Monday, May 31, 2010

How To Apply To A Nursing Program

When you’re applying for a nursing program, it may be helpful to check out both local campus programs and online nursing schools. Accredited nursing schools provide one of four degrees like online RN-to-BSN, Bachelor’s, Associate’s, and Master of Science (MSN). Registered nurses are one of the fastest increasing occupations in the United States, and you’ll need to apply for a nursing school program before you can ever hope to get certification as a nurse and earn a lot of money in this profession.

Online nursing classes are offered by Chamberlain College of Nursing, Kaplan University, Saint Xavier University, and Loyola University. These four colleges comprise the top four online colleges in the nation for providing nursing school education in the United States. There is a current shortage of registered nurses so you may want to start out by getting an entry-level nursing degree. There are three different types of entry-level nursing degrees, and each one is offered by a different nursing school. There is the 4-year BSN, 2-year Associate Degree, and diploma. They are listed in order from highest demand to lowest in priority, and having the one at the top of the list can ensure you the highest job placement.You can also consider one of the various accelerated nursing degree programs.

A BSN is required for many jobs, and you can certify this by looking in your local newspaper. This is the primary entry point for professional nursing practice in the United States. The 2-year Associate Degree, on the other hand, concentrates more technical skills than theory, and this will allow students to earn money more quickly than they could otherwise. This is the entry-level nursing program for technical nursing practice. The diploma was the more common entry-level nursing program prior to the 1970s, and there were hundreds of diploma schools in existence at that time. There are now less than 100 such schools because demand has gone down sharply. A nursing diploma can prepare students for work in a hospital or other inpatient facility. Depending on whether you have certain career aspirations or not, this can seem limiting to you.

Different types of nursing school programs take place in different settings. The diploma is usually a 3-year program, the associates degree is usually a 2-year program, and the Bachelor of Science is usually a 4-5 year program. The diploma is oftentimes located in a hospital that often works with a community college. An associate’s degree is usually located in a community college, and a Bachelor of Science (BSN) is usually located in a college or university.

Choosing an entry-level nursing program is a very personal choice, and it can take some time to make up your mind. It is often best to simply look through the job listings before applying for a nursing school program so that you can take part in a nursing program that is more amenable to your needs as a job seeker.

Nursing school programs are nothing without the jobs that will follow them so make your decision about applying for a nursing school program based on the job that you expect to get. Otherwise, you might have a degree that gives you a sub-par job. Or, you might get a job that you might not have a good chance of being successful in.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Online Nursing Programs

Anyone considering nursing school has faced the choice of going to a "traditional" campus-based school, or looking at getting their degree online.

Obviously with something like becoming a nurse, there is a lot of hands-on learning necessary. Labs, various patient skills, etc., all must be taught with actual people and equipment. That said, there are many online nursing programs programs to choose from.

It's worth noting that nursing school isn't the only area of consideration for people looking at getting online degrees. In fact, the whole field of online education has exploded along with the internet, once the capabilities and average connection speeds reached a viable level.

Below is an article that I though you might find interesting. It was written by someone without any thought of becoming a nurse, or other kind of medical or health care degrees. But as you 'll see from the article, many of the concerns and issues for online education apply regardless of what the actual area of study is. The article below talks about that - of course it is reprinted with explicit permission from the author.

Anyway, let me know if you find this interesting. As always, your comments and / or thoughts are welcomed!

Online Education - Issues To Think About When Choosing An Online Degree Program

by John B Maxted

With more student choosing an online education every year, it's essential for all of these new students to learn how to differentiate between the hundreds of available programs and schools. Just a few years ago choices were limited, but increases in technology and the popularity of online schooling have made them very abundant. Therefore, you need to learn the most important pieces of a high quality online degree program that you should be looking for when it's time for you to enroll.

At the forefront of everyone's mind has to be accreditation. People are worried that online schools do not have full accreditation. While it's true that some don't, the vast majority are now fully accredited. Just remember to double check before you get started, because you don't want to waste any time or money with an institution that can't provide you with a top tier degree.

Of course, most people also want to go to a school with some name recognition and a strong reputation. This is certainly a matter of personal preference, but going to a school that has a strong name will help you when you're sending out resumes and being interviewed for jobs. Don't worry though, because as mentioned, many of the best colleges and programs from around the world have online options now, ensuring that you can enjoy all of the bonuses that come with a school's reputation.

Many people who turn to an online program are working adults with families, and they need to be able to finish a degree as quickly as possible. One way to do this is with an accelerated bachelors degree program, which many online universities now offer. With an accelerated pace you can finish your degree in under 2 years, which means you're on the fast track to new, more exciting and higher paying jobs. If this is your plan, be sure your online program offers accelerated schedules.

Of course, one of the key reasons people turn to online schools is the flexibility and convenience that they provide. You can work from home and you can complete your work at anytime, making your education fit into your life. Therefore, be sure that your potential school offers these flexible and convenient qualities before beginning.

The cost of an online degree will vary from school to school. The great thing is that regardless of your final choice, it should be substantially cheaper than a traditional program. The cost savings will be huge, but when it's time to compare specific programs you'll want to check out their final cost per credit listing to evaluate how expensive it really is.

As the world of online learning has expanded, there are now more options than ever before. That's great news for a prospective student, but it also means you need to be able to evaluate and compare different programs. Follow this guide to help make the decision process a smooth one.

John Maxted knows a lot about (http://www.jobtrainingplace.com/online-courses/online-bachelor-degrees) online bachelors degree programs and can help you discover a (http://www.jobtrainingplace.com/online-courses/fast-online-degrees) fast degree immediately at www.JobTrainingPlace.com

Feel free to leave your comments or remarks below. If you are currently in a nursing school program, or any vocational or career training, I'd be interested to hear about your choices of campus versus online schooling. Did you get your degree online? Did you consider it? What were your thoughts and concerns?

Also, if you have any questions, or are first trying to make that decision, let me know with a comment or question.