Advice For Online Nursing Students
When it comes to selecting an online program, make sure to do your research, Cobb advises. She suggests attending information sessions and checking the program’s accreditation status. Aside from clinical requirements, look into details about:
- The online learning platform used
- Program curriculum
- Preceptorships
- The school’s NCLEX pass rate
“If you enjoy having flexibility in your schedule and still want some hands-on guidance, an online program may be a fantastic option,” Geiser says. “I was able to work as a nursing assistant during my program, which gave me an advantage when applying for new grad positions.”
Clinical Experience For Online Nursing Students
Online nursing programs offer theoretical components through web-based features. These include prerecorded lectures or class discussion boards. Some schools provide lab simulations online, while others require you to complete labs in person.
When it comes to clinical rounds, though, you always need to complete required hours on location.
“My online program was cohorted in my city with a set number of students who completed on-site testing, clinical, and skills/simulation training together,” says Emma Leigh Geiser, RN. “It felt very much like in-person study, except we had more flexibility for completing the theory portion of the degree.”
Associates Degree In Nursing
An Associates degree in Nursing is the quickest option for getting started in a registered nursing career. The Rasmussen University Professional Nursing ADN program can be completed in as few as 18 months.1 Once you have completed this degree, you would need to pass the NCLEX-RN®. After passing this test and meeting all other state licensure requirements, you are a registered nurse and able to specialize and work in a variety of settings.
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Resources For Nursing Students
- Outbreak Preparedness and Response Guide The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology has made this important text about emergency management and infectious disease disasters free to read for all healthcare professionals and students.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center COVID-19 FAQs The ANCC website answers questions about testing, live remote proctoring, and how the pandemic may affect your path to licensure.
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses e-Course AACN offers all nurses a free online course covering COVID-19 pulmonary, ARDS, and ventilator resources.
- Nurse Educator Podcast Although this podcast’s target audience is typically nursing instructors, students can learn a lot from recent episodes on COVID-19. Get started with the episodes on disaster preparedness for nursing students and coping with COVID-19.
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How Long Is An Associates Degree In Nursing Program
Earning an Associates Degree in Nursing is the shortest path to becoming a Registered Nurse. Completing an ADN program generally takes two to three years. Though ADNs do not have the same training in leadership and research that Registered Nurses who have earned BSNs do, those who choose the ADN path learn the same nursing procedures and work in the same settings.
Programs are offered through community colleges and can be taken online or in person, on a full time or part-time basis. Most ADN students will have completed at least 700 clinical hours before they graduate from their program.
Once you have completed your ADN program you will be prepared for and eligible to take the Registered Nurse licensure exam known as the NCLEX-RN . First-time test takers can schedule themselves to take the test within thirty days of eligibility, and the test itself takes just four hours to complete.
Some states allow test takers to get their test results within 48 hours after taking the exam, though official results are mailed from the state board of nursing within two months of taking it.
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Getting Clinical Experience As An Online Nursing Student
Nursing school clinical experiences are necessary for students to graduate but how do clinicals work in online nursing school? Read this guide to find out.
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
Online nursing programs have become more common in recent years. Some students prefer online courses due to the flexibility and independence they offer. Certain types of nursing programs can be completed entirely online. Most, however, require on-site clinical rotations.
Wondering how clinicals work in online nursing school? Read on to learn how online nursing programs are formatted, and how to find and complete clinical rotations at a healthcare site near you.
What Qualification Will I Gain
A Nursing Council of New Zealand approved Bachelor’s degree – either a Bachelor of Nursing or a Bachelor of Health Science depending on the institutional name of the qualification. Following completion of the programme, you will be eligible for registration in New Zealand as a Registered Nurse which enables you to work in any area of nursing in New Zealand. If you want to become a midwife you will need to enrol directly into a Midwifery degree programme which will enable you to graduate as a practicing midwife at the end of your studies. Alternatively, you could complete a nursing programme prior to entering a midwifery programme, or vice versa. Also refer to the New Zealand College of Midwives.
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Potential Impact On The Nursing Workforce
In some ways, COVID-19 only exacerbated existing problems in the nursing industry. By the time the virus reached the U.S., the profession was already grappling with a nursing shortage. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, an increasing number of baby boomers reached the age of 65 and began requiring more healthcare, just as many nurses were nearing retirement. Meanwhile, nursing school enrollment rates did not grow fast enough to replace the nurses leaving the industry.
The spreading pandemic further increased the demand on America’s healthcare system. Up to 14,000 nursing students preparing to graduate from entry-level nursing programs may need to delay their graduations this year. This is largely because social distancing rules have made it difficult — if not impossible — for learners to complete their clinicals. However, many graduate programs are coming up with inventive ways to keep students on track for graduation.
