Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Kresgeville PA

How to Find the Right Nursing College near Kresgeville Pennsylvania

Kresgeville PA surgical nurse assisting surgeon Selecting the best nursing school near Kresgeville PA may feel like a complicated endeavor, particularly 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 proper education and training to become licensed. So it is essential that you research and assess the qualifications of each program you are considering before enrolling in your final selection. Unfortunately, too many prospective students base their selection solely on the cost of tuition and the distance of the school. Deciding on the least expensive school or the one that is nearest to your house is most likely not the most reliable way to choose a nursing program. There are a number of essential additional considerations to check into before you decide where to attend classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first go over what the role of a registered nurse is in our health system, along with the nursing degree alternatives that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Responsibilities

Kresgeville PA Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the most significant occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in numerous different medical settings, namely Kresgeville PA hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary duty is to aid doctors in the treatment of their patients. However, the exact duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise in addition to where they work. A few of the functions of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Observing patients
Performing physical examinations
Managing care
Managing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Educating patients and their families
Managing health records and charts

Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more high level job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), as an example, must hold a Master’s Degree and normally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat basic 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 attend an accredited school and program. A student can obtain a qualifying degree in just two years, or advance to earn a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short explanations of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Kresgeville PA area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a 2 year program made available by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare centers such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and afterwards attain a more advanced degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more expansive training than the ADN. It is typically a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their previous training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might wish 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 normally a two year program after receiving the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

Once 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. Further requirements for licensing can vary from state to state, so don’t forget to check with the Pennsylvania board of nursing for any state mandates.

LPN Programs

Kresgeville PA LPN assisting patient There are principally two academic accreditations available that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that can be completed in the shortest time period, normally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other choice is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with providing a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it needs to be Pennsylvania approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or another national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Courses

Unlike some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to attain a college degree. CNA education can be acquired at Kresgeville PA area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the instruction can take anywhere from just one to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are required to have at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which need to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Bear in mind that this is the minimum amount of instruction mandated and each state has its own prerequisites. So it’s important to make certain that the training program you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but additionally those for Pennsylvania 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 sure that the training is state certified. Along with the training, each state requires a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there might be other prerequisites as well.

Things to Ask Nursing Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Kresgeville PA Now that you have chosen which nursing program to enroll in, as well as if to attend your classes on campus near Kresgeville PA or on the web, you can use the following checklist to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges within Pennsylvania and the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other programs.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping verify that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Kresgeville PA for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for registered nurses vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) along with 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 important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Also, get in touch with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Kresgeville PA 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a good reputation within the Kresgeville PA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with Kresgeville PA hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the positioning of students in internships.

Nursing Online Classes

woman attending nursing school online in Kresgeville PA Enrolling in nursing colleges online is growing into a more popular way to receive training and attain a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and nearly all programs require a specified number of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical solution to finding the free time to attend classes for some Kresgeville PA students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your job and household obligations have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Kresgeville PA?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Kresgeville Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania Route 534

Pennsylvania Route 534 (PA 534) is an 23.5-mile-long (37.8 km) state highway located in Monroe and Carbon counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 940 in East Side. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 209 (US 209) in the community of Kresgeville in Polk Township. PA 534 runs northwest-southeast through forested areas of the Pocono Mountains as a two-lane undivided road. The route has an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) near East Side before it passes through Hickory Run State Park. PA 534 crosses PA 903 near Albrightsville and continues south to US 209. The roadway was paved in the 1930s and received the PA 534 designation in the 1960s.

PA 534 begins at an intersection with PA 940 on the border of East Side and Kidder Township in Carbon County, heading south on a two-lane undivided road. The route forms the border between East Side to the west and Kidder Township to the east, heading through a mix of fields and woods with some businesses as it comes to an interchange with I-80. The road heads into forested areas and passes to the east of a golf course as it fully enters Kidder Township, curving to the southwest. PA 534 reaches the community of Lehigh Tannery, turning to the southeast before continuing east into dense forests. The road heads into Hickory Run State Park and turns southeast before curving northeast and passing through Hickory Run. The route runs east through more forested areas of the state park, heading east-southeast and passing under I-476 (Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike).[2][3]

PA 534 leaves Hickory Run State Park and heads through more wooded areas with some farm fields and homes, passing through Albrightsville before passing to the south of the residential development of Holiday Pocono and intersecting PA 903. A short distance later, the road crosses into Penn Forest Township and turns southeast, running through more woodland with some farmland and residences. The route passes to the southeast of a lake before running through Meckesville and the wooded residential development of Indian Mountain Lake before turning south.[2][3]

Enroll in the Right Nursing Degree near Kresgeville PA

Kresgeville PA nursing student Choosing the right registered nursing program is arguably the most crucial step to starting a new career in the medical care industry. There are many factors that you must take into account when deciding on a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have pointed out in this content, it is important that you pick an RN school and a degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By using our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and desire to succeed, you can become a licensed RN in Kresgeville PA.