The fact that I live a 12-step recovery lifestyle today is almost as surprising to me as it is to those who only knew me ‘back when’.

NOTE: THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE "12 STEP LIFESTYLE" BLOG.

I was the guy who wasn’t going to 'make it’ because I took things too far, particularly things that, when taken too far, can have dire consequences: drugs, alcohol, gambling, thrill-seeking, etc.

The truth is, I almost didn’t ‘make it’.

And while, at least for today, I have 'made it', there aren’t any guarantees that I won’t relapse and revert back to being that guy who stumbled into recovery some years ago.

What I can guarantee, though, is that if I don’t ‘pick back up’ – in my case, that would be taking that first drink or drug one more time – I will end the day the way I started it: living in a state of grace where I have the opportunity to feel good, do good, and be good.

That's a long way from where I began this journey.

Like most people I meet in recovery, I grew up wanting to be good.

I had dreams, goals, and aspirations.

But I was cursed – or blessed – with a progressive and potentially fatal condition which manifested itself in increasingly-consequential behaviors.

Try as I might, I was utterly powerless over my condition.

Like so many of us, I recognized the path my life was taking long before I got to recovery, and I tried mightily to change it.

As it became clear that none of my ‘solutions’ worked, I did everything humanly possible to live ‘in’ my condition and survive.

Fortunately, God had other plans for me, and through a family intervention, set me on a course of recovery. Along the way, I learned to live ‘with’ my condition rather than ‘in’ it.

The basis for my recovery is a 12-step program, through which I’m now able to live the dream of ‘being good by doing good’, for myself and others.

Those twelve steps are also the basis for my everyday life: they help ensure I don’t fall back into the abyss I climbed out of.

What does a 12-step lifestyle look like? For me it looks like adherence to a 12-step program, communion with God, admitting my mistakes & making amends, and making an effort to reach out and help others.

It’s been long enough now to see real results: when I live that 12-step lifestyle, my days are better, my relationships more rewarding, my conscience clearer, and my life fuller and more meaningful!

What I've Been Up To

NOTE: It's been a long time since I've written here, since much of my time is currently spent doing some data entry and support for a 12-step recovery business, 12 Step Lifestyle.

I've long since learned the basics of nursing.

I know the routines and the technicalities of patient care:

• Taking vitals
• Making beds
• Dealing with medication
• Etc.

Much of my thoughts regarding nursing these days has more to do with the 'soft' side of the profession:

• How I deal with patients
• How I deal with patients families
• How to do a better job of care, and the tasks at hand.

Still, I think a lot about nursing school.

Part of that comes from reading a forum on Reddit about nursing school students.

One article brought me back:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NursingStudents/comments/72mdex/dont_chicken_out_it_was_the_first_thing_said_to/

Hopefully this will re-invigorate my desire to keep doing this nursing blog.

Time will tell!

Retired from nursing? Create an information product to 'cash in' your experience & expertise!

If you've been - or still are - a nurse, why not take all that knowledge and first-hand experience and turn it into information products?

It's not terribly hard to create a guide, a course, a short report, even an email newsletter simply talking about what you've done, and how you've done it.

The market for info-products is huge, and there are thousands upon thousands of people eager to hear what you have to say, learn what you know, and benefit from your experience.

Creating digital information products isn't hard, it's something you can do in your spare time, and can reward you with a nice side income.

You've devoted a lot of time, energy, and resources to learn what you've learned, and to do what you've done.

Why not share that with others - many of whom would happily pay you for the information?

Crazy, but still here!

Yep, it's crazy, but this thing is STILL here. I think the first posts date back earlier than 2010 - a lifetime in this business.

Nursing school remains one of the best avenues to a decent-paying job, and not just a "J.O.B." but a career in the ever-booming health care field.

If you aren't sure, aren't ready, don't have the time, or the money just yet, consider becoming a CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant.

CNA is a great stepping-stone to nursing: it's fast, easy, pays well, is always in demand, and gives you both real-world experience, and a leg up on what it takes, and what's involved, with becoming a nurse.

Well! It's been a long, long time since I've posted here.

At the moment, I'm working on a directory site in the cosmetic dentistry health niche - not so much nursing these days.

The site lists dentists and practices that specialize in doing implant procedures.

Initially, the site provides directory listings in the Southeast US for states including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana.

Right now, there are listings for dentists receiving good reviews, offering dental implant procedures as their specialty.

