Why LPN to BSN Programs?
Acquiring a Bachelors degree in Nursing (BSN) is the ultimate dream of every nursing student. And why not? Not only does a BSN degree equip a student with all the best nursing skills but it also opens a sea of opportunities with the best job offers coming their way. Besides getting a chance to work in the best hospitals, it also prepares the students for administrative and leadership roles in the field of health and medicine. For all Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who aspire to become a Registered Nurse (RN), there is great news. There is a provision wherein all the LPNs can convert their LPN diploma into a BSN degree.
These LPN to BSN programs would give a boost to the careers of LPNs. As we have already seen, a BSN degree usually takes a good four years to successfully complete. However, certain concessions and credit are given to those students who already have a LPN diploma. The first year at the BSN degree consists of all the topics covered in the LPN diploma. It is precisely due to this reason that the selected LPN students are able to graduate to the second year, foregoing the first year.
One of the main benefits of acquiring a LPN to BSN degree is that, you will be able to take the license examinations required to work as a Registered nurse. These examinations are conducted by NCLEX-RN. Such nurses are in great demand, since they come up with plenty of advanced skills. When a LPN nurse completes the BSN degree, they are now equipped with double qualifications sending their demand rate soaring. So when a doctor or a hospital approaches you, you can negotiate a good salary package.
Now the question arises as to where can you find these LPN to BSN courses? There are plenty of options. Many LPN nurses would not like to leave their jobs and would like to work and study at the same time. For such students, plenty of fast track programs are available, thus allowing them to continue with their job. These programs are also available at the local colleges and state universities. But here the classroom sessions are scheduled weekly, thus making it inconvenient for working LPNs.
LPN to BSN Online Programs
Although the LPN to BSN online courses may prove to be a boon for the working nurses, it has a major disadvantage. Many of the working nurses fear that without direct interaction with the fellow students and not attending classroom sessions may make them lose out on certain skills. The University of Phoenix is a pioneer in providing online courses and it has come up with a novel idea. It has designed the course curriculum in such away that all the working LPN students are able to attend the first few classes and the last few classes of the classroom session. This will enable them to have a fair idea of what the classroom sessions are all about. The remaining part of the course can be completed online.
A LPN to BSN degree is truly rewarding and also gives rise to plenty of employment opportunities.
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Pediatric nurses specialize in working with children and their families. There is a huge demand for pediatric nurses. To become a pediatric nurse, you will need to undergo additional specialized training after graduating from nursing school. Pediatric nurses can work in clinics, hospitals, and some family practices.
The role of a pediatric nurse is to provide specialized care for children from infant stage till teenage. A pediatric nurse deals with a vast range of children’s health issues, helping manage patient care, and helping find and assign resources for future care. Some pediatric nurses grow to specialize in neonatal or infant care to the extent where they are able to identify likely infant diseases, respiratory infections, and problems with normal development. They also assist in directing the patients having particular diseases to care centers. Pediatric nurses can also specialize in individualized care of sick children offering home-treatment or in hospitals for children.
Duties of a pediatric nurse entail starting IVs, performing catheterizations for collecting urine and stool samples, checking and obtaining vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates), performing eye exams, full body assessments, administering medications (intramuscular, intravenous, oral and rectal), educating patient and their families, CPR administration, helping apply splints for fractures, and other allied functions.
Requirements for becoming a Pediatric Nurse
Education
Basic education required is a Bachelor’s degree in Science (BSN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). There is some pediatric content included in every nursing program.
Preparation and advanced education
The pre-requisite for undertaking pediatric training is to first become a nurse.
There are two certain ways of becoming an accomplished Pediatric Nurse. One is by applying and getting trained on-the-job to receive specialized training and the other is by taking continued education classes to keep oneself updated.
The most important tool for a nurse is to make an accurate diagnosis based on her assessment of the patient by using her eyes, ears, and hands while using a stethoscope, thermometer or a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer).
Certification
To become a Certified Pediatric Nurse, some experience in a children’s hospital setting is required along with taking a national exam. Study materials are available with the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
Considerations
Keeping up with the latest technology and procedures required for optimum care of children by taking specialized courses with continued education will enhance the pediatric nurse’s speciality.
Salary
Range would be between US$45,000 and US$50,000 in the first year and between US$43,000 to US$73,000 for nurses with a 20 years plus experience. Advanced education is by far the definite way to earn more money.
Reward
A pediatric nurse’s ultimate reward is being successful in reassuring parents of her patient and ensuring her patient’s complete recovery.
