News & Events |
Campus Tour |
Search NUR A Guide for Pre-Nursing Students Career/Transfer Faculty FAQ's
Nursing Job Resource Programs Scholarships
Calendars
Directories
Introduction
Introduction
Nursing offers an abundance of opportunities from bedside nursing to the president of the hospital.
Clinical specialists, nurse practitioners, nursing administrators, and nurse educators are just a
few examples of the variety of opportunities awaiting you in a nursing career. Nurses are also
working in influential government positions both appointed and elected. If you choose a career in
nursing, you will discover a career filled with excitement and rewards.
Nursing involves the care of people, sick and well. It provides an essential service to humankind.
Nurses who are career professionals are dedicated individuals who have committed themselves to
improving the quality of health care delivery and to the prevention of disease. If personal and
professional satisfactions are what you are looking for, nursing is for you!
Nurses work in a variety of practice settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities,
community and public health agencies, independent practice, ambulatory care centers, the Public Health
Service, military services, the Veteran's Administration Hospitals, and in any setting where people
need health-care services. As a nurse you can choose to practice in a variety of geographic locations
and pick the environment you prefer.
The majority of new graduate nurses begin their careers working in hospitals.
Hospital nursing includes the opportunity to work in areas with patients
requiring medical and surgical care, maternity and pediatrics. After some
experience, and in some instances additional education, you may choose to work
in a more specialized setting.
Acute care includes emergency nursing, operating room nursing, coronary care, and intensive care specialties
such as trauma, cardiac surgery, respiratory and pediatrics. Acute care involves working with technical equipment
and requires a high level of decision making in life and death situations. Providing compassionate care in
a highly automated and technologically advanced setting is a challenge for nursing.
Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists are practicing in many areas of nursing including: parent-child,
pediatric, adult, family, geriatric, anesthesia and psychiatric-mental health. Nurse practitioners and clinical
nurse specialists are nurses who have additional education (usually a masters degree), enabling them to practice
in expanded roles. These roles call for important decision making and advanced assessment skills.
Vital decision making ability is necessary in all clinical practice areas, teaching and administrative positions.
You are going to have to be knowledgeable and competent in your ability to handle emergencies and make quick, and
accurate nursing assessments.
The initial education program is both intellectually and physically tough - but worth it. You also need to be in
good health and to have a genuine desire to help other human beings who may be physically or mentally ill, who need
help with daily living, who may be unhappy, lonely, angry, frightened and lost.
Getting Into Nursing
Entrance requirements for nursing schools vary. All three programs may require one or more standardized entrance
exams such as: the "Scholastic Aptitude Test" (SAT) of the College Entrance Examination Board; the "American
College Test" (ACT) of the American College Testing Program; the "Pre-Nursing and Guidance Examination" of the
National League for Nursing; and the "Entrance Examination for Schools of Nursing" of the Psychological Test
Corporation. Each school establishes its own admissions score.
Each program requires a high school diploma or its equivalent. Applicants must meet the same institutional
requirements as all entering students. Generally, this means that applicants must have units in the following
subject areas: English, math, science and social studies. Exceptions to these requirements for all three
programs are common and applicants must make individual inquiries school by school. Check the
FAQ and Curriculum
sections for the requirements at Dutchess Community College.
Selecting a Program
Educational Programs for Nursing
Choosing a Program
Basic Requirements for Success
NCLEX and Licensure
Are you a high school student thinking about entering a health field? Or perhaps you are someone
considering a second career ... one in the health field. Or you may be a nurses aid, licensed
practical nurse, or an allied health technician wishing to broaden your health career. Well,
nursing may be for you!
You can become a registered nurse through three different educational programs: the associate degree, the
baccalaureate degree or the diploma program. See below for a discussion about the differences of these programs.