Related articles

• Ortonville Dentist Completes Fellowship in Dental Implants
• Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Vicky Ho, Former Co-Owner of Advanced Dental Artistry, Plans Upcoming Grand Re-Opening Event For Her New Independent Dental Practice
• 4 Strange Facts About Dentist

Yes - a New Post!

It's been quite a while since we posted to the blog here; one reason: we sold the "Nursing Schools" main website!

As a niche topic for a blog or website, nursing in general is a terrific niche. Nursing school, an obvious prerequisite to become licensed, meets all the criteria for an ideal subject: high search volume, high value, not overly competitive.

When we first developed the main site, we'd been working with keywords and topics in the health care field: nursing, home health care, various medical specialties. We'd launched one of our most successful sites of it's kind, "CNA Training Classes". In fact, it was the keyword research done for "CNA Training" that uncovered the nursing opportunity.

As the guy doing the research, I had no idea there was so much traffic for the topic; in fact, I hadn't even know what a Certified Nursing Assistant was! Still, the fundamentals were excellent, everything clicked, and that site went from zero, just registered, to over $100/day in just over 90 days. It went on to reach $400/day shortly after 6 months. All earning was from Adsense, which offered a lot for medical and health care keywords.

We took all that experience and turned it into an internet training course. Check it out if you get a chance! We just recently began a series or case-study on lead generation. Instead of healthcare, we chose a finance topic, retirement and how to get money from your pension. The case-study site is Sell my pension.

Hopefully, we'll resurrect this blog at this point, and so there won't be quite so much time until the next post!

Salary For Registered Nurses Climbs

The Registered Nurse Salary Is Increasing The Demand For More Nursing Schools

by Josephine Eagen

Being one of the most sought after professions, the registered nurse salary is considerable, read on to learn why.

The median expected salary for a typical staff nurse RN in the United States is $62,527. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals' analysis found at Salary.com of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies.

The fact is that by the end of year 2020, there will be a shortage of approximately 800,000 nurses. You can very well imagine the amount of nursing job possibilities nowadays. In the event you enroll in any nursing program right now then by the end of 2020, you will be enjoying the rewards of a extremely rewarding career, not to mention the registered nurse salary.

The demand for nurses has skyrocketed, but why? One of the primary reasons is that the overall average life span of men and women across the earth has increased, so there will be much more dependency on healthcare. Opportunities will open up due to the need for specialized care for this older population. A lot more hospitals suggests that more nursing positions will be necessary and this signifies nursing jobs will grow multi-fold. The registered nurse salary climbs in part because of this. And finally, since the number of nursing graduates isn't keeping pace with the retirement of current nurses, the registered nurse salary continues to climb skyward.

Currently, you will find over 100,000 vacancies for nursing professionals available in the US, and this is growing, and so is the registered nurse salary. There is a constant need for nursing professionals, healthcare workers, healthcare specialists etc. And easy supply and demand indicates the registered nurse salary continues to grow along with just about every other medical profession.

So only by getting accepted in an accredited nursing course can you enjoy the benefits of a great registered nurse salary. You will discover a lot more information regarding the registered nurse salary plus the nursing possibilities available in the future at the U.S. Department of Labor's Statistics on Registered Nurses.

Due to the increasing requirement for qualified nurses, some of the hospitals in the U.S. have started to offer signing bonuses in addition for the registered nurse salary, which are as much as $14,000 for a registered nurse (RN). A Gallup Poll showed that a majority of the population thought very highly of the nursing profession and that they displayed higher ethical standards than almost any other profession.

Nurses have a reputation to uphold, in addition to the ethical and professional standards set by each individual hospital they may work at. So as you can see, because of all of this the registered nurse salary as it stands now higher than the national average, and it will only continue to grow.

Looking to find the best information on the (http://registerednursesymbol.info/Registered-Nurse-Salary/) registered nurse salary? Then visit www.Registerednursesymbol.info to find the best advice on an (http://registerednursesymbol.info/Education/Online-School/) Online Nursing School for you.

More About Travel Nursing Jobs

Some Thoughts On How To Find Travel Nursing Jobs
by Earlene May

Becoming a travel nurse can be an excellent way of expanding on your skill set and visiting new places around the world. Travel nurses will fulfill the requirements of medical facilities all over the world by working on short-term assignments, giving them a certain freedom in choosing where they can work for brief periods of time around the world. If you are looking for travel nursing jobs, consider these tips.

