Nursing and Diploma Program

A registered nurse is a licensed professional with a four-year nursing degree. Able to provide all levels of nursing care including the administration of medication. The job description of a registered nurse is to work to promote good health and prevent illness. They educate patients and the public about various medical conditions; treat patients and help in their rehabilitation; and provide advice and emotional support to patients' families. RNs use considerable judgment in providing a wide variety of services. They also develop the day-to-day nursing care plans both in hospital, and for care after discharge by families and visiting nurses. Advanced nursing practice is defined as the performance of advanced level nursing practice activities which, by virtue of post-basic education and experience, are appropriate to and may be performed by an advanced practice registered nurse My career goals are to maintain a comfortable salary to support my family in the future, and be able to afford the things I need and want throughout life and to live happy and comfortable. â€Å"Registered Nursesâ€Å" 2). Nursing is not necessarily an easy occupation to get into, there are certain requirements and qualifications. One of the most popular forms of education for registered nurses is an associate degree in nursing which takes about two years to complete. Other RN candidates may opt for a hospital diploma program where they take thirty to sixty hours worth of science classes and then take many more hours of classes which are heavily focused on nursing. The diploma program usually takes a minimum of three years. A diploma program meets the basic educational requirements to be a registered nurse. Another option is for the prospective RN to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from a university. Once a BSN degree is earned, it gives the person the opportunity to pursue higher education opportunities in his or her field such as a Master's Degree or a PhD. The registered nurse educational requirements can vary from state to state as each state has its own laws and policies that govern the nursing profession. However, all registered nurses most take some sort of licensing exam in order to become legally able to practice in the registered nursing profession. While 2-3 years of training is required, it is possible to make a good living from the salary that you can earn as a registered nurse. But be aware that the profession can be stressful. Some of the most stressful nursing positions are those in hospitals, particularly in the emergency rooms. Some less stressful jobs may include working in private practice where the hours will not be as long. There are many ways to advance in the medical career. In order to be a nurse you must start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Some jobs that share the same training or similar training of a registered nurse are nurse-practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and midwives. The duties of a nurse practitioner include conducting physical exams; diagnosing and treating common illnesses and injuries; providing immunizations; managing high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic problems. Clinical nurses duties are to provide care in specialty areas, such as cardiac, oncology (cancer), pediatrics, and psychiatric/mental health. They work in hospitals and clinics, providing medical care and mental health services, developing quality assurance procedures, and serving as educators and consultants. Last but not least, a midwives’ duties are to provide routine health care for women, but their practices are focused on pregnancy and delivery of babies. They lead classes in childbirth, sibling preparation, and care of newborns. If pregnancies continue without complications, nurse-midwives provide all prenatal care, assist mothers during labor, and deliver the babies. Following the births, they make sure that mothers and newborns are well and provide follow-up care. If emergencies occur, nurse-midwives are trained to provide assistance until doctors arrive. All of these occupations in the medical field are just an example to show you the similarities in these careers. (â€Å"Requirements of registered nursingâ€Å"1). When people are considering a career, they often ask questions. Such as; Can I support a family on my salary? , Can I buy a house? , and can I pay for my kids college? A registered nurses salary starts around $56,225 and ends at $68,251. After conducting research I have come to the conclusion that you can indeed afford a small home or nice apartment on a registered nurses salary. You can also afford a used car or afford to have low monthly payment on a vehicle. However, you cannot pay for a child’s college and afford bills without extra help. (â€Å"Salary Wizard†3). In order for me to meet my goals in the medical field, I must be focused. First I must work hard to receive good grades in high school, especially in science and math. I must maintain a great attitude and never give up in order to reach my goals in life. After graduating high school I will enroll in the New Horizons School Of Adult Education. There I will get my LPN license. I will be attending that school for 36 months. After graduating the LPN program I will put in applications in the hospital for LPN’s. Then while I am starting out my career then I will go to school for Registered Nurses. ? ? ? ? ? ? Kayla Foster Gold 6 5/9/2010 English 12