Bachelor's Level Nursing Education
In the United States, you can become a nurse in one of three ways. You must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination to receive your nurse's license. Nurses, in the United States, are often licensed to work in more than one state by passing examinations for the state, or by a multi-state license agreement. All states in the United States require license renewals periodically, which generally involve continuing education and course hour minimums, which vary from state to state.
To become a registered nurse in the United States you must have graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, a diploma from a college or university, or an associate degree in nursing. The Bachelor of Science degree is a four-year program offered through most colleges and universities. Today, there are only a small number of hospital diploma programs available to become a nurse and they are generally a three-year program. Nurses who graduate from any of the programs listed above are qualified to graduate and enter into positions as staff nurses.
Those who are just entering into nursing should serious consider the advantages and disadvantages when enrolling in the Bachelor of Science program. When entering this program they will find that their opportunity for advancement in the nursing field is much broader. Today, many career paths are only open to those who have a Bachelor of Science or other advanced level degrees. Generally, the Bachelor of Science degree is necessary if you wish to enter the administrative area of nursing and it is a prerequisite to enter into graduate nursing programs in research, teaching, clinical specialization, and consulting.
Part of nursing education includes the study of psychology, anatomy, microbiology, nutrition, physiology, chemistry, nursing, and other behavioral sciences. Becoming a nurse involves classroom instruction as well as hands-on supervised experience in a healthcare facility or hospital. Most nurses receive supervised clinical experience in surgery, maternity, pediatrics, psychiatry, and many other departments within most hospitals. Today a number of programs also include training in public health departments, ambulatory care, nursing home facilities, and home health agencies.
Today, several good colleges and universities offer Bachelor of Science degrees, as well as many distant and online learning facilities that offer the program. Each program has its specific requirements but generally the Bachelor of Science degree enables today's nurses to choose from a wide choice of clinical specialties in an array of fields. Usually the number of clinical hours required by most programs is between 500 and 750, and these programs generally require a thesis or other project or comprehensive study.
Once the Bachelor of Science degree has been obtained, many nurses elect to become involved with advanced study programs in nursing. The advanced areas are Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and Nurse Practitioner (NP). Each of these programs enables the advanced nurse to take on a leadership role and assume administrative positions and command a much higher salary. Once the advanced studies are completed, certification is required and occasionally renewal of the license in order to maintain and keep continued education up to date, so that the advanced nurse is knowledgeable and able to provide patients with the most effective care and technology.
If you are interested in nursing programs you can click here to find out about programs being offered at various locations http://www.topnursingcolleges.com/. Nursing is a great career choice and one of the fastest-growing areas in the health care industry. Today, we have a desperate need for more nurses due to our population aging and a shortage.
Published: 2009-09-23