It is important that you make sure you have all of the relevant qualifications that will be required if you were to become a travel nurse. As such, you need to make sure that you have an license and that you have some experience within a clinical fixed position. In addition, you can also give yourself a head start against the competition if you specialize in something like emergency care.

After finding out whether you can actually pursue different travel nursing opportunities are not, you need to think about your own personal needs. You need to think about where you might like to travel and where you might like to be positioned within the role of the travel nurse. In addition, it is important that you think about how often you would like to go on these assignments and how long you might require between.

It is a good idea to go to job fairs when you are looking for opportunities. When you do go to these always bring along a reason they that is completely up-to-date and you should give this to different recruiters. You can also use these sorts of opportunities to gather additional information about becoming a travel nurse and what any assignment would actually entail.

You can also get in touch with agencies that specialise in positioning travel nurses. They will be able to help you find relevant positions to which you can apply. Also spend some time conducting your own research and looking for relevant travel nursing companies and opportunities around the world.

You should also ask colleagues of yours who may have had some experience in travel nursing themselves. Spend as much time as you need in gathering information from experienced colleagues who have engaged in different assignments. This will give you an opportunity to garner a first-hand point of view of exactly what to expect from any assignment that you go on.

As such, taking these steps should allow you to find some suitable opportunities to which you can apply. Always make sure, however, that you are aware of what any assignment will entail before you do sign up.

(http://www.vhcsystems.com) travel nursing jobs

Looking to find the definitive source of information on (http://www.vhcsystems.com) travel nursing jobs?

Eating Right - As A Nurse, As A Patient

One of the things you learn in nursing school is nutrition and metabolism. But the truth is, for many nurses, the greater concern is their own health and well-being, at least when it comes to nutrition and "eating right".

Below is an article worth reading and keeping in mind:

Eating for a Healthy Heart

Eating for a healthy heart is not difficult, in fact it is certainly not about making radical, short-term differences to your diet. It truly is about building a habits change. Eating for a healthy heart is definitely critical initial step to lowering your chance of getting heart disease. Heart disease will take a lot more lives versus the next seven leading causes of death. Find out why eating for a healthy heart just isn't as rigid as you thought, but it is vital to happy healthier life.

If heart problems runs in your family you have to be particularly watchful. Heart or cardiac disease is the number one killer of people in the United States. It kills much more Individuals than all forms of cancer put together. Heart attacks tend to be devastating, especially whenever they appear as a surprise, and many people who suffer a cardiac event do not recover. Heart disease is usually a huge, blanketing term that encompasses every problem or condition associated with the heart. It is the result of clogging of the coronary arteries as a result of build-up of fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Heart attacks may be prevented, but lots of people in the western world multiply their danger of having a heart attack by a lot of things they do every day. There are many factors that can influence your risk of cardiovascular disease. How and what you choose to eat may drastically impact the health of your heart. There are healthy foods you can consume in order to promote and sustain a healthy heart. To keep your heart and body healthy, focus on a diet around the following suggestions: Eat many different foods. Your heart is begging you to definitely step away from the cheeseburger. You are being taught to produce healthier choices about food that hopefully will take care of your heart for the rest of your lifetime. Put simply, a heart-healthy diet is not tough to achieve. If you wish to get into the specifics, the American Heart Association suggests always keeping your intake of total fat to around thirty percent of your combined daily calories.

Healthy eating is critical for a healthy heart. Follow a healthy diet. Healthy cooking recipes are definitely popular as more of us make an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Two healthy cooking techniques are stir frying and sautéing using olive oil or canola oil. Healthy carbohydrates involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and a bunch of veggies. Top salads with heart-healthy avocado rather than mayonnaise. Plain yogurt is an outstanding substitute for sour cream.

Eating for your heart requires avoiding sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries. Eating healthy vegetables and fruit is good, as these foods are rich in anti-oxidants. Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and also the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Eating healthy for your heart is one thing everybody needs to try and do, particularly when it involves restoring health and reducing heart attacks.

Keeping your heart strong, your weight down and staying satisfied. As the scientific evidence amasses, it seems to show that eating for a healthy heart just isn't about what to avoid eating -- it's about what to enjoy.

Start your plan for eating for a healthy heart today. Don't delay take the time to make the changes for yourself and your family.

How To Choose The Right Phlebotomy Certification Training Organization

Multiple phlebotomy certification agencies exist, all which offer specific training courses. Not all phlebotomy certification organizations are created equally. Although similar, their program curriculum's will vary somewhat and you may find that some employers do not give as much "weight" to certain organizations certificates.

