurses’ continuing education (CE) needed to keep qualifications and satisfy state laws and regulations.

The working schedule for most nurses is unhealthy and emotionally draining. They may work 12 hours straight during their shift not including the on-calls and emergency shifts. With this schedule, nurses find it challenging to balance family and work as well as their personal life. The RN shortage added to the problem and put more pressure to nurses to work overtime. Anyone who plans to be an RN must be physically fit and emotionally ready to face the challenges along the way. However, the profession is a decent, respectable and admirable job. If you want to help others through your profession, this job is for you.

 

RN as one of the Top Occupation

registered nurseAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nursing is among the top 10 professions with the biggest job growth. Registered nursing (RN) requires a large base of information used to evaluate, plan and perform to prevent disease, promote health, and help patients deal with their sickness. When providing immediate health care, RN’s observe, evaluate and record symptoms, responses and improvement, which provides the basis for health care planning. Nurses are one of the immediate contacts of any patient in the hospital. They are health teachers and supporters for patients and family members.

They have a unique opportunity of practice and can practice individually, although they also work together with all members of the medical health care group to provide the health care needed by each patient as an individual. RN positions range from immediate individual health care and case management to creating medical practice requirements, creating quality procedures, following complicated medical health care systems, performing medical research and educating in medical programs, as well as practicing in many other areas of the clinical field.

Registered nurses also develop and manage medical care plans, advice patients and their loved ones proper health care and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health. Expert medical obligations have changed considerably over time. Nurses today are highly known associates of the medical healthcare group who bring their own knowledge and skills to the process of medical health care. Nurses work together with doctors and associates of other healthcare professions. Some nursing staff chooses to focus on a particular specialization.  There are numerous specialized options, each of which has its own training/certification requirements and related professional network or organization.