Which Nursing School Is Best for You?

Nursing programs are getting more and more popular these days, and for good reason. With jobs in other sectors being eliminated or sent offshore, the health care field stands out as an area that is actually growing, and will be for many years to come. So if you want to become a nurse, the next step is choosing the right Allied Nursing School to fit your needs.

Generally, there are three ways you can approach getting into the nursing field. Here is a summary of each.

CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant)

A CNA is not an actual nurse, but rather a nurse's assistant. For those interested in becoming a full-fledged nurse, the CNA program is only a stepping stone. However, it does have its benefits. The biggest one being it only takes literally a few weeks to get through the training. Then, all you need to do is pass your certifications and you're ready to get started working. For those who need immediate income of just want to get their feet wet in the medical field to see if this is for them, becoming a CNA may be a great first step. The pay is decent-around $15 an hour, and the experience is very relevant to what you'd be doing if you go on to become a nurse.

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)

The bulk of people that pursue a nursing career end up in an LPN program. The reason is that LPN training can be completed in only a year or two, and graduates can work as an actual nurse. When you examine the benefits of LPN school verses a conventional four year college, it's easy to see why more people are choosing this option. Consider that with just a couple years of training, you can come out and enter a career with an abundance of jobs paying somewhere in the mid five figures, while your peers come out of a four year college and are lucky to get any kind of job at all. And if you become an LPN, there's nothing stopping you from continuing your education and going all the way to RN.

RN (Registered Nurse)

The highest position in the nursing field is an RN. They are the supervisors and the ones with the most responsibility and highest pay. It does take longer to complete the training (usually about two years longer than an LPN program), but the reward is being able to command a higher salary and earning greater qualifications. Students who are willing to put in the extra schooling will find RN to be a good choice, but if you'd rather be working sooner, then LPN training may be best for you. And as previously stated, LPNs often make the leap to RN by going to school part-time while working as a nurse.

These are the three options for students interested in pursuing a nursing career. A CNA is pretty much just a stepping stone to greater things, LPN is where most people end up, and RN is for those who are ambitious and want to reach the highest nursing position possible.

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What Do I Need to Get Into Nursing School?

There's little doubt that practical nursing school is becoming an increasingly popular choice for young students today. With the current economic conditions, the job outlook in many sectors does not appear so good. But that's not true with nurses. The growing number of elderly people means demand for nurses is likely to increase in virtually every area for many years to come.

So now that you've decided to go to nursing school, you need to make sure you've met all the requirements. Requirements can vary depending on the type of school and training program you are entering, and well as which part of the country the school is located. Among all the options for becoming a nurse, the one preferred by most is to become an LPN (licensed practical nurse). Assuming you want to enter an LPN program, here are some things to know.

First of all, let's talk about what an LPN does once out in the work force. LPNs are the ones with probably the most direct contact with patients. They work closely and are supervised by RN (registered nurses), and have some contact with doctors as well. Responsibilities include but are not limited to taking patients' vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate, giving out prescribed medications, and keeping up the patient's medical chart. These are important duties that are critical for the medical facility they are in to function smoothly.

To start an LPN training program, students need to have a high school diploma and be admitted to the program. There are generally two types of LPN programs you can enter. The first is a one year program that is normally offered by a technical or community college. The other is a two year program in which the student obtains an ASN (Associate's in Science of Nursing) degree from an LPN school or university. Both programs are adequate for entry and work as an LPN, but the two year program is obviously a more in depth and likely to open up a few more opportunities once you've graduated.

Whether you choose the one year or two year option, you will need to pass the NCLEX-PN (practical nurse) exam before going to work for a hospital, doctor's office, nursing home, or some other medical facility. This exam can be difficult and some students don't pass it on the first try. This is why when searching for a good LPN program, one of the things you want to pay special attention to is the success rates for graduates when they take this exam. Ideally, graduates from an LPN school should have an NCLEX passing rate of least 90%.

These are the basics for getting into nursing school. Since each person has their own unique circumstances, so depending on what they are, they will need to select the program that's best for them. The next step is doing your due diligence and finding a nursing program that has a reputation for quality and is a good fit for what you are trying to accomplish.

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Highest Paying Careers in the Field of Nursing

Different career opportunities are available in the nursing field. You can select any of the best careers in this field for your better future. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 2.5 millions of nurses are working in the nation. It is the largest working area in the field of health care and medication.

There are different types of nurses as well as they have different levels which are available at every medical station. From the vast careers in this field, you will get very confused to select the best option for this career. However, you have to select that career in the field of nursing which will be the most appropriate according to your comfort and satisfaction.

The jobs can be said as one of the fastest growing jobs in the health care groups. This field of today cannot be said as the same field which was ten years ago. The quality and the status of the job has improved a lot in these ten years and the growth of nursing will continue in the same manner resulting in more advanced nursing after ten years from now.

About 1.2 million jobs in this field will be added in 2014 because, in 2020 it has been estimated that there will be a shortage of 800,000 nurses. The world's population will need more care in the next years, so there is a great opportunity to find the best career in this field.

From the different careers in this field you can select the option according to your interest and comfort. These jobs are having a good income or even very high. Some of the highest paying careers in this field are as follows:

Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist (CRNA): The average annual salary of the CRNA's is $100,000 or can be more than this. This career in the field of nursing is occupying one of the highest salaries. The Registered Nurses who are licensed can apply for the graduation program in order to become a CRNA.

Nurse Practitioner (NP): A nurse practitioner works under the guidance of an expert and licensed health professional and provides the health care to patients. NPs are authorized to examine patients as well as for taking some minor tests and procedures. This is also a high payable nursing career.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): A CNS is said to be an advanced practice nurse who can assist in researches and sometimes in management. CNSs are holding the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in addition to Registered Nurse (RN) degree. This increases the annual pay of the CNS to a higher level.

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