The field of nursing is becoming more and more complex as healthcare practices and technology have improved. Today’s nurses are required to do much more than their predecessors and this implies that they need to gain formal training. A variety of nursing programs are now available from universities across the United States, to help you gain the required training and enter the growing healthcare industry.
What kinds of programs are available?
Students interested in entering a nursing school can choose from a number of programs. Degrees on offer range from Associate’s Degrees to Doctoral degrees in Nursing. Each of these varies in the level of difficulty and the depth of the curriculum, and is meant to enhance your knowledge of the field and prepare you for practice.
An Associate’s degree in Nursing (ADN) is a two-year program which equips students with the fundamental skills needed to enter the nursing field. This includes covering topics in anatomy, physiology and others in class, and giving students practical learning experience via clinical training. Those looking for a more holistic learning experience can choose nursing programs offering a Bachelor’s degree. Usually spread over a four year period, these degrees couple learning in medicine along with topics in the humanities, to help enhance the analytical skills of the students and make them better problem-solvers. Students will go through the curriculum involved in Associate’s degrees, and add on to it with topics such as psychology, sociology, statistics, and basic algebra.
Some professionals have already completed these degrees and are looking to take up more senior positions in the workplace. This requires added training, which can be found in the form of nursing programs offering a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees. These programs allow students to specialize their learning towards a particular area of medicine. For instance, some students choose programs focused on geriatric care, while others may focus on gastrointestinal problems. These programs vary in their duration, typically lasting between one to 2 years.
Those who complete advanced nursing programs can take up specialized occupations like Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, who deals with the administration of anesthesia to patients. Advanced degrees are a requirement if you wish to rise up the ranks.
Doctoral nursing programs are available but are usually recommended for students who wish to enter academia or research. These doctoral programs allow students to conduct novel research in an area of nursing which they choose. They also equip candidates with enough knowledge so that they may enter the field of teaching and pass on the knowledge to others.
Choosing the right program
While there are a number of programs available to choose from, how can you tell which one is the credible?
The first thing to do is to look up the website of your state’s Board of Nursing. These websites normally contain a list of all schools offering accredited programs which students can choose from. The advantage of completing an accredited nursing program is that it makes you eligible to take licensing exams. Without an accredited degree, you will not usually be allowed to practice your profession legally within the United States.