Finding the Best Registered Nursing Schools

Now that you’ve decided you want to become a registered nurse (RN), you’ll need to find accredited registered nursing schools, either in your community or online. Today, obtaining a nursing education is easier than ever before, with online nursing schools offering fully accredited and certified training programs for individuals regardless of location. Registered nurses may earn an average between $47,000 and $70,000 a year depending on specialty, experience, location, and advancement opportunities, and as a travel nurse, even more.

Registered nurses are senior to LPNs or LVNs, and may be in charge of nursing departments in an acute care hospital setting. RNs have the education and expertise to provide a wide range of medical care for their patients. In most cases, a registered nurse is responsible for recording pertinent data into a patient’s medical history, establishing a plan of care, managing and assigning tasks to LPNs and CNAs.

Nursing schools prepare nurses for a variety of healthcare fields, including critical care nursing, clinical nursing specialties, or as a nurse anesthetist or midwife. In order to enroll in most nursing schools, individuals may be required to complete either an associate’s degree in nursing, a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing, or obtain a nursing diploma from an accredited nursing school or facility.

Registered nursing schools offering an Associate’s Degree in Nursing generally take 2 to 3 years to complete. Once you’ve obtained your Associate’s Degree, you can move on to entry level positions in acute care a long-term care facilities, or continue on to your 2-year Bachelor’s in Nursing degree. While you’re training, you’ll benefit from hands-on experience in the nursing field. Individuals who decide to go straight for the Bachelor’s program may anticipate roughly four years to receive their credentials.

Registered nursing schools also require their students to complete the NCLEX-RN national licensing examination. Requirements vary depending on state, so contact your local State Board of Nursing for information regarding certification exams.

Online nursing programs offer unique opportunities for individuals unable to attend physical classroom environments. Lecture materials and assignments are usually posted on bulletin boards or private discussion forms between students and instructors.  Textbook as well as online resources are made available to students, and exams are often scheduled at testing centers in your community. In some cases, students are required to spend a certain amount of time on a physical campus, though some don’t have any residency requirements. Online as well as physical registered nursing schools offer individuals greater opportunities to pursue nursing careers than ever before. For many RN’s, this is only the beginning of a very rewarding career, and is a stepping stone to specialization and even becoming a Nurse Practitioner.

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