Nursing Degrees

When people think of nursing degrees, they usually think of registered nurses (RNs), who are highly trained professionals critical to the delivery of care in hospitals and medical clinics nationwide.

There are different nursing degrees, and three paths to becoming an RN; the most common is earning a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The BSN consists of medical course work as well as training in leadership and communication skills. Nurses with a BSN more often rise into management positions and also find more opportunities within hospitals and doctors’ offices. Other opportunities include research, teaching or consulting positions. A second type of nursing degree is the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which take two to three years to complete at junior college or community college.

A third option for aspiring nurses is to enter a hospital diploma program, which provides training for entry-level or staff nursing positions in about three years. These programs are no longer commonplace but do remain a valid option.

For students who already possess a bachelor’s degree, there are accelerated nursing degree programs leading to a BSN that take just 12 to 18 months to earn. These nursing degrees allow students with ADNs or nursing diplomas to begin working toward a BSN while keeping their current job .

Nursing Degree Options

To work in nursing, one must first pursue a formal education. However, the level of education required is often determined by the student’s nursing specialization.

Many technical institutes, community colleges, and junior colleges offer technical registered nursing degrees. Upon graduation from these programs, the student earns his associate’s degree. Graduates with an associate’s degree are generally eligible to sit for the registered nurse licensure examination (RN). Once the exam is passed, the student is eligible for some entry-level and staff-nurse positions.

A BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) opens the door to many more nursing jobs than an associate’s degree in nursing. As a nurse’s education level increases, generally so will his salary, job security, and promotional opportunities. A BSN degree will also prepare a nurse for increased patient care responsibilities and give him greater autonomy on-the-job.

Many nursing schools offer graduate-level courses to increase a nursing professional’s advancement opportunities. There are currently over 60 master’s programs offered in nursing schools in the United States. The degrees offered in these programs vary from nursing administration and education, to clinical specializations in fields like geriatrics.

Some nursing schools also offer doctoral degree nursing programs. These programs are generally geared toward preparing nursing professionals to assume educational and leadership roles, and to advance in the profession.

Nursing Careers

Nursing professionals are in extremely high demand in most communities across the United States. In fact, over the last decade, billions of dollars were spent in an attempt to recruit people into nursing jobs . In the mid-2000s several published studies revealed a major nursing staff shortage in medical facilities throughout the country. The National Commission on Nursing Workforce for Long-Term Care’s reports a need for more than 118,000 registered nurses on any given day. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected the need for 1.2 million new and replacement nurses by the year 2014.

Nursing careers involve more than treating patients. Nurses also educate patients and their families, as well as the general public about medical care and treatment. Nurses also promote disease prevention and advocate living a healthy lifestyle.

It is usually the nurses, not the doctors, who oversee patient cases. Nurses provide the education and emotional support that patients and their families need during a time of illness or injury.

Medical advances have given rise to a wide array of nursing careers. Nurses can choose to work in a number of different specializations; for example, they can focus on a specific health concern, such as cancer. Another way to specialize is to concentrate on certain organs, for example cardiac care (heart). Alternatively, a nurse can focus on a certain patient group, like pediatrics (children), or geriatric care (elderly). Other nursing careers can specialize in the type of treatment rendered, like trauma care.