RN Training Tips

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How do you determine what nursing training at South University is right for you?

What RN Training at South University Online is Right for You?

If you are an RN looking to pursue your education at South University Online, you will need to decide which program is right for you. Here are the options:

Are you an RN with an associate's degree or a nursing diploma? If so, South University Online's RN to BSN training program is the choice for you. You can earn your BSN degree, and you can qualify for credits with previous classroom experience as well as previous work experience.

Are you a BSN? If you have earned your BSN, you will want to look at South University Online's MSN program. Their MSN program allows you to learn about cutting-edge trends in nursing, nursing education, and nursing management in order to further your career.

   
How do you determine what nursing training is right for you?

Finding RN Training That's Right For You

When you have decided to either break into the field of nursing or continue your nursing education, you will face more than a few decisions. Two of these decisions are: how to find nursing training, and which training program is right for you. The following guidelines will help with both of these particular decisions:

• What kind of training are you looking for? Decide if you want to be a nurse's aide, LVN/LPN, or RN, in order to narrow down your search for the right nursing training program.

• What's online? Go to your favorite search engine and find schools that offer the program you've chosen. Narrow down your search by restricting by geographical region or type of program (online or traditional).

• What do schools offer? When you identify some schools that may work for you, see if they offer flexible schedules, online options for study, or accelerated programs. All three of these points will be important to you if you need to begin working as soon as possible or you need to keep your job while going to school.

• Is the school accredited? Make sure that the school you're interested in has a valid accreditation, or it could delay you getting your nursing license.

   
What kind of RN training should you pursue?

Deciding What RN Training to Pursue

If you are interested in becoming a nurse or expanding your nursing skills, you need to decide how you want to go about it. The following questions may help you decide what RN training you need to pursue:

• Do you need to maximize your earning potential? If you need to get a nursing job ASAP, consider starting training to become a nurse's aide or an LPN/LVN (licensed practical/vocational nurse). Most of these programs can be completed in about a year and you'll be able to get a job directly after.

• How much schooling do you already have? If you are already an LVN/LPN or nurse's aide, maybe going to a community college and getting your associate's degree in nursing would be an appropriate choice. If you already have an associate's degree, consider enrolling in a RN to BSN completion program.

• How flexible is your schedule? If you need to keep working and don't know if a traditional classroom setting will be appropriate for your learning, consider enrolling in an online program.

   
What are options for places for RN training?

RN Training

If you are a RN interested in furthering your education, you have a few options for RN training at South University Online. Your options are:

  • RN to BSN completion program. You can get your BSN degree from South University Online if you are a RN with an associate's degree or a diploma in nursing. You can complete your training in as little as 1 ½ years with accelerated programs, and all classes are offered online.

  • MSN program. South University Online now offers a MSN program for BSNs who want to further their education. You can take accelerated courses and work at your own pace with South University's exclusively online program.

   
What kind of training is available to complete your BSN?

RN Training: RN to BSN Degree

If you are an RN but only have an associate's degree in nursing, you may be interested in enrolling in an RN to BSN completion program. This RN training will expand your career choices and allow you to advance from your current position. RN to BSN completion programs are designed to work with RNs who are already working, so they are usually flexible and affordable.

You can often receive credit for classes you took while earning your associate's degree, and you may also be able to receive credit for your work experience. Most hospitals will hire RNs with associate's degrees, but prefer RNs with BSN degrees. In order to advance in your career and be able to move ahead, a RN to BSN completion program may be a good option for you.

   
What is the history of RN training?

The History of RN Training

In the past, nurses were usually trained as apprentices, and often in religious settings, such as convents. Florence Nightingale, perhaps one of the most famous nurses, set up the first nurse training school in London, at St. Thomas's Hospital, in 1860.

Other nurses, namely Ethel Bedford-Fenwick, piloted the movement to require licensing for nurses and to shift nursing training from the hospital to the university. In the United States, nursing training has almost always been housed in universities, as it is currently.

Recently, a nursing shortage has made nursing a lucrative and flexible profession for those who are properly trained. More men are also entering nursing as a profession, though there has always been some contingent of male nurses, especially in psychiatric care facilities.

   
How do you become an LPN/LVN?

Training for LPN/LVN

If you are interested in breaking in to the field of nursing and want to work in a hospital environment, nursing training to be an LPN/LVN may be a good option for you. LPN/LVNs, licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses, are given licenses for basic nursing.

Each state has different requirements for their LPN/LVNs (hence the different names), but in general, to become an LPN/LVN, you must complete a one-year training program. The training program can be completed at a hospital, vocational/technical school, or community college.

After your training is complete, you can sit for a test called the NCLEX-PN, which tests both your knowledge and clinical skills. If you meet all requirements, you will be granted your LPN/LVN license. With this license, you can work in a hospital, but always under the direction of an RN or physician.

   
How does online RN training work?

About RN Training Online

At South University Online, you can complete your classroom training for your RN to BSN completion program online, and your classroom training for your MSN online as well. South University's program is exclusively online, with all classes delivered via the web. Their flexible scheduling allows you to study and work from the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule.

