Amazon to the rescue. Hundreds, maybe thousands of ideas and places to look for the answers.
I can’t tell you how much I wish that all of this information had been available when I began my nurse career.
Take a good look at what’s available………and then look again.
You’ll be glad that you did.
There are many options available for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in nursing. The demand for healthcare professionals is continuously on the upswing, so there is a positive demand for them for years to come.
The following are some of the options available for anyone who is interested in a career in the medical field that is related in some way to nursing.
For those who are still weighing their options whether to pursue a full-fledged career in nursing or to just simply try out at first if nursing is indeed the career for them, there is a short course available for them.
Being a CNA or a certified nursing assistant only requires a short period of study. The period usually ranges up to a year. After the course, one could immediately start a job as a CNA during which the time spent working allows you the opportunity to see for yourself a glimpse of the nursing world, as well as providing you with the income for getting into a full fledged nursing program.
Be an LPN or an LVN
A Licensed Practical Nurse or a Licensed Vocational Nurse is a course of study that usually takes about one year to complete. The Licensed Practical Nurse or the Licensed Vocational Nurse usually works directly under the physician or a Registered Nurse.
Being a Licensed Practical Nurse or a Licensed Vocational Nurse is also one of the effective means to get into nursing school and become a registered nurse. There are nursing schools that allow Licensed Practical Nurses to take courses and credits in the process of being Registered Nurses. Vocational schools are the ones that usually offer LPN courses.
This process of Licensed Practical Nurses studying to become Registered Nurses will continue to increase at the same time that the demand for nurses also increase.
Registered Nurses are in critical demand.
Tip! Education and experience are key components to certain registered nurse jobs. If you are considering registered nurse jobs in administration, you may want to consider getting a Bachelor degree, as many organizations now require it.
When one is a registered nurse, the options for promotion, education, upgrade and job responsibility are plentiful. Hospitals used to offer a diploma study course for those willing to study nursing. The course usually lasts three years. During this time, students lived and then worked inside their assigned hospitals. After which, they take their boards to later become full-fledged Registered Nurses. There are now Associate Degrees in nursing that last for two years.
Tip! There are a number of educational programs available to become a registered nurse and an array of career opportunities open to gain experience. The main degree programs are Hospital Diploma program, Associates Degree in Nursing, and Bachelor Degree in Nursing.
The BSN advantage
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing covers most of the theoretical aspect in nursing. Recently, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program regarded as the minimum requisite for one to be actually called a professional nurse.
The Bachelor of Science Nursing degree is being seen as an ideal and sound choice for nurses who want professional advancement.
In summary, the decision to be a nurse rests on you. The choices that are available all depend on how much you are willing to spend your time, effort, energy and money on.
It is important though that any decision one makes comes from the heart and the mind; and that becoming a nurse, serving the health care profession, and serving the needs and wants of others is what you want to do, and would be happy doing for the rest of your career life.
Tip! Other areas in which registered nurse jobs are expected to increase is home healthcare and outpatient care centers. The growth for these registered nurse jobs may be due to technological advances and pressure from insurance companies to avoid in-patient hospitalization.
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Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides nursing resources.
There’s a reason that this latest post really needs to be right at the top of the list.
Until you have the answers to some really tough questions, your dream of becoming a nurse must remain just that…..a DREAM.
Spend some serious time, and come up with some very truthful answers to the following questions:
1. Do I have what it takes to be a nurse?
2. What can I do as a nurse?
(A.K.A., Do I have to work in a hospital?)
3. How hard is it to get into nursing school?
4. What if I’m squeamish about “blood and guts” and all that?
5. How much money can I make as a nurse?
6. How secure will my job be in the future?
7. How can I be sure that nursing is going to be right for me?
If you’re truly considering a nursing career, this and the rest of this blog will offer some invaluable guidance.
By the time you finish here, you’ll have a much clearer idea of your chances for success.
The following link is one that we feel very strongly about.
Take a good look…..get the answers you need…..THEN and only then start making some informed decisions.
Your time will be truly well spent:
NurseCrisis.com
Will You Become Part of the Solution?