When selecting a nursing school, the student should choose a school that is state-approved. This insures that the program meets the minimum legal requirements set by that state for the preparation of nurses for licensure. Only graduates of state-approved programs are eligible to take the state licensure examination. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) are national accrediting agencies for nursing education programs, recognized by the Council on Post Secondary Accreditation and U.S. Department of Education, and by the nursing profession itself. Graduates from accredited schools are more likely to receive credit for previous educational experiences when applying for further study. The NLNAC and the CCNE maintain lists of accredited schools.
The three basic types of nursing education programs all prepare students to take the State Board Licensing Examination upon completion of the required courses. Which program is right for you?
Click on these links to learn more about selecting a program.
http://www.nlnac.org http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne/reports/accprog.asp
Which Program Is Right For You?
Associate Degree (AD) programs are usually located in community colleges. There is a balance of content between
general studies and nursing education. The program offers a wide variety of clinical nursing experiences and prepares
graduates to function as direct care providers. Although there is no standardized curriculum, it is common for the
student to complete the course requirements in four regular semesters and one summer session.
The AD program is not necessarily the first half of a baccalaureate (BSN) program although some AD program curriculums are designed to be articulated with baccalaureate degree programs. The student should not expect total transfer credit between AD and BSN.
Baccalaureate Degree programs, for the most part, are four academic years in length and are located in senior colleges or universities. The course of study combines education in the theory and the practice of nursing with general education in the humanities and behavioral, biological and physical sciences which serve as a base for the development of the nursing major. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is the only program that offers students experience in all of the major settings where health care is given. Community health nursing, for example, is offered only in the BS program.
The BSN is the only program that prepares the graduate for immediate entrance into graduate study at the master's degree level which is a requirement for teaching, administration, clinical specialization and nursing research.
Diploma Nursing programs are hospital based, but often include academic courses at nearby colleges or universities. The courses are usually in the biological, physical, and social sciences, as well as English, and offer e academic credit. Diploma programs offer a wide variety of clinical nursing experience, along with principles of nursing care and classes in the basic sciences and humanities.
Graduates of diploma programs who wish to go on for a baccalaureate degree in nursing may receive some college credit through demonstration of specific knowledge and skills on placement testing. Diploma courses, however, are not equivalent to college credit courses.
Tuition charges for all programs vary considerable, depending on whether the student attends a public or private institution, and whether the student is a resident or nonresident of the state where the program is located. Public institutions are usually the least expensive program.
You and your counselor should explore the following questions openly and honestly when considering your nursing career:
- What has been your level of achievement in high school and/or college?
- Will you need to work (full - or part-time) while you are a student?
- Do you have family responsibilities?
- Will you be able to move to another location to attend school?
- What are your nursing career goals (bedside nursing, teaching, administration)?
- What are your long-term academic and career goals?
Trends in health care delivery and health education predict that nursing preparation at the baccalaureate level will be advantageous in the future.
Some Requirements For A Successful Nursing Career
Academic ability: nursing makes intellectual demands on the student. You must be willing to be a serious student with
a desire to learn a whole new body of scientific knowledge.
Responsibility: when you receive the title "registered nurse," you also assume accountability for your actions,
legally and morally. You must respect confidentiality , use dependable judgment, and practice according to
current standards.
Liking for people: it is necessary that you accept and respect the rights of people of all ages, races, social
status, sexual preference and religious beliefs. This means you have to be unbiased, compassionate, considerate
and interested in others.
Willingness to learn: you must be motivated to learn, to keep up with trends in your profession and to value
and profit from life experiences.
Common sense: you will need to develop the ability to handle catastrophe and crisis, along with everyday
frustrations in a confident and efficient way.
NCLEX And Licensure
After completing a nursing program, you will be required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination
(NCLEX) to become a registered nurse. During the interim between graduation, receiving a passing test score,
and obtaining a license, you may practice as a graduate nurse in most states.
Adapted with permission from Is Nursing For You? The National Student Nurses' Association, Inc.
[ Non-credit Education ] [ Financial Aid ] [ Library ] [ Registration ] [ Student Services ]
NEWS & EVENTS | Dutchess Community College HOME
Comments and questions about this page can be directed to the Ingeborg X. Grutzner.
Copyright © 2003
