Make Connections During Clinicals
When its time for you to complete clinical rounds during school, youll likely be assigned to a hospital where youll shadow a nurse . During this period, be an attentive learner with a positive attitude. Make connections with your preceptor and even their managers. If a position opens up, they may be more willing to recommend you for the job.
Once your clinical ends, stay in touch with your preceptors as they may be a good resource for job opportunities.
Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program
Prepare for your nursing career
At Chamberlain, youll gain the hands-on experience, mentorship and critical thinking you need to become a nurse who demonstrates both competence and compassion. Get support at every step of the BSN program:
- Enter directly into our BSN nursing program, with no waitlist* at most of our 23 campus locations
- Apply for scholarship and grant opportunities. Financial aid in the form of federal and private loans, scholarships, grants and work-study available to those who qualify
- Finish faster by transferring qualifying credits from previous degree work
*Irwindale, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Sacramento, North Brunswick and San Antonio campuses may have a waiting period.
What Are The Common Academic Requirements For Bscn
For Second Degree Entry or Compressed BScN programs , students are required to have:
- At least 20 courses/10 credits completed prior to admission.
- Minimum academic requirement to apply is typically a B or 3.0 or 75% in the final 2 years.
- Prerequisites vary by institution but may include courses in biology/life science , statistics, psychology, humanities and social sciences.
Be sure to visit each universitys website for more information on their program and specific admission requirements as some have unique prerequisites such as microbiology, chemistry and/or high school credits.
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Bsn Program Admission Requirements
How do I get started?
New students can enroll at Chamberlain three times per year, with no prerequisite courses required for admission.
For your nursing application, you should have:
- Proof of high school graduation, with a 2.75 GPA or above or a GED® test score of 551 if taken between 2002-2013, or a minimum score of 600 if taken in 2014 or after.
- A minimum score of 73 on the HESI Admission Assessment Exam
Youll also be required to complete a drug screen or background and fingerprint checks within 120 days of your start date to gain clinical clearance.
Request information to connect with an admissions representative.
Determine Which Classes You Need To Graduate
It’s time to figure out the specific classes you need to take to graduate.
Look at your student handbook or talk to your advisor to learn which classes students at your high school must take in order to graduate. This will usually require a certain number of semesters of math, English, science, and social studies, as well as some possible other requirements, such as a gym or fine arts class.
Make a list of all the required classes you haven’t taken yet. Sometimes the requirements are general, such as taking six semesters of math, while other times they’re more specific . Pay attention to this when making your list. Be aware that most high schools require four years of English but fewer years of other core subjects.
To again use my former high school as an example, all students had to complete the following:
- 4 years of English
- 2 years of history/social studies
- 1 year of a foreign language
- 4 years of gym/PE
- A fine arts class, a typing class, a driver’s education class, and a consumer education class
Which classes does your high school require you to take?
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Hospital Employee Education And Training
The Hospital Employee Education and Training program was developed through a joint effort of the 1199NW local affiliate of the Service Employees International Union and the Washington State Hospital Association Work Force Institute to help address shortages in nursing and nursing-related positions through education and upgrading of incumbent workers. The program is administered through the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Across the state, HEET-funded programs support industry-based reform of the education system and include preparation and completion of nursing career ladder programs. HEET seeks to develop educational opportunities that support both employer needs and the career aspirations of health care workers. It features cohort-based programs, distance learning, worksite classes, use of a simulation laboratory for nursing prerequisites, case management, tutoring support for those reentering academia, and nontraditional scheduling of classes to enable working adults to attend and address employee barriers to education.
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It is very important to prepare for your job interviews so that you can impress future employers and stand out from the crowd. You can do this by polishing up your resume and lining up your references during your last semester. Its also helpful to write a strong cover letter that can be tailored to each position you apply for. Take several copies of your resume, cover letter, and references to each interview.
Another major way to impress employers is by looking professional. Invest in a nice suit jacket and slacks or a skirt. This will help you feel confident going into the interview so you make a great first impression.
Be prepared for the questions that the interviewers will ask you by making a list of possible questions and having several detailed stories ready that you can use to illustrate your answers. Practice these with a friend beforehand so that you can become comfortable talking about yourself under pressure.