When deciding on a decent phlebotomy training course , try to find one that is recognized by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), uses materials and examinations that reverberate CLSI standards, and qualifies graduates for an test through an external certification agency.

As of 2010, ten different phlebotomy certification organizations exist. When searching for phlebotomist certification agencies, you will find that ASCP and NPA are two of the most popular choices. The requirements to become a certified phlebotomist deviate by agency and are outlined below.

For example, The American Certification Agency for Healthcare Professionals offers two phlebotomy certification options; phlebotomy techs and phlebotomy instructors. In order to qualify for the phlebotomist examination, one hundres hours of on-hands training must have been compoleted (this includes one hundred successful venipunctures and 10 dermal punctures). Obtaining your phlebotomy certification isn't as easy as writing an exam online. You must also pass a practical test where actual job duties mut be performed on patients. You have to be a registered LPN or RN in order to become a phlebotomy instructor. An examination is not necessary; but applicants must provide 3 years of blood drawing experience in addition to 1 year of teaching experience.

Those interested in obtaining their certificate for phlebotomy can obtain it through AMT. Those applying must have successfully passed a phlebotomist program that meets standards set out by the USDE, as well as 120 hours of teaching & clicnical work. Alternatively, 1040 hours of work in the phlebotomy field over the last 3 years will suffice. One must also meet the following creteria; have performed at least 25 skin punctures, and 50 venipunctures. In order to make certification easier, AMT offers a number different manuals and reference material to their applicants.

You can also obtain your phlebotomy certificaion and donor certification through The National Center for Competency Testing. You most posess a high school diploma in order to write either test. In order to apply for this certification program, you must have either worked in the phlebotomy field for a year, or have taken a training course from an accredited school. The NCCT also requires a phlebotomy performance form. Due to state laws, California and Louisiana require additional forms. Getting a donor phlebotomist certification, one must have 6 months of experience including 80 successful blood collections.

Pay Scale For Nurses Aids and Nursing Assistants

Nursing Assistants are an important aspect of our health-related facility staff members. They offer ongoing care to people at a level most other staff members really don't have the time to. They tend to fundamental demands of bathing, feeding, and dressing. They also offer emotional support for the patient plus the family. Nursing Assistants are expected to aid other health care office staff at a moments notice with a variety of tasks including setting up health-related equipment and having individuals ready for X-rays and surgery.

Most folks entering the Nursing Assistant industry really don't do it for the cash. They do it out of a desire to become of assistance to other people and likewise a desire to grow within the health industry. Given that health care services rank Nursing Assistant as an entry level position, the pay rate is really low compared to other people, specially nurses. This can lead to some Nursing Assistants feeling angry, upset, and unappreciated.

The median expected salary for a Nursing Assistant from the United States is $24,383. On average, this comes out to approximately $2,000 per month. That amount varies by experience and career location. As you may see, it does pay out far more than minimum wage and generally employees in this industry are able to secure insurance and retirement plans.

Nonetheless, whenever you compare that on the median salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse, which is $43,333, you may see a big discrepency. Even though it can be understood that the Licensed Practical Nurse position holds far more responsibility and effectively as requires a lot more schooling and training, we can also see why some Nursing Assistants end up feeling that their earnings aren't adequate. It truly is also accurate to say that the better a Nursing Assistant is paid, the more pride they take in offering good quality services to all people.

Several wellness care services recognize this, and deliver the results challenging to retain Nursing Assistants content. They try to give raises as they are able to for performance at the same time as the length of time about the career. They recognize that Nursing Assistants are essential for the overall balance with the Nursing staff members. They also recognize finding qualified employees is tricky adequate without having getting to continually interview and train new employees. Given that Nursing Assistant jobs are plentiful, they are able to lose their excellent employees to other services who offer you greater fork out.

Due for the shell out big difference, some people pick to go to school directly into a degree software and skip the Nursing Assistant certificate software all together. For those wanting to ease inside doorway in the health-related profession and those who have to have the revenue even though in school, the Nursing Assistant software is still quite important to them in terms of getting an revenue and getting in a learning environment with the professional medical industry.

