Nursing school is notorious for its demanding academic load. From multiple critical exams and overwhelming medical terminologies to being responsible for other people’s lives and wellbeing, this course isn’t for the faint of heart. Moreover, studying nursing is even harder if you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD affects the use of our executive functions, which are mental skills that include flexible thinking, working memory, and self-control. As a result, students with ADHD find it hard to self-regulate, specifically in organizing things, sticking to plans, managing time, and controlling emotions. All of these affect not only their studies but also their optimal well-being.
Fortunately, there are several coping strategies that people with ADHD can rely on to manage their debilitating behaviors. This article lists ways nursing students with ADHD can thrive academically and socially in school.
Adhere to Your Medication Plans
If you’re prescribed to get specific ADHD treatments or take medications, always follow them as much as possible. Studies have shown that poor medication adherence can increase the likelihood of bad academic performance and reduced graduation rates.
Side effects of these ADHD medications and treatments are inevitable, but they’re manageable, especially if you know how to stay on top of your ADHD medications. Here are some ways:
Regularly visit your university’s health services so you and your medications are well-monitored.
Look for a pharmacy close to your campus and residence. When it comes to prescription refills, set phone reminders or sign up for text reminders at your chosen pharmacy so you won’t miss doing it, especially if you have a hectic schedule.
Always keep ADHD meds in your bag, but never share them with others.
Set the alarm or use a reminder app to remind you of your medication schedule.
Build in Breaks
Add some breaks in your study sessions, especially if you struggle to sustain mental effort for long periods. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the best break intervals, there are a lot of popular productivity techniques that improve focus that you can try, such as:
Pomodoro Technique (i.e., break study sessions into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks)
Flowtime (i.e., spend periods of time focused on specific tasks, but duration and frequency of study intervals and breaks aren’t scheduled)
Time Blocking (i.e., a single-tasked, time-controlled approach where study sessions are broken down into several blocks with specific assigned tasks)
Take your time in finding the best break interval that works best for you. Make sure that it’ll result in a smooth workflow that’ll not make you feel overwhelmed, unfocused, and unproductive, but rather feel confident, in control, and prepared to take on any course of action.
Opt for Multimodal Learning
Students with ADHD will likely have boredom and working memory issues, which prevent them from effectively and efficiently learning and remembering their lessons. Rather than forcing the information into their head, try to be creative and opt for multimodal learning methods.
Multimodal learning, from the term itself, is a learning and teaching strategy that uses multiple modes, including visual, auditory, reading, writing, and kinaesthetic methods. Here are some of them:
Use color highlighter (good for memorizing and giving attention)
Doodle while taking notes (improves learning, engagement, and reasoning)
Listen to voice notes (enhances understanding and helps with memorizing information)
Stand up when reading (for better productivity)
Work with a study buddy (helps in filling in learning gaps)
Manage Mental Health
Unhealthy lifestyle actions are bound to occur when ADHD results in uncontrolled disorganization and impulsiveness. These practices can trigger feelings of not being in control, put you in a bad mood, or worsen your stress.
On a positive note, there are good measures to offset these effects, for example:
Follow good sleep hygiene.
Eating a well-balanced diet.
Practicing mindfulness.
On top of all, be sure to have sound, adequate sleep. Poor sleep quality doesn’t only worsen ADHD symptoms but also negatively impacts academic performance. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation has been associated with a lack of attention and concentration during class. In addition, lack of sleep damages the nervous system, resulting in poor brain function. Due to the cognitive decline associated with insufficient sleep, academic performance is often decreased.
Work Out
Exercises aren’t only for physical fitness. Studies have shown that physical activities can stimulate brain regions associated with ADHD. What’s more, they can reduce excess energy, improve focus and attention, and combat symptoms of depression.
Anaerobic exercises (like yoga) and martial arts like (karate) offer opportunities for memorizing movements. They can mentally work out the poor memory that most people with ADHD face. In addition, team sports can also help in learning how to set and meet goals, as well as socializing with others through teamwork and cooperation.
Takeaway
Heading off to college is already nerve-racking for most students with ADHD. But know that you’re not alone. Several people with this neurodevelopmental condition have successfully graduated from college and are now enjoying fulfilling careers —and you can do the same. With good planning and persistence, you’re not only going to survive but thrive in college.
How Many Years Of School You Should Get To Be A Nurse Practitioner
The health industry is booming, and that means greater avenues for people interested in building a solid career in any of the fields within it. Many people think that there are shortcuts to becoming a nurse practitioner. There are various programs to pursue and become a nurse practitioner. You can enroll for an associate’s degree, or an accelerated BSN program, among others. Some colleges offer multiple degrees to help students to graduate fast. Finding the appropriate program will help you to achieve your career goals. The time it takes to be a practitioner varies depending on the nursing program. Let’s break it down to understand things better.
Why consider accelerated ADN programs?
The traditional degree program takes at least four years to complete. Schools with accelerated courses enable you to complete your course within 18 months. After graduating, you may decide to pursue further degrees.
You can pursue graduate and master’s degrees while working. Higher education comes with a lot of essay and assignment writing which is time-consuming. Finding help with a thesis is one of the best ways to succeed in school. The PhD research paper writers at Edurbirdie are ready to help you write any college research paper. They have the necessary university qualifications and can research different topics. Any student who finds professional help succeeds in their studies and career.
Maybe you are looking to work in a private clinic or a hospital. All you need is to graduate from the program and pass the NCLEX exam. Such a program offers job flexibility in terms of working hours. While sometimes you may work at night, there are no fixed schedules. There is also the benefit of job satisfaction. Nurses get satisfaction as they take care of the patients. This is the field that offers you chances to save lives regularly.
Choosing a nursing program
The nursing courses to choose from including the accelerated degree, the traditional four-year BSN, and MSN. The most important thing to do before deciding on the program to pursue is to do your homework. This will ensure that you pursue the best program to reach your goals.
One of the most challenging parts of becoming a registered nurse is the NCLEX. Find a program with a curriculum that could enable you to pass the NCLEX exams. High-quality programs emphasize more on these exams more. They shape their curriculum based on this exam. You need to prepare well to pass the exam.
Another important thing is to choose a program with faculty members who practice nursing. Avoid programs with people who retired long ago. People who practice nursing can teach you about their experiences in the field.
How to become a nurse practitioner
The steps to becoming a nursing practitioner may vary between states. It also varies depending on where you wish to practice after graduating. So, do enough research about the specific requirements.
All aspiring nursing practitioners must complete a nursing program. Various degree programs can prepare you to find a job as a registered nurse. Sometimes, all you need to do is to earn an associate’s degree in nursing. However, most employers like hiring applicants with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). BSN is the most important requirement for becoming a nursing practitioner.
The other requirement is passing the NCLEX exam. The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) comes after completing the nursing degree. This exam tests your knowledge in this field. If you fail the exam, you can wait for a minimum of 45 days before trying again.
After passing the NCLEX exam, the last step will be applying for licensure. You can do so in your state of practice. The approval for licensure takes a few days or weeks, depending on the number of applications.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
The Associate Degree is a two-year program for students aspiring to become registered nurses. After completing the program, you can earn RN credentials. However, this is just one step to becoming a professional nurse.
ADN programs are offered in community colleges and universities in Central America. You can choose the in-person or online programs. Most students pursuing this program complete at least 700 hours of clinical studies before graduating.
Always choose a program that is approved by the board in your state. Some programs will allow you to start working while pursuing a degree. AND provides real-life and practical experiences in different healthcare settings. An associate degree in nursing is the pathway to taking the NCLEX exam. You will be able to enjoy the benefits of RN licensure.
Nursing Practitioner (NP) program
A nurse practitioner is a kind of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. It is suitable for those who have completed a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) or an MSN. A practitioner can take up roles such as Cardiology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, or Gerontology.
Completing the NP program takes two-to-four years. Practitioner Programs offer a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The Master of Science program takes two years, while the Doctor of Nursing program takes four years to complete.
To apply to a Practitioner program, you need to be a registered nurse. An RN-to-MSN program will be essential if you become a registered nurse by earning an ADN degree. This will supplement your training with a baccalaureate program.
To practice in a specialty area, you need to seek appropriate certification from a certifying board. You must also maintain the certification through retesting and continuing education. This depends on the board’s criteria and requirements.
Practical Nursing Diploma
A diploma in practical nursing is a quick way to begin your career. By earning a diploma, you are on your way to earning a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) qualification. This program takes a minimum of two years to complete. This depends on the number of semesters and the schools’ requirements.
The board in your state must approve the LPN program. Technical colleges and schools can offer these programs. The coursework for PN includes classroom training and medical field skills. The curriculum includes clinical experiences and classroom reading. It will prepare you to gain competence and function as a registered nurse.
While a diploma program takes a shorter time to complete, it helps you to earn minimum competencies. You will be able to acquire skills needed in the nursing career. The practical diploma that is approved by the state qualifies you to apply for the NCLEX-PN exam. This exam is a necessary step to becoming an LPN.
Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is a traditional four-year program. It is suitable for students who are looking to earn a full qualification in this field. One of the pros of studying BSN is that it allows you to get more generous compensation. You also get an opportunity to take leadership positions and advance your career.
BSN prepares for career opportunities such as:
Nursing director
Public health nurse
Quality assurance co-coordinator
Clinical nurse specialist
Nurse manager
Nurse educator
Clinical research
Attending a full-time baccalaureate program is one of the easiest ways to earn a BSN. These programs include general education classes that take two years. Math, history, and composition courses are prerequisites for the BSN program. Thereafter, you will take another two-year program that teaches nursing principles.
After graduating from BSN, you will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and become a full nursing practitioner. You can choose to specialize in a particular field and earn relevant certifications.
Such certifications can add credibility and value to your professional standing and role. Each certification has specific requirements. Most include the number of hours in the specialty, the degree, and the license.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) School
CNAs or nursing aids report to Licensed Practical or Registered Nurses. The CAN program takes 4-12 weeks to complete. To become a Certified Assistant, you need to take a training program approved by the state. The program should be offered through community colleges or local hospitals.
After completing the program, you will take a competency exam administered by the state. The exam consists of written, multiple-choice, and practical skills exams. Upon passing the exam, you will be awarded a certificate. You will also be eligible to seek a CNA job and start working.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Having an MSN qualification will guarantee higher compensation. Having this qualification means being at an advanced level in your career. This entails training in public and community health, research, and leadership.
Each MSN program allows you to specialize in a particular field. This could be a Nurse Administrator position or an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. You can also take a role in informatics or become Educator.
The MSN program takes approximately two years after graduating with a BSN degree. With clinical experience and BSN, you can complete the course in 18-24 months. With specialty competencies, you can take further certification exams. To become an advanced practice registered nurse, you may need certification in your field. MSNs looking to expand their roles also have an option of the post-master certificate programs.
With an ADN, you can supplement the MSM program with a baccalaureate by pursuing an RN-to-MSN program. Completing baccalaureate education takes two to three years. With a baccalaureate degree outside the nursing field, you can enroll in an entry-level MSN program.
Ph.D. in nursing
A Ph.D. is the highest level of qualification in this field. It requires a lot of library time because it is based on research. This qualification is good if you are looking to become an educator or conduct research. Although a Ph.D. holder may provide health care, in many cases, they don’t take this responsibility. It aims to equip learners with the skills, knowledge, critical thinking, and confidence essential in the career.
It takes at least three years to complete the course if you take it full-time. If you take it on a part-time basis, it may take up to seven years. Classroom education requires 70 credit hours. You also need to prepare for a dissertation at the end of the program. To enroll in a Ph.D. program, you need to have graduated with a master’s degree in nursing. Experience is also mandatory. Nurses with Ph.D. don’t have a certificate to renew.