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Due to high demand for nursing jobs, many people are choosing nursing as a career, including those who already have bachelor degrees in non-nursing fields. Now the good news is that if you have a bachelors’ degree in any field, you can get a bachelors’ degree in Nursing without having to spend four years at nursing schools, by going for Accelerated Nursing Programs.
You can join a nursing school offering an accelerated nursing program to get either your Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) in just about an year and half, if you have a bachelors degree in some other field. Direct entry accelerated master’s degree programs in nursing usually take about 3 years to complete. Let us see the pros and cons of going for an accelerated nursing degree program.
The first advantage of an accelerated nursing degree program is that you can complete your Bachelor of Science in nursing degree in just about 12 to 18 months. So you get your nursing degree through Accelerated Degree program in shorter period than it takes to get an ASN degree. This program basically compress full time nursing school of four years into an average of about one and half year. Nurses with a Bachelor of Science degree normally earn higher salaries that those who have completed the two year associate degree in nursing (ASN). So, the main advantage in going for an accelerated nursing program is that you can get high salaries without investing four years for a usual BSN degree. Accelerated second degree BSN gives the credit for non-nursing classes, you already took in college. It covers a sequence of clinical classes and nursing theory required for NCLEX (National licensing exam for Registered Nurses), and once you pass the NCLEX exam, you are eligible to become an RN (Registered Nurse).
You have to however remember that Accelerated Nursing degree programs is an intensive program which requires full-time attendance and commitment. This is not something you can take up as a part time course. You have to attend full-time classes when you take up the accelerated program. Most of the accelerated nursing degree programs require the students to sign a commitment saying they will not work while attending school. In short, accelerated nursing program is not something you can do in your spare time. The other disadvantage of these programs is they are quite expensive – typical program costs are around $35k.
Accelerated nursing programs are available for you in 43 states as well as in the district of Puerto Rico and Columbia. As of last year, 57 accelerated master’s programs and 218 accelerated Bachelor programs were available at nursing schools all over the United States. You can get an updated list of accelerated nursing programs here.
Many students prefer Accelerated nursing programs as the waiting lists at traditional nursing schools growing longer and longer. Even nurses with a bachelor’s degree are attracted towards this alternative of accelerated nursing degrees for pursuing MSN degrees.
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There is already a big shortage of nurses in the United States, and the demand for nurses is increasing every day as the baby boomers are aging. This need has given rise to a new profession of Travel Nursing. Travel nursing industry is being developed with the intention to provide a solution to overcome the scarcity of nurses in the United States.
Travel nursing involves traveling as a part of the nurse’s job. Nurses are expected to travel to some other location and work there for some specified period of time. The existing dearth of nurses in the United States has increased the demand for travel nursing jobs. Many travel nurse recruitment agencies and hospitals offer incentives like furnished housing, higher wages, bonuses and relocation assistance to hire qualified Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), Registered Nurses (RN) and other health care professionals.
Many health care professionals prefer to travel due to the benefits like professional growth, higher pay and also to try out some personal exploration. Travelers usually select many recruitment agencies as a mediator between the traveler and hospitals or other potential employers. As of last year, there are more than 340 Travel Nursing Companies in the U.S. which recruit qualified nurses for the travel nursing jobs.
Travel nurses generally work on short-term based contracts which span only for 4 to 13 weeks. Salary and other benefits vary widely from state to state. In general, areas in the northern or western United States pay more compared to southern areas. If the cost of living in any area is high then this can have impact on salary range. If the travel nurse maintains a “tax home” while living and working away from that home then there may be tax benefit known as “Per Diem” or “Tax Advantage” pay.
Nurses often consider this traveling job as an opportunity to improve their financial status as well as to see the world. Just imagine if you are a travel nurse then you have this privilege to select the – the health care facility, city where you want to work and even the shift you want to work in. You also have the freedom to change shift after 13 or 26 weeks as per your convenience. You decide each and every move of yours and carry on at your own speed which eventually leads you to the path of success in your nursing career.
As far as the nursing career is concerned, no other career in health care can offer you adventure and experience that travel nursing offers. You will be able to work with the nation’s most prestigious facilities and also get to know new dimension of your own abilities. You get this chance to live in unique and some of the most exciting destinations our country can offer and simultaneously earn handsome salary which is much more than offered in any permanent nursing jobs.
Travel nursing is one of the new types of nursing job opportunities. To become a travel nurse one needs to have atleast one year of practical experience in one’s specialty and licensure in the state of employment. Even though only one year of practical experience is mandatory to become travel nurse, it is highly recommended to have two or more years of practical experience before becoming a travel nurse. To become a successful traveler one should have a flexible outlook and a good sense of financial planning, and most importantly how to negotiate with recruitment companies.
