Nurse programs are meant for those willing to serve the ailing, weak
people. Nursing as a profession is considered sacred and it is not
restricted to the corridors of hospitals. In fact, it is an oath to
serve every human being, who is in need of medical assistance.
Nonetheless, nursing is not all about altruism; you have great rewards
and endless opportunities attached to this profession. Those of you who
wish to join this noble profession would have to enroll in nurse
programs.
With various advanced courses to pursue, there is lot that you can
explore in this field. There are various courses offered by accredited
nursing schools; however, take care that whichever program you choose,
it must meet your expectations and lead you to where you want to be.
Different Nursing Programs
The many nurse programs give you different levels of knowledge and
expertise. You can start with PN program and end with PhD in nursing.
Now, have a look at the various levels of nurse programs that you can
pursue:
- PN (Practical Nurse) Program – It is the
elementary level program of one-year duration; after graduating, you
would become a licensed practical nurse or LPN. - ADN (Associate Degree Nurse) Program – This is the next level in nursing programs, which would take you two or three years to complete depending on your school.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program
– It is a four-year program, which enhances your skills of professional
nursing. This program has more complex curriculum and includes
sciences, arts, nursing management and leadership training in separate
settings. It will not only strengthen your basics for advanced
practices, but also prepare you for the Registered Nurse licensor
examination. - Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program
– After the completion of BSN program, you can enroll in this program.
The working nurses can also take this course. In this program, you
would be acquainted with advanced theory and practice for a specialized
clinical area of nursing, such as nurse anesthetist or family nurse
practitioners. However, the course must be completed in eight years.
Now, even if you have completed your graduation in other discipline
you are eligible for master degree in nursing through the special
program called SCAN – Second Careers and Nursing Program.
- Certificate Courses – There are various
diploma nurse programs available such as parish nursing, Family Nurse
Practitioner, nursing administration, nursing education, etc, which you
can pursue after MSN. - The highest degree of the nursing level programs is doctorate level, i.e., PhD in nursing.
Special Nursing Programs
These programs are run by Hospitals at certain time intervals. In
these nursing programs, the staff nurses are allotted definite zip
codes and they have to take care of patients who are residents of the
same zip code.
Online Nursing Programs
Those of you who would like to engage in a nurse program, which has
no hassles of time or attending classes, can opt for the online
programs. The online programs for nursing are favored for their
flexible schedules and lower tuition fees when compared to other
standard nurse programs.
Nonetheless, before you decide to join any of the many nurse
programs, scrutinize things carefully in order to ensure a rewarding
career in nursing.