Pursuing the degree will help you acquire in-depth knowledge in various specialties. For instance, you can excel in pediatric health care and optimal children’s health. A good institution should provide evidence-based practice. It should allow you to implement a scholarly project to transform evidence into practice.
Factors influencing the duration of the program
Several factors can influence how long it takes to complete the course. One of the factors that impact the program duration is whether you are studying part-time or full-time.
Full-time courses take a shorter time to complete than full-time courses. However, financial situation and personal responsibilities could hinder your ability to study full-time. Studying on a part-time basis reduces costs and could allow you to continue working. You can also take care of your family or attend to other commitments.
Another factor that may affect program duration is taking breaks between degrees. Some people prefer taking breaks between each education level. This offers them an opportunity to gain experience and explore different areas of specialization.
Whatever program you choose, the idea is to find a more rewarding career. Enroll in a program that enables you to work as a team and improve the lives of patients. Find a program that goes beyond the book content- focus on practical exposure.
Conclusion
The number of years of school you get to become a nurse practitioner depends on the program. It also depends on the mode of study and how you want to earn the qualification. Every qualification will prepare you to take care of patients in different ways. Pursue a level of education that can help you to achieve your career goals. Research your choices and understand the requirements of various institutions.
Why Life-Long Learning Is Vital For Every Modern Professional
Nowadays, the saying jack of all trades master of none is the most appropriate thing to say when describing the perfect employee. Whilst, it’s good to have your core skills, it’s also expected of you to expand those skills and know a broader set of things. So learning doesn’t stop when you finish school – it has to continue your whole life. Here’s why life-long learning is vital for every modern professional!
It’s beneficial for you
Not only is it great to learn new things to add to your portfolio, but it’s also beneficial for your personal life as well. Learning new skills can open a lot of doors, and give you lots of opportunities to do things both in a professional and a personal setting. Learning a new language? This is useful for so many reasons – it stands out on your CV, but it can also be applicable in real life as well! This is also important as there are so many open positions that require more skills at once – rather than being specialized in one thing, so it’s generally a good idea to be good at multiple things.
Everything is evolving
Technology is always changing, so we need to evolve with it! At one moment in time, knowing how to type on a computer was all you needed, but nowadays, a basic understanding of computers is a must for all professions. It’s all about staying up to date with the latest innovations – what are the new social media platforms, how is virtual reality changing, and so on and so forth. There is always something new to learn when it comes to technology, so being up-to-date is a must! Everything is susceptible to change, the world is always evolving, and new things are emerging, so being ready and accepting of those changes is what’s going to get you far in life!
It’s easy
The great things about learning these skills are that you don’t have to be in a serious setting to do so – you can do it at home, self-taught, by volunteering, by asking a friend, it can be fun but also rewarding! So learning the skills that can be applied both in a professional and private setting is something everyone needs to strive for – as it’s easy to achieve with a little effort, Instead of wasting time on watching TV or scrolling through your phone, you can learn something completely new and become an advanced version of yourself.
Get to know yourself
Some people know exactly what their calling is, whilst others have no idea – nowadays you can find pretty much any kind of job online, and start from zero. If you are unsure of what you want to do, knowing lots of skills can open a lot of doors for you and allow you to explore multiple professions. Being a writer, designer, illustrator, editor – you can do all of those things with a little bit of practice, allowing you the opportunity to try different things. The knowledge is right at the tip of your finger, as the internet offers a lot of useful information. So take that to your advantage!
It can come in handy
You never know when you’ll need a certain skill – switching your profession and starting a new job is not uncommon, so having a large spectrum of skills is a plus. In some cases, it can be as simple as learning how to drive, and in some can be learning how to code – both are extremely useful. You can also use some of the said skills and do whatever you want with them in your free time – including starting a new business! If you are an artist – learning new techniques is always welcomed, if you are a game designer – learning to work in new engines is always welcomed, and this can be applied to almost every profession.
It says a lot about yourself
You want to leave a good impression on your future employer, so having a variety of skills can tell a lot about you. Your ability to learn new things, always improve, and advance is a green flag for anyone applying for a job. On the other hand, if you are starting a business on your own, even as a freelancer, having multiple skills is always helpful. It shows both other people and yourself how capable and determined you truly are!
At the end of the day, any interest or hobby can easily be translated into a professional setting – and vice versa, so there is no excuse on why you shouldn’t learn something new and expand your skillset. People never stop learning, from the day they are born till their last day, and it just makes life more enjoyable and fun that way!
6 Things To Expect As A First Time Nursing School Student
“Nursing is more than a job, it is a vocation.” This statement is the reality of nursing school. First-time nursing students will learn that it is challenging, rewarding, and tough at times. But at the end of the day, it is all worth it for this fulfilling profession. If you’re thinking about becoming a nurse but are at all unsure what that entails, there are 6 things you can expect, and knowing them will help you be better prepared for the challenges that await you.
1. You Never Stop Learning
You are never done learning in nursing school. There is always something new to learn or a technique to perfect, and that goes on for the entirety of your career. Once you graduate from nursing school and become a registered nurse (RN), you’ll more than likely go on to specialize further. Whether you go for an RN to FNP online degree, in order to become a family nurse practitioner, or for another interest, you’ll likely continue to learn. You can never know everything about the human body and the myriad of conditions that affect it, but if you’re willing to keep learning, you will ensure that you always excel at what you do and provide your patients with the best possible medical assistance and care.
2. It Can Get Overwhelming Sometimes
With so much to learn and so much to do, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. That is why just like in high school when you had finals week, you need to pace yourself in order to prevent yourself from becoming too stressed out – not only is that not good for you but it can affect your performance as well. Work through your assigned materials one step at a time, and then go back over them later if necessary. If you don’t have time for that then at least take some time to relax before diving into the next stuff. If you need to, find an after-school or online support group that will help you stay grounded and even share ideas with other nursing students who are going through the same thing as you.
3. Missing Class Will Set You Back
There are some schools that were missing a few classes here and there won’t make much of a difference. In nursing school, however, missing a single day can put you way behind and make reaching your goals twice as hard. Your school will likely give you a strict attendance policy, and the best thing for you to do is simply follow it. There may be an unavoidable circumstance or two where you’ll miss class but those should be few and far between. If your reason for missing class is valid then by all means inform your instructor about it ahead of time so you can prepare your lessons accordingly. Asking your instructor for an extension on an assignment you were due before you miss the class where you were supposed to present is also a good idea and shows responsibility and maturity, which can go a long way when it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation. In addition to that, you might want to talk to some of the other students to see if they’re willing to share their notes with you.
4. Adapting Your Learning Style
There are many different learning styles that people utilize, but because the nursing school will require you to learn an extensive amount of information in a relatively short period of time, it may be beneficial for you to adopt one. Maybe you’ll find that group study sessions work better for you than studying alone, or maybe learning how to take lecture notes and condense them down so they’re easy to understand is easier for you than trying to read through all of your professor’s slides. There are several resources available online that can help you figure out the best learning style for you, and you might want to check them out early on.
5. Scrubs And Comfortable Footwear
You’ll need a few pieces of clothing other than your school uniform if you expect to feel comfortable enough for a full day of learning. This is required in most nursing programs because you’ll need to have relevant hours shadowing other nurses in a medical setting, and even performing some basic tasks yourself, this is the perfect opportunity to use them. Make sure you pick out some comfortable scrubs and shoes that you can walk around in and feel okay in. When it comes to scrubs, you want to have at least three sets of pants and three sets of tops so that you can rotate outfits while keeping your professional appearance.
6. Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations are a huge part of nursing school, and they’ll often make up a good chunk of the time you spend in a given semester. There will be times when you’ll feel overwhelmed or even unhappy with your experience for one reason or another, but keep in mind that it’s likely not going to last forever. The best thing you can do is to stay positive and talk to your classmates during this time so you can all get through it together. You should be excited for clinical rotations because that’s where you’ll truly learn how to become a nurse and practice the skills you’ve learned in school.
Nursing school can be a very intense and challenging time in one’s life but it’s also truly rewarding. By preparing yourself mentally and physically, you can make it through with flying colors. This is one of the noblest professions a person can choose to go into. It takes some time but it will all be worth it in the end.
Top Course Ideas All Nurses Should Consider In the Upcoming Year
The COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the significance of continuing to provide high-quality healthcare. Nursing is one of the most significant areas of medicine. Nursing professionals work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and doctors’ offices to organize and administer patient care. Nursing is a secure, financially rewarding, and in-demand career. As a result, being a nurse necessitates a large investment in schooling. Continue reading to learn more about the courses that are necessary for nursing degrees.
Biochemistry
Students study the processes that occur in many living species, as well as the function and structure of live cells, in biochemistry. Nurses must understand how the human body works in order to detect and treat disorders such as fevers, heart attacks, injuries, and infections in their patients. The best part is that you can now take many such courses online through a variety of sites. To that end, you might check out edwize.org/kajabi-vs-teachable to compare and contrast Kajabi and Teachable, two e-Learning systems that allow users to develop and sell courses online. Basic biochemistry knowledge also aids nurses in determining which drugs to provide and how they influence bacteria and body systems. A mandatory lab component is frequently included in this course.
Physiology
The study of the human body and how it operates is known as physiology. You’ll learn about the names and functions of several bodily parts, as well as how they all work together in a healthy individual and during various diseases and accidents. Because many following courses rely on your grasp of how the body functions, this is frequently one of the first mandatory classes.
Physiology also guarantees that you and other care providers use the same vocabulary to explain the body and how it works, so learning it will help you communicate and write medical notes more effectively. As a result, it is an essential component of patient safety and favorable health outcomes.
Clinical Theory
Nursing is a practice-oriented vocation that necessitates clinical competency. Many states require applicants to complete roughly 400 hours of clinical practice before they may obtain their RN licensure. As a result, many nursing schools include a practicum or experience as a requirement.
This course gives students the information and concepts they’ll need to succeed in clinical assignments. Research, ethical standards, communication, and healthcare policy may all be covered in class.
Mental Health
Successful nursing requires an understanding of and support for mental health. A study of essential ideas and concepts in fields such as psychopharmacology and psychopathology is included in this course. Other subjects might include the underlying behavioral, biological, and cultural elements that can contribute to mental illness
Nurses-to-be learns how to help patients with mental illnesses. They also learn how to analyze, assess, and treat patients with diseases in collaboration with other healthcare experts.
Pharmacology
To give their patients the proper drugs, nurses must understand pharmacology. Drug interactions, side effects of particular medications, pharmacodynamics, and how age, lifestyle, and other individual characteristics impact patient response may all be covered in this course. Case studies are frequently used in the course to encourage learners to demonstrate critical thinking to drug selection in nursing contexts.
Gerontology
The study of aging is known as gerontology. Conditions related to aging, the psychology of aging, how to successfully communicate with older persons, and end-of-life considerations for nursing are all subjects covered in RN gerontology training. Because nurses play such a significant role in providing care to aging patients, gerontology is incorporated in nursing major coursework. Most nursing students study it because it is a specialist course.
Nursing Skills Development
Nursing is a highly technical profession, which necessitates having the necessary practical skills and knowledge to assist patients in need. This RN course will concentrate on developing your abilities and ensuring that you comprehend the fundamental ideas of patient care. Special attention is paid to the development of communication skills, physical and psychological evaluations, and particular nursing intervention abilities.
