Are you interested in becoming a nurse? Curious about the different programs that are available? Nursing is an important career field and those involved in the healthcare industry need the best training and career guidance available. Here you’ll learn about various nursing degrees and determine which one best suits your desired career path.
What is Nursing?
Patient Care Nursing is a health career with numerous job opportunities. Jobs involve caring for patients in physician’s offices, hospitals, retirement facilities and rehabilitation centers. Nurses provide treatment while under the supervision of licensed physicians. Specialized Training The nursing profession has classifications depending on an individual’s education or training level. An increased amount of education permits a nurse to have additional authority and responsibilities. Also, nurses can specialize in areas of medical care (i.e. geriatrics, pediatrics and cancer treatment). Important Profession A nurse is an important part of the medical community. Individuals who pursue the nursing profession assist with preventing injury, illness and suffering within a community. Advanced nurses with additional experience often teach this profession at universities or training facilities.
Nursing Degrees
The field of nursing is expanding and growing to a point where more and more nurses are needed in today’s workforce. To meet this demand, nursing degrees are available at a variety of levels. Many colleges and universities offer nursing programs. Here’s an overview of the different types of nursing degrees. Associate – A two-year nursing degree from a community college or vocational institution. Provides students with an overview of the nursing field and is the minimum requirement to become a registered nurse. Bachelor – Typically a four-year program offered from a college or university and the minimum requirement for most nursing careers. It features nursing courses and general education classes. Master – An advanced degree that takes about two years to complete. Students must have a bachelor’s degree to enroll in these programs. This degree is required to become an advanced practice nurse. Doctorate – The highest nursing degree available and individuals must have a bachelor’s and master’s degree for acceptance. The doctorate programs focus on either clinical nursing concepts or academics and research.
Find the Best Nursing School
When applying to nursing schools, you should list your academic and career goals, type of specialty or degree, location of institutions and financial aid. This will help you start you search. There are two important things to consider when choosing the best schools: accreditation and ranking. Accreditation – This is the most important characteristic of the best nursing schools in the country because it shows that an official accrediting agency approves the program to prepare students to enter the nursing profession. Ranking – The ranking of a school is helpful in determining the best nursing programs. Many organizations rank colleges and universities that offer nursing programs based on academic quality, faculty qualifications and retention rate.
Nursing Careers
Nursing is one of the fastest growing fields. Nurses promote overall good health, prevent disease and treat patients with a wide range of medical conditions. Since nursing is a broad field, individuals who earn a degree in nursing can pursue positions in an array of departments: Academics and Research –Nurses working in this sector study many different characteristics of health, health care, and disease and find ways to improve the field. Government – Many career opportunities are available for nurses in government organizations (i.e. the Department of Government Affairs). Military Careers – There are a variety of nursing positions for different branches of the armed forces. Nurses commonly work on military bases in various parts of the world and some provide care to wounded soldiers in areas of conflict. Public Sector – Nurses working for public employers usually work for organizations that provide care to general public at public health centers. Private Sector – Nurses who work in the private sector often work for private organizations that are usually for-profit and have a religious affiliation.