South University Online's RN training programs are excellent choices if you are already a nurse and would like to continue your education, but you need to keep your full-time job. You can schedule your classes and study time around when you have to be at work. South University's programs are also good options if you don't have an RN program close to you, but do not wish to relocate.

South University Online endeavors to provide all the support their students need, both technical and educational, via e-mail, bulletin board systems, and chat systems. You can interact with technical support, professors, and other students via communication technology.

   
What kinds of jobs can you get with RN training?

Jobs You Can Get As A Result of RN Training

Once you have completed your RN training, the next question on all nurse's minds is: where will I work? Here is a quick guide to the types of jobs you can get with different kinds of nurse training.

- Nurse's Aide. Nurse's aides work primarily in long-term care facilities such as psychiatric centers or nursing homes, attending to the residents and patients.

- LVN/LPNs. With an LPN or LVN certification, you can work in a hospital, a long-term care facility, or in home health care. In hospitals, you will be expected to provide basic bedside care, give injections, monitor equipment, and the like. In home health care, you may be expected to provide basic nursing care and nutritional aid.

- RN. RNs with four-year BSN degrees have the most flexibility of all nurses. With an BSN, you can work any parts of a hospital, a long-term care facility, in home health care, or any of the myriad other places nurses work. You could even choose to work in a school system, on a cruise ship, or in a doctor's office.

   
What kinds of specialty RN training are available?

Specialty RN Training

When completing your RN training, you may need to decide if you want to specialize in any one area of health care. This decision is usually relevant to RNs who are earning their BSN degrees. Here is a partial list of nursing specialties you may want to focus on:

- Critical care. You may want to specialize in critical care, which will enable you to work in a hospital or other critical care unit. Focus is on care of the patient and the families, up-to-date equipment, and decision making abilities.

- Surgical care. Surgical care training will prepare to you work with surgeons or in recovery units in hospitals. Focus is on wound care, codes, and patient care.

- Oncology care. Some nurses may choose to specialize in oncology care, which will help them to work with cancer patients. Focus is on oncology doses and treatments, in addition to administering treatment and cardiac and respiratory assessment.

- Cardiac care. Cardiac care nurses work with heart patients and their families, and focus is similar to the critical care area in addition to cardiac-specific issues.

   
How do you train to become a nurse’s aide?

Training To Be A Nurse's Aide

If you have no nursing training currently but are interested in breaking into the field, a good short-term option may be to become a nurse's aide. Nurse's aides are defined as people who provide care to patients in a long-term care facility, but are not doctors, RNs, dieticians, or volunteers. In order to become a nurse's aide, check with the state you live in to see what the requirements are for certified nurse's aides.

Most states, however, will require a program of study that lasts about a year and applicants to pass a knowledge test and a skills test before they can receive their license. Nurse's aides engage in rewarding and stimulating work in nursing homes, psychiatric wards, and in home health care. Becoming a nurse's aide can provide a good basis for later becoming an RN.

   
How does online RN training work?

Online RN Training

You can complete most of your RN training for your BSN online, and most of the training for your MSN online as well. Many schools offer RN to BSN online programs, allowing you to study and work from the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule, earning your bachelor of science in nursing on your own time.

Online RN training is an excellent choice for those nurses who already have a job and want to keep working; you can schedule your classes and study time around when you have to be at work. It's also a good option for those who don't have an RN program close to them, but do not wish to relocate.

Schools that provide online RN to BSN and MSN programs will offer technical support to their students to make their studying as easy as possible, and will also make every effort to help students interact with one another and with professors via technology.

   
What kind of training is available at South University Online for associates' and diploma RNs?

RN Training for Associate's and Diploma RNs

If you already have your RN license with a nursing diploma or an associate's degree, consider enrolling in South University Online's RN to BSN completion program.

With South University's exclusively online program, you can earn your BSN in as little as 1 ½ years with accelerated courses and transfer credit for previous education and work experience. You'll learn about such topics as palliative care, complementary and alternative medicine, nursing management, and patient teaching skills.

By earning your BSN, you will expand your career potential and also expand your nursing skills. You will be able to better care for your patients with your newfound skills and knowledge, and will be more valuable to an employer.

   
What kind of management training is available for RNs?

Training for Management RNs

If you are already an RN and looking to move into nursing or hospital management, you have a few options for training. Management training and seminars. There are various training seminars and training sessions available to working RNs to help you develop your management skills and decision making abilities.

The benefit of attending these kinds of training sessions is that they are usually short (1-2 days to a week) and relatively inexpensive. MSN. The other option for RNs who wish to move into management is to earn your MSN, Master of Science in Nursing, degree. This degree will allow you to move easily into management and hone the knowledge and skills necessary for a good manager. MSN degrees are available both in traditional classroom settings and online.

   
What are options for places for RN training?

