Let’s talk about how to prepare for the NCLEX.
But first you need to know a little about the NCLEX exam. This can be a stressful event in your path to being a nurse.
The main purpose of the NCLEX is to provide a certain level of standardization for testing competency levels. In other words, are you a safe and effective nursing professional?
The test is geared for entry level nurses
So don’t get stressed out about knowing absolutely everything there is to know about being a nurse. Though the test is adaptive which basically means if you miss a difficult question, the next one shouldn’t be as hard. Read the rest of this entry
Licensed Practical Nurses are also called Licensed Vocational Nurses.
We have talked about Registered Nurses (RN) and Nurse Practitioners (NP) in some detail in previous posts, so I thought we should talk about Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and give an LPN job description.
Read the rest of this entry
Where, Oh Where, Have All The Nursing Jobs Gone?
I have posted some information related to this topic in an earlier post, but it seems to be a popular question so I thought I would give a little more insight on the matter of nursing jobs here.
There are reports from many agencies that indicate a need for more RNs.
There are also many reports that suggest that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that in a few years we are going to see a huge number of open positions. Here I will give you a little more specific information about the outlook of nursing jobs. Read the rest of this entry
Understanding nursing research could lead you into a great specialty.
Understanding nursing research seems to be a good topic after my last post on informatics. As I said in the post, as a nurse your focus is in caring for patients and their families as well as promoting education for managing their condition.
Nurse researchers use the scientific method to define criteria to improve patient care, safety procedures, as well as save costs. There are many other specific areas of research but I see these as the primary three. Research gets highly specific with studies like The Effectiveness of an Aspiration Risk-Reduction Protocol or Evaluating Central Venous Catheter Care.
Nursing researchers generally need to have a PhD in order to be the principal investigator of a particular area of study.
National funding will often dictate this criteria. A nurse with an MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) may be eligible for a research assistant position.
Understanding Nursing Research - This can be a Specialty Specific Career Path
The National Institute of Nursing Research is a great resource and funds training opportunities for nursing research. They provide finding to universities, hospitals, and medical centers. The NINR also has in-house opportunities so take a look at their site if you are interested in understanding nursing research.
Some other resources that you may want to check out are the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the journal for Applied Nursing Research.
If you are an RN are interested in understanding nursing research then take a look at the sites mentioned above. If you think that is a career path that is of interest to you, then start pursuing a higher degree such as an MSN or PhD. In the near future I will have some information for you regarding school options, so keep your eyes peeled! Please, if you have any experience in this area, I would love to see your comments on understanding nursing research.
