Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Shrub Oak NY

How to Find the Right Nursing College near Shrub Oak New York

Shrub Oak NY surgical nurse assisting surgeon Selecting the best nursing school near Shrub Oak NY may seem like a complex undertaking, especially if you aren’t sure what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already know, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to acquire the appropriate education and training to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you research and evaluate the qualifications of each school you are contemplating before enrolling in your ultimate choice. Regrettably, too many future students base their selection exclusively on the price of tuition and the distance of the school. Going with the least costly program or the one that is local to your residence is no doubt not the best way to choose a nursing program. There are several crucial additional things to check into before you determine where to enroll in classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first discuss what the function of a registered nurse is in our health system, along with the nursing degree alternatives that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Responsibilities

Shrub Oak NY Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the most extensive occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in a large number of different medical environments, namely Shrub Oak NY hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary job is to support doctors in the care of their patients. However, the specific duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or specialization along with where they work. A portion of the functions of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Overseeing patients
Performing physical examinations
Managing care
Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Informing patients and their families
Keeping health records and charts

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

Nursing Degrees

There is more than one degree option available 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 obtain a qualifying degree in just two years, or continue on to achieve a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief summaries of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Shrub Oak NY area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately earn a more advanced degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more comprehensive 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 past 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 job market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is usually a two year program after acquiring the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

When a graduating student has acquired one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) so as to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so be sure to contact the New York board of nursing for any state mandates.

LPN Programs

Shrub Oak NY LPN assisting patient There are essentially two scholastic credentials available that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd option is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from supplying a higher credential and more in-depth training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you seek, it should be New York approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the syllabus properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Training

In contrast to many other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not have to attain a college degree. CNA instruction can be acquired at Shrub Oak NY area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The duration of the instruction can take anywhere from 1 to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to receive at least 75 hours of training, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimal amount of instruction mandated and that each state has its specific prerequisites. So it’s essential to make certain that the program you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but likewise those for New York or the state where you will be practicing. One recommendation is to contact the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the training 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 might be other requirements as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Colleges

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Shrub Oak NY Once you have selected which nursing degree to pursue, as well as whether to attend your classes on campus near Shrub Oak NY or on the web, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout New York and the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier pointed out, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to evaluate how your pick measures up to the field.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program along with the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided in Shrub Oak NY for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses vary 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. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are attending not only provides a top-notch education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the reviews are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. In addition, get in touch with the New York school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Shrub Oak NY 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 colleges you are considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Shrub Oak NY medical community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students obtain employment.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Various states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing also. Find out if the schools have associations with Shrub Oak NY hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Online Nursing Classes

woman attending nursing school online in Shrub Oak NY Attending nursing programs online is becoming a more in demand way to get training and earn a nursing degree. Many schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a specific number of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical approach to finding the free time to attend classes for many Shrub Oak NY students. Regarding tuition, some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your work and family commitments have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Shrub Oak NY?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Shrub Oak New York 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.

New York State Route 132

New York State Route 132 (NY 132) is a 2.75-mile (4.43 km) state highway located entirely within the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. The route acts as a connector between the concurrency of U.S. Route 202 (US 202) and NY 35 in the south and US 6 in the hamlet of Shrub Oak in the north. When the route was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, it continued southeast to the hamlet of Katonah. It was cut back to its current southern terminus in the early 1940s and extended one block northward to its present length between 1968 and 1973.

NY 132 begins at an intersection with the concurrency of US 202 and NY 35 in front of Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in the town of Yorktown. NY 132 proceeds north along Old Yorktown Road, crossing through a residential section of Yorktown. After passing a junction with Meadowcrest Drive, the route takes a turn to the northwest then returns to its northerly progression near Strang Boulevard. Remaining a two-lane residential street through Yorktown, NY 132 passes Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School and turns northwest once again towards more homes and into a partial diamond interchange with the Taconic State Parkway. At this interchange, there is no access from NY 132 to the northbound Taconic, and no access from the southbound Taconic to NY 132.[3]

A short distance northwest of the interchange, NY 132 reaches a junction with the eastern end of East Main Street (unsigned County Route 1309 (CR 1309)). Two blocks north of East Main Street, NY 132 enters a junction with US 6 in the hamlet of Shrub Oak. This junction marks the northern terminus of NY 132, whose right-of-way continues north through Yorktown as Barger Street, connecting to the Putnam County line.[3]

Enroll in the Right Nursing School near Shrub Oak NY

Shrub Oak NY nursing student Deciding on the ideal registered nursing college is perhaps the most important step to launching a new career in the health care field. There are numerous variables that you need to consider when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have pointed out in this article, it is essential that you select an RN school and a degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become a licensed RN in Shrub Oak NY.