Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Richton Park IL

How to Enroll In a Nursing Program near Richton Park Illinois

Richton Park IL surgical nurse assisting surgeon Choosing the best nursing school near Richton Park IL may feel like a formidable undertaking, particularly if you don’t know what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to acquire the necessary education and training to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you research and determine the qualifications of each college you are considering before enrolling in your final selection. Unfortunately, too many future students base their decision solely on the price of tuition and the nearness of the school. Picking the least costly college or the one that is nearest to your home is most likely not the best way to pick a nursing program. There are a number of important additional considerations to investigate before you make a decision where to enroll in classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first review what the function of a registered nurse is in our health system, together with the nursing degree choices that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Duties

Richton Park IL Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical settings, such as Richton Park IL hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general job is to help doctors in the care of their patients. However, the exact duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization in addition to where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

Administering medications
Overseeing patients
Conducting physical examinations
Coordinating care
Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Instructing patients and their families
Maintaining health records and charts

Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more high level job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for instance, must hold a Master’s Degree and generally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can administer primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat basic illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There are multiple degrees offered to become a registered nurse. And in order to become an RN, a student must enroll in an accredited school and program. A student can receive a qualifying degree in just two years, or continue on to obtain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some short descriptions of the nursing degrees that are available in the Richton Park IL area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is commonly a two year program offered by community colleges. It readies graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately earn a higher degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more expansive training than the ADN. It is commonly a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their prior training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may want to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the employment market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is usually a 2 year program after obtaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.

When a graduating student has earned one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing change from state to state, so don’t forget to contact the Illinois board of nursing for any state mandates.

LVN and LPN Courses

Richton Park IL LPN assisting patient There are basically two scholastic accreditations offered that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time period, generally about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are broader in nature than the diploma option and typically require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to providing a higher credential and more extensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be Illinois approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Courses

Unlike some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not have to attain a college degree. CNA training can be obtained at Richton Park IL area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The duration of the training program can take anywhere from just one to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are required to receive at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimum period of training mandated and that each state has its own requirements. So it’s necessary to make sure that the program you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but additionally those for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing. One recommendation is to get in touch with the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the training is state approved. In addition to the training, each state requires a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there may be other requirements as well.

Things to Ask Nursing Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Richton Park IL Now that you have decided on which nursing degree to enroll in, as well as if to attend your classes on campus near Richton Park IL or online, you can utilize the following checklist to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges throughout Illinois and the United States. So it is necessary to decrease the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school along with the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the other schools.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program as well as the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Richton Park IL for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Visit internet rating companies to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, check with the Illinois school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Richton Park IL healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgments are of the schools as well.
Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the RN programs you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the Richton Park IL medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to assist students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing also. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Richton Park IL hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.

Online Nursing Programs

woman attending nursing school online in Richton Park IL Attending nursing schools online is growing into a more popular way to obtain training and acquire a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more accommodating solution to finding the free time to attend school for many Richton Park IL students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your job and household responsibilities have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Richton Park IL?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Richton Park Illinois area. If that is the case, then the following information may prove to be both educational and useful regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Richton Park, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Richton Park has a total area of 3.992 square miles (10.34 km2), of which 3.98 square miles (10.31 km2) (or 99.7%) is land and 0.012 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.3%) is water.[6] It is bordered by Matteson to the north, Olympia Fields to the northeast, Park Forest to the east, University Park to the south and Frankfort to the west.

As of the 2010 census,[8] there were 13,646 people, 5,391 households, and 2.54 persons living per household. The population density was 3,426.9 people per square mile (1,435.9/km²) according to 2010 census. There were 4,730 housing units at an average density of 1,401.9 per square mile (541.9/km²) in 2000. By 2010, the racial makeup of the village was 82.4% African American, 12.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

According to 2000 census data, there were 4,578 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.25. Between 2010 and 2014, there were 5,304 households, with an estimated 60.8% ownership rate.

Choose the Right Nursing Degree near Richton Park IL

Richton Park IL nursing student Selecting the right registered nursing college is arguably the most critical phase to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of factors that you should take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have emphasized in this article, it is essential that you select an RN college and a degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Richton Park IL.