A Guide To Selecting Nursing Schools For Prospective Students

By Lena Stephenson


A career in healthcare as a nurse is an all-around good choice in today's job market for the opportunities, satisfaction, and security it provides. The first step in becoming a nurse is to choose the school where one will undergo the required training for this discipline. In order to make the process of comparing nursing schools and deciding which one to attend easier, aspiring students in Perth Amboy, NJ should consider the following.

Students can choose to study at the certificate or diploma level in either a practical nursing or associate's degree program, or they can pursue a bachelor's of science degree (BSN) which will allow them to practice as a registered nurse upon completion of the national exam. This latter program of study is generally recommended over the others as it provides more opportunities for employment.

A student can become a licensed vocational or practical nurse after about one year of schooling. Successful graduates must take a licensing exam, and then they may seek employment in hospitals and clinics. An associate's degree program (ADN)takes 2-3 years to complete and involves additional classroom time and the study of more specialized areas.

It takes 4 years of study to graduate from a BSN program. Nurses holding this credential can either look for employment in a wide range of medical settings or they may also choose to pursue study at the graduate level such as an MSN or doctorate. Training involves the development of communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills as well as the ind-depth study of disease, treatment, and medical technology.

The school one chooses needs to offer not only the specific type of training desired, but also specialization in a particular area of practice if this is of interest to the student. Some schools gear their curriculum to specialized areas of study, while others offer a more broad program which encompasses all aspects equally. Students may also wish to inquire about the locations where the school runs its clinical rotations.

It's also necessary to give some consideration to where the campus is located if this is a concern, it should be relatively accessible by either private or public transportation from where one lives. Furthermore, the school needs to be accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, or both. These organizations periodically review the school's policies, finances, programs, and staff to ensure high standards.

Financial aid is an aspect that many students will also want to inquire about when considering a particular school, in most cases assistance will be available to students with demonstrable need in various forms. A pre-admission test may be required by some educational facilities, in order to assess each applicant's suitability for the health sciences, students are recommended to find out if this is required and how to properly prepare for it.

It can also be helpful to do some research and look up the NCLEX (national licensing exam)pass rates of graduates from the school one is considering since this can say a lot about the quality of its instruction. Checking pass rates from the past five to ten years is advisable. Performance on this exam is essential, as one most successfully pass it in order to become licensed to practice nursing in the state.




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