Category Archives: Iowa

Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN – Wayland IA

How to Choose a Nursing Program near Wayland Iowa

Wayland IA surgical nurse assisting surgeonSearching for the best nursing school near Wayland IA may seem like a difficult endeavor, particularly if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may presently understand, to practice as a registered nurse, you need to obtain the proper education and training to become licensed. So it is critically important that you study and measure the qualifications of each program you are thinking about before enrolling in your final choice. Unfortunately, too many prospective students base their decision exclusively on the price of tuition and the proximity of the school. Picking the least costly program or the one that is nearest to your residence is probably not the most reliable way to decide on a nursing program. There are a number of key additional factors to check out before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first go over what the function of a registered nurse is in our health system, as well as the nursing degree alternatives that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Activities

Wayland IA Neonatal Nurse with babyRegistered nurses are the largest occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, such as Wayland IA hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic role is to support doctors in the treatment of their patients. Having said that, the particular duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or area of expertise in addition to where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

  • Administering medications
  • Monitoring patients
  • Performing physical examinations
  • Coordinating 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 responsibilities. 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 common illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There is more than one degree option 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 achieve a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some brief explanations of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Wayland IA 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 position in nursing in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many utilize the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately earn a higher degree.
  • Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more comprehensive training than the ADN. It is typically a four 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 may want 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 2 year program after attaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.

Once a graduating student has received one of the above degrees, he or she must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so make sure to contact the Iowa board of nursing for any state requirements.

LPN Programs

Wayland IA LPN assisting patientThere are generally two scholastic accreditations available that provide instruction to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time frame, generally about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd 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 advantage of Associate Degrees, along with supplying a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it should be Iowa approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the core curriculum adequately 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 need to obtain a college degree. CNA instruction can be acquired at Wayland IA area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the training program can take anywhere from 1 to three months, leading to either a certificate or a diploma. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to obtain 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 period of training required and that each state has its specific prerequisites. So it’s essential to make sure that the training program you enroll in not only fulfills the federal requirements, but likewise those for Iowa 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 certified. 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 prerequisites as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Degree Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Wayland IANow that you have chosen which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Wayland IA or online, you can use the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges within Iowa and the United States. So it is necessary to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already mentioned, the location of the school and the price of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate selection, use the following questions to see how your pick measures up to the other schools.

  • 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 agency. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available in Wayland IA for non-accredited schools.
  • Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing.
  • Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the assessments are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Wayland IA 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 finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were unhappy 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 favorable reputation within the Wayland IA medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students attain employment.
  • Internship Programs. The best way to get experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Wayland IA hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Nursing Online Schools

woman attending nursing school online in Wayland IAEnrolling in nursing schools online is emerging as a more popular way to obtain training and earn a nursing degree. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs call for a specified amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more convenient approach to finding the free time to attend school for many Wayland IA students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even additional 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 like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with very little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Wayland IA?

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

Wayland, Iowa

Wayland is a city in Jefferson Township, Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 966 at the 2010 census. Wayland was originally known as Crooked Creek. Crooked Creek became a voting precinct October 5, 1840. The first burial is given to John Bullock in 1838. He came as a surveyor to this region in 1837. The need to establish a post office followed. Rufus M. Pickell, one of the local leaders, was appointed on February 3, 1843, postmaster for the land East of the Skunk River and South of Crooked Creek. Pickell was also a blacksmith by trade. Establishing a church followed, so the little log cabin Methodist Church was built in 1844. From 1851 to 1880 the town was known as Marshall.[4] Christian Roth Sr. erected a brewery on his homestead in 1856, which was completed at a cost of over $4,000. Until its closing by laws passed in 1884, it had done a prosperous business and had a capacity of 10 barrels a day. Confusion over the name Marshall, Henry County and Marshalltown, Iowa, especially with mail getting mixed, required in 1879 a change in the smaller town relinquishing its name and taking up a new one in 1880. In the 1879 Henry County History book the following names can be found in Jefferson Township: Burrows, Clifton, Cook, Davies, Everts, Farmer, Hull, Jessup, Johnson, Manning, Mathews, Moore, Noble, Ressel, Sayles, Shively, Turney, Walker, Wallbank, Wiggins, and Williams.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 966 people, 396 households, and 268 families residing in the city. The population density was 956.4 inhabitants per square mile (369.3/km2). There were 417 housing units at an average density of 412.9 per square mile (159.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 396 households of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.85.

Select the Right Nursing School near Wayland IA

Wayland IA nursing studentDeciding on the ideal registered nursing program is perhaps the most important first step to beginning a new career in the medical care industry. There are many variables that you should consider when picking a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have highlighted in this post, it is important that you choose an RN college and a degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the health care community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a licensed RN in Wayland IA.

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