Get On The Faster Path To A Rewarding Nursing Career
There has never been a better time to change paths to nursing. Your skills and expertise be in high demand, meaning youll likely have little trouble finding a position once you earn your nursing degree and pass the licensure exam. As a nurse, you can also expect to make a comfortable living in a field with flexible scheduling options.
But, nursing is so much more than a job. By becoming a nurse, youll be entering into an exciting and rewarding field that allows you to connect with people in need and make a real difference in their lives.
If youre ready to pursue this in-demand profession and want to learn more about how the Misericordia ABSN program can help you transition into the field in as few as 16 months, reach out to one of our admissions counselors by completing this form.
What Is A Nurse
Often, when we think of a nurse, the first thought that comes to mind are individuals in white uniforms whose job is to assist doctors. However, theres more to the profession than just that. In fact, many nurses would agree that nursing is not just a career or profession, its a calling.
Broadly speaking, a nurse is a highly-skilled individual whos in charge of the patients holistic care and wellbeing. Just like doctors, there are different types of nurses. Some nurses are trained to take care of patients in the ward, while others specialise in the emergency room. Furthermore, nurses can also choose their specialisations for instance, some nurses prefer to focus on haemodialysis, while others spend most of their time with cancer patients.
While doctors only spend a short time with patients, nurses often dedicate their entire shift for them. The diverse responsibilities of a nurse include taking care of the patient and coordinating their needs to the appropriate channels. In hospitals, nurses help to assess the patients condition, administer medications, check for side-effects, and refer them to doctors should there be any cause for concern.
Find The Right Programs
Before you even begin applying to nursing programs, its crucial to decide what youre looking for. Picking the right programs to apply for involves asking yourself questions such as:
- Do they offer the right degree for the career I want?
- Do they have specialty courses that interest me?
- How much clinical rotation time will I get?
- Whats their access to top-quality equipment?
- How well do students do on licensing exams?
- Does the school offer career placement programs?
- Can I afford the tuition?
Something to consider is attending information sessions at the various schools you might be interested in. This can give you a better feel for the specifics of the program and help you decide if its the right fit. Some schools may even let you sit in on certain classes or meet with professors.
What about online nursing school?
Another thing to ask yourself is whether the format of a program fits into your life. While many students still attend traditional on-campus programs, an increasing number of people are looking for online options that let them pursue higher education while balancing other responsibilities in their lives. The good news is that these programs do exist in a hybrid format. In these, the hands-on, clinical portion of your coursework will need to be done in person, but most of your nonclinical classes can be taken online.
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How To Become A Nurse In Texas
Nursing is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the demand for registered nurses is projected to grow 15% from 2016 to 2026. However, healthcare labor experts predict much stronger growth in Texas. According to a 2018 report by the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, statewide demand for RNs is projected to grow 54% by 2030, creating an estimated 60,000 full-time job vacancies. The career outlook for nurses in Texas is among the strongest in the country.
How Can I Get A Nursing Job With No Experience
While not required for all positions, some employers prefer to hire experienced nurses. Nursing students can increase their marketability by volunteering at a local hospital or clinic or pursuing an internship while completing their studies. Nurses entering the job market for the first time should consider taking beginning positions to gain experience, even if the jobs do not meet their personal goals.
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Other Advances That Play A Role In Nursing
As you embark on a nursing career, youll need to be prepared for even more innovations in healthcare.
Genetics | Gene mutations can predict whether a patient is at risk of developing a disease. The use of genetics and genomes can also help identify whether a parent will pass along a mutation to their child. Since nurses often have the most communication with patients, its their job to gather as much information about family history, help patients make informed decisions about genetic/genomic tests, especially now that genetic tests are readily available to consumers, and provide guidance and referrals to patients based on test results.
Biometrics | Proper healthcare cant exist without confidentiality and security, which is why biometrics is so important in todays fast-paced healthcare environment. Biometrics is a scientific method used to identify people through physical qualities such as fingerprints and voice. In healthcare, biometrics are used to accurately identify patients and providers, ensuring that care is provided to the right patients and that only authorized providers have access to patient data. For nurses, this means easier sharing of patient records for more efficient and coordinated care. For patients, it means fewer medical errors and better outcomes.
How Much Do Nurses Earn In Singapore
The salary of nurses in Singapore varies depending on various factors. In general, RNs normally receive higher pay grades than ENs, with the former making an average of $2,400 monthly and the latter around $1,750.
