Do you want to become a nurse? There are many ways to get involved in the nursing profession today. There are a variety of nursing degrees available.
Nurse education today also has a variety of options for you to become a nurse. Options for schools include both in person and online nursing classes.
Training varies in length and setting depending on what your career choices are.
Your first decision does not have to be your final decision. Nurses can continue to advance in their career with a variety of degree options.
- This is the shortest program and is an entry level into the nursing profession. The nursing assistant is a very important part of the nursing team. He/She often performs personal care of the patients, takes vital signs and answers to patient needs, reporting any pertinent information to the patient's nurse. Many times this position can be used to see if you are interested in becoming a nurse and you may continue as you work on your nursing program.
- This program is often a one year program offered at a community college. The LPN or LVN normally works along with an RN performing patient care. LPN/LVN's must have an RN sign for the assessment on the patient, but they can provide the care. This is the current process in texas and may be different in other states. Many LVN/LPN's return to nursing school later on for their RN.
- One of the most common nursing degrees. Registered nurses are usually diploma program graduates or associate degree graduates. These programs are 2-3 years in length. Many RN's are now returning to school to pursue a bachelors degree or higher to be able to advance in the nursing profession. Nurse education today makes this option very easy for many nurses to work and return to school at the same time. There are many programs online with minimal class times needed to allow nurses to work on classes around their work schedule.
- This is a four year program if taken as your entry to become a nurse. This program includes more community based training than what is covered in the RN programs. It can also be taken after you have your RN and are working as a nurse. If an RN is advancing to the BSN degree there are many options.
- The accelerated BSN program allows those individuals with a bachelors degree in another discipline to obtain a bachelors degree in nursing. These programs are often only 12 to 18 months but are very intensive in course work and clinical hours.
- The masters degree is an advanced nursing degree with many specialty options such as nursing administration, nursing education, nursing informatics and nurse practitioner. There are many online nursing classes available for these programs as well. Often this program is taken by nurses wanting to advance in their careers.
- Another higher level nursing degree option. I believe this area of study is not as widely available compared to the other programs. It is a not a newer nursing degree but as with the other higher level degrees may very well be a growing profession.
If you chose to become an LPN you will take the NCLEX-PN exam prior to obtaining your license. For the RN and higher degrees you will take the NCLEX-RN exam. For information about the NCLEX exam click here.
Please visit
www.best-online-schools.org
for great advice on how to study to be a nurse online and information on some online schools.