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Whether you are studying for a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN), or undertake online LPN nursing programs, completing any of the nursing school program is quite a great achievement. All your valuable time spent in studying and passing each test is paid off in the form of a nursing degree. But you cannot become nurse unless and until you pass in one of the very crucial test known as the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). By passing the NCLEX exam one gets license to practice nursing ethically. If you wish to work as a nurse in any state of USA, you will have to pass this NCLEX exam. NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is an examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States.
The NCLEX exam is governed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. It comprises of 2 types the NCLEX-RN for practicing as a registered nurse and the NCLEX-PN for practicing as practical/vocational nurse.
Each state in USA separately conducts this NCLEX exam and entire tests are professionally supervised. You have to pay examination fees to enroll yourself for this test. In case if any one fails in this exam then he/she has to wait for about 45-90 days which is a grace period after which one can again undertake the test. Every state has different criteria based on which it is decided how many times any student can appear for the exam. This exam is comprises of multiple choice questions, mathematical questions, arranging nursing procedure according to chronological order and also drawing body parts based on the questions. NCLEX examinations are conducted in (CAT) computerized adaptive testing format. This test helps the examiner to get better idea about candidate’s knowledge related to nursing. If you want to practice nursing in USA then passing the NCLEX exam is definitely added advantage.
All your years of hard work put in to pass in nursing school program will go waste if you fail to pass in the NCLEX exam. So it is very important to prepare well for this exam. Though there are few nursing school programs which review the NCLEX as part of their curriculum but it is not enough. Seeking an extra guidance and putting in extra effort is very important. Once you graduate from any of nursing school it is important to take up the NCLEX test as all the knowledge is fresh in your mind. You can find help from NCLEX study groups or purchase NCLEX review materials and most importantly practice. Study every topic especially pharmacology and triage information because these are most likely questions. NCLEX examinations are specially designed to test your skill, knowledge, and abilities to practice effective and safe nursing at the entry-level. This is you opportunity to prove yourself so just go for it.
As a nursing school graduate, the NCLEX is one of the most vital tests which you take up. By successfully passing the NCLEX exam you can show your ability to become a qualified licensed nurse. Now, whether you become NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN it is entirely your decision but one thing is for sure Nursing is one of the well respected profession were apart from earning good salary you’ll also have job satisfaction of helping needy.
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Nurse practitioners all over the world are expected to follow strict code of ethics in nursing. The code of ethics helps nurses to ethically practice nursing and also to deal with all the ethical challenges that arise in their practice with communities, families, individuals and other public health care systems.
Nurses must vow not to reveal patients private information to third party, do not cause any harm to them and most importantly help the patient recover fast. The general public is completely dependent on nurses when they are ill as they are in a very helpless stage so they must be assured that those who are responsible to take their care should look for their welfare.
Purpose of the Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses serves as a foundation for nurses’ ethical practice. It provides guidance for ethical responsibilities, relationships, behaviors and most importantly decision-making. The Code of Ethics should be used in combination with the existing professional standards, regulations and laws that guide practitioners.
There is certain purpose behind these codes of ethics which is as follows:-
1] Every patient being admitted to hospital or any health care center has right to maintain privacy and they have to be contented with the fact that their private affairs which they share with any of the medical personnel will be kept confidential.
2] All the nursing practitioners should abide by the code of ethics.
3] In nursing profession, the patient’s well being and safety should always be given the first priority. Nurses have to always do their best to maintain the trust and confidence laid on them by the patients.
The Code of Ethics serves the purpose of self-reflection and self-evaluation for principled nursing practice and it also forms the basis for peer review and feedback. It is a kind of ethics based on which all nurses can practice under quality work environments so as to support the deliverance of ethical, compassionate, safe and competent care.
Nursing is very reputable profession and people involved in this profession have the opportunity of being part of a self-regulating profession and should value this responsibility. The Code of Ethics informs all the nurses, general public as well as other health-care professionals about the moral commitments and social responsibilities which nurses have to accept for becoming part of this self-regulating profession.
According to the Code of Ethics for nursing, Primary Nursing Values involves tasks like:-
- Providing competent, compassionate, safe and right care to all the patients.