Microbiology
For prospective nurses, microbiology is an essential RN subject since it covers the science underlying many human disorders. Students learn about the function of microbial and parasitic organisms in disease and health, as well as how they impact the body’s numerous systems. Students studying nursing learn about viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and pathogenic agents, as well as how they operate, develop, and spread. Clinical and laboratory encounters in the classroom are common in microbiology courses.
Nursing Ethics
Because of the numerous complex ethical dilemmas that nurses confront, no matter where they practice, ethics in nursing is a required course. Professional behavior, health justice, equality and diversity, and acceptable reactions to unethical behavior are all themes covered in RN ethics classes. Ethics classes, like leadership programs, incorporate theory and application, so be prepared to critically assess ethical dilemmas.
If you want to be an RN, you should enroll in a career-focused nursing school. A recognized, career-oriented school will stress the value of clinical experience and ensure that you graduate with the necessary abilities.
4 Ways An Overseas Internship Can Boost Your Nursing Career
Nursing is one of the most in-demand jobs out there. With society’s renewed awareness of the importance of healthcare workers, there are various opportunities for nurses to grow and develop their careers. Globally, nurses can take advantage of internships available abroad. Taking on the challenges of nursing in a foreign setting can significantly boost your nursing career. With that said, here are some reasons you should consider an overseas internship program:
1. Grow Professionally And Personally
Nurses who had the chance to complete international internships will learn various nursing practices different from those commonly used in their home country. For instance, if you were to work in a low-resource setting, you’ll learn quickly because of the sense of urgency in that kind of environment.
Nurses will gain opportunities to learn to be resourceful and resilient from mentors and the other local staff who operate amid difficulties daily. In countries like that severely need modern medical care, you’ll be working alongside fellow nurses who seek out ethical and sustainable programs. Being with passionate and driven healthcare professionals in programs offered by reputable corporations like medicalaid.org can be a life-changing experience for you as a nurse.
Facing and assisting patients in a wide range of conditions will effectively help you gain skills and train you to be more confident in yourself. Growth also becomes more apparent with how you communicate with patients. There’s a likelihood for you to see yourself differently when you work in a different setting. It’ll allow you to be more adaptable no matter where you’re needed to provide expert nursing care.
2. Create An International Network
You should try to constantly build your professional network, regardless if you’re in the classroom, clinic, or hospital. However, there are certain perks when you collaborate with foreign medical healthcare workers, patients, and fellow nurses. You’ll learn a lot and establish a special connection with those who have a similar experience of working in an unfamiliar environment.
The memories you’ll make will involve meeting people from all walks of life. These will become the foundation of the international connections you’ll form with professionals whom you may one day reach out to either as a friend or as a source of professional guidance.
International internships also open you to various medical experiences that you’ll share with fellow nurses, particularly those in midwife degree programs. Those who have experienced internship programs abroad attest to the tight relationships formed due to them witnessing the ups and downs of nursing together. The medical field can be overwhelming, but you won’t be alone as you overcome these day-to-day challenges.
3. Learn About Various Healthcare Systems
A nursing career becomes more meaningful when you have the opportunity to learn more about the impact of this profession on the patients’ lives. Since the healthcare system and nursing practices in other countries may differ from yours, learning them by heart as an intern will help you gain insights into the healthcare system as a whole.
Medical professionals may allow you to shadow them in clinics and hospitals. Shadowing professionals develop nurses’ skills in different roles, improves their perception of and attitude towards their mentors and other professionals, and boosts patient outcomes. In developing countries, you’ll have the chance to learn and practice your newly found skills in various departments. It’ll help you build your understanding of the nursing career you’ve chosen for yourself.
You need to realize that you may also have the chance to encounter medical conditions that you may have only heard of in the lecture hall. Some of the diseases you may have to deal with may not be prevalent where you’re from, so you may want to refresh your knowledge on tuberculosis, malaria, dengue, and more.
4. Become More Open Multiculturally
Did you know that many programs allow you to choose the country where you want to become an intern? During your stay in your chosen country to grow your clinical experience, you’ll have personal time during the evening and the weekends to explore the city where you’ll be staying.
Talk to the locals to practice a foreign language or enjoy the sights and sounds. There may also be group trips for you and your fellow health workers to meet new people. Internships abroad will open your eyes to various human experiences different from your country. It can widen your viewpoint and perspective, allowing you to see the world through friends you’ll meet along the way.
In Conclusion
A professional nurse or a nursing student who can gain international and intercultural experiences may become more open-minded, skillful, and welcoming to patients. In addition to learning more, these internships also allow you to meet like-minded people who have the same aspirations as you in the medical field. Take the opportunity and become the kind of nurse you’re meant to be.
5 Ways to Improve Your Concentration When Taking Nursing Online Courses
Have you ever experienced attending an online lecture for an hour, and remember or understand nothing? Well, you’re not alone. Some of us may encounter that kind of scenario because we lack concentration during online courses, webinars, or lectures. Concentration is something that we need to digest the things that we’re hearing or watching. It’s just not simply staring or listening.
When the pandemic came, everything went online. Shopping, consultations, and even schools are virtual. Universities offered online courses and programs to students for them to continue their learning. Let’s admit it, studying online is not easy at all. It is a lot different from the regular school setup that we’re used to.
But how can we overcome this? How can we improve our concentration to get the best out of our online courses? Let’s talk about some ways to improve our concentration, especially when taking online courses!
Prepare Yourself
In a traditional school setup scenario, before we go to school, we prepare the things we need in schools like books, ball pens, notes, and other things. We wake up early, dress properly, and travel before school time. This is a bit different from how we attend our online courses. We wake up, open our computers, and that’s it, we have entered the classroom. Easy right? But it affects our concentration.
As we wake up and prepare ourselves for our regular classes, we also set our minds up. We build our thinking that we’re going to study, and it boosts our concentration. On the other hand, preparing for online classes doesn’t require that. Some of us might get up five minutes before the actual classes and just sit down in front of the computer.
So what can we do? Attend online classes like how we attend our regular schools. Set the things we need for the subject, take a bath, and dress appropriately, not in your pajamas. As said earlier, preparation can establish your focus for your online courses, and in that way, we can concentrate longer. Also, if you are interested in studying abroad, consider these cheap universities in Canada for prospective students.
Eliminate Distractions
Distractions are anything that can interfere with your tasks. In attending online classes, you might encounter many distractions, and when your attention is diverted into something else, you lose focus. So, what should you do?
Eliminate distractions. Easy to say, right? Remember, your main goal is to get rid of what may get your time from taking online courses. Usually, it begins like this: you see something, and you open them until you lose track of your main activity. You can start eliminating distractions by knowing what distracts you. Is your Netflix, Instagram, or video games interrupt you? Are your pets, friends, or television distract you? Knowing the things that might interrupt you is helpful because you know what to remove.
The second thing to do is to make a plan on how to remove them during online courses. If the reason is your phone, put it away while you’re in an online class. If the reason is the people around you, go to an empty room and study alone. Eliminating distractions increase the chances of being more concentrated while taking online courses.
Participate
Like in traditional classes, participation is needed not only for your grades but also for your concentration. When you participate in a lecture, you are involved with it because you’re thinking about the same topic. Engaging with your group improves concentration because you’re reducing the possibility that your mind would be distracted by other things.
Actively participating in an online course means sharing thoughts on the discussion, asking questions to your professor, and simply agreeing to the lesson. You just don’t listen, but you get involved with your class. By doing these things, you’ll understand the lecture better, and it will help your brain process and digest complicated lessons quickly.
Take a Break
One thing that may cause short attention and concentration span is that we feel that our course and lectures are forever. Have you ever take a one-hour online class but ended up finishing for five hours because you were distracted by simple things? Most of us experience that because we feel our classes are boring, and we ended up browsing social media to refresh our minds, but the reality is it took away our time for studying. So, what should we do?
Take a break from your online classes. Why? Because according to researches, the longest attention span that adults can have for a task is 20 minutes. So, to concentrate again, we need to re-focus. Having a break can refresh your mind and think of it as a reward for yourself. You can give yourself a break after finishing a 20-minute lecture or one chapter in your book. If you’re attending synchronous classes, they usually offer breaks.
What should you do on breaks? You can take a walk outside a room, drink water or eat snacks. You don’t open your Netflix and finish an episode or take a nap. Remember, your goal is to refresh your concentration, so do not divert your mind to other activities that will surely lessen your attention to your course.
Create and Follow a Schedule
What time do you study? What lessons should you take first? Creating a schedule will help you organize the tasks you should do, and by following it, you give your mind divisions of what to think and concentration per task follows. If you don’t have a schedule, the activities are scattered in your brain, increasing your chances of procrastinating.
Kindly create a realistic schedule. Something that you can really do, and if you want to take a break per class, indicate them in your written schedule. Seeing your schedule will help you prioritize the important things, saving a lot of your time.
Creating a schedule is pretty easy rather than following it. But, here’s an easy tip: Post your schedule in your study area. If you always see your schedule, you’ll memorize them, and eventually, it will turn into a routine. These routines will greatly impact your concentration as it prepares your mind to be organized and disciplined.
What You Need to Know About Going to Nursing School
If you are thinking about attending nursing school, you can look forward to a challenging and rewarding career. However, getting there is not always easy because many nursing programs need you to have a high GPA while balancing difficult classes. Still, if you can get through it, it is also highly fulfilling. There are several things you should know about going to nursing school before attending.
You Might Need to Reevaluate Your Finances to Pay for it
Today, the cost of a bachelor’s in this field can be relatively high, and you can also expect to spend some money out of pocket. For example, your school might require you to purchase special scrubs with their logo on them, as well as other medical supplies. And you may need to pay for licensures or additional classes, like ones in CPR. Of course, that’s on top of typical college costs, like tuition, books, and housing.
Still, these additional costs are part of investing in your future. For example, you might be able to use some of the medical equipment in your future career. And the additional labs and classes can provide a strong knowledge background for your career. The cost of nursing school can be prohibitive for many people. That’s why you might want to consider taking out a private student loan to cover these expenses. It makes it easier to ease the financial burden of college, and then you do not need to worry about getting a part-time job to cover your expenses.
You Will Work Hard
Nursing school isn’t something everyone can manage. Not only do you need to complete a specific number of credit hours, but you can also expect to complete several clinical. Many nursing students feel that the time commitment for these is similar to working a part-time job. And you will often have more challenging finals and mid-term exams. You might have to maintain a certain GPA while completing more demanding coursework.
You may find you need to pull a few all nighters to get everything done. Of course, it is not good to stay up all night, especially if you have an exam the next morning. You can expect to work hard, but you should not take on more than you can handle. Try to balance harder classes with easier ones so no one semester is more than you can handle.
Burnout is a Possibility
While a nursing student, you might be more likely to face burnout than other college students. That’s because the program can be stressful because of the amount of work and the pressure to perform well. Some students do not use the right coping methods to deal with stress either.
Of course, the more you advance in the program, the harder it will get, and that makes it more likely you will become overstressed. This can lead to many mental health issues. The good news is that dealing with stress positively can help reduce the risk of burnout. It is important to focus on your end goal.
As a nurse, you will have many advantages at your workplace, including job security. Healthcare is something everyone needs, and you will also get paid at a livable wage. And you can often enjoy better job satisfaction, as well as the possibility for career advancement. In the future, you might be able to advance to a higher salary as well.
You Will Have Lifelong Friends
Nursing school is different than many other majors since you are spending so much time with others with the same mindset as you. You are working closely with them and will need their support. Many find that by prioritizing relationships, they will end up with lifelong friends. And when you have these relationships, you are more likely to succeed when networking, confiding and studying together.