Youll also have to take into consideration your scope of work, field of specialisation, and employing institution. The bottom line is, the further you advance in your knowledge and skills through continuing education and training, the more youll earn in your nursing career in Singapore.
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Make Time To Think About Your Career
Schedule time in your diary frequently to sit down and think about your job, career, options and aspirations. Even if you’re happy where you are at the moment, it doesn’t hurt to see what’s out there, explore what courses you could take, or perhaps just think about what you’d like to be doing in two years’ time.
Each time you do this, keep a diary where you can jot down ideas and set yourself at least one goal with a deadline. For example:
- Spend half hour researching Advanced Nursing MSc
- Contact local university to ask about CPD opportunities
- Contact local GP practices to enquire about shadowing a practice nurse
- Research volunteering opportunities and make enquiries.
- Organise meeting with line manager to discuss opportunities for taking on more responsibility at work / being involved with training new staff / doing mentorship qualification
- Attend open recruitment day at local hospital trust to see what’s available and network.
Move To Nursing From Another Career With An Accelerated Bsn
Accelerated BSNs are designed for students who have already earned a bachelors degree in another field.
You want to become a nurse, but your background is in finance. No problem. Not all RNs start out in nursing. Motivated by job dissatisfaction, salary, or other reasons, some people change careers and head back to school to earn a bachelors in nursing. But what if you dont have the time and money to invest in another four years of school? Enter the accelerated BSN.
Accelerated BSNs are designed for students who have already earned a bachelors degree in another field.
While you may have to complete certain science and math prerequisites, accelerated BSN students arent required to take general education courses again. Instead, the accelerated program focuses solely on nursing skills. Students graduate with a BSN and should be prepared to take the NCLEX-RN.
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Diverse Tracks And Income Opportunities
Just like any profession, nurses often start with an average income, but the earning potential goes up the more you further your studies and hone your skills. In particular, the nursing career paths in Singapore are diverse and opportunities are almost endless, seeing that Registered Nurses can even open their own clinics independently once they become an Advanced Practice Nurse.
Salary And Job Outlook Of Registered Nurses
If you are pursuing a career as a registered nurse in California, you have a rewarding career ahead of you. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses across the U.S. earn an annual salary of $73,300, while registered nurses in California earn an annual salary of $113,240. Of course, registered nurses care more about improving the lives of their patients than earning a high salary, but the income is an appealing bonus.
The job outlook for registered nurses is projected to grow 12% from now until 2028, which is much faster than the growth of average careers. As a shortage of healthcare workers expands across the U.S., the Health Resources and Services Administration predicts in the Supply and Demand Projections of the Nursing Workforce report a shortage of nurses across the country. The projections also predict the largest shortage of nurses to take place in California. Due to this, registered nurses are in higher demand now more than ever before.
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Choose Your Career Path
The first step in becoming a nurse is to choose the career path that you would like to follow, at least initially. What job title do you hope to hold? What kind of tasks and responsibilities do you want as a part of your day-to-day job? This decision will impact the educational requirements that youll need to fulfill in order to become licensed in your chosen profession, so its an important one to consider, says Glynn.
There are many options to consider here. For example, you may decide to start your nursing career as a certified nursing assistant , licensed practical nurse or licensed vocational nurse , or you might decide that you want to go straight into the field as a registered nurse . You might even decide early on that you want to eventually become a nurse practitioner.
Not sure what each of these job titles means? Here are some quick definitions:
Certified Nursing Assistant : These are medical professionals that help patients with needs associated with daily living, such as bathing, grooming, eating, and moving. They are also typically responsible for checking the patients vital signs periodically. CNAs work under the supervision of an RN, LPN, or LVN.
Registered Nurse : Registered nurses are responsible for direct care of patients. This typically includes managing their daily activities, assessments, medications, and any scheduled procedures they may need to undergo. Often, RNs will supervise other members of the medical team.
What Does A Registered Nurse Do
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , more than 3 million registered nurses are employed in the United States, and approximately 60%work in hospitals. RNs may also find themselves in clinics, physicians offices, home health care settings, critical andlong-term care facilities, governmental organizations, the military, schools, and rehabilitation agencies. The demandfor registered nurses is expected to grow 7% by 2029.
Duties of a registered nurse vary depending upon where they work, but often include providing direct care to patients, assisting physicians in medical procedures, offering guidance to family members, and leading public health education campaigns. RNs may also operate medical monitoring equipment and administer medications. With concentrated training or certifications, RNs can focus on a medical specialty, such as geriatric, pediatric, neonatal, surgical, or emergency care.
