Nursing Profession Education-6 Things You Need to Know
6 Things to Prepare You for the Nursing Profession
If you are interested in entering the nursing profession, then there are a few things that you should do to prepare yourself.
1. You need to have a high school diploma.
If you are still in high school, talk with your guidance counselor to see what types of classes your school offers that will help prepare you for nursing. Most programs like to see 2-4 years of science and math, 2 years of some kind of health studies as well as language and computer classes.
If you have already graduated and have the above referenced classes, you can move on to our next checklist item. If you are lacking some of these classes, you might consider taking a few your local community college.
2. You need to search out nursing programs that appeal to you.
There are hundreds of schools across the United States with programs ranging from traditional on-campus format or with on-line courses. It is important to know that these programs are readily available to you, so find one that fits your time, cost and motivational needs. I will be doing future posts for more information on this.
3. The Nursing Program should be accredited
Accreditation is important because employers prefer nursing professionals whom have an education that is based in established national standards. Look for more posts that will tell you all you need to know about Accredited Nursing School Information.
4. Once you have found a few programs, you then need to apply.
You will want to apply to several schools. This is related to the old adage about eggs in a basket! Applying is quite a process, but if you are organized and pay attention to submittal requirements, it becomes less frustrating. I plan on writing several post on this topic in the very near future.
5. Some schools require a pre-admissions exam
Here is a link to the National League for Nursing. If you go to their site, they will give you more information about pre-admissions exams.
6. Getting your degree
There are several degrees that you can get. Associate’s Degree, Bachelor of Science Nursing Master’s Degree, even doctoral degrees are available to help you on your way into the nursing profession.
There is too much information regarding degrees to have in this short article, but you can get more info as I make posts focusing on Education for Nursing and Advanced Nursing Education.
I hope this post helps you in preparing for entering the nursing profession. Please come back to read future posts about more insights on nursing education & career information!
Tagged with: Nursing Education • Nursing Information • Nursing Profession • nursing programs
Filed under: Nursing Education • Nursing Profession
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All of the above information is accurate. I would emphasize accreditation as a requirement for choosing a nursing program (unless it is a new program that has not yet graduated a class, which would mean it has met initial requirements of the state board of nursing. In addition, as clinical spaces become more scarce, limitations on enrollment are increasing. Competition for admission becomes tougher. Students who have community service on their resume, particularly if it is in healthcare (for example, volunteering in a hospital or long term care facility) may have an advantage over other applicants with the same academic qualifications.
I agree that accreditation is very important, though sometimes overlooked by students. I have a dedicated post to begin a discussion on accredited nursing programs that will be up in a couple of days. I am sure that this topic will be one on which I periodically generate new posts, in addition to the discussion that will likely take place in the comment sections. Thank you for your input here!