About RN Training and RN Training Schools

If you are interested in becoming a nurse or furthering your nursing career, you have several options for places and ways to study. Here is a list of some of your options: Vocational school or adult education programs. If you're interested in becoming a nurse's aide or an LPN/LVN (licensed vocational or practical nurse), you can attend a one-year vocational school or a program at an adult education center. These options for nurses are usually quick, flexible, and cost-effective.

-Junior or community college. If you choose to become an RN with an associate's degree, you can attend a junior college or a community college to complete your coursework. Usually, your RN training will be finished in about two years.

-State or Private University. If you want to become an RN with a BSN (bachelor of science in nursing), you will need to attend a state or private university to finish you schooling. If you would like to earn your MSN (Master of Science in Nursing), a state or private university is also the place for you.

-Online programs. Many schools offer online programs to allow you to complete your RN to BSN degree or MSN degree.

   
What kind of training is available to complete your BSN?

About Training with a RN to BSN Degree

If you are an RN with an associate's degree in nursing, South University Online's RN to BSN completion program is for you. Your BSN degree from South University Online will help you to expand your career choices and allow you to advance from your current position.

South University's RN to BSN completion program is designed for RNs who are already working, so it is flexible and affordable. You can receive credit for classes you took while earning your associate's degree and you may also be able to receive up to 45 credit hours for your previous RN work experience.

In order to advance in your career and be able to move ahead, the South University 's RN to BSN completion program is a logical choice.

   
What kind of management training is available for RNs?

RN Management Training

If you want to move into management and you already have your BSN, a MSN from South University Online is a good choice for you.

A MSN degree from South University online will allow you to move easily into nursing management, by expanding your decision making and management skills. You can learn exclusively online, making the program flexible and accommodating to your schedule.

Most hospitals and care facilities will require their management nurses to have a MSN degree; if this is where you want your career to go, consider South University Online's MSN program.

   
What kinds of specialty RN training are available?

RN Training in Specialties

When completing your RN training at South University Online, either in the RN to BSN completion program or the MSN program, you will be able to choose a nursing specialty to focus on. Here are some options for different specialties that may be of interest to you:

Critical care. If you specialize in critical care, you can work in a hospital or other critical care unit. With critical care, you can focus is on the care of the patient and their families, understanding up-to-date equipment, and improving your decision making abilities.

Surgical care. Surgical care training is a good choice if you are interested in working in operating rooms or recovery units. You will learn about codes, wound care, and patient care.

Oncology care. If you have an interest in working with cancer patients, oncology care is for you. You will learn about oncology doses and treatments, and you will learn how to administer treatment and cardiac and respiratory assessment.

   
How do you become an RN educator?

RN Training: Becoming an RN Educator

If you are interested in breaking into the RN education field, a MSN from South University Online is a good way to start.

At South University Online, you will learn about designing curricula for nurses, designing teaching plans, and about multicultural educational needs. By focusing on current trends in the nursing field, you will be ready and able to train other RNs for effective nursing work.

The MSN program at South University Online is offered completely via the web; there is no residency requirement and you never have to come to campus. You can schedule classes at your convenience and work on your own schedule, making the program flexible and attainable.

   
What kind of RN training should you pursue at South University Online?

Different RN Training Programs to Pursue at South University Online

If you want to continue your education at South University Online, you have two different online choices available to you:

RN to BSN completion program. The RN to BSN completion program at South University Online is designed for nurses who have an associate's degree or a nursing diploma, but want to earn their BSN. A BSN is a career boost, as many hospitals and other medical facilities prefer to hire and promote nurses who have a BSN.

MSN program. If you already have your BSN, you can choose to continue your education with South University Online's MSN program. You can further your career by learning about such topics as nursing education and nursing management with the MSN program.

   
What is the history of RN training?

RN Training's History

Historically, nurses were trained as apprentices in religious settings like convents. The first nurse training school was set up by Florence Nightingale in 1860 in London, at St. Thomas's Hospital.

Eventually, nurses were required to earn licenses, and the location for nursing training shifted from the hospital to the university. In the United States, nursing training has almost always been housed in universities, as it is currently.

In America today, nursing is a lucrative and flexible profession because of the current nursing shortage. Although there have always been male nurses (especially in psychiatric care facilities), more men are currently entering nursing as a profession.

A current trend with nursing training is schools making their coursework available online, allowing more flexibility and convenience for their students. South University Online offers a BSN degree with a RN to BSN completion program and a MSN degree completely online, affording you flexible, programs for customized schedules and work-at-home opportunities.

   
What kinds of jobs can you get with RN training?

RN Training and Jobs

Once you have completed your RN training at South University Online, you will want to know what kind of jobs your new degree will help you get.

RN to BSN. When you earn your BSN, you can work at all the same places you worked as an associate's RN, but you can expect to be promoted or moved more easily. Many hospitals prefer for their upper-level RNs to have their BSN rather than an associate's degree, so your BSN will allow you to move up the nursing ranks.

MSN. After completing your MSN at South University Online, you can expect to get jobs in the nursing or health care management field, or in the nursing education field. You newfound skills will help you in the management of other nurses, and in training others to become nurses.

   
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