The pay out scale variation can typically result in concerns arising between Nursing Assistants plus the Nursing employees. On a single side, you could have Nursing staff members feeling that they have a degree and shouldn’t need to participate in specific tasks. Other people just are overwhelmed by time restraints, and for that reason retain their occupation segregated from that on the Nursing Assistants. About the other side you could have Nursing Assistants who experience their tasks are harder and they aren’t acquiring paid nearly as much as the Nursing office staff. This can lead to them developing feelings of resentment towards the Nursing staff members. This getting said, it can be critical for administration to aid both the Nursing staff members and Nursing Assistants interact and appreciate each other.

Seeing that shell out variation likewise as wanting to participate in a lot more advances areas with the people has lead quite a few Nursing Assistants back into training to earn a degree being a Licensed Practice Nurse, a Registered Nurse, or an additional specified location inside health-related industry.

Health-related services plus the government agree that when professional medical staff members is short, the individuals are the ones who suffer the most. It really is no unique inside the location of Nursing Assistant. If they positions aren’t filled, the clients may well not get all of their wants met daily. As an example, some nursing homes only bathe the people each other day mainly because of short employees concerns.

The government is trying to uncover funding to aid enhance the rate of shell out for Nursing Assistants. On the other hand, they sense that they pay out isn’t the only issue. It really is believed that healthcare services will need to begin showing Nursing Assistants far more respect, appreciation, and recognition for their tough perform. This profession has a single with the highest turn over rates do to demanding function conditions, feelings of getting under valued, and lower fork out than most experience they're worth. The result is healthcare facility people feeling the burden in portion since in the shell out scale for Nursing Assistants.

Phlebotomy Vs. Nursing - How To Get Started

Getting to be a phlebotomist is a enjoyable vocation. Phlebotomists are really expert clinical staff who interact with people without having the stresses associated with being a doctor or registered nurse. Phlebotomists take blood for evaluation, the results of which doctors utilize as an essential diagnostic tool. Just like most healthcare employees, learning to be a phlebotomist requires a strong education. Being a phlebotomist requires studying and understanding human anatomy and physiology, blood taking skills, safety protocols, first aid and CPR.

Getting to be a phlebotomist starts off with high school. Phlebotomists will have to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Phlebotomists then undertake a phlebotomy training program. Phlebotomy programs are generally made available by training colleges, most hospitals, online, occupational and vocational schools. There are three choices of phlebotomy courses: certification, associate, and bachelor's degrees. Certification training courses are the most popular among students with the intention of becoming a phlebotomist. Certification courses last 12 weeks on up to one year and can cost $1500 to $3000 to complete. Associate and bachelorÔøΩs degrees will need two to four years and run up to ten times more than certificate programs. People interested in becoming a phlebotomist will have to be certain to find a program that has been acknowledged by the United states Department of Education, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NAACLS), or similar agencies. Recognized or accredited courses match the standards and guidelines set by 2 very important institutes, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Becoming a phlebotomist does not finish upon graduating from a study course. Accreditation will be the next step in learning to be a phlebotomist. While not required by law for professional phlebotomists, except in California and Louisiana, the majority of companies would not use non-certified phlebotomists. Possession of certification says that the phlebotomist is totally knowledgeable with collection methods and techniques as well as safety procedures and protocols. Accreditation is given through ten nationally accepted certifying organizations. These agencies include the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), and the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA). Phlebotomists will need to make an application for certification (which often can be submitted on the internet) then successfully pass a standardized test.

Individuals attracted to being in the healthcare industry really should consider becoming a phlebotomist. At this time there is definitely huge demand, because the health care industry is continually growing caused by an aging general public. The fact is that, the US Bureau of Labor predicts a 14% increase in job prospects from 2006 to 2016. Phlebotomists earn an average hourly wage of $12.84 and an normal yearly income of $26,710. A lot of companies provide employee benefits to phlebotomists, including vacation, paid sick days and access to health care and pension plans.

Skills Needed For Nursing

Due to several economic and demographic factors, the demand for licensed practical nurses in the United States has been increasing for several years. Within the near future, demand for nurses is estimated to skyrocket; demographic polls have suggested that between the years of 2006 to 2016 this demand will increase over 23%.

As of May 2006, the average hourly wage of a nurse within the United States was $28.70, while the average annual income was $59,710. Today, in 2010, the average annual nursing salary has already risen to between approximately $62,450-$65,130, with an average hourly rate of roughly $31.31. The states with the highest ranking annual salaries include California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. These states pay annual salaries ranging between $73,160- $83,040 and hourly wages between $35.17- $39.92. Wages such as these make nursing a viable and very much sought after career field in today’s work force, and the wages are only getting higher as demand for trained nurses increases. With nurses in such high demand and earning such enticing salaries, many men and women and considering formal schooling in these fields, however, many are not only unaware of the skills required to become employed in the nursing field, but also uncertain of how to tell if they themselves fit the profile for a nursing position.

