Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Swea City IA

How to Pick a Nursing School near Swea City Iowa

Swea City IA surgical nurse assisting surgeon Choosing the right nursing college near Swea City IA may seem like a complicated endeavor, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the necessary education and training to become licensed. So it is essential that you research and determine the qualifications of each program you are contemplating before enrolling in your final selection. The fact is, too many prospective students base their decision entirely on the price of tuition and the nearness of the school. Going with the least costly school or the one that is closest to your house is undoubtedly not the best way to select a nursing program. There are many crucial additional things to check out before you determine where to attend classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first review what the function of a registered nurse is in our healthcare system, together with the nursing degree options that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Duties

Swea City IA Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the largest occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical environments, such as Swea City IA hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general job is to aid doctors in the care of their patients. However, the specific duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or area of expertise in addition to where they work. A few of the duties of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Monitoring patients
Conducting physical examinations
Coordinating care
Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Instructing patients and their families
Keeping 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 common illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There are several degree options available to become a registered nurse. And to become an RN, a student must enroll in an accredited school and program. A student can receive a qualifying degree in as little as two years, or continue on to attain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief descriptions of the nursing degrees that are available in the Swea City IA area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is generally a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many utilize the ADN as an entry into nursing and afterwards achieve a more advanced degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more comprehensive training than the ADN. It is normally a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be eligible to complete an accelerated program based on their prior training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might desire to advance to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job 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 example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

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

LVN and LPN Courses

Swea City IA LPN assisting patient There are principally two scholastic credentials offered that provide instruction to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be completed in the shortest amount of time, usually about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The next option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and typically require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, besides supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it should be Iowa approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Diplomas

In contrast to many other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not have to attain a college degree. CNA training can be acquired at Swea City IA area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the instruction can take anywhere from one to 3 months, leading to either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to have at least 75 hours of training, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Bear in mind that this is the minimum period of training required and that every state has its specific prerequisites. So it’s crucial to make certain that the training program you enroll in not only meets the federal requirements, but also those for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing. One tip is to get in touch with the health or nursing board for your state to make certain that the education is state approved. As well as the training, each state requires a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there can be other requirements as well.

What to Ask Nursing Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Swea City IA Now that you have selected which nursing degree to enroll in, and whether to attend your classes on campus near Swea City IA or on the web, you can use the following pointers to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within Iowa and the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a manageable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the first two things that you will look at. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the field.

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 recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping make sure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Swea City IA for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also preps you to meet the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Look at online rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Swea City IA healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the RN schools you are considering 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 imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a favorable reputation within the Swea City IA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain a position.
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 certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with Swea City IA hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Nursing Online Schools

woman attending nursing school online in Swea City IA Attending nursing colleges online is emerging as a more preferred way to receive training and earn a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and nearly all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare facility. But since the remainder of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend college for many Swea City IA students. Concerning tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. So if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Swea City IA?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Swea City Iowa 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.

Swea City, Iowa

Swea City was platted in 1892; it was then called Reynolds. In February 1893, the name was officially changed to Swea City.[4] Swea City was petitioned for incorporation on December 11, 1894 with a population of 161. Several objections were filed with the reasons for objection listed as, "One, the judges of the election administered the oath to themselves swearing in each other; and Two, the words 'for incorporation' were written on one ballot while 'against corporation' was written on another ballot." It was implied that the choice needed to be available on a single ballot in order to be valid. Later a second petition was filed this time on April 19, 1895 and the election was held at a schoolhouse. Each ballot had "For incorporation" and "Against incorporation" printed on them. The vote was 34 in favor of incorporation and 1 against, and the city was incorporated.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 536 people, 258 households, and 147 families residing in the city. The population density was 724.3 inhabitants per square mile (279.7/km2). There were 314 housing units at an average density of 424.3 per square mile (163.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 0.9% African American, 0.4% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 258 households of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.72.

Select the Right Nursing College near Swea City IA

Swea City IA nursing student Choosing the ideal registered nursing school is potentially the most crucial first step to starting a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of aspects that you must consider when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have stressed within this post, it is critical that you select an RN school and a degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a licensed RN in Swea City IA.