One of the best ways to begin studying for the NCLEX is to take a review course. There are several types of review courses. Some classes are purely online, while others are in-person, lecture-based classes. Think about your learning style and pick a class that fits with the way you like to study.
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Why Become A Registered Nurse
If youre looking to make a difference and save lives on a daily basis while enjoying high job security and impressive benefits, nursing is for you.
Its no secret that qualified registered nurses are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected growth of registered nurse jobs by 2029 is 7%, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Registered nurse is also one of the top 50 jobs according to the U.S. News and World Report, 2020.
A BSN will help you to take your career to the next level while making an impact.
Numbers And Distribution Of Graduate
As of 2008, more than 375,000 women and men in the workforce had received a masters degree in nursing or a nursing-related field, and more than 28,000 had gone on to receive either a doctorate in nursing or a nursing-related doctoral degree in a field such as public health, public administration, sociology, or education . Masters degrees prepare RNs for roles in nursing administration and clinical leadership or for work in advanced practice roles . Many nursing faculty, particularly clinical instructors, are prepared at the masters level. Doctoral degrees include the DNP and PhD. A PhD in nursing is a research-oriented degree designed to educate nurses in a wide range of scientific areas that may include clinical science, social science, policy, and education. Traditionally, PhD-educated nurses teach in university settings and conduct research to expand knowledge and improve care, although they can also work in clinical settings and assume leadership and administrative roles in health care systems and academic settings.
Growth trends in different nursing programs. NOTE: BSN = bachelors of science in nursing DNP = doctor of nursing practice.
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Anderson College Of Nursing And Health Professions
As a leader in the education of nurses since 1973, the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of North Alabama is fully approved by the Alabama State Board of Nursing and accredited. Ranked in the top 10 most up-and-coming nursing programs in the south, UNA is a prestigious nursing school in Alabama preparing you to care and healone patient interaction at a time.
With a diverse student body and seasoned faculty, University of North Alabamas on-campus and online healthcare programs offer flexible course schedules, competitive pricing, and a highly reputable education that fits your life. Even better? UNA offers several scholarships to nursing students including the New Start Scholarship for new online nursing program students and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program for MSN graduate students interested in becoming nursing faculty.
Calculate The Number Of Credits You Need To Graduate
Now that you know when you want to graduate, it’s time to get into the math. Almost every high school requires its students to complete a certain number of credits before they can graduate. Look in your student handbook or ask your academic advisor to find out how many credits your particular high school requires.
As an example, we’ll use the high school I graduated from, which required its students to complete 21 credits, with each class worth about 0.5 credits per semester.
First, figure out how many credits you’ve already completed. You can usually find this information on your report card or transcript, or you can ask your advisor.
Next, subtract the number of credits you’ve completed from the number of total credits you need to graduate. The answer you get is the number of credits you’ll need to take before you can graduate.
The good news for you is that the number of graduating credits for most high schools often doesn’t require you to complete four full-time years of school. Again, for my high school, you needed to complete 21 credits to graduate, but a student attending high school full-time would complete about 7 credits each year, meaning most students at the end of their junior year would already have enough credits to graduate.
The number of credits you need to take isn’t all you need to worry about, though, so let’s move on to the next step.
Want to build the best possible college application?
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How To Best Prepare Yourself For A Nursing Interview
- Do your research when you are considering applying for a position.
- Practice speaking about your skills and experiences in as many ways as possible.
- Find out the companys culture before interviewing.
- What is their mission? What do they value most?
- Find that information on LinkedIn or Google.
- Offer to bring something special when meeting with someone who will be assessing the interview day experience.
- Suppose any of this sounds like good advice. In that case, it may also apply to when to start looking for a job before graduation.
The date when applicants should submit applications: often varies by location
Some schools may request that applicants submit their applications when they are applying to the school.
Applicants should also apply when or before graduation, as this is when a student will have enough time to prepare for interviews and make sure their resume doesnt need any updating.
Take A Peek Around Campus
During the COVID-19 pandemic, start remotely at any of our campus locations, until its safe to transition back to campus.
