Why is it important to take accredited nursing programs? How do you benefit from it? Growth in employment for nurses will continue to be on the rise as the population ages and technology contributes to medical advances. In 2010, it was projected that 340,000 nurses will be needed in the next 10 years.
If you want to take advantage of this growing demand, the one thing you can do right to increase your chances is get an education that is approved by a professional body as providing the minimum standards of the health sector you want to serve.
Educational institutions will continue to join the bandwagon but not all of them may give the quality training needed to qualify for the position. So make good use of your investment, for both time and resources and go for nursing programs that have passed the educational standards set by nationally recognized professional agencies.
Why Choose Accredited Nursing Programs?
When there is a shortage, the economy mere is leverage to seek higher pay. And yes, nurses are paid quite well, on the average around $64,000. Thay have yet to recover, but professionals will continue to enjoy lucrative salaries because addressing the shortage in this group of health care providers is crucial. However, as most professionals will tell you, getting into this field for the money is doing it for the wrong reason and may abbreviate your career.
Before even considering various accredited nursing programs, first be sure you have what it takes to become a nurse. That means compassion, patience and willingness to serve and take care of sick people. They will teach all you need to know in school but those three qualities are something you must have even before starting.
Hospitals and health care facilities aren’t the only work options for nurses. There are nursing homes, doctor’s clinics and offices, private duty, home health, schools and occupational nursing opportunities.
Becoming a licensed practical nurse is a good way to begin your career. It will teach you the basics in nursing care and provide you with a good foundation about medicine and health care practices. Your training, which should also be through an accredited program, can be as short as 12 months or take at least 24 months. And just as there is a dearth in nursing professionals, there is nearly a similar demand for LPNs to provide routine front-line patient care services.
Your experience as a practical nurse, will mean two things: it will help you decide to further your career and become a registered nurse and, it will be credited when you take up formal RN programs, thereby accelerating your studies.
Registered Nursing Programs: Getting Started
To enjoy the benefits and salary received by this group of health care practitioners, you need to be a registered nurse. There are several ways by which you can meet this goal.
1. The most popular of accredited nursing programs today is the two-year associate’s degree in nursing (ADN). It is the fastest way of preparing to work as nurse in a health care setting, yet it provides just as intense a learning environment for students to gain the skills, develop confidence and become a competent professional.
2. Previously, there were the RN diploma programs usually through hospitals, the military and other medical facilities that could be completed in three years. The advantage of this mode of learning was the intensive exposure given to students because they actually trained in these actual facilities. These would be tied up to community or vocational schools, which handled the didactic portion of the training. However, the diploma programs will be discontinued starting 2012.
3. The four-year bachelor of science in nursing is still the way to go especially if you are aiming for better opportunities in the workplace. You can begin your training straight as a BSN student or complete your ADN, gain experience and then study further to earn the baccalaureate degree. This is the track to pursue so you can qualify for managerial positions or specialize in areas that offer higher pay.
Eventually, you may decide to go on and earn a masters degree. Two main reasons for doing this is because you want to become a nurse educator or you want to specialize. MSN degrees are for advance practice nursing, that includes nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives.
Search For Accredited Nursing Schools
Presently, there are two professional organizations that grant institutional and programmatic accreditation for nursing.
If your school or the nursing program you enrolled in is recognized by either the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) then you know you are getting the quality of training that will meet standards of the profession. Both have their own set of criteria applied when granting the accredited status to schools or nursing programs. Although there is not one which is better than the other, there are differences in the accreditation process of each body.
National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission
The NLNAC works to accredit all kinds of nursing programs, including certificate and diploma programs, associate, baccalaureate and graduate degree programs, setting specific criteria for each level. It is more student oriented, and provides a number of student assistant programs including financial aid.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
On the other hand, the CCNE takes on a healthcare perspective in setting its nursing education standards. They are very in tune with changes in the industry and move quickly to reflect these changes. And unlike the NLNAC, they focus on nursing programs only at the baccalaureate (BSN) and masters (MSN) levels.
It really won’t make much of a difference whether it is CCNE or the NLNAC that has accredited nursing programs you want to apply with. But you may want to consider their perspectives that are more in line with your career goals and professional development.
Second Degree Nursing Programs: A New Path
Contemplating on changing careers? If you already have a degree but are drawn to caring for people, you may want to consider a second degree nursing. This is for individuals already holding down another job – whether in health care or not – but want to become a registered nurse.
Second degree nursing programs are shorter in length than other RN courses. This is because schools take into account your previous schooling and apply credits for subjects already taken, especially general education courses like math and English. It ultimately translates to shortening your nursing studies.
Usually these kind of programs run from 12 to 14 months, but training is far more intensive. In fact, most schools advice that you concentrate on your studies and not seek employment in the meantime. Most of the program is focused on the sciences and nursing care and principles. It also incorporates time for clinical training to provide students with the opportunity to put into practice the skills and concepts learned in the classroom.
Prerequisites for admission into second degree nursing programs may include anatomy and physiology, organic biochemistry, microbiology, statistics, nutrition, developmental psychology and interpersonal communication. At the end of the program, graduates will be eligible to sit for NCLEX-RN and provided they comply with requirements of the state’s Board of Nursing, will be on their way to joining the ranks of professional nurses and helping fill the shortage.
Convenient Accredited Nursing Programs Via Online Nursing Programs
Distance learning has made it so much easier to get an education. And health care programs, even those that have practical components, are also being offered online. Online programs are offered by some schools to enable persons wishing to build a nursing career but have obligations and responsibilities that make it difficult to attend regular classes.
If you believe that studying to be a nurse via online is something you can accomplish (it takes a lot of discipline and good time management), just be sure of two things: 1) you are enrolled in accredited nursing programs either by the NLNAC or the NCCE, and 2) the school will arrange or help make arrangements for the all-important clinical training.
Much of the lectures and instructional portion of a nursing program can be taken through the Internet at your pace and convenience. Lecture materials and assignments are posted to a site, and there are discussion boards you can use to interact with the instructor or your classmates. Assignments are emailed and written coursework may take the place of examinations.
Otherwise, these exams may be taken offline at a schedule and venue arranged by the school. Mechanisms are also in place so you can consult with instructors or mentors such as emails, video conferencing and phone calls should you need to discuss lessons or ask questions.
The one valid concern about online nursing programs is whether they are similar or equal to that offered in the traditional set-up. The coursework that makes up a nursing curriculum is the same whether you study through distance learning or attend regular school. This is especially true if the program you are enrolled in has been granted accreditation by professional organizations.
Schools usually limit their online nursing programs. There are some that offer the associate degree in nursing but mostly, it is the RN-BSN or Masters degree that take advantage of this learning platform.
Accelerated Nursing Programs: Become A Nurse In Less The Time
Other accredited nursing programs include accelerated studies. Who are these programs tailored for?
If you trained as an LPN and are currently practicing but want to become a registered nurse, the smart thing to do is enroll in an LPN to RN transition program. It takes into account your previous training as practical nurse, as well as your experience and allows you to complete an associate degree. Instead of the usual 24 months needed to finish the ADN program, this track will allow you to complete the course in at least half that time, taking away any repetitive subjects you have earned a competency for.
Another accelerated nursing program is the LPN to BSN, which will grant you a bachelor’s degree within 24 months. There are also BSN to MSN and ADN to MSN programs if you feel you’ve got enough experience and want to take your career to a higher level. Even second nursing degree programs also offer accelerated modes, which will further abbreviate your studies if you comply with the necessary prerequisites.
However way you decide to become a registered nurse, it’s always a good guide to make sure you will train under accredited nursing programs to start your career on the right foot.