Of course, as with similar situations, there is the potential for disagreements, especially if you are part of a smaller nursing program. At smaller schools, you might be working, studying, and living with classmates, and that can lead to cliques. Having the right attitude will help you avoid negative interactions while ensuring you make friends who will be there for you for the rest of your life.
18 Best Nursing Career Choices in 2022 [Infographic]
Skyrocket your Earnings with these Nursing Careers
Nursing careers will continue to flourish due to the growth of the healthcare sector. It will grow annually at 5.4% from 2018 to 2022 according to Deloitte. This is higher than the growth rate of just 2.9% from 2013 to 2017.
This article will tackle the nursing career paths that have the highest earning and growth potential.
If you are looking into being a nurse in the future, it is valuable to know as early as now what type of nurse you aspire to be.
Career progression (and the salary, too) highly depends on the education that you acquired to become a nurse.
The median salary of licensed practical or vocational nurses, whose training took only about a year or two, is lower by about $25,000 compared to that of a registered nurse.
To become a registered nurse (RN), there are several pathways:
4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
3-year hospital diploma program
2-year associate’s degree in nursing
More than passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), many of the higher-paying jobs will require further studies. Commonly it is a master’s degree and further examinations specific for the chosen field.
Going further into details, read on to learn more about the top nursing careers.
Emergency Room / Trauma Nurse
Median Salary: $75,109
Projected Growth: 16% by 2024
Requirements: Emergency care requires high levels of education and experience. After becoming an RN, obtain a master’s degree in Nursing, undergo specialized training and get certified by the Board of Certification in Emergency Nursing.
Who It Is For: If you want a lot of action, become an emergency room nurse. You should be able to work well under pressure. This is because most of the time, you will be handling injuries or trauma, some of which are life-threatening. Quick-witted and fast, you should be able to work well with the emergency physician and must understand triage. This job requires good documentation skills, too.
Not all emergency room nurses work in the emergency room of hospitals all the time. Some of them are transport nurses who care for patients while on transit to a medical facility.
Some ER nurses also work in crisis intervention centres, sports events, or transport facilities like airports.
Cardiac Nurse
Median Salary: $65,470
Projected Growth: 19% by 2022
Requirements: This nursing career requires being a Registered Nurse with at least two years of experience and 2,000 hours in cardiac care nursing before applying for certification under the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine.
Who It Is For: Cardiac nursing is for those who can work under pressure and can work well in a team.
Cardiac care nurses are the ones who provide care for patients with heart problems. They work on a myriad of diseases including coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure.
Under the supervision of a cardiologist, they look after the patient and help with the procedures conducted to assess the patients such as an electrocardiogram test.
Travel Nurse
Median Salary: $66,000 (RN)
Projected Growth: 16% by 2024
Requirements: As the title suggests, this job requires you to travel, be assigned in understaffed healthcare units and support for a while, or be sent overseas. Usually, travel nurses work under an agency and are contractual employees.
Who It Is For: If you do not want to be confined to work in a fixed hospital setting, then, this nursing career may just be right for you.
Their tasks include recording the patient’s medical history, checking up on the patient and measuring their vital signs.
Sometimes, they go to patients’ homes and educate the family members about the patient’s condition and home care.
Dialysis Nurse
Median Salary: $67,808
Projected Growth: 26% by 2022
Requirements: This nursing career will require an RN license, 2000 hours of experience in nephrology and two years in dialysis area and passing a certification exam. In addition, you would need fifteen hours of continuing education in nephrology.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is for the compassionate ones who would need to deal with the same ill patients on a regular basis for their treatment.
Dialysis nurses are RNs who are responsible and accountable for patients undergoing dialysis. This is a procedure wherein the blood of patients with kidney diseases is cleaned through a machine. They prepare the patient and assess their condition prior to the procedure.
Dialysis nurses are also tasked to maintain the machine, prepare it for use, and recover once done using.
Surgical Nurse
Median Salary: $67,000
Projected Growth: 16% by 2024
Requirements: Being a surgical nurse will require a surgical nursing certification and license as an RN.
Who It Is For?: Surgical nurses must have good observation and communication skills as they must work with a team during surgeries.
Surgical nurses work inside the operating room with three possible roles: as a scrub nurse, as a circulator nurse, or a Registered Nurse First Assistant.
Scrub nurses work directly with the surgeon, preparing and handing over the tools and instruments.
On the other hand, circulator nurses help monitor the patient during the surgery, they bring in the patients, and create a relaxing environment for them.
The Registered Nurse First Assistant is the most trained among the three types as nurses of this type helps the doctor directly in cutting tissues, suturing wounds, and controlling bleeding.
With advanced education, this nursing career can be progressed into becoming a nurse anaesthetist or patient educator.
Oncology Nurse
Median Salary: $68,000
Projected Growth: 19% by 2022
Requirements: An RN wanting to take this nursing career path will need to have at least a year of related experience. Then, he or he must take the Oncology Nurse Certification by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is for compassionate and optimistic nurses who would have to uplift weak cancer patients.
Oncology nurses are nurses who provide nursing care to cancer patients. To treat cancer patients, oncology nurses assist in chemotherapy and radiation procedures.
Not only that, their job is to look after the cancer patients, monitor their symptoms and health condition.
They also help in educating the public, especially those high-risk, on how cancer can possibly be prevented.
Since patients of oncology nurses are potentially weakened by their illness, the job is quite emotionally and physically draining but can also be rewarding when the patients are treated.
Nurse Researcher
Median Salary: $69,000
Projected Growth: 26% by 2022
Requirements: You must be able to work with a team of other healthcare providers. Be on tip-top shape as some researches could require tough, physical conditions.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is for those with excellent technical writing skills and analytical thinking.
Nurse Researchers are those whose work is involved in clinical trials aimed to advance healthcare.
Usually, their work is to provide patient care for those who are undergoing a new treatment or taking a new medication. They work for projects commissioned by pharmaceutical companies or other health-related firms, medical laboratories or universities.
Occupational Health Nurse
Median Salary: $70,000
Projected Growth: 16% by 2024
Requirements: You must be an RN with certification from the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is for those who would be willing to be assigned away from the hospital to attend to sick employees (or as preparation for any untoward incident in the workplace).
Occupational health and safety is a top priority of many industries as a loss in manpower due to illnesses and accidents may ultimately lead to a loss in income.
Laws and regulations are also in place to protect employees against risks and hazards that come with their job. This is where occupational health nurses help companies.
An occupational health nurse’s main objective is to keep employees healthy. In case of an accident, they are also the ones who administer first aid. They monitor the health condition of employees and educate them on how to prevent illnesses and job-related injuries.
Geriatric Nurse
Median Salary: $71,000
Projected Growth: 16% by 2024
Requirements: If you want to advance in geriatrics, be prepared to be an RN, render 2,000 hours in this specialty and then, pass a certification exam.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is good for those who are patient, empathetic, and physically strong.
As the baby boomers grow old, demand for healthcare workers in nursing homes has increased over the years. The World Health Organization reports that people are living longer lives which could be beneficial to societies globally.
However, this does not mean that our elders are spared from health deterioration due to aging. Old people tend to get into more injuries that hurt themselves and even when they are careful, their bones get weaker over time. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are common in old patients, too.
Obstetrics Nurse
Median Salary: $73,000
Projected Growth: 26% by 2020
Requirements: Due to the high risk that nurses in this field face, training and certifications are stricter. After being an RN, an aspiring obstetrics nurse shall render 2,000 hours of experience in this field. Immediately after, he or she can apply for certification by passing the Obstetric Nursing exam from the National Certification Corporation.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is good for those who are committed to working with pregnant women. He or she must be patient.
Obstetrics nurses, or OB-GYN nurses, assist in the labor of expectant mothers and in the delivery of the babies. They also help in treating gynecological diseases.
The routine work involves common tasks of an RN but the goal of an OB-GYN nurse is more specialized. It is their duty to keep both mother and baby healthy before, during, and even after the pregnancy.
They also educate women about reproductive health.
Informatics Nurse
Median Salary: $73,000
Projected Growth: Up to 26% by 2022
Requirements: Registered nurses who wish to take this nursing career path must complete a master’s degree in Health Informatics, Health Care Management or Quality Management.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is good for those comfortable with computers.
An informatics nurse’s line of work is not limited to nursing per se, but it extends to the high level of information management. This is required in order to maintain patient records and ensure quality management.
With the use of software, computer programming, data science, and other related technologies, and informatics nurse sees to it that data are effectively communicated to end-users in a fast, comprehensible way.
At the same time, technology advancements like the ones that informatics nurses develop help in boosting productivity and cost.
He or she also makes sure that information is available for those who need access.
A reliable information database that informatics nurses maintain can ease decision-making which is significant in life-threatening situations.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Median Salary: $87,000
Projected Growth: 19% by 2022
Requirements: To become one, an RN must be able to render sufficient hours prior to getting the certification from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
Who It Is For: If you like young children, then, this nursing career can be a good fit for you.
As the population continues to grow, health care for children becomes in demand, too.
Pediatric nurse practitioners work hand in hand with pediatricians in ensuring good health of young patients.
Working in pediatrics, it is the nurse who administers shots, prepares young patients in medical procedures, and conducts check-ups.
Additionally, their role includes educating the child and his family on proper nutrition and disease prevention.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Median Salary: $92,000
Projected Growth: 35% by 2024
Requirements: To become one, an RN should study family nursing practice in a master’s degree specializing in this field.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is for those that are flexible and can relate well to patients of all ages.
A family nurse practitioner is also an RN who, guided by a doctor’s diagnosis, can treat illnesses and prescribe medications.
They accommodate a wide range of cases from pediatrics to geriatrics. They observe patients, order laboratory tests, and assists in minor surgeries.
This position also has common functions with a physician, and so, they can work independently.
Some put up their own clinics and see patients, more like a family doctor.
With this, family nurse practitioners also advise patients and families of a holistic approach in curing and preventing diseases. This includes such advice as to diet adjustments and habit changes.
Certified Nurse Midwife
Median Salary: $93,000
Projected Growth: 25% by 2024
Requirements: To become one, an RN must continue with a master’s degree and render at least two years of experience in a midwife setting. Following this, work on the certification from the American College of Nurse-Midwives Council.
Who It Is For: This is for nurses who welcome challenges and adrenaline rush that come with every labor and delivery.
A certified nurse midwife’s role starts from the moment that a pregnant mother comes for regular prenatal visits, up until the time that the mother has delivered the baby.
He or she must be on call to assist when the patient goes into labor.
Sometimes, a certified nurse-midwife establishes her own clinic, but oftentimes, she works with gynecologists and obstetrics physicians in a hospital setting.
She provides counseling, assists in the delivery, and provides postpartum care. She must be well-versed in mother and child health care.
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Median Salary: $98,000
Projected Growth: 31% by 2022
Requirements: This nursing career is a type of advanced nursing. Two years of experience being an RN will be required to be accepted into a master’s degree. After completing the graduate program, nurses will then complete a thesis related to neonatal care. Check out the laws in your state, additional licenses may be required.
Who It Is For: This is for nurses who have a lot of patience and affection in taking care of babies.
The neonatal nurse practitioner works in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This is where pre-term babies, or babies born with problematic health conditions stay after birth and assessment.
In the NICU, they take care of the baby by administering medications, doing kangaroo care, soothing the baby, and even changing the diapers.
Aside from looking after the baby, they also provide support to the family by updating them of the treatments and educating them about how they can better take care of the baby once discharged from the hospital.