Nursing is a demanding field both physically as well as emotionally. Nurses are required to deal with a wide range of situations from the mundane and ordinary tasks of everyday medical offices, to the frightening and shocking events witnessed by those in emergency rooms. They therefore must possess a wide range of skills, of those pertaining to both educational as well as personality or character trait qualities. They must be prepared not only to handle life or death situations, but also synonymously be able to help others through the crisis. Nurses must therefore have well honed people skills, be able to experience and fully express empathy, and compassion, comfort a patient, and be able to deal with crisis situations while remaining calm. Nurses must also be patient, willing to continuously learn and well adapt to teaching others skills and methods of handling patients, or dealing with situations. A study in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” by Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, also sites that 40% of nurses experience burnout during their careers. Likewise it can also be noted that nurses must be well aware of the stresses of their positions, and well educated in how to deal and cope with these stresses.

Aside from personality or character traits, candidates for nursing also must possess a certain nursing prerequisites to be eligible for enrollment in nursing programs. While prerequisites for nursing programs may differ from school to school, those looking to be accepted into nursing programs in the United States must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Average to above average marks in science and mathematical skills are also often required for acceptance to most programs. Those looking to be accepted into baccalaureate programs often require more courses than associated degree programs as well. While enrolled in post secondary programs for nursing, individuals will also cover subjects of study such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medication administration, ethics, and nursing theory. Depending on the level or degree of specialization within the nursing field, one may also have to pursue several years of prior post secondary preparation courses in order qualify for the intended field.

The Positive & Negative Aspects of Nursing School

When it comes to nursing schools, there are always both benefits and drawbacks. I found this article and thought that it would be helpful to anyone considering applying to a nursing school. It outlines the pro's and con's of nursing in detail.

I hope you enjoy it!

Online degrees are becoming an increasingly attractive option for more and more people today, especially when it comes to choosing a nursing program. Online nursing programs offer training through web casting or recorded videos and documents, and live interactive chat. It all boils down to this though: are online nursing school programs the same, if not better, than the traditional on-campus education?

The Pro’s

Programs such as online nursing classes provide huge perks for both students and professors alike. Schedule flexibility is one; distance learning emphasizes an asynchronous method of learning, meaning two people do not have to be available at the same time to be able to interact with each other. Nursing students which couldn’t make it to the web cast that day can easily watch its recorded version or read the professor’s documentation about it later.

Another benefit would be transport issues. Due to the fact that lessons take place in the virtual world, students can just simply stay at home and learn without going to have to go to the college’s campus especially if it’s a state or two away. The students are also provided with easier access to information. Being online, a student can easily get research information on homework or coursework activities through wikis, blogs, e-books and forums. Online Nursing School Programs also provide the benefit of clinical activities when you’ve reached that part of the program. Usually the online institution will find a medical facility near your home where there they’ll send staff to teach and assist you on your clinical requirements.

The Con’s

Although the advantages mentioned above are quite enticing, there are those who remain skeptical with this kind of approach to learning especially with hands-on, in-the-field degrees like Nursing. One disadvantage of online nursing school programs would be the student’s interest. Many complain that they have a hard time comprehending such long and dry lectures made by professors with complementing documents which are just as dreary. Clarification usually takes time to be made unlike in the campus were professors are easily available for the student and can quickly provide an answer to any of the student’s inquiries about the topic.

Another disadvantage of online school nursing programs would be the student’s ability when it comes to the clinical requirements. Research made by the U.S. Department of Education show that although students of online nursing school programs tend to excel in lectures, on the field performance sometimes leave more to be desired.

In all of this, it really depends on the individual as to which method to utilize in order to obtain his Nursing Degree. If you believe that you’re a self starter and can work without easily being distracted, then you should enroll in an online nursing school program. Some schools who offer this kind of service are the Indiana State University, The College Network and Ashford University. Otherwise, stick to the traditional on-campus learning, the vast temptations on the internet might get in the way of your learning.

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.

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.