Complete BSN nursing coursework through an online learning platform, with only clinical rotations, return demonstrations, skills lab, simulation and fingerprinting being performed on-site.
Youre more than just an application or a test score.
If you fall below our academic eligibility requirements, our admissions committee will still consider whether you can be successful in our BSN program.
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When To Look For A Nursing Job
The last year of school presents an excellent opportunity to look for job openings. Vlahos suggests, “If you have a speciality you would like to get hired into, start looking at how many job openings there are in that speciality and which hospitals have those openings.” She says identifying a hospital that offers jobs in your specialty can also help when selecting a practicum site.
Each school offers different career resources. Clinical instructors often help candidates in their last semester of college find entry-level nursing jobs. Oftentimes, representatives from hospitals, hospices, home healthcare centers, and surgery centers visit colleges to discuss opportunities with students.
Most schools offer in-person and virtual career fairs throughout the academic year, with employers on hand to take resumes or answer questions.
Important Things To Remember During The Interview Process
- Be up to date on current health stories
- Prepare by practicing mock interviews
- Know key facts about the nursing program and the university
- Dont lie, evade, or embellish during the interview
While the type of questions asked at nursing school interviews is expansive and differs for every program, most nursing school interview questions fall into one of the following categories:
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Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Degree
Those interested in becoming a registered nurse also have the option of earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing . There are a few options for earning a BSNthe best fit for you will depend on your academic background.
An RN to BSN program is a great option for registered nurses whove already completed an ADN program and would like to advance their education. Registered nurses in this program can earn a BSN in as few as 12 to 18 months.1
For those who arent already nurses, a standard BSN program can be completed in as few as 33 months with an accelerated program.1 Or, if you already have a Bachelors degree in a non-nursing field, you can leverage that experience to obtain a BSN in as few as 18 months in an accelerated BSN program.1
If youre having trouble deciding whether to pursue your ADN or BSN, dig deeper with our article: ADN vs. BSN: Your Guide to Help You Decide on a Nursing Degree
How To Apply For Graduate School
Applying to graduate school may seem overwhelming, but it doesnt have to be! The whole process can be broken down into 7 key steps:
Specific graduate school application requirements may vary between type of program and school, so be sure to check carefully on each schools website. However, the main steps are usually the same.
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The History Of Nursing
In essence, the nursing profession has very much been around since the beginning of time, though has drastically evolved over the course of history. Today, nurses are one of the most important professions within the health care industry and are learned in a wide range of occupational duties that are utilized within a variety of settings throughout the world. Heres an in-depth history of nursing and how its progressed to the state where its at today.
How Long Does It Take To Become An Rn
Theres more than one path to become a registered nurse. You can become an RN by earning an Associates Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree .
Both ADN and BSN registered nurses have broader scopes of practice than LPNs, and roles will vary based on the job location, whether its in a clinic, a hospital or ambulatory care. Registered nurses often choose to focus their careers on specialized patient care. Popular specialties include pediatrics, geriatrics, intensive care or oncology nursing.
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Decide When You Want To Graduate
This first step is pretty simple: all you need to do is decide how early you want to graduate high school. Do you want to graduate a semester early? An entire year? How long do you want to spend pursuing whatever it is you’re doing instead of attending high school?
When figuring this out, keep in mind that it’s often easier to graduate just a semester early than it is a whole year. If that doesn’t seem like a long enough time to you, remember that even if you only graduate a semester early, you’ll finish high school in December or January. If you start college the following September, that still gives you about eight months of time to work, travel, or pursue another opportunity.
If you still need help deciding, talk to your academic advisor. They’re a great resource to have, and they’ll likely be able to help make this process easier .
You Want To Start Your Next Education Phase Early
One common reason why students choose to graduate high school early is that they want to get a head start on college or technical school. You might want to do this if you have a lot of school left and want to get ahead so you can eventually complete your schooling a bit earlier.
You could also be interested in only attending college part-time but still want to graduate when you’re 21/22. Completing high school early can help make each of these situations possible.
Graduating high school early can mean you enroll full-time at a new school. Students who enroll part-time often have a part-time job as well to help pay for classes.
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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.