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What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?



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Feb 03, 2007 05:20 AM

What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?

by Geertje
Updated Feb 21, 2007 at 07:39 AM by NRSKarenRN

Hi, I hope that someone can help me with some information. I am doing my degree in health education and management, and I have an assignment to do where I have to compare the basic nursing education systems in america with those of african countries and I can't seem to find the info on the american systems. Can anyone tell me to look for that info. Many thanks geertje

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8 Comments
No. 1
from NRSKarenRN
Old Feb 03, 2007, 12:46 PM
Updated Feb 21, 2007 at 07:40 AM by NRSKarenRN

Default What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
RNs must first graduate from a nursing program to be eligible to take the nurse licensure examination. There are more than 1,500 nursing programs in the U.S.

Three types of nursing programs prepare you to assume different roles once you graduate:

Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN)
This is a four-year program, offered at colleges and universities. BSN graduates are prepared for leadership, management, and more independent nursing roles. Advancement opportunities are greatest for the BSN graduate. A BSN is required for advancement into a master's degree in nursing program. You can also enter nursing with an associate degree or a diploma.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
This is a two-year program (after pre-nursing courses are completed) offered at community and junior colleges. Some hospital schools of nursing, colleges and universities also offer ADN degrees.

Hospital Diploma
This is a two- to three-year nursing program based in hospital settings. Many diploma schools are affiliated with junior colleges where students take basic sciences and English requirements.
http://www.nursesource.org/nursing_careers.html


Occuptional Overview from US government: Registered nurses


Check out this series of articles:
Entry Into Practice: Is it Relevant Today?
http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/topic18/tpc18toc.htm


Good luck with your paper!
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No. 2
from Geertje
Old Feb 12, 2007, 06:52 AM

Default Re: basic nursing systems
Many thanks, i got the info that i needed
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No. 3
from marvelous_truth
Old Aug 01, 2007, 09:11 PM

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
It seems different schools have different pre requisites?

What advice is there for someone fresh into the nursing field?

What Pre Nursing education options are there?

I am considering home study of prereqs to test out on apptitude.
Any thoughts?

Aside from PRE REQS what are good first steps for working toward Associates or basicly just the RN liscence rather than the degree path?

Thank you

marvelous_truth
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No. 4
from stdavids365
Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:19 PM

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
Does it matter much where you get your degree from? From what I can find, it seems like the easiest (not easy...but fastest) way to get a bachelors degree is online.

Has anyone here gone this route? IS there a glaring disadvantage that i'm missing??

Here is a page of online RN-to-BSN courses I found:
collegeanduniversity.net/colleges-programs-states/index.cfm/go/online/program/nursing/

They don't tell you how much or how long the courses are, but I think you need to contact the schools yourself to get that kind of info.

Am I better off just taking a local program?
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No. 5
from HandyMom
Old Sep 29, 2008, 04:06 PM

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
I have done the distance education route to getting my BSN and it has taken me about 3 years. I would not say that it is quicker or easier. There is a lot of writing in these courses and the program I did was through a 4 year university. It mostly depends on what you can afford, how much time you have to commute to class and if you are motivated enough to set aside time each day to do homework research and write papers.There is required class participation in these courses so by no means is it to be looked at as easy. I chose this route because I could not work full time and go to a traditional classroom. This worked better for my needs.
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No. 6
from laurie01
Old Oct 24, 2008, 02:58 AM

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
Hello
I do not know if I am posting this to the correct area of the message forum. If I am in the wrong area I am sorry but I really need to ask this question. If I am going to school for my Associates in nursing at South University, this is a 2 year course the diploma would be an associates. Can I sit for the boards with this 2year associates. I do not want to waste money and time. I am doing this on line with my clinicals beiing done at the campus here in Tampa. I am so confused. I want to become an RN more than anything. I have to do this but I want to do it the right way can anyone tell me if this degree in Allied Health Science is the route that I need to be on. I have taken the innitiative to talk to the school about the BSN program as well. The school told me that I would have to take this Allied Health Science and then go for my BSN. That sounds crazy to me. I just want to practice Nursing. What should I do I am so confused. Myt student advsior is not helping at all. Please help me if you can
any suggestions would help.
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No. 7
from CuriousMe
Old Oct 24, 2008, 03:45 AM

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
Originally Posted by laurie01 View Post
Hello
I do not know if I am posting this to the correct area of the message forum. If I am in the wrong area I am sorry but I really need to ask this question. If I am going to school for my Associates in nursing at South University, this is a 2 year course the diploma would be an associates. Can I sit for the boards with this 2year associates. I do not want to waste money and time. I am doing this on line with my clinicals beiing done at the campus here in Tampa. I am so confused. I want to become an RN more than anything. I have to do this but I want to do it the right way can anyone tell me if this degree in Allied Health Science is the route that I need to be on. I have taken the innitiative to talk to the school about the BSN program as well. The school told me that I would have to take this Allied Health Science and then go for my BSN. That sounds crazy to me. I just want to practice Nursing. What should I do I am so confused. Myt student advsior is not helping at all. Please help me if you can
any suggestions would help.
Hi Laurie,

Unfortunately, each school does things a bit differently. The kind of information you're looking for (what you have to take before being accepted into a BSN program) is only available at the school you're looking to attend.

If you don't feel like you're getting quality information from your adviser, maybe you could make an appointment with a different adviser? Also, the School of Nursing generally has their own admissions department, maybe there's an adviser in the school of nursing that you can speak with?

I wish you the best of luck!

Peace,
CuriousMe
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No. 8
from AlbaSurf
Old Sep 29, 2009, 04:43 AM
Updated Sep 29, 2009 at 04:44 AM by AlbaSurf

Default Re: What are the educational pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse?
Originally Posted by laurie01 View Post
Hello
Can I sit for the boards with this 2year associates. I do not want to waste money and time. I am doing this on line with my clinicals beiing done at the campus here in Tampa. I am so confused. I want to become an RN more than anything. I have to do this but I want to do it the right way can anyone tell me if this degree in Allied Health Science is the route that I need to be on.
After looking at the university's webpage (http://online.southuniversity.edu/ac...th_science.asp) this is what it says. If you get the Associates in Allied Health Science, it would give you the prereqs to POSSIBLY get into the classes for your Bachelors of Science in Nursing, another two years, making four total before you would be able to sit for the NCLEX. You cannot sit for the NCLEX - RN boards with an Associates in Allied Health Science, you need an Associates in Nursing, which this university doesn't offer. It does offer, however, an RN-to-BSN program, which you could complete if you want to get your bachelors after already passing the NCLEX with your associates (presumably from another university).
I guess the main thing is - if you want to practice as an RN after two years of school, then this is the wrong program for you, because this school has it planned to be at least four years (Associates in Allied Health Science - 2 yrs, then Bachelors of Science in Nursing - 2 yrs)
Does that help at all?

AlbaSurf
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