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Nurse Practitioners Needed…..NOW! (This Page just got a tremendous boost from one of our visitors, an extremely busy nurse in Florida who is sharing her experiences at two of the most interesting blogs that you are likely to find anywhere. She previously obtained her BSN online and is now working toward the NP.) Quick update: We’ve just been informed that she has finished her Nurse Practitioner schooling. CONGRATS, lady. We’re truly looking forward to your new adventures. Keep us posted. Her two blogs are packed with just the kind of information you may be seeking. You’ll find the URLS for both at the bottom of this page. The Nurse Practitioner is at the forefront of the movement to modernize patient services. The NP provides an integrated range of care options for patients.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced knowledge and decision-making skills in assessment, diagnosis and health-care management of patients and clients. A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing. This allows him or her to provide a broad range of health care services, including: Taking the patient’s history, performing a physical exam. Diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic diseases, and ordering appropriate laboratory tests and procedures Providing prescriptions and coordinating referrals Promoting healthy activities in collaboration with the patient Nurse practitioner specialties include family practice, women’s health, pediatrics, geriatric, neonatology, school health, emergency, oncology and primary care. Some nurse practitioners work in clinics without physician supervision, and others work together with physicians as a joint health care team. Their scope of practice and authority depends on state laws. Like many other professions, nurse practitioners are regulated at two different levels. Licensure is a process that takes place at the state level in accordance with specific state laws. In contrast, certification is established through national organizations with requirements for minimal professional practice standards being consistent across all states. Laws specific to NP licensure vary greatly from state to state. More and more states are requiring master’s degree educational preparation and national certification. In some states, NP practice is completely independent, while some states require proof of a collaborative MD only for prescriptive practice privileges, and other states require proof of a collaborative MD for licensure at all. A few states still do not have specific nurse practitioner licensure or recognize practice by NPs. National certification is offered through various nursing organizations (such as the American Nurses’ Association, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, and others), most of which require completion of an approved master’s-level NP program prior to taking the certification exam. The exams tend to be offered in specialty areas such as family nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner, school nurse practitioner, adult nurse practitioner, women’s health care nurse practitioner, and geriatric nurse practitioner. Re-certification involves proof of continuing education. Only certified nurse practitioners may use a “C” either in front of or behind their other credentials (e.g., Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, FNP-C, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner). Some nurse practitioners may use the credential APN rather than NP, denoting advanced practice nurse, a broader category that also includes clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists. The nurse practitioner role offers specific populations of health consumers easier access to needed health services, through extended nursing practice. Nurse practitioners have a scope of practice that is wider than that normally available to nurses. The expanded role includes the direct referral of consumers to other health professionals, prescribing of a designated and agreed list of medications and ordering of a designated and agreed list of diagnostic investigations.
The Nurse Practitioner’s Place www.arnp.blogspot.com Nurse Practitioner News www.blogcharm.com/npnews (CTRL+D) Still Haven’t Found Your Answers? Check the Rest of Our Pages; then Check the Internet
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TRAVELING NURSE BENEFITS
Well, I am truly and fully retired this time…..unless you count the six cases I’m working as a legal consultant, and an occasional MDS assignment, and then of course there’s the three days a week spent with our new grand daughter while her engineer/Mother does what she can to keep her career on track.
Time for some serious coulda, shoulda, woulda reflection.
I am only too aware of the opportunities I passed up in my nursing career by never taking advantage of the travel packages that were offered to me during my thirty “active” years.
As much as I truly love travelling, I might have seen a large part of our world…..very early, before I married and started my family; or much later after the kids were grown and gone.
The Travel Nurse experience is even better now than it was thirty years ago; and it wasn’t at all bad even then.
I hope you will spend some time on this section of our web site. Learn what opportunities may be best suited to your situation. AND THEN SEE THE WORLD.
Here’s a good place to start: http://www.medicalrag.com/get-out-of-the-rut-with-travel-nursing-jobs/
If you love being a nurse and love to travel, then a career as a traveling nurse may be exactly what you are looking for. Being a traveling nurse has many benefits. You are able to travel around the United States instead of being stuck in just one place. The jobs can last from just a few weeks to a year, with most lasting between thirteen and twenty six weeks.
Traveling nurses are some of the best-paid nurses in the country. These are just some benefits that may be available to you. Exact benefits will vary depending on the traveling nurse agency that you choose. Generally, the pay can range from $21 to $48 an hour this is based on your skill level and the location of the assignment. Agencies often offer sign on bonuses and completion bonuses as well. Some even offer bonuses when you renew your contract for at least 13 weeks. There are loyalty bonuses available at some agencies that offer different monetary bonuses, housing upgrades, paid vacations, and more. Referral bonuses are often offered for nurse that you refer to agencies.
