different between US and Asia Nursing education ?

[Hsiang Han Hsu]

Hey everyone. I'm a student of a university's nursing department in Taiwan. I'm wondering about the differentiation of nursing education between both sides. Nursing students here at Taiwan can be divided to two categories.

One is call "護專", they start learning nursing skills since their fifteen. What they learn are just like what NAs do in the US. They didn't learn many of science, Because they don't entered senior high. They have to study at less five years in 護專 to get the permission of taking the test to get the nurse license.

The other, like me, go to the nursing department of university. We learn more professional medical knowledge, including Anatomy, Pharmacology and so on. But less nursing skill practice than students of 護專, but it's totally enough. We won't go to the hospital until the second semester of the second grade. After graduation, we can take test and go to work at a hospital, but what we do were just like those nurses graduated from 護專. The only different is the salary. We got more.

How about US?

Did US student go to the hospital when they enter nursing school?

Please tell me as many as possible~

I hope there will be a day for me to go to the America to study nursing.:)

[Streamline2010]

I'm still a nursing student, so I cannot offer you the most complete answer. But here is what I believe is the general overview of USA:

Most people here in the USA don't get much actual vocational training in high school. As far as I know, all nursing programs, whether registered nurse or licensed practical / vocational nurse (LPN), are postsecondary education and are open to ages 18 and up. But I could be wrong about that. Some students start their college prerequisite courses while still in high school, in their senior year. But I don't think that anyone starts actual nursing training at younger than age 18.

Colleges and universities offer associate degree RN (2-3 years) and baccalaureate degree RN (4-5 years). The LPN programs are typically 12 months (but could be 18-24 months of part-time study) and just require a high school diploma or a GED, which is a high school equivalency you can get by passing a specific examination.

There are also hospital-based RN programs that require essentially the same amount of college an an associate degree RN program. These hospital programs are called diploma RN programs, and they last 18 to 28 months, on average, depending on whether you must complete all of the college work before you start, or you do it while also taking the nursing courses at the hospital.

All nursing programs with few exceptions give you clinical experiences in a variety of settings. The hospital-based diploma RN programs use their own hospital facilities. Community colleges and other colleges may or may not have a great amount of hospital training. Universities that have medical schools have teaching hospitals.

How soon they start you on clinicals depends on the school. Most will start Nursing I students on the nurse-aid activities like bathing, linen changes, then also give then some med-surg or long-term care experiences. The structure and sequencing of of nursing training for RN can vary quite a bit, but the LPN programs seem to all follow the same general pattern of "block curriculum," i.e. are pretty standardized in content and sequence. LPNs learn how to do tasks, so LPN is very hands-on training and less patient assessment that RN students receive, usually.

Nurse-aide is a very short-term training in basic skills. A nurse-aide (CNA) is not a nurse. I believe one has to also be 18 or older to become a CNA. There are specific training programs that you pay a fee for, and then take the exam. Some nursing homes also offer CNA training as an apprenticeship program that pays you a wage while you train, then you take the state exam to become certified.

For LPN or RN, the student must pay for that education. Only CNA can be done like an apprenticeship.

[Hsiang Han Hsu]

does it mean that different degree learn different thing's, and has different task?

WOW!! So it means some kinds of nurse in Taiwan is not actually a nurse in America?

[BetterMeRN]

Some juniors in high school (age 16-17) can begin taking LPN courses and can graduate with a dipolma in Practical Nursing and can start working as an LPN upon passing the boards. So, by the time the graduate reaches age 18 they can hold pretty good jobs and a nice salary.

[Hsiang Han Hsu]

First, thank you for the reply. ^_^

And what's the different between LPN and RN?

Does thy have many differentiation in work?

Is there any degree limit to get the license?

[ddunnrn]

Ni Hao!

There is another issue that the other writers did not mention--each state has slightly different rules and requirements. In some of the states, you can move to another state and transfer your license easily; in other states it is not as easy.

The main difference between LPN and RN is level of education. Also there is really only one kind of LPN school, but as one of the other writers said, there are several kinds of RN schools. I, myself, went to a diploma school, which gives the most direct patient experience. The Associates and Bachelor's degree nurses get college level science and "liberal arts" courses added on.

RN's can do more than LPN's, related to doing IV meds, assessments, and supervising. However, there are many LPN's here that are much better nurses than some RN's.

To get an LPN or RN license, you have to have completed education in an approved school, and pass the national licensing exam. There are ways for foreign nurses to transfer here, but I don't know that much about it.

Your English writing is very good, much better than my Chinese would be, but I am trying to learn a little here and there.

Dave Dunn, RN

[email protected]

[Hsiang Han Hsu]

Thank you for you all to give me such useful informations. I sincerely appreciate all of you.

Thank you for your compliment, Dave. :)

Perhaps you can add me as your friend. :)

That will be awesome!