A Unique Rotation: Community Health
This course are unlike the other core clinical courses. Students in this rotation provide care in a variety of non-inpatient, non-hospital settings, coming to learn that health happens outside of the hospital setting where individuals and populations live, learn, work and play.
Students are not assigned to a single clinical site or type of experience. This clinical time is designed to introduce a variety of community and public health nursing roles. Some examples are infection control, school nursing, public health nursing, home health nursing, and occupational health. Students participate in health screenings and other health promotion/education events.
Throughout this rotation, students work in pairs to complete a community assessment, identify a health need within that community, and design and implement an aggregate teaching project at a selected agency or organization. Students play a big role in selecting their own sites for this rotation in the past, they have completed projects at churches, elementary or high schools, and cultural organizations with which they are already affiliated.
Important details about the community health rotation:
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Why Are Nursing Clinicals Important
Classroom and online learning can be useful for learning many aspects of nursing. However, to master certain nursing skills conducting physical examinations, drawing blood, and providing hands-on patient care, for example nursing students must practice on real patients. During nursing clinicals, students are placed in clinical settings under close supervision. They receive explicit instructions and must follow the appropriate clinical procedures and protocols while adhering to all guidelines and policies. Graduate students learn in a plethora of clinical environments and engage in hours of advanced practice, as required by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Nurses Credentialing Center .
Nurses combine their knowledge of the biological, physical, and social sciences with their interpersonal and problem-solving skills to provide patients with the best care. To hone all these skills and gain direct practical experience working with practicing nurses and physicians in patient care settings, nursing students participate in clinicals. The benefits from the experience form a vital component of their learning process, enabling them to become accustomed to real workplace environments, expand their knowledge bases, and translate theory into practice.
What Happens If I Fail A Clinical
Clinicals are a subjective experience, and its not very common to fail clinicals because there is a lot of support and interaction with the instructors. If you put in the effort youre on time, you complete your care plans, you ask questions, and youre engaged you will not fail clinicals.
If, however, there is a circumstance where you could not complete your hours, or your instructor determines that you should not pass clinicals, it is important to assess the situation and determine what is preventing you from passing. Have a conversation with your clinical instructor and with your program director if needed. Coming together and forming a plan on how to best move forward will help you get through a sticky situation.
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When Should I Start Looking
Prelicensure students generally do not need to worry about locating clinical placements. Schools either take care of this for students or guide them very closely. Postlicensure students, on the other hand, do need to consider their clinical placements. A postlicensure student should begin looking for a training site before they even begin their program, says Cobb.
“This will allow students to prepare the affiliation agreement with the site and the nursing program, so they will not have any delay in starting their clinical hours,” Cobb adds. “During COVID-19, many sites had to stop accepting nursing students for clinical placement, which may have delayed the clinicals for some students.”
Taking Care Of Yourself
Maintaining a healthy body, mind, and soul is important, although difficult during nursing school. The demands of didactic and clinical hours plus outside responsibilities may prove to leave little time for self-care.
Here are a few simple things the student can do throughout the busy day to maintain balance:
- 3-minute meditations, can be done during school hours on a coffee break, find a quiet place, maybe the car, close your eyes, and take slow deep breaths, setting the intention of clearing your mind
- Eat nutritious food, this helps to properly nourish all those overworked brain cells and keep you focused
- Take a daily walk, just a 10 minute walk around the neighborhood will improve brain function and cardiovascular health
- Limit alcohol intake, not only will this improve body but also the health of the student’s mind
Nursing schools now require high GPA’s and have strict admission requirements. Students who have been accepted already know the best ways each individual studies and learns. Most will have no problem balancing the challenges of nursing school while maintaining their outside responsibilities. And most will survive and graduate with flying colors, ready and willing to join the ranks of registered nurses. So what happens after graduation?
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Working During Rn School
Most students would choose not to work during school but, sadly, work is a reality for many students. Because of the increased demands for study, lecture, and clinical hours, many nursing students will want to decrease the amount of hours he or she works, if possible. Some employers offer education reimbursement and depending on the situation the student may qualify for more money in student loans than tuition requires, leaving extra for living expenses.
What Guidelines Do Schools Of Nursing Have To Follow
Schools of Nursing must meet approval and accreditation requirements of the following organisations:
- New Zealand Qualification Authority NZQA or The Committee of University Academic Programmes accreditation requirements.
