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RN Degree Online | LPN to RN | RN Continuing Education
RN Degree Online | LPN to RN | RN Continuing Education | Our TOP Recommendations
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The three chief educational avenues to a registered nursing career are a diploma from an approved nursing program, an associate degree, or a bachelor’s degree. Registered nurses are expected to generate about 587,000 new jobs over the 2006-16 timeframe, one of the highest numbers among all careers.
- Nature of the Work - Registered nurses (RNs), no matter what their specialty or work setting is, care for patients, instruct patients and the general public about numerous medical conditions, and give advice and emotional support to patients’ family members. RNs record patients’ symptoms and medical histories, administer treatment and medications, operate medical machinery, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, and assist with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.
- RN Degree Online - In 2006, 700 nursing programs provided degrees at the bachelor’s level. ADN programs, provided by junior and community colleges, last about 2 to 3 years. About 850 RN programs awarded associate degrees. Diploma programs typically administered in hospitals, take about 3 years. Only around 70 programs offered diplomas.
- Licensing - In all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing exam called the NCLEX-RN, in order to earn a nursing license. Nurses may hold a license in more than one state, either by exam or by the endorsement of a license issued in different state.
RN Degree Online | LPN to RN | RN Continuing Education
Several RNs with an ADN or diploma eventually enter bachelor’s degree programs to train for a broader scale of nursing duties. Many times they can find an entry-level position and use tuition reimbursement benefits to work on a BSN by completing an RN-to-BSN program. There were 629 RN-to-BSN programs in the United States in 2006. Accelerated master’s degree in nursing (MSN) programs are also available by adding 1 year of an accelerated BSN program to 2 years of graduate study. There were 149 RN-to-MSN programs in 2006.
Accelerated BSN programs are also an option for people who have a bachelor’s or higher degree in different field and who want to move into nursing. 197 of these types of programs were available in 2006. Accelerated BSN programs usually last 12 to 18 months and are fastest way for individuals who already hold a degree to earn a BSN. MSN programs are also available for people who hold a bachelor’s or higher degree in different field.
All nursing education programs involve classroom instruction and supervised clinical work in health care facilities and hospitals. Students enroll in courses like nutrition, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, psychology, microbiology, and other behavioral sciences, as well as nursing. Class work also entails the liberal arts for ADN and BSN students.
RN Degree Online - Graduate - Job Outlook
As the largest health care career, registered nurses held approximately 2.5 million jobs in 2006. Hospitals employed the most RNs, with 59 percent of jobs. Other fields also employed large numbers of registered nurses. About 8 percent of jobs were in doctors’ offices, 5 percent were employed by home health care services, 5 percent had jobs in nursing care facilities, 4 percent in employment services, and 3 percent had jobs in outpatient care centers.
Job opportunities for registered nurses are predicted to be great, but may fluctuate by geographic and employment setting. Job prospects for RNs are anticipated to rise far faster than the average for all careers through 2016 and, since the field is very large, several new jobs will be created. Actually, registered nurses are expected to generate 587,000 new jobs, among the highest number of new jobs for any career. Also, hundreds of thousands of job openings will arise from the need to replace retiring nurses who leave the job.
Employment of registered nurses is projected to increase 23 percent from 2006 to 2016, far quicker than the average for all careers. This increase will be influenced by technological advances in health care, which provide treatment options for a higher number of health problems, and by a growing emphasis on preventive care. Additionally, the number of older adults, who are far more likely than their younger counterparts to require nursing care, is predicted to grow quickly.
RN Degree Online - Graduates - Earnings Statistics
In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the average annual incomes of registered nurses were $57,250. The middle 50 percent made between $47,750 and $69,750. The bottom 10 percent made less than $40,250, and the top 10 percent made more than $83,500.
Related Occupations: Due to the number of specialty areas for registered nurses, and the number of duties and responsibilities, several other health care careers are similar in some facet of the job. Other careers that interface with patients include physicians and surgeons, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, occupational therapists, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, massage therapists, athletic trainers, dietitians and nutritionists, and physical therapists. Other careers that utilize advanced medical equipment to care for patients include diagnostic medical sonographers, radiation therapists, cardiovascular technologists and technicians, radiologic technologists and technicians, and surgical technologists. People who also help other health care professionals in providing care include psychiatric, nursing, and home health aides; dental hygienists; and physician assistants. Many nurses assume a management role, comparable to medical and health services managers.
RN Degree Online - Courses - Schools
There are an excellent number of choices if you want to earn your RN Degree online. Online schools and colleges now provide the same curriculum as the traditional education. Learning online provides you with so much more flexibility to suit your lifestyle and current employment. We include our top recommendations for colleges and universities to gain your RN Degree online.
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Tips to Help Smooth
Your Journey? |
You may be a bit apprehensive about returning to school. You may not be confident that you have the computer skills required to participate in online courses. In fact, online courses do not require high levels of computer skill. The key required skills are the ability to use e-mail and post messages on a discussion board.
If you need to brush up on these basic skills, you can take free computer classes at your local public library. These classes typically last only a few hours and can boost your confidence in using the computer. Online tutorial sites for improving computer skills can also be useful.
The Key to Financial
Success? |
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a bachelor degree is anticipated to earn an average of $2.15 million during the period of their working life. Those individuals who possess only a high school diploma can expect to earn $1.15 million throughout the entire duration of their working life.
The prediction is that this significant difference in potential for earnings will only widen during the next decade. More positions will have a requirement of some type of college education, if not a degree. Those individuals who have earned a master degree have a predicted earning of $2.5 million during their lifetime, with a doctorate bringing $3.5 million.
The Positives of
Distance Learning |
Distance learning can meet many needs that traditional classroom education cannot. For a lot people, distance learning is the only way that they can find the time to work on a degree.
You have the flexibility to earn your degree at any time, and anywhere, provided that you have internet access. Also, you do not have a rigid schedule, unless you are participating in a live web-based course. You do not waste time commuting to a campus or stress about missing class while you are stuck in traffic.
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