- Promoting and respecting informed decision-making of every patient
- Promoting health and well-being of all the patients
- Preserving dignity
- Promoting justice
- Maintaining confidentiality and privacy
- Being accountable for their actions
Consequences of disobedience
When any of the nurse or nursing student disobeys the code of ethics in nursing homes, this can make patients as well as their families distrustful and very fearful of all the staff.
This in turn causes distress and argument amongst the staff members of respective health care center and has adverse effects on its functioning. Even the single disobedience from any of the staff member can leave a stain on all of their coworkers.
Conclusion
The code of ethics in nursing signifies not only commitment and pledge, but also the devotion of individuals involved in this missions of mercy. The disabled, the elderly, the young and the weak are at the mercy of people engaged in the healing arts and nurses are more trusted than any of the caregivers. This is really a great honor and nurses must respect the trust and belief laid on them by public and always strives to do their best for patients.
Above mentioned specific values and ethical responsibilities are expected of each of the registered nurses as well as nursing students and they should abide by them.
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Tips to find the Right BSN/ MSN Program for You
Nurses have outstanding and diverse job opportunities in health care industry today. Nurses continue to enjoy prosperous employment growth even in today’s competitive job market amidst the recession. The shortage of qualified nurses in the U.S. continues to provide more job opportunities in the specialized health care service. So, if you are planning for a recession proof career, this is the perfect time to start your studies in this rewarding nursing career.
Nursing degree programs are of the following types:
- One-year certificate or diplomas
- Two-year Associates degree in Nursing
- Four-year Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN )
- Post-graduate Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Ph.D. in Nursing.
Which Nursing Program to Choose?
Graduates of a two-year degree and upwards is necessary for a nurse to go for the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure exam. To appear for Licensed Practical Nurse exam (LPN), student has to take up one-year degree or a diploma.
Direct Entry MSN are generally for non-nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree in another field; they can complete their nursing education through a direct entry MSN, and complete the degree typically in three years. Direct entry MSN give students get credit for having completed undergraduate liberal arts requirements.
RN-to-MSN course is designed for registered nurses who want to receive their MSN immediately after their BSN. Nurses receive as much advanced placement credit for their BSN degree as possible. This helps to eliminate overlapping of their BSN and MSN courses.
Nurses that graduate with an MSN are called Advanced Practice Nurses. These APNs deliver health care services which are delivered by physicians previously. They normally focus on any one of the following four advanced practice areas:
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
In general for traditional or online BSN programs have the following prerequisites
- A 2.0 -3.0 GPA (depending on the school)
- 2 years of high school foreign language
- 4 years of high school English
- 3 years of high school math(algebra II and geometry) and science(chemistry and biology)
- SAT or ACT exam; minimum scores vary widely by school
MSN, RN to MSN and RN to BSN, programs generally require the following:
- A current RN nursing license
- Graduation from a National League of Nursing
- Minimum GPAs range from 2.5 -3.0
Whichever nursing degree you choose will have a significant impact on your career. Take closer a look at various nursing masters’ degree options and learn about what a masters’ degree in nursing can offer, before you decide on a nursing degree program. For all your nursing degree requirements, online nursing degrees and programs are available.
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As nursing is a recession proof career, many people these days are enrolling into nursing degree programs. Nowadays, it is the right time to become a nurse looking at the huge demand for the nurses and the shortage of nurses. The huge demands for nurses is going to create thousands of new jobs. This demand for nurses is already raising the nursing salaries.
However, many people find it difficult to pursue a college based nursing degree program. That may be because they already have a job, or because they do not have a nursing college near the place they live or they may not be able to afford the nursing college fees. For all these types of people, online nursing degrees is a viable option for pursuing a degree in nursing from home. Online nursing degrees permit you to improve your career and income. And, there are online nursing schools which allow you to work managing your current schedule. The option of online education is as demanding as traditional education of nursing course.
Online nursing programs also allow many nurses to get an advanced degree at home by completing course according to their convenience. Many nurses with family responsibilities cannot afford to attend school. The option of online nursing saves time. Particularly the students from rural areas who can not find nursing colleges close to the place where they live can save their time as they don’t have to commute long distances. In online nursing programs, course content is generally the same as that of traditional courses.
Many student are skeptical of enrolling in online course as there is no personal interaction with their instructors and classmates. However, with modern technology, they can communicate via email or paricipate in online discussions provided by their instructors. These online discussions are as good as the interactions in a traditional course. Moreover, students in online courses are rewarded with instructors’ lectures in written form, which is a clear advantage. In many online education programs for nursing, non-clinical part of the course is completed via online classes. A medical facility near your home is generally assigned for your practical clinical requirements.