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Median Salary: $99,000
Projected Growth: 19% by 2022
Requirements: An RN must also study further to have a master of science in nursing or, preferably a doctorate in nursing practice. These centres provide certifications: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN); and the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).
Who It Is For: This is for those who want an adrenaline rush.
This nursing career mostly deals with addressing severe injuries and trauma for a short period of time.
Apart from routine nursing activities like checking on the patient’s condition and symptoms, acute care nurses administer medications, insert intravenous fluids, and prepare the patients for operations.
An acute care nurse practitioner must be well-versed in emergency care and life support since many acute care patients are in severe health conditions.
Most acute care nurse practitioners specialize in one field, may it be geriatrics or cardiac care.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Median Salary: $102,000
Projected Growth: 5% by 2024
Requirements: This requires a master’s degree or higher, with specialization in psychiatric nursing.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is perfect for those with great communication and observation skills, extreme focus, and a lot of patience.
There is a rising need for psychiatric nurse practitioners as more patients are now seeking mental health care.
In the US alone, about a quarter of adults have mental health problems according to estimations.
With more people seeking professional help, the healthcare sector will also need more nurses working in this sector.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners work alongside psychiatrists in evaluating patients and administering treatments.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Median Salary: $144,000
Projected Growth: 25% by 2022
Requirements: Ideally, he or she must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing who will go on to complete a master’s degree, specializing in anesthesia. A master’s degree would require a full year of clinical experience. Additionally, being an RN in Critical Care would be an advantage.
Who It Is For: This nursing career is fit for those with attention to detail and good communication skills.
A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a type of advanced practice registered nurse.
Working hand in hand with anesthesiologists, CRNAs are usually in charge of pre-operative, intraoperative and post-operative care of patients.
They check the physical state and review the medical history of the patient. They are also the ones who prepare and administer the anesthesia.
INFOGRAPHIC: BEST NURSING CAREERS 2019
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There you have it!
Nursing careers are greatly varied as you can see in the list enumerated. But, as in any profession, each specialization has different demand and supply levels which affect the salary.
Additionally, there are factors affecting the salary of nurses such as location, shifting, and experience.
Taking up a nursing career should not be just about the money you will make. More than the salary, remember why you chose the profession.
Was it because you want to serve people? Was it because of personal advocacy?
Because at the end of the day, only the passionate ones who find satisfaction in their chosen nursing career stay and persevere.
Should You Get a Master’s in Nursing? Five Reasons to Get an MSN
Advancing your career as a nurse can take many directions, but the most common route toward supervisory positions is through obtaining a master’s degree in nursing. Nurses with master’s degrees earn an average of $115,800 per year, and job opportunities are anticipated to grow by 45 percent over the next 10 years. Besides the pay increase, there are several other reasons why pursuing your master’s degree in nursing is a worthwhile investment.
Before you begin applying to programs, it’s a good idea to decide what your future career plans are. Some undergraduate students bridge their BSN and MSN degrees so they can seamlessly move from one program to the next; others have been working in the field for years before they go back to school. Whatever your path, it’s never too late to further your education.
Develop Specialized Skills
MSN programs allow you to specialize in particular concentrations, like psychiatry or pediatrics. With a graduate degree, you’ll be able to work as a nurse practitioner and care for patients who you were not qualified to help before. If you find yourself drawn to a particular sector of healthcare, then furthering your education can help you learn new skills, deepen your knowledge and become a specialist in your preferred area of concentration.
Your course to an MSN may look different depending on your educational background. Students who have completed their undergraduate degrees and hold a BSN can apply for a master’s program right away. This is considered the standard route today. However, there are also many who hold a two-year nursing degree and work as RNs. In this case, you can enroll in an extended RN-MSN program that gives you a broader education that combines some undergraduate and master’s-level material.
Improve Your Work-Life Balance
If you decide to go after managerial roles, then you could transition to a new position that has more regular hours. The 12-hour shifts typical for the nursing profession are exhausting, and they can be difficult to juggle with relationships, family and hobbies. For those who want to settle down and dedicate time to start a family, earning a graduate degree could be a step toward that goal. Many students with undergraduate degrees like to work the floor in a hospital for a few years before transitioning to an educational or managerial position. If you are passionate about healthcare but ready to step back from direct support, then this pathway could be right for you.
Learn While You Work
Thanks to modern technology, there are dozens of accredited MSN programs that are fully online. You won’t have to rush to and from a campus or try to squeeze lectures in between your hectic schedule. Instead, you can study from home at your own pace and integrate skills you’re developing into your current practice. If you’re worried about the cost, don’t fear. A private lender can issue student loans that cover the cost of your graduate medical degree. With a private student loan, you’ll have total control over how much you borrow, how soon you pay it back and your future monthly payments.
Work Toward a Doctorate
For those passionate about research, a PhD in nursing starts by completing a master’s program. If you are more interested in achieving greater clinical expertise, then you could move from your MSN to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. It takes around three years to complete a PhD program while you can earn your DNP in approximately 18 months. If you’ve always had your sights set on continually growing as a practitioner, then enrolling in graduate school is the first step.
Train Future Nurses
With an MSN in educational leadership, you can go on to train future healthcare workers. Using your own knowledge and firsthand experience, you’ll be able to help bridge gaps that have impacted you in your own work. Improving the quality of patient care and work environment for a new generation will allow you to leave a lasting mark on the field. The emotional fulfillment of making people’s lives better by sharing your own knowledge is invaluable. For many students, the decision to pursue an MSN is less about the money and career opportunity and more about the ability to touch more lives.
5 Benefits of Online Nursing Degrees Over Studying Abroad
There’s no better time to consider online nursing degrees over studying abroad than this pandemic period. With the restrictions on movement, the idea of traveling abroad for studies is nearly impossible. That leaves you with no other option but to take the online classes as a quick and easy alternative.
The good thing is that even the international education institutions are now fully embracing online studies. This has made it easier for users to register and access the full benefits of the courses.
Given that all reasons are pointing to online studies over physical studies abroad, you need to know what benefits this choice has in store.
Benefits of Online Nursing Degrees as Alternative to Studying Abroad
When you sign up for online classes over physical ones, you will expect some benefits to following your decision. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from online degrees:
1. Regular Updates of Online Learning Platforms and Resources
One of the aspects of quality education includes faster response time and getting access to up-to-date resources. With online learning, you get exposed to updated academic resources since it is easier accessing them online than with physical classes. You will be saving more of your time since information will be available for grabs at an instant.
Thanks to the latest rise in demand for online classes, the online learning platforms are now better as they are more reliable, fast, and much easier to use than before. The lessons you get from these platforms are created so that you can easily skim through them to gain maximum information.
With the course materials regularly updated to meet relevant industry standards, online degrees will always be one step ahead of physical classes. Furthermore, the courses are crafted to fit on any modern device, making it easier to learn on the go with your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop.
2. A Quicker Path to Graduation
If you seek a master’s degree, then an online option will be of supreme benefit to you, especially if you have family and other things fighting for your time. Most universities offering master’s programs allow learners to graduate faster to go out and concentrate on their career or get a first-time job.
However, most of the time, a shorter learning period means you have to schedule more of your study time per week than the longer learning periods. With a shorter and compressed learning period, your degree syllabus will only cover the course’s essentials. The rest of the research work and in-depth study is upon you to seek.
3. The Comfort of Studying at Home
Attending classes and seating on those uncomfortable chairs where you can sometimes fail to listen clearly, can be exhaustive. However, with online study, all these are just the bad dreams you can have about studies.
Studying at home allows you to get yourself the comfort you need and the right tools to maximize your concentration. Online studies also don’t push you into acquiring numerous learning materials as they are provided via online platforms.
The comfort also comes with less stress involved. You won’t have to worry about transport money or fueling your car for the morning rush to school. You will sleep well and only wake up some minutes to your class, get ready, and you are set to start the lessons right from your bedroom, study room, or any other room of your choice.
4. Online Degrees are Generally Cheaper to Acquire
First, put aside the transport costs and the high living standards in the 1st world countries you could be considering to go and study in. Now compare the cost of online courses to similar courses in your country; you will find it cheaper. If you add the cost of transport to a new country and the living standards there, not considering other costs, you will realize how cheap it is to settle for online studies than to study abroad.
The competition for online classes is also strife making the institutions offering these courses to lower their prices. While they try to edge out their competitors, you stand at an advantaged position of picking a course at the price that best fits into your budget.
If you are just after knowledge and certificates don’t matter to you, you can always get some free courses to keep actively involved in learning.
5. A Clearer Career Focus
Mostly, people in active careers don’t invest in developing themselves or their careers due to the fear of losing their current job positions. However, when online degrees come into the picture, everything else changes. They get to focus on their career as they pursue their studies and outsource less relevant assignments to an essay writer for hire.
Their employers will also not have a hard time seeking someone to fill their position.
If you seek to change career paths, an online degree is an ideal option to easily and seamlessly take you through to your next path. You do not have to quit your current career until you are done with your online degree and are equipped to move to your new career path.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even easier for online degree campaigns to thrive. People are only left to choose to quit or continue with an online class to graduate. If you can graduate from the comfort of your home with a credible degree, then you have all the reasons to consider an online degree.
Is Hiring a Nurse Resume Writer the Right Decision for Your Career?
The current situation is quite dire when it comes to the labor market. There is not enough supply to satisfy the demand for jobs. However, this may not be the same for some particular industries such as healthcare. Competition exists but it is quite manageable to get a nurse’s job in the current economic situation. Still, just like with any other job, some steps have to be covered. The first and probably one of the hardest steps is a resume. Some might think of an interview, but that’s a final stage. Having your CV noticed is quite important and complicated. The thing is – even if you are a certified to operate nurse with a bachelor’s degree, your CV can be lost among others with similar abilities as you. However, it is possible to avoid that via a great resume. This is where people are considering hiring a resume writer, although there is some hesitation – this piece is going to explain the topic in depth.
Why is a resume so important?
A simple answer is – recruiters take around 6 seconds to look at a resume before going to another one. This is quite a narrow time window. That is why it’s so important to make your resume stand out so you will be noticed among hundreds of other applicants who seek employment. Such a time window may seem like an insulting one, but it’s important to understand that a recruiter has to go through tons of CVs every day.
It doesn’t matter what’s your nurse specialty is – it’s about creating a great image when a recruiter picks up your resume. So, there are several things to know about to be able to make your paper look great and pick up HRs’ attention immediately:
These rules are quite simple, but there’s always something behind them. When it comes to the resume type, there are several options: chronological, functional, and combination. A chronological is focused on displaying your career path and previous positions. Functional is about showing the skills and proficiencies. The combination is as it sounds – previous options combined.
Choosing a simple font is also important – recruiters do not like to read cursive letters that can distract from what’s really important to them. Just like with formatting, keeping everything consistent is imperative. If a resume is plagued by different bizarre fonts, images, and similar things, recruiters are highly likely to think that a candidate wants to distract them from real issues in the resume.
Maintaining focus – as simple as that. Keeping the letter focused shows a potential employer that a candidate can do so at work. Finally, making sure that it’s mistake-free is obvious – an employer wants a focused and attentive employee rather than the opposite of those things.
Why choose a professional resume writer?
As it is possible to see, writing a resume that will land an interview can be quite an exhausting and frustrating experience. That is why it might be better to consider reading reviews about best nursing resume writing services online. These companies are specialized in providing a high-quality product that is specifically tailored for the needs of a nursing professional who wants to find a job.
A professional resume writer is going to highlight one’s degree through efficient use of things such as keywords, experience highlights, voluntary services, and other things. Furthermore, a writer knows what employers are seeking in their candidates’ resumes, which means a targeted approach to every candidate.