Dual Degree Nursing Programs

The field of nursing in itself encompasses many different specialties and the ability to work as a nurse and specialize in a particular aspect or type of health related issue is very appealing to many. There are some nurses who realize that the skills they have can be utilized in other professions. Combining the skills of nursing with other entities can be both helpful and lucrative. For this reason, many colleges and universities offer dual degree programs where students interested in nursing can also pursue another degree simultaneously that is either closely related to nursing or compliments the nursing degree.

There are a few dual degree options and one of the most popular is the Masters of Science in Nursing and the Masters in Public Health (MSN/MPH) dual degree. This program combines the clinical specialization of a master’s level nursing degree with a specialized master’s level public health degree. Nursing and public health are very closely related and obtaining dual degrees can be very beneficial especially for people interested in public health nursing. These two degrees allow an individual to be fully informed on the clinical aspects of nursing while being capable of applying these specialized skills on a much broader level helping not just one patient but a larger number of individuals to improve their health.

An additional dual degree nursing program is the BSN or MSN and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) option. The combination of a medical and law degree is extremely helpful. There are many nurses who work for lawyers advising them on various health issues in relation to medical lawsuits. Many good medical malpractice and disability lawyers have a medical consultant-many times a nurse-to whom they seek counsel on cases. There are some nurses who decide after years of clinical work to utilize their skills legally by becoming malpractice and disability lawyers. With the clinical expertise and the legal training many find possessing a nursing degree coupled with a law degree to be quite lucrative.

Finally, for nurses looking to use their medical expertise in the business world there is the option of a BSN/MSN coupled with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). There are many nurses who choose to use their medical expertise to head major organizations such as insurance companies. Some nurses even decide to open their own long-term care facilities and medical information companies. The MBA provides a solid business foundation which will aid a nurse in applying his/her medical abilities in a variety of circumstances.

The decision to pursue a dual degree in nursing and another discipline will provide unlimited opportunities to apply clinical medical knowledge in a variety of settings.

Nursing Degrees Options

When considering nursing as a profession there are a variety of different degrees that one can obtain to begin one’s career. Nurses are employed at a variety of different educational levels with all nurses requiring licensing and registration in their applicable state of professional practice. There are a number of avenues an individual can take to begin a career as a nurse.

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) also known as a vocational nurse is what some may consider the entry level area of nursing. Any one considering a career as a LPN must have a general education diploma or have successfully completed high school. Training for a position as a licensed practical nurse can usually be obtained through a community college or a vocational school. With full time study most students are able to complete training within a year. After completing a practical nursing program students must complete and pass a state licensing exam. LPNs make a decent entry level salary starting anywhere from $35,000 annually for a year’s worth of training. Licensed practical nurses are trained to provide daily living maintenance to patients, dispense medication to patients, start IVs and in some medical facilities maintain medical paperwork.

For those individuals looking for higher pay and more professional responsibility seeking licensure as a registered nurse is the ideal. A registered nurse (R.N.) completes an associate of nursing degree (A.S.N.) at a local community college. With the full time study most A.S.N. programs can be completed in two years and this includes both classroom and clinical portions of the program. Nurses with a two year degree are eligible to take the NCLEX test which is the nursing certification test to obtain a license to work in their chosen state. Obtain passing the NCLEX a person is officially a registered nurse and has an unlimited amount of opportunities to work and any medical facility as a nurse. The pay for a registered nurse is higher than those of the practical nurse with starting salaries beginning as high as $50,000 a year depending on the employer. Registered nurses have the training to provide a vast amount of patient care and they can specialize in many different areas such as neonatal care, intensive care and medical surgical nursing to name just a few.

Registered nurses can further their education and receive a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N). Many hospitals are willing to assist their registered nurses in furthering their education by offering tuition assistance and reimbursement. Likewise, there are many nursing programs that offer R.N. to B.S.N. programs to aid current nurses in obtaining their bachelors degree. For an R.N. bridging their education to a bachelor’s degree it can take anywhere from two to four years to finish the program depending on full time or part time study. For those without previous nursing experience a traditional B.S.N. program is four years in duration. A bachelor’s degree in nursing helps to expand on the clinical skills already obtained and then offers a core in nursing foundation such as the history of nursing and the application of nursing on a broader level such as in administration.

Finally, there are a number of advanced practice degrees that can be obtained by nurses with a four year degree. The Master’s of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) can be obtained in a variety of specialized fields such as nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetists. Advanced practice nurses are highly trained in their chosen areas and earn a much higher income because of the additional education and training. Most master’s degree programs can be completed in two years if attended full time.

Anyone considering nursing as a profession has a variety of pathways to beginning their nursing career.