- Specific institute/ university Academic Boards requirements. If you are thinking of part time study, discuss your needs with your school. NETS recommends that you carefully consider any implications for student loans and allowances
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Why Do These Numbers Matter
Studies show that NPs and PAs can manage about 80% to 90% of the care provided by physicians in the primary care setting. It is essential that employers and providers understand, however, that with significantly less clinical training in school, there is a significant onboarding process associated with hiring nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Support during the new grad learning curve is essential.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistant themselves must also recognize the realities of this learning curve. Education does not end on graduation day. To reach ones full scope of practice, NPs and PAs must continue to learn, seeking to reach their maximum potential. It isnt easy, but with hard work and a few years of experience, you can reach the 80% to 90% benchmark.
The Nursing Clinical Component
Nursing programs generally consist of three components:
- Classes and lectures
- Lab sessions
- On-site clinical rotations
Students learn theory in classes and practice nursing skills in simulation labs. Clinical components take place at patient care facilities, such as hospitals, physicians’ clinics, or nursing homes. Here, you observe nurses and apply classroom learning under supervision from licensed professionals.
Keep in mind that at some point, all nursing students must complete nursing school clinical experiences. In order to become licensed as a registered nurse , you must complete on-site training. Associate and bachelor of science in nursing degrees almost always require clinical components.
Online RN-to-BSN programs are aimed towards nurses who already hold an associate degree in nursing . These programs might not require clinical hours, or allow you to complete them at the healthcare setting you work at.
The number of clinical hours you take depends on state requirements, the type of degree, and the school’s curriculum. More advanced degrees, for example, might require more clinical training.
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Getting Started With A Clinical Experience
Your clinical experience will be a “healthrelated activity” and will include completing a project or spending time in a health care setting that will help you grow as a nursing professional. You will develop your goals and build an experience or project that will help you meet these individual goals. You will submit the plan for your healthrelated activity to your instructor for approval.
What Do I Need To Know About The Faculty
The Faculty is comprised of dedicated nursing professionals representing a wide range of roles. All CNL clinical courses are taught by Clinical Nurse Leaders, many of whom currently practice within their own area of clinical specialization. Our faculty members are highly student-focused, and make themselves available and approachable to students both in and out of the classroom.
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How Long Is An Rn To Msn Program
Nurses who have earned their ADN can pursue an RN-to-MSN program that supplements the MSN program with the baccalaureate education that they are missing. This type of program can be completed in two-to-three years.
Similarly, those who already have earned a baccalaureate degree outside of nursing can complete an entry-level MSN program that supplements the MSN program with the nursing education that they are missing can complete it in two-to-three years.
How Long Is A Nurse Practitioner Program
A Nurse Practitioner is one type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse that is available as a career to those who complete either an MSN program or a DNP program. There are many different specialty areas in which a Nurse Practitioner can practice, including Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Gerontology, Cardiology and Psychiatry.
Completing a Nurse Practitioner program takes from two-to-four years after qualifying to enter the program. Nurse Practitioner programs offer either a Master of Science in Nursing program that takes two years to complete or a Doctor of Nursing Practice program that takes four years to complete.
Before applying to a Nurse Practitioner program, candidates will need to have become Registered Nurses, and those who have done so by earning an ADN degree will need to pursue an RN-to-MSN program that supplements their nursing training with a baccalaureate education program.
Nurse Practitioners who choose to work in a specialty area will need to seek certification through the appropriate certifying board for their area of practice and to maintain their certification through both continuing education and retesting depending upon that boards requirements and criteria.
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What Can I Do For Experience While In Nursing School
Since many nursing programs are impacted, some schools prefer prior experience in healthcare. Even if your program does not require experience, some student nurses like to get their feet wet in the healthcare arena while they work through their courses. Thankfully, there are many options available for nurses-to-be.
One idea is to volunteer. Hospitals have volunteer programs available for teenagers as well as adults. The time commitments are usually low, only a couple of hours a week are needed. Volunteers can choose from many different areas, but selecting an area where patient care is performed is probably best .
Another idea is to work as a private caregiver. Sometimes jobs are available in privately-owned care facilities and for individuals with specific care needs, and sometimes prior experience is not required. Caregivers may be required to help with mobility, feeding/ dressing, transportation, etc.
Becoming a medical assistant or certified nursing assistant is another fantastic way to gain hands-on patient care experience. MAs work closely with physicians and RNs and observe many types of diagnoses and illnesses, and some even administer vaccines and certain medications. CNAs provide hands-on care such as feeding, mobilizing, and bathing patients, and work closely alongside nurses. Along with clinical experiences, working in entry-level careers allows the student to earn money to help finance nursing school tuition and fees.