A targeted approach is also a thing that recruiters value a lot. If they see a resume that is tailored to be sent everywhere, they are likely to put it on a shelf and never look back. However, if a letter is created specifically for industry and even company, the situation is different.
Final thoughts
All the information highlights one fact – creating a great resume to land a nursing job interview is quite complicated. This is the first and one of the most important steps on the road to employment, and recruiters have to deal with hundreds of resumes every day. This means that they don’t take a long time to consider every candidate. That is why a CV should attract attention and keep it. While there are lots of tips on how to do this, it might be better to consider hiring a professional nursing resume writer to help you out with your career.
Top Online Clinical Nurse Specialist Courses in the USA
Working in the health domain is a noble thing to do. Healthcare workers are confronted every day with severe cases they need to handle, in a variety of domains. From mental health to gerontology or adult medicine, clinical nurse specialists are prepared to offer their help, expertise, and support.
However, to become a clinical nurse specialist you need to enroll in a graduate program and develop your skills. Getting medical education and studying to become a proficient clinical nurse will take time, effort, and resources. Even though some of the courses on clinical nursing were mostly offline, now there are online options for students too. Online schools offer the flexibility to pursue an online course to become a clinical nurse specialist in the USA.
Here are a few top online options.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania has a wide variety of nursing courses you can choose from. Depending on your educational level and prospect for your future career, you can choose from online courses on nursing management, nursing educator, or graduate certificates in nursing.
The advantage of these nurses courses at the University of Pennsylvania is that students get study helping with their essay from teachers. At the same time, the teaching process is based more on practice than on theory, which allows nursing specialists to interact with the medical world daily. You can find more information about the wide variety of courses at this university on their website. Even though these courses are online, they are rigorous so expect to have mandatory courses and activities to participate in. For example, you might have to write essays on nursing-related subjects. If you feel challenged by the requirements, you can discover some samples on https://eduzaurus.com/ , which will help you build your essay better. All nursing programs at the University of Pennsylvania are accredited.
Rush University, Chicago
Rush University is ranked number one in the top universities that offer online nursing programs. Rush University is known for its worldwide performance in the nursing domain and every year more and more students decide to enroll in their graduate programs.
The biggest advantage of Rush University, besides its online nursing courses, is that they record all the classes so that students could have access to the information anytime. This would help students that miss some classes to not fall behind their colleagues. The admission requires applicants to submit an essay, letters of recommendation, and present their experience related to nursing.
East Carolina University
The graduate nursing program at East Carolina University has about 9 programs you can choose from. For example, a Family Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Anesthesia are some of the most popular ones. Just like Rush University from Chicago, East Carolina University records the courses and classes and allows students to access them anytime.
One of the most important advantages this university comes with is its virtual clinic. The practice is very important in the medical domain and it can teach students many insights. To keep this practice safe for its nursing students, the university has created a virtual clinic where students can practice in a safe environment. Just like the other universities, the admission process involves submitting letters of recommendation and also an exam that tests your knowledge.
University of Pittsburgh
The online graduate nursing program at the University of Pittsburgh is one of the best in the USA. Besides the recording of the classes, they pride themselves on having some of the best nurse practitioners and leaders in the country. Their specialists are involved in the building of national and regional nursing programs, having a lot of experience in research and teaching.
One of the greatest advantages the University of Pittsburgh offers is the personalization of the courses. If you are interested in finding more about nursing in other contexts, you can choose to pursue courses in mental health or business. You do not need any nursing experience to apply for their courses, however, the admission requirements are the same as the other universities’.
Conclusion
Medical education is one of the most challenging and time-consuming domains of education. However, it is needed to invest a lot of cognitive power and resources into it. Becoming a clinical nurse specialist and wanting to help the most in need is a noble and admirable thing to do.
Depending on the specialization you want to follow, these universities are offering online nursing courses. The admission is kind of the same for all of them and you need to prove your prior knowledge on this subject. No matter which one you will choose, you will have the opportunity to learn from domain experts.
Author Bio: Joshua Robinson is a content writer that loves writing about the health domain. He was previously a clinical nurse specialist and now wants to share his knowledge and experience. Joshua’s goal is to help people pursue their goals.
The Degree You Need to Become an RN
The healthcare industry is expanding fast, thereby creating a need for nursing professionals. There is an increasing demand for registered nurses due to the aging population, new technological development, and retirement of current nurses.
Registered nurses are always perceived to be credible in performing their duties as professionals, can enjoy personal satisfaction, and enjoy job flexibility. It is therefore important to pay attention to the qualifications for registration. This guide provides an overview of the degrees you require to become a registered nurse.
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Associate’s degree program
Choosing an associate’s degree in nursing can allow you to enjoy state-of-the-art facilities and get trained under the guidance of able lecturers in this field. If you are an international student, you get an opportunity to be trained in hospice care centers, acute care hospitals, and outreach clinics.
The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program runs for 15-24 months and is offered at several community colleges across the country. You are required to complete some pre-requisite classes before enrolling in the main program.
ADN is technical oriented and if you get registered under this program, you can educate and treat patients and also offer emotional support to the patients’ dependents and the family members. To obtain a license, you must pass the NCLEX-RN or the National Council Licensure Examination.
Once you are in college, you will also need expert help from professional writers to complete your college assignments. This helps in coming out as a winner in your semester exams and completing the degree successfully. AssignmentBro US is a worthy recommendation here as it’s regarded as the top academic writing help in the United States. From research papers to lab reports and thesis to essays, it’s the perfect choice for students from different backgrounds.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BSN is a 4-year degree program offered at many universities and colleges across the United States. The students are required to use their knowledge acquired in their practical healthcare setting. In some programs, clinical residency may be offered at the conclusion to facilitate the transition from a student to a nurse.
International students prefer BSN programs because they offer great job prospects with a good salary. The demand for BSN finalists is quite high as a result of the constant retirements of current generation nurses, and thus, there are numerous job opportunities.
Most universities offering BSN provide diverse learning experiences, supplemented with student development programs designed to enhance the students’ potential. It involves using the best tools, study organization apps and practical classes to enhance the learning experience. This prepares them adequately to meet modern healthcare challenges as they pursue their career.
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Master of Science Nursing program (MSN)
The MSN integrates various advanced nursing programs into a single course, creating several working opportunities for graduates. The graduates can work as Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs), Adult Nurse Practitioners (ANPs), Nurse Educators (NEs), Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNPs), Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNPs), and Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNPS). The salary scale for nurses registered under specialist programs is quite attractive.
MSN creates opportunities for nurses to possess self-confidence, demonstrate professional care for patients and family members, build and motivate teams, and uphold nursing ethics. The graduates can also inspire their colleagues and embrace career growth under a good foundation. With MSN certification, you can give quality patient care and also provide evidence-based medical practice.
Online RN programs
Most of the RN classes were initially conducted through the traditional campus-based approach. However, with technological advancements, several universities and colleges are offering online undergraduate and postgraduate nursing degrees. The online classes are as rigorous as the in-person programs, where students complete the courses and pass the exams accordingly.
If you are searching for potential RN online programs, you need to go to reputable institutions with proper medical facilities. The institution should also have effective professors with vast experience in the medical field.
To become a registered nurse under the online program, you need to have the minimum requirements for the nursing program and work in a medical facility for clinical supervision and experience. Besides, you must pass the NCLEX-RN examination.
With the transformation of the healthcare sector, there is increased demand for registered nurses to work in home-based facilities and hospitals. The choice of degree courses in nursing may be overwhelming as a result of the different options available. Some programs can allow you to gain practical experience in your nursing career, while others may make you land a high paying job. You need to determine your priorities before choosing an appropriate program.
Author’s Bio:
Joshua Robinson works for a ‘study abroad’ agency and his main job is to advise students on choosing the best course and university. He also helps them with admission essays, personal statements and interview preparation. When he’s not at work, he likes to take language classes, play tennis and listen to pop music.
What Is The Hardest Class in Nursing School?
Being a nursing program student is not an easy journey. The field has a lot of competition; the whole studying process is challenging and tough from the very second you cross the threshold of the school and till you pass the final exam. Let’s be honest, the process of becoming a nurse wears you down, devours every free minute you have, and gives you a hard time in general.
When mapping up your class-and-home studies schedule, it’s important to follow the combination of hard and easy classes. Such diversification will help you to avoid burning out and score higher at the end of the academic year. It raises a natural question, though: which classes are hard?
In fact, there is no univocal answer. Whether the class is difficult or not depends on many factors. Sometimes, its complexity is defined by professors’ requirements, their teaching styles, or the amount of homework they assign. Personal strengths and preferences may be a determining factor as well. Oftentimes, nursing program students struggle with the course simply because they find it boring and not to their liking.
However, there are some classes that make the majority of nurses-to-be break out in a sweat. What are those and why they cause so much frustration among students, let’s find out.
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Although there is no single course that can be objectively called the hardest, Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology is famous for giving a good deal of trouble even to the sharpest and the most promising minds. As a matter of fact, only half of students nationwide make it through this course. Other 50% either entirely drop the class or receive a failing score upon completing it.
The necessity to memorize the abundance of complicated scientific and medical terminology poses a great challenge for the majority of nursing program students. Quite frequently, they have to spend hours on end cramming for this course alone. And the fact that your future studies and professional progress depend on how well you performed in this course doesn’t make it any easier.
In other words, a nursing school student taking an anatomy class has no other option but to study hard for the course, which can be a tall order even for the most diligent individuals.
Pathophisiology
“I had Pathophysiology during my freshman year at a nursing school. Gosh, it was like a bolt out of the blue,” reminisces Alex Clayton, a current Pro-papers medical expert.
Physiology tells you how human body works, Pathophysiology explains how it works when it doesn’t. While some nursing school students see no trouble in learning this subject, others pull their hair out trying to memorize tons of information. Whichever the case is, the course definitely has its complexities. Not only do students have to understand well human anatomy and physiology, but also be well-versed in peculiarities of different diseases and their influence on human body.
Nevertheless, students recognize that no matter how challenging and perplexing the “patho” course is, it doesn’t make it any less informative and impactful. “Another good thing about this class was that it taught me critical thinking and proper studying. I continued using these principles even after becoming a full-fledged nurse,” confides Alex.
Pediatrics
Working with kids might seem the most rewarding job in the world. However, for some nursing school students, it’s just not meant to be.
When it comes to children, these little ones require a different nursing approach. Medicine administration is different, plus an extra set of peculiar children’s diseases (like impetigo, RSV or congenital heart problems) make the studying process more complicated and tedious.
However, sometimes the reason for this class to gain the reputation of the hardest one can be trivial – students just don’t like working with children.
Pharmacology
In a nutshell, pharmacology studies drugs and medications, as well as their impact on human body. Although for some it may sound a breeze at first glimpse, in reality it gives many nurses-to-be the willies when it comes to cramming for pharm course.
To pass the exam, students have to answer a set of questions about a certain drug that include its qualities, like onset, duration and half-life, as well as adverse effects, expected outcomes, and compatibility with other drugs and substances. The subject requires a lot of detailed memorization work that makes even the best and brightest shed a tear while studying.
A Right for You Nursing Program Is Half of the Success
In fact, all nursing classes will require you to learn a great deal of facts, oodles of new terminology, difficult nursing concepts, as well as plenty of hands-on skills. Memorizing all that is not something anyone can do.
But in the end, human lives and soundness will depend on how savvy you are as a nurse, so being well-trained makes sense. No doubt, nursing programs are not a walk in the park. But not impossible either. The tough classes are not designed to take you down or undermine your confidence, but to prepare you as best as possible for the nerve-racking role.
