Allied Technicial Institute» RN Education Archives – Blog Title http://www.alliedtech.org Join the healthcare team. Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:34:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Registered Nurse Education | Registered Nurse Classes http://www.alliedtech.org/registered-nurse-education-classes/127/ http://www.alliedtech.org/registered-nurse-education-classes/127/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:03:25 +0000 admin http://alliedtech.org/?p=127 In order to begin a registered nurse education, one must first attain a high school diploma and complete any standardized college entrance tests that may be required by the institution. Aspiring nurses can first choose among an associate’s degree bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and can even continue their studies in a doctoral program. Associate’s degree programs usually take two years. Bachelor’s degree programs usually take four years, and master’s degree and doctoral programs tend to take two to four years of additional graduate study.

Courses in associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in nursing require a mixture of general classes and advanced specialized courses in the field. General academic classes usually include requirements in the humanities, general sciences, and college mathematics. These introductory classes serve as the precursor to more advanced courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. Bachelor’s degree programs tend to offer a variety of additional courses with emphasis on patient care and nursing theory.

Throughout the registered nurses education it is expected to complete various laboratory activities outside of regular class hours in addition to practical experiences or internships. Practical experiences allow aspiring nurses to work under the guidance of experienced professionals, ask questions about the field, and gain valuable insights and skills that can help an aspiring nurse get a job after the completion of their program.

In addition to completing an accredited academic program, aspiring nurses must complete licensure tests. All graduate nurses must take the NCLEX-RN test offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in the United States. This examination covers many topics related to nursing including how to establish a safe and effective care environment, promoting and maintaining good health, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. Most of the questions on the examination are multiple-choice; however, recently more questions have been added to the test that are not multiple-choice and require additional critical thinking skills. The test is available in a Computer Adaptive Format, which means that questions increase or decrease in difficulty based on the test-taker’s question answering ability. After completing the test, the nurse will receive an official licensure through the state.

Along with the NCLEX-RN test, nurses can take board certification tests to add an extra credential to their degree. Board certification tests evaluate a nurse’s competency in a specialized clinical environment. For example, a nurse can become specialized in clinical and intensive care.

The cost of a registered nursing education from an accredited institution varies. Associate’s degree programs are usually offered by local community colleges and can range in cost from $10,000-$20,000. Bachelor’s degree programs at public institutions tend to range from $40,000-$60,000; however, bachelor’s degree programs at private institutions can cost in excess of $80,0000. Masters programs can cost anywhere from $20,000-$40,000, and doctoral programs tend to cost the same. These figures are estimated before considering financial aid through federal loans and grants and scholarships through the institution.

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