Some institutions offer many advanced degree and certificate in nursing for students seeking online education. The most familiar online nursing degrees offered are RN to BSN programs and MSN degrees. You may have to work with an academic advisor to plan your curriculum, if you are enrolling in an online nursing degree program.
In online nursing program, you can start any time if the class or degree program you’re enrolled is self-paced. However, many online degree programs and classes are run like traditional degree programs or classes. Many online programs affiliated with traditional universities require their online students to maintain the same quarter or semester schedule as of their campus counterparts. In such cases, students get a designated start date. Many online classes are structured much like traditional courses with series of assignments and examinations, but generally classes are structured in such a way that the course will be completed with minimum of six to eight weeks.
When you decide about online nursing degrees, you have many choices like pediatric nursing, cancer nursing, geriatric nursing, school nursing, neonatal nursing or home health Nursing. You should carefully select the online nursing program which matches your needs.
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The worldwide recession is still continuing and has affected the American workers drastically. More than 15 million Americans are jobless now, and on an average they they remain out of work for 28 weeks. The unemployment rate in the United States last month was the highest since April 1983 at 10.2%. Worst sufferers were the construction sector and manufacturing.
Forbes recently compiled a list of the most recession proof jobs. They took a snapshot of the current job market and developed a list of recession-proof jobs. As per their findings, the health care industry in the United States was leading in the job gains, and the job of a registered nurse was the most recession proof.
Registered nurses (RN) are in high demand as there is a shortage of nurses that will become more severe as baby boomer generation ages and need more health care. According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care employment is increasing by about 30.000 jobs every month. Other health care professionals like occupational therapists, who assist patients perform daily activities like dressing and eating ranked fifth on the list of most recession-proof jobs. The bureau has estimated over one million nursing new positions over the ten year period ending in 2016. Registered nurses get an average salary between $55,000 to $90,000 per year.
Most registered nurses work at hospitals and other health care facilities, where they assist doctors in treating patients. Nurses also record patients’ medical histories, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, check symptoms, administer medications and treatment and help with patient rehabilitation. They also provide advice and emotional support to patients’ family members.
But to enter the nursing field, one has to overcome the barrier of getting the right education to meet the profession’s exhausting demands. Many Americans these days opt for training programs in Nursing and related healthcare fields, as they can count on this occupation, no matter where they relocate, or what happens to the economy. People having a tight budget may opt for doing clinical work and simultaneously studying in a two-year nursing degree program to become a registered nurse.
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The demand for skilled and qualified nurses in various nursing jobs is huge by any standards, and this demand will increase steadily for another 10-20 years. According to the recent estimate, by the year 2020, there will be scarcity of about 800,000 nurses in the United States. So, there are plenty of job opportunities in the nursing and health care field, which will continue to exist for many more years.
Decrease in the mortality rates all over the world has resulted in people living for longer years and thus many more people to take care of. That makes a job in the Health care field as one of the best options which would not be affected by the recession. More than 150,000 positions are available in health care field, so nursing as a career is definitely one of the best to opt for. Due to shortage of nurses in the United States and other developed countries, many nursing positions are filled by immigrant nurses from countries like the Philippines and India.
Due to the increasing demand for nurses, many hospitals are even offering around $13,000 as signing bonus for experienced nurses. Nursing jobs have flexible schedules and even the fresh nurse graduates can expect to get salary somewhere around $18 to $20 per hour. Some hospitals hire new nurses at remuneration of $800 to $1000 per week. Many hospitals also offer part time nursing jobs, on call positions and weekend shifts for those who cannot work for 40 hours a week.
Nursing Schools and Colleges are required to keep up with the ongoing demand and are ready to offer you number of ways to get your degree. You can attend two year associate degree programs in nursing offered by many community college and tech schools. Another option is to g for a general four year degree program in nursing. These days, you can even opt for a online nursing degree which you can complete at a faster pace. Moreover, by undertaking an online college program in nursing, you will soon be on your way to a high paying nursing job and it can be done at times convenient for you.
Nursing is a highly regarded profession for honesty and ethical standards among various professions. If you want to work in an environment that is challenging, rewarding and most importantly interesting, a career in nursing is your perfect destination.
If you are interested in finding a job which offers better salary then you should consider nursing as your career, as healthcare jobs are one of the best paying jobs in the world. Apart from the usual salary, many perks and extra benefits are also offered for nursing jobs. Apart from good salary, you will have this satisfaction of making a difference in other people’s lives. So, if you’ve got an interest in caring for people, you should definitely consider nursing as a career.
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