Nursing Schools --------------------------
Nurses provide direct patient
care in a wide variety of settings. Nurses work in hospitals, community
clinics, nursing homes, the armed forces, private residences, and hospice
settings. Nurses can also specialize in virtually any particular medical
field, ranging from family practice to surgery, obstetrics to intensive
care.
There are several types of nursing programs that lead to different nursing
degrees. The Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) program requires two years of
study, and focuses on the practical applications of nursing. The Bachelor of
Science Nurse (BSN) program includes four years of education, and includes
greater depth of study. After completing either of these programs, every
nurse takes a board exam to become a Registered Nurse (RN). This exam is
known as the NCLEX-RN.
When choosing a nursing school, it is very important to make sure that the
program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting
Commission (NLNAC). This ensures that you will be able to take your board
exam. Not all programs are accredited. There is currently an enormous
shortage of nurses in the United States, and the shortage is expected to
worsen as more nurses retire. This means that employment opportunities for
nurses are very good and will continue to improve. Finding the right nursing
school for you is the first step to becoming a nurse.
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