With health benefits being the huge issue they are today, many traveling nurse agencies offer wonderful benefit packages. Most have fully paid medical insurance with the options to add your family, at your expense. They also can have many add ons such as Life insurance, vision and dental insurance, disability insurance-both long and short term, and accident coverage insurance.
Many offer retirement plans such as the 401K after just a month of service with them. Some offer roadside assistance packages such as AAA. Most offer continuing education reimbursement as well.
Traveling is a benefit of being a traveling nurse. It often is not considered a benefit because it is part of the job, but to many it is a benefit. A job as a traveling nurse allows you to work in new areas. Often times these are areas that you normally would not consider for a vacation because they are not high tourist areas. You can see places across the United States as you work.
There are many benefits, rewards, and bonuses available to those who decide to become a traveling nurse. The amenities seem to be endless as there is a high demand for nurses who are able to travel for their jobs. These traveling nurse jobs can take you away from your family, pets, and loved ones so a hard consideration into whether the job is right for you is necessary before committing. It is also important to investigate the agencies that you are thinking of signing up with. Ask the agencies to speak with some of the traveling nurses that are already a part of their company. Search the internet to see what others say about the agencies.
Salary and Benefits Information
Becoming a traveling nurse is beneficial to many nurses who have worked the same job for years. They are often burnt out on the same thing day after day and looking for a change. A traveling nurse job could be the change that you are looking for.
For more information, here’s a fun site:
NurseTravel Jobs
RNs, PTs, OTs, RTs and other allied healthcare positions. Travel Force Staffing offers free housing benefits and more.
Nursing jobs require a lot of patience and dedication. Registered nurses will be promoting good health, preventing disease, and helping patients through times of illness.
Registered nurses are also required to be detail oriented and to have decent writing skills.
The truth is that if you are considering a career in the nursing field, this should be a decision based on conscious consideration of a variety of factors.
First, you should know that nursing is not for everyone. You must be prepared to work hard.
Nursing is both physically and emotionally challenging and draining.
Actually, with the exception of a few areas, nurses provide care to those in need, almost around the clock 24 hours 7 days a week.
Dividing their schedules into shifts of 8 or 12 hours, nurses work long hours, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Nursing is a profession focused on assisting the people in need of special types of treatments.
The main goal of a successful nursing service is for the patient to attain and maintain an optimum level of health, while increasing his or her ability to function as independently as possible.
In many cultures, nursing is considered to be something between a hard profession and a meaningful cause.
Focusing on promoting life and improving the quality of living for millions of people around the globe, nursing has evolved from the special care and treatment nuns and military services offered, to a high-quality personalized service in a variety of institutions.
Nurses can be considered as the contemporary community support agents since they are an essential part of every society, conducting health education, counseling and performing practices that aim to relieve patients from pain and suffering.
In short, since nursing involves altruistic behavior; it is a profession that requires the nursing candidate to dedicate time, personal effort and most of all, determination in caring for peoples’ well-being.
In almost all countries, nursing practice is defined and governed by law; so for the interested individual to enter the profession, he or she has to successfully complete the necessary education which is regulated by national, state, or territorial boards of nursing.
But, apart from the academic background one has to build, those interested in developing a nursing career have to understand that they might be missing family events, and sometimes have to work late hours.
In some fields nurses have to be on-call twenty-four hours a day.
Not surprisingly, nurses have to deal with unhappy patients and be able to handle the demands of concerned family members.
This can be easily understood, if you can remember the feelings you had the last time you had to stay in bed, even for a simple cold. Unhappy feelings and low self-esteem do not create a very promising environment for anyone.
As nursing is the most diverse of all healthcare professions, nurses have to deal with blood, sputum, feces, urine, vomiting, and ugly smelly wounds.
But nursing is a universal role appearing in some form in every culture; and it is one of the few professions that focus on helping others in a time of need.
Actually, nursing is all about taking care of people; and this is the main concentration during a typical day’s work.
As practitioners themselves have stated, “Nursing is about combining the art of caring with the science and technology of today’s health care practices.”
As one very astute nursing student once stated: “Doctors treat diseases that people have. Nurses treat people who happen to have a disease”
