In the healthcare field, employers tend to favor their most educated applicants in the hiring process. That means your best chance of getting hired as a registered nurse (RN) is to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Although you can become an RN with just an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree will help you stand out in a field of other highly qualified applicants.
The healthcare field is growing rapidly and there aren’t enough people to fill all of the jobs out there. With a field that wide open, there is plenty of opportunity for you to launch a career as a registered nurse (RN). It only takes two years to complete an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), which will prepare you for the NCLEX-RN national licensure exam. After you complete the ADN and pass the exam, you’re ready to start nursing.
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) often provide for their patients’ basic everyday needs, but they have more responsibility for their patients’ medical care than nursing assistants. As an LPN, you might help a patient eat, bathe, or get dressed, but you would also perform tasks like changing bandages, checking vitals, administering medication, and drawing blood.
If you’re aspiring to go back to nursing school, you may be wondering how to pay for it. College tuition is already expensive, and that isn’t the only cost you have to consider. There are also the costs of the application process, other registration fees, textbooks and supplies, and of course your personal living expenses.
Unlike public schools, private colleges and universities are not subsidized by the government, which means they are often more expensive. However, they are frequently viewed as more prestigious, offer a number of advantages that public universities do not, and often make up for their higher tuitions by offering scholarships and financial aid.
If you want to pursue a degree in nursing, you should consider attending a public college or university. Public colleges and universities are traditional schools that are subsidized by the government, meaning that in-state students will pay lower tuition. Thus, public schools have several advantages over private schools, especially for in-state students.
Nursing can be a great career choice for anyone interested in healthcare because there are different career paths within the profession to accommodate people with different financial resources, time constraints, and levels of education. From the quickest and least expensive nursing assistant programs to the time-intensive and expensive registered nurse programs, there is surely a nursing program to accommodate your individual needs and aspirations.
Nursing assistant
There are three basic types of careers within the nursing field: certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered nurses (RNs). If you are looking to launch a healthcare career in Wichita, one of these positions could suit you well.
CNAs provide for their patients' most basic care, assisting them with everyday needs such as eating, showering, and getting dressed. To become a CNA, you must complete an eight- to ten-week program and pass a certification exam. In Wichita, you could expect to earn around $22,400 per year as a CNA.
In the healthcare field, an advanced degree like a master of science in nursing (MSN) can distinguish you from other highly qualified job candidates. It also enables you to deepen your education and skill set, allowing you to pursue jobs for nursing specializations.
To become a registered nurse (RN), there are two options for pursuing your education: a two-year associate's degree program or a four-year bachelor's degree program. Although associate's degrees are less expensive and take less time, you should know that employers tend to favor more educated applicants. This gives aspiring RNs with bachelor's degrees a significant advantage in the job market over applicants who have only earned associate's degrees.