Registered nurses work in shifts that run around the clock, which may be on rotating or permanent schedules. Overtime and emergency hours can also be unpredictable. In addition to passing the NCLEX-RN, registered nurses are required to complete ongoing education to maintain licensure. For those with a nursing diploma or associate degree, returning to school to complete a bachelors or masters level degree will allow them to move into advanced nursing practice roles or health care administration.
Discover your career fit
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Changes To Our Nursing Application Process Starting August 2021
- We are now requiring a Professional Resume, not a functional resume as we have in the past.
- Pre-requisite classes may be completed the quarter in which you apply.
- We will no longer require proof of Hep B vaccination.
- No entrance exam is needed for application.
Washington is experiencing a shortage of registered nurses in all medical settings. Students who complete Pierce College’s Nursing program are trained and ready to begin their career immediately.
What You Can Do With This Degree
Earning an Associate Degree in Nursing will make you eligible to take the NCLEX-RN, a prerequisite for RN licensure in all U.S. states. With RNs in high demand, nurses can often then secure jobs that offer tuition reimbursement to continue their nursing education at a reduced personal expense.
After earning their license, the BLS says more than half of all RNs go on to work in hospitals, but you can use your credential in many types of environments. Consider pursuing a career in:
- Ambulatory healthcare services
$75,330
Salaries for nurses vary widely depending on their education, level of experience, setting in which they work, and any specialty they may have. That said, the BLS reports the median annual salary for RNs to be $75,330. Those working in high-level roles within the government, research facilities, or pharmaceutical companies could earn significantly more.
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Find Out Which Type Of Nurse You Would Like To Become
As a nursing professional, there are many areas in which you can work. RNs can work in nearly any setting that provides health care, including:
- Hospitals
- Outpatient clinics
- Schools
In addition to choosing the care setting, nurses also have freedom to specialize and work with a population or in a department that appeals to them the most. For example, RNs can pursue additional certifications to provide cardiovascular care, gerontological care, or ambulatory care among others.
After becoming an RN and earning some experience, nurses may wish to become an advanced practice registered nurse . These masters-level nurses may provide care independently or in collaboration with a physician. Some may be able to prescribe medications, depending on their state of practice and licensure requirements.
The most important thing to remember is that should you choose to become a nurse, youll have optionsand plenty of potential opportunities to advance your career.
Registered Nurse Job Projections
The BLS expects tremendous job growth for registered nurses, with a 7% expansion expected between 2019 and 2029. Several reasons for this exist, including an aging population and wider healthcare availability through the Affordable Care Act.
Patients will increasingly need nurses to educate them on and care for their chronic health problems, such as:
- Arthritis
- Obesity
- Dementia
The BLS says that the increased demand for registered nurses will come from facilities other than hospitals, such as outpatient and long-term care centers.
As can be expected, the job growth is not necessarily even across the nation. The below table lists the top 10 states where growth is expected to be the highest from 2018 to 2028.
1.
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Research Accredited Nursing Schools
Once youve decided on a degree path, its time to find a nursing school that is right for you, because where you study nursing matters. Not only do you want to be sure the school you pick shares your values you also want to look at how soon you can graduate , whether it is properly accredited and what percentage of recent nursing graduates passed the NCLEX.
Deciding Your Educational Route
There are almost as many paths to become a nurse as there are callings. You know by now you need to graduate from a nursing program, but that universal requirement can mean many different things. As the demand for nurses has risen, more nursing schools have emerged to educate and prepare a new generation of students for the future of nursing. Before you apply to nursing school, you need to decide your educational route.
For new nurses, you have three main choices for nursing school: an ADN program awarding an associates degree, a four-year college with a BSN program, and an accelerated BS program. The last of these is a rarer program, designed for students who already earned a bachelors degree, worked in a related field, and fulfilled many technical prerequisites. Most nursing students choose between an ADN and BSN program.
As more hospitals prefer to see nurses with a BSN degree, earning your bachelors from the start has its benefits. But earning your associates degree first allows you to become a nurse much sooner. Some nursing programs, like Ameritechs in Draper, Utah, allow you to graduate and get to work in less than two years, earning money as a registered nurse and often receiving tuition assistance to complete your BSN later.
Theres no right or wrong choice, but theres often a better choice for your goals of becoming an RN.
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