To succeed, you will need a good deal of persistence and discipline, as well as loyal course-mates to study with and passionate about their work professors to explain you all the ins and outs of the course. Much depends on the school and the exact program you choose, too.
“I really recommend others to use a nursing program guide before making the final decision about the school you want to enroll. For me, this choice appeared to be life-changing”.
At school, you may struggle with the classes that were mentioned, or find other courses to be the hardest for you. But in the end, it is your motivation to become a nurse that will drive you forward. And a properly picked up program can make this road a bit more enjoyable. So, don’t neglect any information you may collect.
Becoming a psychiatric nurse can be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made; not only will you earn well but you’ll also get the chance to work under doctors whose expertise you could learn from. Psychiatric nurses work for medical institutions in the United States including hospitals, mental health facilities, outpatient clinics, or private practices. The goal of a psychiatric nurse is to administer medication, help patients with anything that they might need, and take care of other technical tasks within the medical institution. Becoming a psychiatric nurse is an amazing decision but getting there might be a rather lengthy journey. Let’s explore what it takes to become a psychiatric nurse, what education you should pursue, and how you get licensed in the U.S.
Pursuing the right education
The first thing you want to consider is pursuing the right education for your goals. If you do not know the requirements from the start, there is a high chance you’ll need to take extra steps in your journey, which means extra time and extra money. Here are the most important education milestones that need to be completed in order to become a psychiatric nurse.
You must follow hospital training and get a diploma as a basic education level requirement. This will take anywhere between two and three years, depending on the state and hospital policies.
Next, you want to focus your attention on getting an Associate Degree in psychiatric nursing. This can be done by pursuing a Bachelor’s degree first and then, choosing to continue in Nursing. This will take you about three years total. Most hospitals and medical institutions will accept only an Associate degree as your training as long as you have a Bachelor’s in a scientific field and additional certification.
Going back to your undergrad education and the requirements attached to it – your Bachelor of Science should be in Nursing (most recommended) but most hospitals will accept your training in other fields such as Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, or Pre-Med. Getting into a good program in undergrad is therefore a necessary condition for any successful student. Make sure that you have a good intention letter and check out free essay samples for Psychology students as often as you can. Looking at other writers’ work can bring about serious benefits to your understanding of what is required.
Your graduate degree should be, of course, in a scientific field as well. You could pursue a Master of Science in Mental Health or Psychiatric Health since these would be two of the most accepted ones. This will take you an additional two years but also additional money. The higher your education is the higher your salary. So, even if you could get hired as a psychiatric nurse simply by owning an Associate degree and some training, you should not stop there. Investing your time in further education such as a Master’s or a Doctorate program could definitely impact your salary.
Speaking of which, the Ph.D. should be in Nursing Practice. You can choose a specialization such as Mental Health or Psychiatry, just like I mentioned before. Your Ph.D. will include an additional year of study in a university setting. You will be pursuing different projects and publish documentation. Pursuing a Doctorate degree will get you the highest nursing salary once you enter the medical field.
Prerequisites that must be met
To register for a nursing degree right after high-school – yes, this is also an option! – you should be pursuing the right courses during your high-school years. Make sure you enroll in Math, Bio, and Chemistry classes from the very first start. You should also have a Science program on your list. Your high-school GPA should not be lower than 2.0 for a good nursing degree program. For a Master’s degree, your college GPA should not be lower than 3.0. You may find universities that do not require the GRE, but most of them will so ensure that you are prepared for that as well. Make sure that the program you are enrolling in is accredited by the United States Department of Education. Check their website for more details.
How to get certified as a Psychiatric Nurse
The last point we will touch on today is how to get certified, since this is one of the most important parts of the process. You must pass the NCLEX-RN examination in order to work on U.S. territory. Other countries might have other regulations so if you are thinking of practicing internationally, check each country’s requirements. Here’s what you must know in order to pass the exam successfully:
How to keep patients safe within their environment.
How to take care of your psychological integrity. Proven ability to cope and change environments.
How to prevent injury or illness.
How to review physical symptoms accurately to determine a patient’s physiological integrity.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to pursue higher education or not, make sure that you are aware of the basic requirement of becoming a psychiatric nurse and follow the rules! Good luck!
Author Bio
Joshua Robinson is a psychologist and essay writer for a company in the UK. He has been working with patients his whole life and has hands-on experience working with psychiatric nurses. In his free time, Joshua likes to rock climb and hike.
5 Steps on How to Become an LPN
If you want to work in the healthcare industry but don’t have a medical degree, a career of a licensed practical nurse is a perfect option for you. To begin a nursing career you don’t necessarily need a completed bachelor’s degree, just a high school diploma can be enough for LPN. In fact, many individuals choose to become a licensed practical nurse first and only then enroll in university programs. Working as an LPN is a great chance to get experience in the medical field and become a part of the healthcare team. This job can be a good foundation for a career in the patient care field. It can be a stepping stone on your pathway to a bachelor’s or master’s degree later in the future.
To earn a diploma in practical nursing you need to undergo a program that takes only 12 months. Students often ask if there are any accredited online LPN programs. And the answer is no because it’s impossible to replace real hands-on clinical experience and practice in simulation Labs. Moreover, the in-person study allows you to have direct support from nursing instructors who have real healthcare experience.
There is special a demand for LPNs in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and many other places. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job opportunities for LPN’s will rise by nearly 12% from 2016 to 2026. The position of an LPN is vital in the nursing community.
Some individuals want to take the first step towards a career in nursing when they are still in high school. So they decided to combine studying at school and undergoing a nursing program. But it can be quite challenging because both the school and nursing courses set high standards for them. They often don’t have enough time to complete all the tasks simultaneously. In this case, they need to decide what is more important for them. Obviously, the nursing program requires more responsibility and energy. That’s why a smart decision is to delegate their school tasks to somebody.
One of the ways to do it is to ask for help from Edubirdie. This is a professional writing service that can complete your assignments in any subject. You can ask this company to write an essay for you, to make a research, or even to write a nursing paper for you. Using this service means that you’ll get your assignment done on time and also you will have an opportunity to complete all the tasks from your LPN courses.
So to become an LPN you need to follow the next simple steps.
Choose a nursing school that fits you
First of all, you should research options to find the best one for you. Fortunately, there are thousands of schools across the USA so you can definitely pick a program that meets all your requirements. Before investing your time and money into a certain program make sure that it will meet your needs.
You can even make a list of the factors that are crucial to you before you make your choice. These factors should be highly individual. For instance, it is important for you to have a campus near your school or maybe the schedule must fit your lifestyle. Pay attention to what’s important for you and always keep in mind your end goal while choosing a medical school.
Have the TEAS exam
Passing the test of essential academic skills is a necessary step to get into nursing school.
Choose a time slot in advance and sign up for this standardized test. Define how much time you need to prepare for it and schedule your test accordingly.
Complete your LPN program
Depending on the program you have chosen, you will study in a class, maybe partially online or in a clinic. Obviously, this is the most time-consuming step in this list that requires a strong effort from you. An LPN program will help you to learn the ins and outs of providing patient care in various healthcare settings.
Pass NCLEX exam
Passing the NCLEX exam gives you the qualification to start nursing practice. Your school must prepare you for this post-graduation final exam. But still, you may take some extra time to study up once you finish your program. You should be very focused while completing your nursing course as this exam lies ahead.
Look for job opportunities
Finding a job position that you like will pay off all of your hard work. After passing the exam you can start seeking job opportunities and submit your resumes. Maybe you could use the connections that you’ve made while studying. Even if you have found a job that perfectly fits you, keep learning and developing your skills.
For those who dream to work in the healthcare industry, an LPN job will be really emotionally rewarding. Luckily, it’s comparatively easy to become a licensed practical nurse. Follow the simple steps described above and start your bright career!
Author’s Bio Joshua Robinson is a healthcare professional with extensive experience in this field. He views his work as a calling and devotes all his energy to it. He also helps young people to start a career in the medical industry.
What Skills Should be Included in a Nursing Resume
Nursing is a difficult profession to study and practice but comes loaded with tons of rewards for those who prevail. Succeeding in the profession requires a delicate and wise combination of skills. When applying for a job, you need to know the skills to list on a nursing resume to be considered for a post. They must demonstrate their ability to perform various procedures in a hospital and the ability to withstand pressure in case of emergencies and professionally take on how I list my nursing skills on my resume.
Besides, they must showcase their ability to learn new technologies in handling patients and information from their daily activities. To achieve such, going through examples of nursing skills for a resume is a good place to start and to know what to write in the vital document. Thus, we have some important points that answer the question; what skills should I list on my nursing resume?
Time Management
Time is a precious commodity in a nurse’s life as a few seconds is all it takes to make a difference in the life of a patient. Thus, top of the list on what should a nursing resume include should be time management. Illustrate to your potential employers that you can efficiently manage your time when handling patients, other medical staff, and chores.
Professionalism
The key to keeping time has a strict professional culture. Highlight the ability to offer quality services that require no supervision to boost the overall efficiency of a hospital. Working with new patients every day requires impartiality to ensure every patient receives the services they require. Besides, maintaining a uniform code of conduct will keep you away from spending more time on a loved one or a frequent patient. Have your potential employer know you can maintain the professionalism of his facility with ease.
Communication Skills
It is imperative to have excellent communication cues properly highlighted in the resume. Thus, writing a nurse resume should be done excellently to ensure every aspect of the applicant’s capabilities is well indicated. The question for most candidates or students is, how do I list nursing skills on my resume? The simple answer is examined by the complexity of a nurse’s duties that involve listening and executing a doctor’s instruction to a patient. Hence, nurses must highlight the best communication skills if their application is to get considered.
Critical Thinking skills
Healthcare is a serious field that demands solving puzzles while administering medication and other procedures to patients. Win the heart of your potential employer by creating a small scene that requires critical thinking and offers the most suitable solution. The skill is valuable as you are demanded to think through your decisions even as you list nursing skills for your resume.
Compassion
Not all patients who visit a hospital are kind or polite, hence the need for being patient and kind to search persons as they equally need excellent health care. The ability to listen and be considerate of misbehaving should not just be mentioned shown in the resume.
A nurse needs to have excellent observation skills as a patient might leave out important details when narrating a problem. Highlight such abilities by checking for every detail in the employers’ description to guide your nursing assistant resume skills.
Endurance
Nurses tend to have busy schedules nearly all the time. Thus, the ability to endure through extended shifts is crucial as it could mean the difference between life and death. Besides, a nurse who is not in good physical condition cannot offer care to patients. You can achieve that by highlighting your workout sessions as skills to put on a nursing resume
Cultural Awareness
For any practicing nurse, you must give culture the importance it deserves. As part of nursing skills to list on resume, show how well you know your potential patients’ culture. People with different cultural beliefs will respond differently to various scenarios. These views have a way into a patient’s health and recovery. You are likely to find some male patients who are hesitant to be handled by female nurses.
Hence, it would be best if you displayed your ability to handle such patients and treat them without disrespecting them. Remember skills for resume nursing, is not a matter of listing a few items on paper but an affirmation on what you believe in and practice. Besides, demonstrate how such nursing skills on a resume are helpful to an institution. Also, recognize your area of biases and the steps you have taken to overcome the same challenges to make your resume impactful in your career.