The Importance Of The NCLEX Test

Completing a nursing school program is a tremendous accomplishment. All the time and effort studying and passing test after test in nursing school has finally paid off in the form of a degree. But hold on a moment-you aren’t really a nurse until you have passed a very important test called the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX is the test that once passed qualifies an individual who has completed an accredited nursing program licensure to practice nursing professionally. It is a very important test and must be passed in order to be employed as a nurse throughout the United States.

The NCLEX is made and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. It comes in two forms the NCLEX-PN for those seeking licensure as a practical or licensed vocation nurse and the NLCEX-RN for those seeking licensure as a registered nurse. This test is given and overseen by each state separately.

There is a cost associated with taking this exam and it is professionally monitored. If the exam is failed you have to wait a grace period of about 45-90 days before you can retest. Each state decides how many times an applicant can take the test after failing it. Moreover, the test is varied in composition mixing multiple choice with fill ins and rankings, and it is time limited. The exam is what is called CAT computer adaptive testing which allows the computer to choose the questions in a certain sequence based on the test taker’s previous answers. This provides an idea of the test taker’s knowledge of specific questions related to certain aspects of nursing. Because of the cost, time and significance of the NCLEX you should definitely prepare for this exam.

You would never want the many years of nursing school to go to waste all because you failed to pass the NCLEX so you should definitely prepare for this exam. There are nursing school programs that do devote time to reviewing for the NCLEX but given all that has to be covered within a nursing curriculum seeking an additional source to prepare for this test is vital. After graduating from nursing school it should be a priority to take this test as soon as possible since much of what you have learned is still fresh. Seek the support of NCLEX study groups; purchase the many NCLEX review materials and study, study, study. Review everything especially triage information and pharmacology because there is a good chance there will be questions related to these topics. This test will determine whether you will be able to work so it is in your best interest to prepare!

The NCLEX is one of the most important tests you will take as a nursing school graduate. Showing competence on this test by successfully passing it shows that you have truly taken the steps needed to become a qualified licensed nurse.

Nursing School Ethics

Most professions, particularly the helping professions, have a code of ethics that should be followed to ensure that the people being assisted are not taken advantage of. Nurses are also bound by an ethical code to ensure that they are adhering to a high standard of professional practice. There are a variety of topics covered within ethics in nursing. Some of the most discussed and debated topics are the right to choose treatment, maintaining confidentiality and allowing a patient to have informed consent.

The right to choose treatment sparks debate amongst many medical professionals and plays a great part in nursing ethics. A nurse ultimately wants the best for a patient at all times. When a medical professional presents a patient with a medical option it is up to the patient to decide whether or not they want to pursue it. Some patients decide that they would rather forgo helpful medical treatment. Sometimes this decision is made because the patient has endured an illness on a long term basis and would prefer to stop fighting the disease. The patient has made the decision to stop treatment and let the illness overcome their body. No matter how troubling this may seem to the nurse caring for a patient ultimately the patient has the right to accept or deny medical treatment as they see fit. A nurse must be able to accept the decisions his or her patient makes and continue to provide optimum care.

Maintaining confidentiality is another part of nursing ethics that is vitally important. Many medical professionals are constantly being reminded of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of a patient’s medical information. There are specific forms that a nurse can have a patient sign to determine who can and cannot have access to personal medical information. Because there have been so many instances where people were discriminated against because of medical information it is important that a patient have the right to control who is privy to their medial information. Nurses are constantly placed in a position where they have to be very careful who they release a patient’s personal information to. Failure to maintain a patient’s confidentiality can result in major repercussions for both the hospital and the nurse who failed to uphold a patient’s right to confidentiality.

Informed consent is also a very important part of nursing ethics that is taught throughout all levels of nursing programs. Informed consent is when a patient signs a legal document detailing how they want medical treatment to be administered. This allows a patient to decide in the worse conditions what they would like to happen to them medically even if they are not able at the moment to decide because of deterioration in their health. A very well known informed consent is the DNR or do not resuscitate order which advises medical professions not to attempt life saving procedures. No matter how much a nurse or other medical professional would like to keep a patient alive to provide treatment, the proper ethical action is to allow the patient to die according to their written consent. Informed consents are documents that nurses push very hard to have completed in case of any complications while providing care. Informed consent makes adhering to nursing ethics somewhat less complicated as a person’s desires for his or health is clearly stated.

Following clearly defined ethical standards ensures that patients receive quality unbiased care.