What Should I Expect from a Nursing College?
It may seem obvious, but you should expect to be trained as a nurse by a nursing college. You should receive all the education you need, both in the classroom and in clinical settings, like hospitals. You should be prepared to take and pass your certification exam. You should be prepared to work as a nurse.
If you are getting an ADN, that means you are going to a community or junior college. You may be young and living at home, or you may be older, out in the workforce, and going to school while you are still working. In these cases, you may not expect to get much beyond the training you need from your schooling. Of course, you should still expect to be able to make friends, and even future professional contacts. For example, you might be in a hospital for some of your clinical work and meet someone that could have a job for you in the future.
If you are pursuing a BSN from a college or university, you will have the opportunity to live on or near a college campus, and you can expect to enjoy the same types of activities that other college students enjoy. Even though you are attending the nursing college, you still may be at a school that has a football team, a theater department, sororities, and fraternities. For example, the University of California at Los Angeles has a nursing school. While attending there you are a UCLA Bruin just like the other students. If you go to the University of Southern California's School of Nursing, you will be at a different site for the nursing college, but you will still be a Trojan. At either school you can go and cheer for the football team.
If you are away from home for the first time, you should expect the college to provide support in the same way any other college would be. You should feel safe and expect professional conduct by the teaching staff. There should be a place for you to get healthcare yourself, and anything else you would need in a college setting. If you are getting your BSN by diploma, you will probably still take some classes at a nearby college. You may make more contacts with healthcare professionals if you are spending most of your time in a hospital.
If you are getting your BSN after your ADN and you are pursuing this option online, you can at least expect the education you need. Obviously there will be less interaction with other students and professors.
In all cases you should expect to get information about financial aid and possible financial assistance from the college itself in terms of scholarships and grants. You will probably have to look for assistance beyond the college, but they should be able to provide you with some level of financial assistance if you need it.
There are a very wide range of places to train as an RN, and a wide range of experiences to be enjoyed. You can expect to be able to join the workforce after you graduate.
Published: 2009-09-09