Conclusion
Finally, when writing resume nursing skills, remember to be truthful in every item you write, and give practical solutions to the problems. Make your work sweet to the eyes by giving it a sense of hope and resilience. Make writing and including skills for nursing resume a significant process that demands all your attention and focus as it is the key to submitting a comprehensive document. Remember to consult various professionals on your resume’s quality to ensure you have better chances of getting hired.
eLearning and Distance Learning in 2022: Definition and Benefits
Online and Distance Learning are two separate entities. In a nutshell, the difference between online and distance learning is location. Students can be together with an instructor and use online study or eLearning, but distance study implies that students and instructors are separated.
How Online and Distance Learning Work
eLearning
-The education tool is based or accessible on the internet.
-Programs are anytime/anywhere tools. In this case, learning can be done from home.
-Students receive the training through an online medium even though your teacher may be in the same building
Distance Learning
-Designed in order to be accessible no matter where you are in the world from time to time.
-It can be through webcams or chat programs
Benefits of e-Learning
1.) Learning is more interactive
eLearning makes the process much more interesting and interactive. Their input is needed, in effect, it helps them retain information better.
2.) Convenient for adult learners
Adults find learning much easier when they’re doing so through eLearning systems.
3.) LESS EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE
Using their tool written work software to create your own specific nonconcurrent preparing programs.
4.) Self-paced
Most eLearning tools can be taken when needed.
5.) Moves faster
The individualized approach enables learners to skip material they already know and understand. They move onto the issues they need preparing on for this reason.
6.) Provides consistent message
E-learning eliminates the problems associated with different educators teaching barely different materials on the same subject.
7.) Updated easily and quickly
Updated materials are uploaded to a server.
Benefits of Distance Learning*
1.) Decision
An online guideline gives the chance to contemplate more subjects and connect with programs that are not accessible in the incite zone.
2.) Pace
Online preparing empowers this kind of learning to work at their own particular pace a significant part of the time.
3.) Booking
The calendars for distance learning are more open to take the classes at whatever point it fits into their timetable.
4.) Money
Online classes typically cost not as much as preparing in a classroom circumstance.
5.) No classroom setting
Sitting in the classroom is not an ideal route for each understudy to learn. Therefore, this learning is an ideal set-up.
Ultimately, both distance learning and e-learning can be effective modes of education, especially in a vastly growing population. Both have their pros and cons and such innovative forms of educational methods.
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get a free consultation from the USA writers is to type ‘top affordable
services to do me my paid paper’ using the search engine.
If the tasks are feasible but you do not want to complete them, you have to force yourself. We talk about ways to encourage yourself to do a boring job.
How to Write Boring Last Minute Essay?
Rate Lost Profits
It’s hard to approach a big goal because of the fear of failure. Imagination draws the heights to which you want to strive, and the student becomes scared not to reach them. If you are preparing for the finals, then pass on “excellent”, try your hand at the olympiad – to certainly become a prize winner. To start preparing and not to put off everything at the last moment, it is useful to assess what you are losing. Such a trusted writing service as FastEssay.net will help you to do an urgent essay.
To
do this, you need to immediately set a clear goal, for example, “I will read
one textbook to write a geography test for four” or “I will solve ten options
for task No. 13 of the core exam in mathematics to cope with such equations in
an exam”. It is important to understand what the student is losing, postponing
classes until later. What will happen if you don’t start studying at all? –
Three on the subject.
Get Rid of Information Noise
Social
networks, notifications of new publications, messages in instant messengers
come constantly. The hand involuntarily reaches for the phone, and minute by
minute, several hours a day are spent on entertainment on the Internet. For the
duration of the work, the phone needs to be set to silent mode, and it is even
better to use a site and application blocker on all devices. Let the program
not get distracted by communication and humor for at least a few minutes
allotted to work, except you are using FastEssay.net website.
The Internet is not the only source of entertainment content. When a lesson is boring, it’s nice to be distracted by your thoughts and fantasies. You won’t put a blocker in your head, so you have to consciously return yourself to work.
Don’t Wait for Inspiration
Often
you don’t want to take up an uninteresting business without inspiration, but
you need to honestly answer the question “Will inspiration come at all to open
a box with old notebooks, drafts, and obscure notebooks or to solve the tasks?”
Not. The inspiration to do a boring or necessary thing will never come. There
is only one way to end this task: start and finish it. It is not necessary to
do everything at once, but one day you need to start.
Follow the Plan
Following the plan is easier than deciding on an uninteresting business all at once. It is worthwhile to decide in advance what day to fulfil your part of household chores, and when to learn irregular verbs in English. It is useful to keep a daily planner so that in the evening you can look through the to-do list for tomorrow and be mentally prepared.
When
tomorrow comes, it’s easier to get down to work, about which everything has
already been decided and determined. It remains only to start doing.
Agree
with yourself to start an unpleasant business and perform it for at least 2
minutes. It is important to promise yourself to stop working after this time if
it is completely unbearable. Most likely, you will have time to get involved
and do not want to quit what you started.
9 Tips to Write a Strong Nursing Cover Letter with No Experience
A cover letter is an introductory piece, typically attached to other documents such as a resume when applying for a job.
As a rule, a cover letter is the most vital part of your application. A CV is needed to reflect your education, experience, and work-related skills. A cover letter is what introduces your personality to potential employers. It gives you a chance to make a lasting impression and prove that you are the candidate they are looking for.
Writing this document can be rather challenging if you are new to the job-seeking process and don’t have impressive professional experience. In this article, we are going to give you a step-by-step guide on how to write a flawless entry-level cover letter!
Even if you don’t have any professional experience yet, it does not mean that you can’t be the right fit for a job. Often, employers are willing to hire entry-level specialists, so your chances of winning a job are still pretty high. However, to get hired, you need to reveal your personality and potential to employers. That’s when a strong cover letter can be your benefit!
How to create it? Here are the top nine tips to help you get started. Follow them and you will succeed.
1. Don’t hesitate to ask for help
First of all, we have to say that there is nothing wrong with asking for help. If you are looking to land your first job, you probably don’t have any experience in writing cover letters as well, and that’s okay. The key to success is to know when to ask for help.
If you are feeling stuck or unable to write a cover letter yourself, you can turn to professional writers. Services like EssayPro have a large pool of writers who can create pretty much any text or document and make it look good. Therefore, be sure to objectively assess your skills before you head to writing, and don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it!
2. Find a strong sample
If you are still up for the challenge and willing to do all the work yourself, we recommend starting with studying a few good examples. On the Internet, you can find a wide array of nursing cover letter examples. Look through them to grasp the general idea of what it should look like.
3. Make a clear introduction
The first paragraph in your text should introduce you to the potential employer. It should explain who you are, what you are looking for, and how you have discovered a particular opportunity.
Another big goal of the introductory paragraph is to make the right first impression. Thus, it is a good idea to use an idea with a hook to engage the readers and make them want to read the whole thing. For example, you can start with an eye-catching question or statement. Also, here you can mention if you have any connections to a particular organization.
Since you don’t have any (or not enough) prior nursing experience, a great idea would be to focus on other accomplishments and practical skills. Even your classroom experiences can help to connect the dots with the employers if they show that you qualify for the job.
One of the best writing tips is to highlight not only job-related skills but also other soft skills you have. For example, as a nurse, you may not be required to be a good leader. However, if you do have strong leadership skills, they can help you make the impression of a specialist. Highlight them in your cover letter and you will come off as a person who can think critically, make fast decisions, and take responsibility. This is important in every sphere.
5. Show your best qualities
Today, most employers are no longer looking to hire specialists; they want to hire outstanding people. In the 21st century, showing your personal qualities to potential employers is as vital as never, which is why showing off your best qualities in a cover letter is a good tactic to land a job.
6. Add a call to action
Writing a conclusion for your cover letter, you can restate some of the main points from the text to empower the impression you’ve made so far. Also, to win an interview, there is a handy trick – a call to action. This step is often used in marketing to encourage the audience to take a specific action and you can use it to your benefit too!
Make a call to action that encourages potential employers to get in touch with you. However, keep it natural and without pressure.
7. Personalize it
It may sound like a good idea to create a one-fits-all cover letter and submit it to every job offer that comes along your way. However, in practice, such an approach may save you time but won’t make a powerful impact on a reader.
Keep in mind that this document is your chance to prove that you are the right fit for a chosen position. That’s why it is important to make it personalized and relevant to each particular employer. This will give you a higher chance of success!
8. Keep it clear and concise
Don’t make your cover letter too long. Try to keep it short yet informative. Use simple language and make sure that your text is easy to understand.
9. Proofread!
Proofreading and editing your letter may not sound fun, especially after the long hours you’ve spent writing it. However, you should never skip these steps.
Regardless of the position you are applying to, basic literacy and the ability to express your thoughts clearly are critical. After all, you don’t want to miss out on a good career opportunity because of a typo, so it is vital to proofread and carefully edit your text before submission!
Top Ten Patient Safety Issues 2018
Patient safety issues for providers to prioritize in 2018, presented below in no particular order, are the top 10 patient safety issues reported in the past year.
1.) Disparate electronic health records (EHRs)
This contributes to poor interoperability, putting patients at risk for events such as medication mixing. This can negatively affect patient care.
A lack of interoperability may mean providers are not getting the whole picture when it comes to their patients’ conditions. It also makes effective patient care harder in times of crisis or during natural disasters.
2.) Hand hygiene
This remains as a top safety concern, as noncompliance was linked with several infections and even death.
While it may seem difficult to control the actions of an entire health system staff, interventions such as signage, smart notifications, and education can significantly increase compliance and save lives.
3.) Nurse-patient ratios
Inadequate staffing at healthcare facilities can greatly affect patient care.
One study published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies demonstrated that for every additional patient on a nurse’s caseload, mortality rates increased by seven percent.
4.) Shortages of drugs and medical supplies
The supply chain is responsible for a surprising number of adjustments to patient care. In May, many hospitals were forced to delay major operations and chemotherapy treatments due to a nationwide shortage of sodium bicarbonate solution.
5.) Quality reporting
When paperwork demands more time than patient care, there’s cause for reexamination.
Hospital systems can improve the patient experience and prevent the next safety threat on the list.
CMS plans to simplify the measures hospitals and physicians must report on, zeroing in on the most important measures to improve care quality and patient outcomes.
6.) Physician burnout
Physician shortage has been an increasing problem. This impacts the majority of physicians, with a nearly 20 percent increase in those reporting symptoms in the last five years.
The healthcare executives argued addressing burnout should be a major priority for all healthcare leaders, as it can threaten patient safety, quality of care and increase healthcare costs.
7.) Resurgent diseases
Scarlet fever and measles are once again threatening patient safety.
Misinformation about vaccines led to an unfortunate drop in immunization rates, posing a direct threat to both public and patient safety and must be accounted for.
8.) Mergers and acquisitions
Health and hospital networks can bring many positive changes for everyone involved, but they also pose a safety risk.
Research shows patients living in competitive healthcare markets exhibit better health outcomes and lower mortality rates than those who live in areas with less healthcare competition.
9.) Antibiotic resistance
It posed a world health concern for many years.
This issue is highly complex in terms of both social and biological science and the international community must continue to work toward a solution.
Infection control leaders can look to organizations for tools to improve antibiotic stewardship and resistance.
10.) The opioid epidemic
It remains critical that healthcare leaders stay diligent about promoting more responsible medical use of opioids.
Three physician leaders argued hospitals should be penalized for opioid addiction if the condition develops as a result of hospital-based care that could have been prevented by adhering to evidence-based practices.
To receive the latest hospital and health system news, visit us weekly for updates.
Patient safety issues for providers to prioritize in 2018, presented below in no particular order, are the top 10 patient safety issues reported in the past year.
8.) Mergers and acquisitions
It remains critical that healthcare leaders stay diligent about promoting more responsible medical use of opioids.