Get your feet wet before you start your Nursing education

Are you looking into nursing career? Who is not? Nursing is the hottest career right now with respect job outlook and salary potential. In 2014 there were 2.75 million nurses were working and we will need 439, 000 more nurses by 2024, the job outlook is 16%, much faster than average. In 2015, median pay of nurses are $67,000 per year or $32 per hour. (Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Is nursing the right career for me?

Isn’t it a million dollar question? Everything look great with job outlook and salary. You don’t have to work too hard landing a job when you earn RN (Registered Nurse) credential. Education requirement for nursing is at 2 years for ADN (Associate’s) and 4 years for BSN (Bachelor’s). Coursework is demanding as well as challenging. You need time, financial and emotional commitment to get admitted into a nursing school as well as to graduate from one. After you complete your education when you start working, what if you realized that nursing is not for you. You don’t possess the patience, compassion and empathy for nursing career. Alas, you can’t get your time and money back that you already spent to become a nurse. That’s why it’s always important to get your hands dirty and feet wet before you start your desired career.

 I am listing two options for you which require much less time and effort to get started. Benefit is twofold. First, you can get the taste of nursing career by working with registered nurses and the patients side by side. That way you will learn first if nursing career is a good fit for you in the long term.

Secondly, many good hospitals, long term care nursing homes or skilled nursing homes has great tuition reimbursement for employees who wants to advance their career in nursing. This option will save you a boatload of money towards your tuition and fees.

Here are the two options for you:

1.     Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic nursing care. They work under the direction of registered nurses and doctors. The median annual wage for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses was $43,170 ($20.76 per hour) in May 2015.

LPNs and LVNs must complete an approved educational program. These programs award a certificate or diploma and typically take about 1 year to complete, but may take longer. They are commonly found in technical schools and community colleges, although some programs may be available in high schools or hospitals.

Practical nursing programs combine classroom learning in subjects such as nursing, biology, and pharmacology. All programs also include supervised clinical experience.

Contact state boards of nursing for lists of approved programs.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

After completing a state-approved educational program, prospective LPNs and LVNs can take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). In all states, they must pass the exam to get a license and work as an LPN or LVN. For more information on the NCLEX-PN examination and a list of state boards of nursing, visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

2.     Nursing Assistants (CNA)

Nursing assistants provide basic care and help with activities of daily living. They typically do the following:

·        Clean and bathe patients or residents

·        Help patients use the toilet and dress

·        Turn, reposition, and transfer patients between beds and wheelchairs

·        Listen to and record patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses

·        Measure patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature

·        Serve meals and help patients eat

·        In May 2015, the median annual wages for nursing assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows: 

Government	$31,130
Hospitals; state, local, and private	27,820
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)	24,700
Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly	24,200
Home health care services	23,620

Education and Training

Nursing assistants must complete a state-approved education program in which they learn the basic principles of nursing and complete supervised clinical work. These programs are found in high schools, community colleges, vocational and technical schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

In addition, nursing assistants typically complete a brief period of on-the-job training to learn about their specific employer’s policies and procedures.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

After completing a state-approved education program, nursing assistants take a competency exam. Passing this exam allows them to use state-specific titles. In some states, a nursing assistant or aide is called a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), but titles vary from state to state.

Nursing assistants who have passed the competency exam are placed on a state registry. Nursing assistants must be on the state registry to work in a nursing home.

(Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook).